Back to the Baltic - that's the plan!

It's late March 2017 and Cyclone's more or less ready to be re-floated.

Naturally things have been left to the last minute, but she's now sporting a new cutlass bearing and fresh antifouling ready for the season ahead.

Fortunately it proved possible to replace the cutlass bearing without removing the rudder. This was thanks to Paul of ffsystems.co.uk who made me a puller to remove my propeller and a kit that allowed the old bearing to be removed and a new one fitted with the propshaft in situ:

The prop blades were removed and the puller fitted using the blades' pivot pins

The puller's bolt was then tightened against the shaft et voila! the prop hub popped off its taper

Next, the cutlass bearing removal tool was assembled ...

... and the nuts wound onto the studs to press the old bearing out of the P bracket

Then the tool was reassembled using the plate with the smaller hole...

... to press the new bearing into place. Simples (ish)!

Once Cyclone's floating again (30th March) her restitched sprayhood and stackpack will be fitted, along with her serviced mainsail and brand new no.1 genoa.

Then it's just a case of loading her up with tools, clothes and provisions before sailing off into the sunrise (yes I do mean sunrise as the tides are suggesting an early start for our likely date of departure - Saturday 1st April!).

Thornham marina is a great place to winter a boat and comes highly recommended. As well as being a friendly bunch, they really look after your boat - checking the shores on a regular basis so you can relax rather than get the wind up when, er, the wind gets up! They have a beach hut where you can help yourself to free tea and coffee and give Westerly Owners Association members a £75 discount too. What's not to like?

Next stop, as tradition dictates, is Brighton.