WINSOME at Royal Prince Albert Yacht Club in Pittwater

December 13, 2008

Today, Saturday 13th of December, was a good day in respect of further preparation of Winsome for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 2008.

We had a slow start today and arrived at the Yacht Club only at 11am. Sun shining, outside temperature 30-32 degrees C. Wouter and myself started taking away the WB Cuben Fibre Main whilst Theun and Rene continued to bring the toiletpump in good order. That appeared quite a job but what could be impossible to achieve for two Hoogmoeds together?

Then we started taking out all the boards of the boat to mark them at the bottom (mainly my job) with a permanent marker as follows:

WINSOME NED 118
Medemblik Netherlands

Then I continued doing that with all other loose parts in the boats which could possibly get afloat. I believe it has been some 30 pieces altogether. Our neighbours looked quite interested and told us their son had a 49′ skiff in Medemblik.

Then tie-ribs everywhere (Theun), cleaning the bilges (Rene), taking out the monitor of the radar (Theun), cutting the oil-soakers (Wout), greasing the locks (Theun) etc etc etc.

All in all it was a good day and we believe to be fully on schedule if it were not for the very odd and surprising news questions of CYCA. Today they asked us when Winsome has been weighed for the last time under IRC. Yesterday they suggested we take a watermaker on board of the liferaft. The day before yesterday they gave us instructions to dry the sponsor-stickers for at least 24 hours etc etc. I believe they are scared to death that they could be ever kept responsible for anythng but other than that they seems nice guys and nice girlies at the CYCA.

Monday morning I expect Robbie to show up and assist us in getting Marten to install the ICOM M801E HF/SSB receiver and get the tricolourlight repaired and have a check on the GFD’s which did not work for a while during our delivery trip.

The batteries on board are nearly loaded and Winsome is getting very close to be fully prepared after Monday next week. Will send some photographs a little bit later.

We have on board now 6 sleepingbags of which 2 Searugs for Boj and for myself plus 4 which can be used by the rest of the crew though not of the same quality of the Searugs. Anyone who wants to buy a Searug himself has to notify Boj in accordance with his message.

Will continue to keep you posted. Thursday next week will be the inspection by the CYCA safety officer here in Pittwater. It is a beautifull bay and we love the sight.