Our Dragonfly 28 moved to winter storage on 28.11.2015. Though November was relatively warm, the weather had not been good for sailing for some time and December storms were getting dangerously close.
Now that we are indoors, it is a good opportunity for maintenance work and making preparations for next season as well as cleaning the yacht thoroughly. All for one main goal – to start the new season early. We managed to log in a little over 1200 NM. Quite a lot for sailing around Tallinn bay. We are already thinking about next season. We have some ideas on where to go and what to do. But more on that later.
Using a slip to pull the boat out of the water was a new and distinctive experience this time. There was considerable wind (NW, ca 10m/s , with 17m/s gusts) and constantly changing water level (+-20 cm up and down). As the water level was constantly changing, it was impossible to follow the manufacturers instruction on driving the trailer into the water only up to the tyres. We left the back wheels of the trailer to the average level of the water. That way we managed to bring the bow to the trailer without touching the bottom. As there were two pairs of helping hands holding on, the procedure went as usual. The most difficult task was to look out for the movement of the water so it wouldn’t cause the bow of the boat to crash against the trailer. Once the hook was attached, bow in contact with the trailer and the rope tight, there was no more danger. New knowledge and experience without “school fees”. Lowering the mast was also a new experience. We had previously done it on a yacht already on a trailer. Now we tried to lower the mast on water with the floats extended. All the steps are the same. It was even easier as the “work surface” was bigger and everything seemed to go more smoothly. Mast of Dragonfly 28 is permitted to be raised and lowered in the water as well as on the trailer. It is important however to observe wind direction and strength and not to pass the limits set in the guidelines.
