Today changed from a last opportunity to sail into a trip to start emptying the boat... the forecast was poor, and so we decided to cut our losses, and start the sad process of winterising her...
Firstly the sails came off.... easy with the furling genny, but i'd never removed a furling main before... access comes via two small removable panels on the mast, and I was surprised to find that it was actually quite easy... the only fiddly bit was undoing the two shackles that hold the sail to the top swivel and the base swivel (exactly the same as a furling genny) through the small holes, but once that was done, then the sail just fell down.... the act of folding was interesting.... less difficult for the small main, but the genny was rather large to fold on the foredeck... but we got it done...
Then the sprayhood came off... I hate this job... its the one that suddenly makes the boat look bare....
We loaded all the main berth cushions into a trolley and marched them up to the car.... they clearly weren't going to fit in, so we marched them back, and instead filled the car with duvets, pillows, etc...
Next the water system was drained... took 20mins of running the taps, and then the calorifier was drained fairly quickly with the manual lever on the front of the tank.... As part of the process, I spent 20mins locating the previously absent switch for the calorifier. I knew there must be one otherwiuse you couldn't have shore power on without frying the heating element, but had never managed to find it.
The fridge was the next target, being emptied, cleaned and left open after switching off...
Finally, after various piles of other bits and bobs were carted off to the car, we dismounted the liferaft, outboard, lifebuoy, danbuoy and various other attached implements and stashed them below.
I've got to go down again next weekend to bring the cushions back, and all the books and charts, as well as winterise the engine before she is lifted on the following monday.
Its very depressing walking away from a 'naked' boat knowing that its several months until you'll be sailing on her again.
So.... this winter....
A long list of tasks (who said that older boats need more work doing?)... including:
mounting the Davits
fit some cockpit speakers for the stereo
fit u-bolts for harness clip on points in the cockpit
make a permanent mount for the plotter
re-engineer drain arrangements for the fridge so that it drains!
fit a windex (will have to wait for boat to go back in the water!)
repair and re-waterproof cockpit tent
make some dodgers
fit extra clutches for kicker and spare genny halyard
insulate Eberspacher pipes
replace gas pipes
replace mainsheet and kicker ropes
re-varnish washboards
fit cockpit LED lighting
fit hydrostatic release to liferaft
remount clock and barometer (removed to fit cup holder and so neeed relocating)
fix transom shower (currently disconnected and blanked off)
paint top of gearbox (slight corrosion)
And all this besides the normal list of cleaning, polishing, antifouling. anodes etc etc
Plenty to do to while away the cold winter weekends! | 
