Putting her up for the season…

…where our floating home finds her home for the summer.  The day started early for us.  I was up at 5:00am with the first light of the new day.  I started water  heating, checked the latest weather report and at a little before 6:00am I woke up Bev.   The sun was just staring to rise in the east and it was time to get this new day rolling.  We had just two miles to travel today but they were across some poorly charted and shoal prone waters.  Mile for mile, it was the most taxing passage of our whole tip.  We were heading out on a moderate, rising tide.  Malo draws 7’6”.  The chart indicated that we had to cross a sand bar that was 6’ at mean low water.  With fingers crossed, a prayer for good fortune and a back up plan to tip the boat if required, we set out at 7:00am.  



It turned that we didn’t need our backup plan and that all our concern about shoals was for not, but something strange did happen.  When we were about half way across the bay a thick fog swept over the nearby hills around the bay.  It was a surreal experience as it was the first fog that we had been in since leaving the Pacific Northwest.  So thick it was that we turned on our radar.  It was odd and out of place and it disappeared just as we reach Gabriel’s boat yard leaving me with a strange impression that we had just left one reality and entered another.

The fog cleared and we arrived at the marina at 8:00am on the dot with out incident.  The shallowest water that we saw on our passage was 8’ 6”.  We had a whole foot to spare.  Piece of cake!  Once we arrived at the ways Gabriel’s crew guided us in and they did a very careful and professional job of hauling Malo out of the water.   

We then proceeded to do the traditional slow-walk behind the travel lift carrying our beloved boat, “grounded boat rolling”, and us all anxious to see where she’d end up for the season.  Across the yard we marched, then unexpectedly out of the yard we went, across the street into Gabriel’s second yard, I didn’t know he had two of them, then on to Malo’s new spot.  


The crew was even more careful in setting her down, preparing her and securing her than they were at hauling her, then they gave her a thorough power washing. Good guys.

That’s  when our work began.  Lots to do to prepare our floating home for a summer spent on land in the desert.  Here’s the list:

Before Haul Out

Marine tex divits in cockpit 
Change engine oil & filters
Clean bilges 
Grease wenches
Clean and pack dinghy
Remove and clean knot log/fathometer 
Wash dodger windows
Launder clothes, towels etc
Take down & bag sails 

After Haul Out

Refit forestay
Wrap rudder in reflective tarp
Store sails
Top off diesel tank and add bio stabilizer
Spray engine with CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor or WD40
Flush Bilge
Close all seacocks
If secure boom
Run messenger lines for all running rigging
Change outboard motor oil
Clean all thru hull and mar lube all seacocks
Bag food, linens & books
Inspect/clean engine raw water screen
Bag all electronics and remove batteries from flashlights, radios etc
Spay Windless with CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor or WD40
Clean fridge and prop open
Flush sinks
Vacuum crumbs
Remove and bag printer cartridges
Give away gas
Close propane valve
Head - Clean, flush with fresh, soak with vinegar, then oil.
Lift mattresses
Remove all foodstuff including spices, packaged soups, cereals and tins etc.
Treat interior cupboards and areas with Max Force or Combat Roach Control
Lift interior cushions to allow good air circulation
Clean anchor and chain
Clean chain locker
Remove anchor and store inside.

Last Day

Remove binini & dodger 
Remove garbage
Foil & close curtains & hatch cover
Double lock outboard engine
Turn off all items on master breaker board 
Turn off propane bottles
Spray door locks with CRC or WD40

When all that is done we can head home.  We are more than half way thru the list as I type this, 4 days into our storage preparations.  In the mean time we are tryin to enjoy the work and our time in Gabriel’s yard as much as possible.