Season Ending

We're approaching the end of another summer season.  We have unstepped the mast from Rubicon and have begun to clean up around our trailer on the Maitland River.  Removing the mast is the part I like least about boating.  Not only is it the end of the season, but unstepping (removing) the mast is a tricky affair done with a mast hoist.  The boat is floating (moving about) in the water about 8' down and the sling is lowered (by Mary controlling the electric motor) from the hoist arm which is 50' above.  The sling is fastened around the lower section of the mast and snugged up under the spreaders where it will lift from.  This ensures that the mast will not fall over when the standing rigging (wires holding mast up) is removed.  The turnbuckles are loosened and each rigging wire pin is pulled.  Then the furler at the bow is released.  The furler is longer then the mast, so the mast must start to go up as the furler (which is attached at the mast top) comes to the mast.  As the furler is brought back to the mast the bolts are removed from the mast base.  Mary then presses the lift button and up goes the mast with two men holding the base of it from the boat.  Of course the mast (being an unbalanced stick) immediately wants to go horizontal, so it is imperative that the boatmen hang on as Mary slowly raises the sling.  At a certain point the mast is high enough to lean over the dock and the mast is brought horizontal under control.  Then a third man who is high up on land side takes hold of the top of the mast as it is lowered over the dock.  The hoist arm at the top of the hoist tower (on which the sling is suspended) is swung around to the dock and the mast lowered on to a 'mast buggy'.  The buggy is a two wheel contraption on which the mast is balanced (sort of).  The mast is wheeled away and set on two stands and stripped and prepared for winter.  Then it is remounted on the buggy and hauled off to the mast rack about 500' away.  Although our mast is hardly the biggest, it is nearly 40' long and weighs about 450 pounds so it can be a brute to wrestle with.

Mast unstepped--ready for haulout 

All of this is done with dockmate volunteers.  We help each other and trust each other, so an affinity is built up between us. 

I am going to change the oil in Rubicon's engine today with hope that the boat will be lifted out of the water tomorrow.  The so-called 'haul-out' is done with what is called a 'travel lift' which is half the size of a house on four wheels and uses two huge motorized slings to lift each boat from the water.  Then it rolls to the storage location and lowers the boat down on it's storage cradle for the winter.  The weather forecast doesn't look too good for Saturday, so it might not happen.  Once we get her out of the water, we have to pump anti-freeze through the engine, plumbing, etc.  Most boats are stored outside, but we pay to have Rubicon trucked to an inside facility. 

On the last weekend in October we close up the trailer after a six month season.  Like the boat it must be winterized and prepared for what winter has to offer.

UPDATE:  Been to Goderich.  Changed the oil and winterized the head and water systems.  Had to change haul-out date because the wind is too strong for boat work.