Winter season started

Shipyard booked me for Friday. Weather forecast for Thursday looked promising so I took days off from work to sail Meritaten to Rosättra.

Sailing it was not, rather motor-sailing: there was no wind and if any, it was directly from bow.

We left NSS harbour at 11:30. No boats in vicinity, calm sea, cloudless skies. Steady speed 3 knots.

Calm and contemplative journey. Halfway through I got chilled and had to put more warm cloths. Quick warm food - hot sausages in thermos - kept the crew in good humour.

Big amount of moon jellies (Aurelia aurita) this year.

We arrived at 13:50 and found free mooring at Servicevarvet. I jumped on land and went to check on the mast crane.

It turned out that the mast crane is still in pieces but Anders said that my boat, since she is small, can be done with tractor only. He was willing to do it right away, once I’m ready, so I rushed back onto Meritaten to prepare her for de-rigging.

Off went sails and boom, we were ready in 45 minutes. I motored into slip.

Tractor arm was just long enough to lift our mast. One of the advantages of having moderate size boat. Bigger boats have to wait until the proper mast crane is repaired.

I convinced Anders that - since I’m already here in the slip - why not just finish the job and take her up on land already. And so he did.

Bottom paint seems to work this year - there was just few places where havstulpaner crated colonies but otherwise the hull was clean. Propeller was heavily affected by havstulpaner.

After cleaning we went up, to the boat-hall, where she got the same place as always, since more than 60 years.

That was a good day! Everything managed within one day.

I removed dyviken to let water run freely from the bilge, gathered worthy equipment to be taken home and called for my girls to pick me up with a car.
Tomorrow I will start emptying Meritaten from all equipment and preparing her for winter renovation.