Last season is probably best forgotten – it was summer in name only. Except for a couple of days in early July and a couple in mid-September, warm sunny days of summer didn’t get going last year, and a disappointing season slipped easily into Autumn. We did not get a lot of sailing done, and this was reflected in the chart-plotter log with just 580 NM covered, which is about a half to a third of totals from previous years, and the majority of that using the engine.

Fortunately, a disappointing year was bookended with a couple of great trips. At the start of the season, we had a wonderful trip to Northern Ireland, and in mid-September, we returned from a weekend in Tarbert. This was our ninth year of going to the Tarbert Music Festival and to be honest, it was a bit lame this year with just a couple of venues in the town and only three different bands performing. The whole place was quieter than I remember from previous years.  Still, I’m looking to the future instead of backwards.

Normally at this time of year, I have booked accommodation in Largs so that we can get Jess prepared for the season; anti-fouling, cleaning, polishing, engine service, etc. However, this year I am paying someone to do most of the maintenance. I have been troubled with knee and hip joints, and it transpires that I need a hip replacement. There is no way I could crawl around under the boat, scraping and painting. It’s more expensive, of course, but it is offset a little by not having to pay for self-catering accommodation in Largs and not spending money in the pubs!

Last season, I saw an advert for anti-fouling on eBay – it was cheap. On reflection, I suspect it was just blue paint lacking in any biocides and has failed miserably at doing its job. It was shite, and in ten years I have never seen so much weed on Jess, in previous years it’s been just a film of sludge. She came out of the water this morning with a healthy growth to rival that of a rainforest. It’s probably the only time I have ever had value for money from the pressure-washing the boat gets when she is lifted.

I have a cradle booked until the 24th of April when I hope to launch. Working on the boat last year, I got talking to Dave from DAC Marine who was cleaning and anti-fouling the next boat and making a far better job than we were on Jess and he will scrape, clean, fill as necessary and then anti-foul the hull, clean and polish the topsides and deck area. There are a couple of other minor bits of maintenance that I need to do: the engine serviced, and the guardrails need to be tightened. Engineers are always at a premium, especially at this time, but I have managed to get 360 Boat Services to check the stern gland and Fairlie Riggers to replace a reffing line and attach a new radar reflector. I read about a great idea for the swim ladder – unlikely to be used as one – but by far the easiest way to get back on board if anyone is unfortunate enough to fall in. Rather than having it always down, the clever use of a quick-release shackle allows it to be released from the water.

I already have a few trips planned for this year: the annual trip to Northern Ireland with Alan and our friend Hamish from Stornoway, a Whisky Dash in June with my nephew, a trip through the Crinan Canal with Alan and his wife Lynda in July and towards the end of the season, the Tarbert Music Festival.

First sail of the season.