Long Island, November, 2003
During Fiona’s haul-out from October to approximately May of 2004 I will briefly list the work needed to get her shipshape for the next cruise.
This is the other side of the coin of ocean cruising. This last circumnavigation was hard on the boat; for about half the cruise we experienced the vagaries of the Southern Ocean, essential equipment was repaired en route but many less pressing problems were deferred until the haul-out. On the way back from Maine we smelt fuel in the bilge, this turned out to be seepage from the fuel tanks. In 2003 they were 28 years old, of which 20 years had been spent in fairly hard sailing, the boat has now close to 200,000 nm logged since she was launched in 1983. In the category of battle damage as opposed to fair wear and tear the bow platform frame was bent when the bobstay failed, this will have to straightened and reinforced by additional welded strong-backs.
Here is a list of chores performed in October:
Unbend sails, take to sailmaker. The staysail and storm mainsail were judged to be not worth repairing.
Unload all internal stores and much deck equipment, such as liferaft, inflatable, self-steerer, etc. The water line rose about 2 inches, implying the boat was about 2 tons lighter.
Change engine lube oil and filter and winterize engine. Drain and winterize fresh water system, heads, sea water lines, etc.
Remove refrigerator and freezer in preparation for new installations later.
Remove and scrap the galley stove.
Dismantle the companionway steps, aft dinette bench, aft bookshelf, vertical pole supporting cabin roof and saw out about 6 square feet of cabin sole.
Rig internal bracing and remove the port and center fuel tanks. The center 85 gallon tank had developed small pinholes along the lower edge, the tanks were made of black iron, I guess 28 years is all you get.
Rig the platform off the bow and take it to a metal fabrication facility, where hopefully they can bend it back straight.
Take the awning to a canvas firm, where it was copied before being scrapped.
Remove the log readout and send it for repair.
Remove the Espar cabin heater and send it for overhaul.
Remove the Pur 35 water maker.
Remove the running and standing rigging on the mast, Weeks Yard then lifted off the mast and hauled the boat.
Remove all the fittings on the mast and boom prior to sand blasting and painting. The winch mounting plates were deeply corroded and new ones will have to be welded on. Two winches had cracked base plates.
On October 11 we staged the Welcome Home party at Weeks Yard. The weather was perfect, we had a Dixie Band and plenty of Eats and Drinks. My daughter, Brenda, flew up from Florida a couple of days before in order to organize it. We had two computers running with slides of the trip. Charts mounted on boards illustrated our track round the world.
Until next month, Best wishes, Eric
 Eric and Brenda enjoy the Welcome Home Party. |
 Freezer and ‘frig have been removed. |
 Aft dinette area before it was demolished. |
 Temporary companionway steps will have to serve for the next few months. |
 Port and center fuel tanks are finally exposed. |
 Starting the lift of the port fuel tank. |
 A fuel tank is swung over the dock using the main halyard. |
 The mast is rigged out by the Weeks Yard gang. |