I am not sure exactly why it has taken me so long to get Akka ready this year. I arrived last Wednesday evening and still, the sails are not up yet!
Sure, there is work-work, but normally Akka is afloat within a couple of days. Not his year. Maybe it has to do with all the things that I had to sort out and throw away. In my old age I am getting to be a bit of a hoarder and a boat is a bad place for that kind of behavior. So, out came the ropes that I will never use, the spare parts that I don’t know where to fit, the things purchased that I did not use (and never will), the t-shirts that will never fit again. The extra room means however to re-organize the storage. Every bit had to come out and find a new home.
Another reason is Corona. Akka was on the hard for nearly 2 years – and it showed. The cleaning was a lot harder this year and I still haven’t finished completely yet. The safety lines for instance are covered in a green slime. This is because some water came through the tarpaulin and collected at the stern, where the lines are attached. Autumn leaves got caught there and created a feast for the moss to grow.
A friend of mine and his wife are coming next week. First-timers on Akka who are not used to old owner-boats. So, I want to present Akka in her best light and try to be as Bavaria/Beneteau/Hanse-like as possible. This means extra careful cleaning and that takes time.
And I did many little improvements in the last few days too. New halyards, lazy-jacks, sanding and varnishing the hatchet, new shelves for oil and vinegar, repositioning of the oven etc. etc.
But all is well, and I enjoy the sun shine in when Akka swings about in our little anchorage. This morning’s view.
That’s a lovely pic.