Soon the day to launch is here again. This season has been particularly mild in southern and central Sweden. On April 29 Isabell will go back into the water.
In preparation for yet another fantastic sailing season a number of repairs and improvements are made to the ship. First of all, since it will become obligatory in the HELCOM region to empty sewage (black water) to a pumping station on land from 2015, Isabell has now been fitted with a new deck outlet for black water from the septic system. In the process, the whole septic system has been renovated with new connections (1 1/2 “) and 38 mm sewage hoses.
The toilet has got a new lid and new hinges. And the tubing to the water tap from the water tank is renewed.
All of the interior lights have been replaced with LED lights. In spite of the high cost of this, the low energy usage of the LED and their long lifetime do make it a worthy investment.
The navigational Hellas running lights (top, back, port and starboard lights) also have been replaced with special LED bulbs. As an additional option a combined LED light (tricolor and anchor light, Hellas) is placed in the mast top. New wiring has been drawn for these lights.
A new electronic horn is placed in the mast top as well. The wiring from the instrument panel to the cockpit navigation screen (computer) is redrawn through the starboard storage box. One of the 12V main batteries died during winter and is replaced.
A new bimini sun top is designed and installed across the cockpit. See the website for more details on this.
As usual a lot of the gear, sail covers, ropes and running rigging are cleaned and gone over at home. The heater is serviced and supplied with new fuel.
Some work was done on the packbox, but it is still ok for another season. Fuel and oil filters are checked and replaced, as well as the anodes on the prop and in the water cooling system.
New covers were sown for the fenders, this time in wooolly grey like material. Then there is the general cleaning and polishing to do, and here we are… SHIPSHAPE!!!