Trailer out today

[Mo]

Today I pulled Odyssey. Another year operational without a hitch...not even a miss. Most of you know I built a trailer to pull the boat 10 years ago. At that time I bought a farm tractor, kept the 30 ton axles and built the cradle with 8 pads to take the boat. The whole operation to haul took about 15 minutes.

In the next few days I'll winterize with automobile antifreeze mixed 50/50 until green comes out the exhaust tube; then remove carb and place a coffee cup under the outlet where the carb sat. Then the plugs come out and I pour some motor oil in each plug hole. Then I turn it over on the starter until excess oil is actually forced into the paper coffee cup placed where the carb sat. At this point the engine is winterized without fail.

I also drain all water tanks, lube throttle and gearbox cables, lube and loosen turnbuckles on stays; 50/50 in the toilet. That's enough to get her to be A-1 in spring.

[joe_db]

Originally Posted by Mo

Today I pulled Odyssey. Another year operational without a hitch...not even a miss. Most of you know I built a trailer to pull the boat 10 years ago. At that time I bought a farm tractor, kept the 30 ton axles and built the cradle with 8 pads to take the boat. The whole operation to haul took about 15 minutes.

In the next few days I'll winterize with automobile antifreeze mixed 50/50 until green comes out the exhaust tube; then remove carb and place a coffee cup under the outlet where the carb sat. Then the plugs come out and I pour some motor oil in each plug hole. Then I turn it over on the starter until excess oil is actually forced into the paper coffee cup placed where the carb sat. At this point the engine is winterized without fail.

I also drain all water tanks, lube throttle and gearbox cables, lube and loosen turnbuckles on stays; 50/50 in the toilet. That's enough to get her to be A-1 in spring.

We still have our air conditioning on!
I am undecided what I want to do with the Maryland weather. If I take the boat apart for winter projects, it will be 75 degrees all winter. If I leave the boat ready to go, it will snow

[sastanley]

Mo, what do you use to lube the turnbuckle threads??

[Mo]

Shawn: I use "Fluid Film" stays on and a blast from the can is good for a year.

Joe: I'm out a month early. Had no plan to pull out this morning. Decided to do it around 10 am and pulled around noon. Checked a lubed trailer bearings, lubed pads etc. Was off today and it's getting that time of year when we get some wicked blows. Weather is great here for sailing now, winds today 16-20 kts. I can bank on snow through the winter and a few days of really cold weather...most of the time we hang around the freezing point or a 4 or 5 below. Cockpit floor needs cosmedic work, mast needs to be removed and painted...otherwise not much else to do. Didn't use the boat much this year, maybe 250 nautical miles on it...sucks.

[Marian Claire]

" Didn't use the boat much this year, maybe 250 nautical miles on it...sucks."

Man that is low for you but I can relate. Sometimes life gets in the way of life. With your attention to detail in winter prep she will be ready when you get the time. Here's to more miles in the future.
Dan S/V Marian Claire
__________________

[Mo]

That's right Dan, sometimes we let life get in the way. I might give up this work thing and go back into retirement. Today my wife Melinda and the two boys came down to help prep for winter. Sails off, folded, stored in garage, food etc removed, electronics removed, engine is all ready to fire up again in spring. Got it all done in a couple of hours.
You know, when I think of it, there really isn't much to it.

I was one of the first out this year. The 200 ton crane will be in on the 22nd Oct to pluck the boats of summer and lay them in their cradles for winter. The docks come out in about 2 weeks.

[BobMcD]

We lifted out today here on Belleville, on.
Nice day and we were all saying we could have gone sailing, but for the missing masts😂