Things to do if only the weather............

Well, managed to do the new mast cradle and that was it. So a number of things now to do in next week whilst I have the time. In no particular order

 Sort trailer bearings
Whip ends of all ropes frayed, having heat sealed them first
Empty all lockers and tidy up and ditch what has accumulated and is not needed
Find a cheap cockpit tidy that I can attach and remove as and when to the  cockpit coating - to hold hand held compass, flask, sun hat etc when on extended voyages
Trim the lazy jacks halyard so there isn't so much flopping around and needing coiling when under way
Plug one or two old screw holes on the bottom sprit boom
Check the outboard bracket
Grease all rollers on the trailer
Paint the "dings" and scratches on the hull
 Purchase and fit a new inner cockpit hatch where the old one has warped (starboard side of centre case)
Make a simple attachment to hold the petrol funnel that I so that it will stretch over the aft transom for filling but then be easily stowed under the aft deck out of way

I think that my first voyage will be around the sound just having a shakedown and making sure that all halyards run freely and sails set as they should. Then I will do some practice moves; coming alongside mooring buoys under sail, sailing off the buoys from different directions; into and with tide etc. I want to spend an hour or so with the tiller lashed mid ships and sailing in different directions by using just jib and mizzen sails to steer by. You can never practise MOB enough.....so PDF and weighted bucket overboard in Jennycliffe bay after letting coastguard know.

I quite fancy a sail up the Tamar and Lynher again and possibly up around to Calstock on a good spring tide. Another trip is to launch at Totnes and sail down and back to Dartmouth. My friend who owns a post boat as talked about camping down at Fowey and sailing the river and bay which sounds fun to me. I'd quite like to do the same in the Fal and Helford as well

So many places.....so many choices. Lets just hope the weather plays ball as well!

Steve..