year. Since we didn't install that GPS until mid-summer last year
she's probably got a few more miles on her than that, but it's a good
rough estimate of our first year of cruising.
For the last week we've been working long days in hot and humid
conditions to prepare New Morning for five months of storage on land
(aka "on the hard"). A combination of decommissioning where we take
things apart and stow them away, current maintenance and preventive
maintenance. The tropical sun will be beating down on the boat for
the next five months so we've basically stripped everything we can
from the deck and rigging. Fay has shined and polished all the
hardware and she removed the running back stays and inner forestay
from the mast. Yesterday Antigua Rigging removed most of the running
rigging and the sails. The sails will go to the sailmaker to check
the stitching and hardware so they'll be ready to go in the fall. The
outboards have been flushed in fresh water and the list goes on and on.
Tomorrow New Morning will be hauled, her bottom washed and then placed
in a one piece cradle and strapped to mother earth. This should keep
her secure during any tropical storms this summer.
