The end of the UK racing season is nearly here after some blindingly sunny days over the last few weeks. The strong winds are back, the sea state is kicking up, and the air temperature is dropping.
Now for some of our hardier sailors, there’s no such thing as an end of season. You don that thicker wetsuit, the bobble hat comes out the depths of your kit bag and you play at your home club all winter. Honing in on your boat handling skills all winter so when the racing season fires up next spring, you will be bringing that main character energy to the start line.
For most of us, the clocks winding back marks the time to hang up our worn-out sailing gloves for the year. How do you pack up your dinghy for the winter? Your pride and joy deserves to be tucked in snugly for those harsher months; here are our top 10 tips to winterize your boat;
1. Clean your boat – We’re not talking about anything fancy here; a mild soap (be conscious if you’re washing your boat anywhere sensitive and look to find an eco-friendly one), a sponge and some good old elbow grease are all you need. If you’ve got the benefit of a hose, blast the blocks and cleats to get any sand or grit build-up out of there.
2. Clean your trolley for grit – make sure those trolley touch points are grit-free to save any damage to the hull.
3. Gently clean your sails to remove sand, mud, or salt. Use a mild soap and warm water, and avoid using anything abrasive! If possible, bring them inside or pop them in the loft rafters. There’s nothing more infuriating than unpacking your spinnaker to find out it looks like Swiss cheese because a mouse has made a snuggly home in it in your garage over the last few months.
4. Put the top cover on and make sure she’s a snug fit. It’s worth taking the time to make sure the straps are fitted properly and the back of your cover is raised to stop that predictable British rain pooling. If you’ve got the space, raise the bow of your boat with a tyre or stand to ensure any water drains straight out the transom. Leave your bottom cover off unless you’re really worried about pebble dashing to stop your RS from being sat in water for long periods of time.
5. Make sure your boat is dry internally; leave the bung out and the bailer open (if she has one) to allow the hull to breathe that fresh winter air.
6. Remove any tape you may have added to your hard wear to stop any friction. Moisture and varying temperatures can make everything go mouldy under the tape which will mean you’re left with a lot of cleaning to do in the spring.
7. Check your rigging and make sure nothing is going to fail over the winter, even better, drop your mast if you can. Our winter storms are getting more gnarly each year, removing the rigging just reduces the chances of your boat getting sling-shot across the boat park.
8. Leash your RS to the floor. It’s pretty common for sailing clubs to have cables running along the floor for you to tie your boat down with, but if this isn’t the case, we’d suggest getting some hardy tent pegs and creating your own anchor points. A nice wide strap or chunkier rope across the widest point, with the slack taken up but far from being bar-tight, will save your boat from being flipped over by a storm.
9. Write a list – Write down those niggles from your summer of racing whilst they’re still fresh in your head. They don’t need doing right now, but you’ll pat yourself on the back when your spinnaker pole truly goes right out the end when you get them sorted in the spring.
10. Check in – Are you able to pop down to the clubs every month or so just to drain the water out and check her over? Or do you have a friend who sails all winter that could help keep a watchful eye on your pride and joy? Little and often is the name of the game!
We hope this has helped, but please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the RS Sailing Team if you have any more questions. For covers, rigging and much more, don’t forget to head to the RS Sailing Store.
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