Prior to my skipper and his crew bringing me down to this Island off the south coast, I would have to endure freezing temperatures, snow & ice, storms and high winds.
Whilst I agree that recently high winds have swept the nation, my little berth down the Medina river is pretty well sheltered from most things. Ok southerlies and conversely northerlies can be a problem but even then I'm either facing or stern to them. The biggest issue at present is condensation. I am literally heating up inside when the sun does come out removing moisture from within to the colder portholes and hatches. Unfortunately I then perspire and moisture runs across the roof linings and drips.
The work my skipper did to the mast base, seems to have stemmed the tide but there is a leak from top decks through to the rear cabins, a puzzle I have set my skipper to resolve.
The last few weekends he's been down to check me over, run my systems, fire up my heater, but I haven't been out now for ages. However I am supporting new stainless steel pushpit and side gate and it wont be long before all the wire is replaced and the wind generator is installed and running again.
I have it on good authority that I'm going to be moved to Cowes Yacht Haven for a month, where I can have the dehumidifier and heaters running and dry every sinu out. But as always its more than that, my main sail is to come off and be laundered like my jib was; the boom will come off and have the Vang bracket strengthened, not that its a problem at the moment but my skipper has spotted something that has been added to his wish list. The lazy Jack bag can come off and a new one made. I may even come out of the water altogether and have my anodes checked again.
The tube lighting on my starboard side is being removed, replacing it with the same LED pink lighting strip that adorns my port side, so most of my ceiling panels are currently off. I am sure that once I am returned to my mooring at Whitegates, I'll be in much better shape and will be out in the Solent once more.
