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Dear readers,

In the past few days, the summer has made another effort, and the weekend also promises wonderful hours on the water. Nevertheless, the season is drawing inexorably to a close. The remaining sailing weekends can almost be counted on one hand, and the crane date is usually already firmly in the diary. That's the case for me too. And, as I have done for many years, this time I'm determined to get a crucial part of the winter work done in the autumn, namely refreshing the antifouling.

There are many reasons for this: the temperatures are still high, in spring they are usually only just above 5 degrees Celsius, the lower limit for most paint manufacturers. And the work is also quicker when the temperatures are pleasant. The extra weekend can certainly be put to good use next year for other, less temperature-critical work. What's more, this somewhat anti-cyclical approach is a benefit for everyone: if I sand the underwater hull a little, I don't disturb my winter storage neighbours with the noise in autumn, as there's probably nobody else in the boat store. By the time they start making noise in the spring, I'm already through and already doing tasks below deck where their working noise doesn't bother me. I also have the first warm weekend in spring for polishing work.

So the advantages are undisputed, but I've never managed it. Excuses are easy to find. Other obligations that were neglected during the sailing season. Just going into the loft to store sail bags and cushions for the winter is enough to make me realise that a tidy-up is urgently overdue. The winter work is quickly forgotten. Then there are family and friends with whom you want to spend the last reasonably nice weekends. If the boat is already ashore, you can also make yourself comfortable around the fire basket. Who knows when it will be too uncomfortable for that. Uncomfortable, i.e. cold and rainy, also means that it is too late for the boat work that has been brought forward if the boat is not in the hall.

Then, of course, there is the motivation, which is lacking if the new sailing season is not just around the corner. As the crane date approaches, the boat work is completed even in less than ideal conditions. On the one hand, time is pressing, on the other hand, the anticipation is great and the tasks come easily. In autumn, on the other hand, even a slight chance of rain is enough to postpone the work, citing unfavourable weather conditions.

In order to finally implement the project this autumn, I have decided to have all the necessary tools ready. As soon as the winter tarpaulin is brought out, the sheeting, sander, hoover, paint tubs etc. have to find their way straight from the loft into the car. The new anti-fouling paint has to be obtained in good time and then I have to hope for a rain-free weekend after the crane date.

These preparations are necessary, and a trip to the DIY store for sanding discs and paint rollers may be unavoidable, otherwise the project will fail due to a lack of adhesive tape. But while the sailing season is still underway, it doesn't feel right to take stock of the winter work utensils. As long as the boat is still afloat, I don't want to think about winter work.

A trip to the DIY store is an unpleasant reminder that the season is almost over. In spring, it still felt so endlessly long. Then the approaching end inevitably leads us to recapitulate our time on board. Did I make good use of the weekends and summer holidays, did I visit all the destinations I wanted to see this year? How many miles did I sail, how often did I anchor, how often did I set the spinnaker? In short, how satisfied am I with this sailing season, which is almost over, and how much am I looking forward to the next one?

My season has been great, and I'm now going to try to capitalise on this momentum and do this one job straight after the crane. It takes a few hours to apply the antifouling; if sanding is advisable beforehand, it will take a day's work. That should be doable. Although, in autumn it only gets light late and dark early. So there are plenty of excuses. And until then, I'll enjoy the remaining sailing days, as it feels like it's still summer. Who thinks about winter work?

Michael Rinck,

YACHT editor

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