It’s the end of 2023 Sailing Season

20th October 2023 – Ipswich and Titchmarsh

Sumara alongside, waiting for the lock at Ipswich

It has been a great sailing season. I really enjoyed bringing Sumara through the Caledonian Canal, around to Edinburgh and then down the East Coast. Then I joined Will Stirling to sail through the North West Passage which was a brilliant experience.

To finish off the season, just before Sumara was lifted out for the winter, we had a little end-of-season meet under the guise of the Dangerous Waves Club. The DWC is a club which is so select that no one even knows who runs it. Nevertheless, three Vertues, a Halberg Rassy, a Westerley Pageant and a Rival all turned up, and we quickly decanted to the Briarbank Brewing Company for some refreshment.

Maddie, Ned, Magnus, Katie and Mara at the Dangerous Waves Club End of Season Meet. Mara is drinking one of Magnus’ splendid strangely named ales.

Once fully refreshed after our epic sails from as far away as Walton on the Naze, we headed over the road for some pub grub before settling down in Kate and Ned’s snug cabin for a late night tipple.

The tides ensured we all got up early and headed off down the Orwell. Sumara stupidly headed off a bit too early and had to sail slowly to avoid hitting low water in the Walton Backwaters.

Mea, another Vertue, enjoying a sail off Harwich
Corinna sailing down the Orwell on her way back to the Deben

That was definitely the last sail of the season and it was time to haul Sumara out of the water. I booked a lift out on 19th October but the mast couldn’t be unstepped until a week later.

Sumara awaits on the pontoon before the lift out. We had to wait because I was minus one foot aground!
Sumara after her pressure wash. All the slime soon fell off.
The Hammerite Special Metals Primer was a total triumph! More about the prop can be found here

Sumara is now ashore with her mast undressed and lying alongside. The boat and mast are covered with their heavy canvas covers. The engine has had anti-freeze pumped through and the oil has been changed twice. Now I need to decide what jobs I can realistically achieve before the spring. So far, apart from the varnishing and antifouling, I have:

  • Painting the bilge (big job!)
  • Removing and cleaning the stainless steel water tanks
  • Repairing the Eberspacher, so it actually works
  • Servicing and repainting the Baby Blake

I’ll stop there before I think of something else. Let’s see what actually happens!

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