This is a late, but nevertheless. Helene was lifted on 18 October 2021 at Mistley Marine on the River Stour in Essex. It proved to be a somewhat quirky but very pleasant winter quarters.
Over the next 6.5 months the following works were undertaken:
- New top-loading primary fuel filter & new fuel lines installed under port-side cockpit bench
- Jib halyard brought back to cockpit on starboard side, and winch installed
- New standing rigging purchased, including all turnbuckles (Craig, CB Rigging, Brightlingsea — bryer2004@hotmail.com)
- New electric bilge pump installed & new hose (I broke the old one trying to get the hose off)
- New hoses for evacuation of engine cooling water installed
- Plastic hatch installed in cockpit to access space under starboard-side cockpit bench, to create storage for fenders
- Aft ends of both keel boxes (rotten) replaced with Sapele, using the ‘three sections’ method
- Rotten softwood framing supporting forward section of cockpit sole replaced with Sapele
- Small round portlight installed in centre of forehatch
- Hull sanded, undercoated and painted
- Deck painted and blister
- Cockpit sanded and painted
- All floorboards forward of cockpit painted
- Boom and mast given several coats of Woodskin
- All lights on mast converted to LED
- New VHF installed
- Place for second domestic battery created under nav station
- Deks 1 & 2 applied to whipstaff, horse, horse supports and much of the brightwork below decks
- Keel bolt covers removed, all bolts greased, new seals installed, and covers reinstalled (plywood on port side replaces with Perspex)
- Rudder blade grit blasted, etch primed, sealed with two-part international paint and antifouled
- Bunk reading lights installed – forward and aft bunks, starboard side
- New bunk cushions purchased — forward and aft bunks, starboard side (The Foam Shop, Ipswich)
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