Having a spring clean 2

I'm rearranging where things go in Arwen. Weight around the centre case, lighter at the stern and bow. So into the stern locker is going spare life jackets, spare clothing, spare foulies and the outboard toolkit along with some towing bridles. In the starboard centre thwart locker will be a collapsible bucket, the radar reflector, foghorn, binoculars, handheld compass, throw line, grab bag and then some spare cloths and sponges. The rest of the space is for daysailing kit......waterproofs, spare fleece, packed lunch and drinks, camera, sun cream and sunnies etc. 

In the port locker will be spare fittings ranging from blocks to screws, shackles, gaffer tape and assorted odd tools, WD40, the little bailer, a mallet etc. 

In the front thwart lockers will go camping gear when I am off on extended voyages....cooking gear, food, bottled water, sleeping gear, the tarp and bulldog clamps to hold it in place. 

I am going to buy some more cylindrical fuel bottles from optimist to store spare fuel and they can then go in the lockers as well. 

Under the deck in the bow locker will go the boat cushions I have for extended stops, spare dry bags, some spare warps and two of the four large white fenders I carry. Sadly the big black bucket won't fit through the hatch so that will remain stored under the deck as will the hand pump. 

The kedge anchor and warp will remain in its tray, covered by a large thick piece of black foam matting, strapped on the floor,port side just forward of the centre thwart. It is held in place by bungees. The matting means I can regularly stand on top of it if need be when adjusting snotter on boom. 

The main large anchor is on the floor starboard side, secured in a similar fashion. I will be making a little contraption using a strong painter and loop, to allow its deployment from the centre of the boat. I'll post more on this when I have it clear in my own head how it will work. 

I have some straps either side of the centre case which can be used to secure four 25lt water barrels in place for extra weight when on extended solo sailing coastal voyages. 

The new dry bags will be left in the various lockers and then camping stuff packed into them as and when needed. 

My aim is to declutter the cockpit. I am always amazed at how well Joel manages to do it in Ellie and Steve in Spartina and it is time I learned from them.......some good, seamanlike housekeeping!

For coastal overnight voyages I am also thinking about installing side netting under decks in forward part of cockpit....my friend has offered to make some if I pay for materials and time and actually I am beginning to think they would be much more effective in securing things, especially, God forbid, in event of a capsize. I'd quite like a little net stretching across the back of the aft footwell into which can go the little dry bags with lunch, drinks bottles and flasks, along with GoPro gear. It would stop it all rattling around under the side decks and reduce the need for a rucksac taking up space in the footwell.

Another project I am looking at is how to make my little YouTube videos of daysailing more appealing. I'm looking at story boarding in advance and giving more thought to cutaway sequences. I am also thinking hard about how to get good footage of Arwen sailing on the water from a distance. Two projects come to mind. The first, the creation of a floating frame....a guy running a YouTube gopro channel has a very ingenious design made out of plastic pipe; and attaching a gopro to a small kite to tow behind Arwen. This one needs some thought but a kite surfer friend may well have some answers!

Ill keep you all posted on developments.