Putting Aleria to bed

Alex and crew got Aleria down to Kilrush and hauled out last week. But they didn't get to remove the sails and take home all the bedding etc, only fresh food and dirty linens. So yesterday Alex and I drove down with the trailer in tow behind Lilly. There's a huge storm churning in the Atlantic and will be delivering waves of nasty weather to us. It was imperative to remove the headsail at least and to reduce windage overall. 

We got up at 6:00 am and were on the road shortly after 7:30. Three hours later, we were on deck and working hard and fast. It was supposed to be calm and dry in the morning. It was neither. A heavy mist kept descending and ascending, while a breeze blew steadily but not too hard. We took down the headsail first, sort of flaking it on deck, then with a halyard dropped it into the trailer parked beside the boat. Alex guided the sail while I worked the winch. It was a huge messy ball but it was down.

Next alex worked on the mainsail while I worked on the mizzen. We took out the battens, tied the sails with sail ties but above the booms, and undid the outhaul and downhaul. Then we lifted the sail slides off the masts, and rolled the sails into balls. Both were dropped down into the trailer. 

We filled the car with all the bedding and cushions and kitchen gear and engine and gas tanks and staysail and yankee sheets. We had not taken the sheets home last year so they were pretty dirty. With all the sails loaded into the trailer, it was a heavy load. We added the dinghy which need a repair. Alex covered it all with a tarp. 

Finally, we removed the Rescue ring and pole, and the MOB rescue slings. In between, I removed the spray hood and packed up below. 

As we were leaving, it became calm and sunny. But as we drove home, we passed through many patches of rain -- totally unlike the forecast we had seen the day before. At least we got it all done and by 2:30. We left about 2:45 and got home at 6:30. Aleria was ready for a winter on the hard.

I was wondering what the hell we were going to do with the sails with all the rain and wind coming -- many days' worth. Then I thought, hang on, we can just put the trailer into the polytunnel and work on the sails slowly one by one. And that's what we did. We also were able to spread out the wet dodger and sail covers to dry. That polytunnel has surely come in very handy. 

Alex will have to go back to service the engine and generator. But the bottom is clean so we won;t have to do that. And we are paying to have the brightwork done, yipee. I don't have to do that myself.