Spring commissioning almost finished I know “misery loves company” so I thought I would post an update on the progress of my 1986 Hunter 23. I bought the boat from the original owner last fall and got enough sailing in to make quite a laundry list of rigging updates it needed. The boat is in very good shape but absolutely bone stock on the rigging. A partial list of things I’ve done this spring includes; New halyards, including spinnaker, lead aft to the cockpit with sheet stoppers and the winch moved off the mast to the cabin house. Genoa tracks installed. Horn cleats for the headsail moved to the back for dock lines, replaced with Harken cam cleats. All winches cleaned and lubed. New Harken mainsheet tackle. New Lewmar adjustable back stay. New CDI roller furler with anchor locker doors retrofitted to put furler under deck in the anchor locker. Rudder pinned down permanently and top pintle shimmed to get rid of that horrible weather helm. Replaced cockpit drain hose. All teak stripped and sealed with three coats of Cetol. And the MISERY part; Old bottom paint stripped, sanded and four coats of barrier coat painted. Now VC-17 goes on tomorrow and back in the water on Sunday 4/18! I’ve done all the work myself and enjoyed most of it but not that bottom job, it’s the only time I’ve been glad I owned a 23 footer and not a 33 or 43 footer. To all you hard working boat owners out there getting your boats ready for summer, “Cheers and smooth sailing”