Dave, Mike, Eric and myself attended the club yesterday to step the masts on Satyr and Lift Off and put the winter covers on the boats and the storage box.  One cover is new this season.  A sharp eyed Mike, noticed the front resting post for the hull on ‘Lift Off’ was catching the hull, a couple of spanners and Mike and Eric had it sorted!

Lift Off and Satyr with masts taken down, stowed so all equipment is off the floor

Masts down, tarpaulin cover in place and additional cover to keep out the wet winter weather

Eric and Dave play pass the rope under the box – or lashing down the tarpaulin

 

Mike and Dave putting the blocks in place for Time Flies.

We also stepped the mast of RSC’s member Roy’s “new to him” Squib as he hadn’t done it before, and he had asked us last week if we could give him a hand.
All duly carried out without incident.
We also removed the buoyancy aids from the box as they get damp over the winter, and Mike, myself and Dave took at least three each home for storage.
We covered the storage box with a left over garden seat cover from my garden. I did this last winter and it protected the box nicely from rain, snow and ice.
Went to move the Soling back into its correct position, after Malcolm parked it very close to our neighbours Soling last time we used her, only to discover she had a flat tyre. There’s always something!
Mike and Dave borrowed the jack from the bosun and removed the complete wheel which I took to Oakham Tyres to be sorted. I suspect faulty valve, and asked if they can fit new valve and inner tube.
I will return today or tomorrow to collect and then go down the club and refit the wheel back onto the trailer.
We could have gone sailing yesterday as the weather was so nice, but these tasks took us from 10 am ‘til 3 pm.
Stuart was going to join us but his cold got the better of him. Get better soon Stuart.
This year we intend to keep the Soling avail for Winter sailing, but will put her winter cover on if the weather forecast looks bad with rain and snow etc.
This year has been very busy with lots of maintenance work on the boats and the trailers. We had to have both trailers partially rebuilt with new steel sections and replaced one of the jockey wheel.
John Laxton kindly put the brass drain plugs into Lift Off, and I removed the rusty sections and painted the Soling trailer.
We had to sort out the soft rotten sections of the cockpit floor on the Soling and prime and repaint the floor. We  had some sails mended, we stepped the mast and replaced the windex.
We acquired a “new to us” storage box for the Soling. We have to replace the starboard inner shroud on Satyr and order a spare for the port side. We measured these yesterday. These are now being made for us.
We also noticed when stepping the masts that the split rings on the forestay and port side inner shroud were “missing”!
Both masts have been stored away in a shed, so safe and dry.
Earlier in the season I donated some sails to the club for the Squibs and the Soling and an RSC friend donated some nearly sails for the Squibs.
I along with other committee members have been very busy this season with CSSA  at RCSSC taster days and members sail development days.
all the best
John

About Dave Grundy

Joined RCSSC after over 25 years gap from sailing offshore and dinghies. I quickly got involved and became the Sailing Secretary, later the Treasurer and for three years RCSSC Club Commodore ( Now title is Club Captain) So glad I found RCSSC.

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