Tonight is the penultimate night in our slip in Alameda, CA. We’re planning some distanced dock-side brews with the neighbors tomorrow and headed to Sausalito for a “haul out” (lifting the boat on land for below-the-waterline projects).
We moved across the estuary from Oakland to this marina in early 2019. Prior to COVID-19 lockdowns, we commuted to work, drove our dinghy down the estuary to hop aboard other boats for sailing races, and hung out with friends on and off the water. Needless to say, we’ve spent a lot of time at the dock these past twelve months tinkering on the boat. MVYH has been a great launch pad.
Our cruising plans crystalized last spring and we did a bow-to-stern inventory of what projects needed to be done before we could/should/would go ocean voyaging. We turned to Trello to keep track of projects and priorities. As we get closer, projects that aren’t related to safety or sail handling slip to “once we’re out there”.
The main reason we’re hauling out now is to replace rigging of unknown age. We know it isn’t original (42 years old), and were told by a rigger friend that it was probably more than 15. We will also be replacing thruhulls (intentional holes in the boat – ahh!), installing several items on the mast (inner forestay to fly a storm jib, wind indicator, new wiring, spreader lights, mast step and mast steps (different items if you can believe it).
Once we’ve wrapped up at the boatyard – hopefully a two week ordeal – we will sail up the Sacramento River Delta for some friend goodbyes, slower pace, and warmer weather. After that, we’ll do a lap of the Bay for goodbyes, sail out the Golden Gate, and turn left.
Sailing Azimuth 