I've been getting an early start to my annual spring clean up. New this year is a cleaning of the 135% headsail. I sent it off through a sail loft to the local sail cleaning service. My seven year old catalina sail had started getting some small black flecks of mildew on the white UV strip. A 10 ft. diameter area was taking on a faint light green tinge (we get a lot of green slime growing on the boats in our damp winter weather). The top foot or so at the head of the sail was dirty, approaching black. Any way, cleaning runs $0.75 per square foot, and takes a couple of weeks. So for $266 I got a clean sail back today. I originally thought my UV strip was shot, but it cleaned up nicely, so I'm just going to patch up the frayed edge along the foot where it drags over the lifelines. The sail itself is still in good shape, so I'll be out and about and looking good this spring and summer. I've re-done the Dutchman flaking system. I had to buy a new dacron line for the continuous topping lift, because I put the old one in the washing machine (front loading Whirlpool Duet) and it came out with a half dozen hockles. I've noticed some of the original lines are prone to this. I've washed many other lines in the past with no problem. I also got some new 2 mm, 400 lb test monofilament and replaced the control lines. I had to replace the engine panel voltmeter. I recently noticed the old one stayed pegged at full scale whenever the ignition was on. The Teleflex Value series voltmeter was only $18 with my chandlery discount, and the swap out was easy. I also just finished cleaning the sail cover, pedestal cover, and dodger. Sprayed three pints of 303 fabric guard on everything. I'm going to spray the same stuff on the jib's UV strip to help keep that clean longer. Got the fenders looking like new again using acetate followed with 3M vinyl cleaner and protectorant. I'll clean the lifelines with the usual Starbrite Power cable Cleaner. The only big thing left to do is polish out the cabin top and shiny parts of the cockpit with Sea Power cleaner wax, and then hand apply a coat of Collinite Fleetwax to the hull. It still has no visible oxidation after seven years, I think because of the Collinite. I still get a lot of comments on the boat, many from people asking if it is new. Even though I'm way ahead of schedule, there's always more small detail type things to be done. I will probably be putting in a new head fairly soon, before I do any serious cruising. My wife recently informed me that she wants to do a three week cruise up to Desolation Sound this summer. I was afraid our head wasn't going to make it through our cruise last year, and I don't want to test my luck again! Any way, I hope this post will help get some of you to start thinking about getting ready for the new sailing season.
