Matt's guide to the rapid re-fit game.

So here we are...22 days till 1000 mile race start, 9 days until the RORC North Sea Race 'delivery trip'.

'The Socks'  is out of the water at Shotley marina (one of our new sponsors!) for all the jobs that can't be done while she is swimming,and for Grapefruit graphics to re-brand her, hopefully tomorrow. Our current job list looks like this.....

Remove all old sponsor branding off hull and deck. done 

Repaint inside. done

Sand, prep and spray antifoul. underway

Service winches

remove Raymaine autopilot for service done

look at NKE setup (install pilot, and remote control head) done...some calibration to do yet!

Re-install AIS

Build new Instrament board next season?!

Tidy up Washboards done

Replace wear patches on deck

look at main luff tape at head

Replace tube at  bottom of tuff-luff

Find/buy pre-feeder

Replace tubes on shrouds

re tune rig ongoing

inspect rig done

replace bunk cloths on way

get longer tiller extension

sort out new jib outhaul lines

service ballast pump done

engine service

replace mooring strop on bow

replace tie-lite line on port mainsheet block done

replace bungee on traveller line take-up done done

replace/shorten/reverse chewed black foresail haliyard

de-brand main cover

repair storage lee-cloth stb side in forepeak

think of better way to use chart table

re-fill bean bag! done!

sort out reefing cringle dog-bones (spliced spectra strops?)

Buy two lines for reefing tidy lines

more sail ties

Varnish companionway steps done

Varnish Washboards done

Collect new sails

Buy charts

Buy new flares

Polish gel coat

...and I don't think that covers it all!

Thus far cleaning off the gunk left over from the old branding has been the worst thing, six £10 tins of citrus base cleaner and lots of rags and elbow grease later...still half the boat to do....after a bit of experimentation with solvents I found a spray reducer that removed it very quickly, now why didn't I think of that earlier!

Hopefully I will get spraying half the antifoul Friday, with the rest on Sunday. We will then have a two tone colour scheme for the fish to admire!

We will get there...

Raring to Go...

So it already feels like halfway through the season and all has been quite on the KMYR sailing front for a few months. I am glad to say however, that we are back in the game!

Following two fantastic years of sailing under bluQube's banner which comprised of a single handed transatlantic and a double handed RBIR circumnavigation (coming third in class) bluQube have gone on to pursue other sailing projects. Now is another opportunity to thank them again for their hard work, consistent support and the fun factor they added to my campaigns. I can't wait to work with them again in the future, but know their current project will be an equally exciting one... (more will be revealed soon I am sure)

So, inevitably, this has involved some pretty radical changes for Hotsocks. While we haven't been actively shouting what we have been up to so far this year, it doesn't mean we haven't been busy!

Hotsocks has now been moved to the East Coast for the majority of this season, following three tremendous years of support from Dean and Reddyhoff Marinas. But, since the larger part of our racing this year was to be found in the North Sea, it made sense to up sticks and get involved in some training in some unfamiliar territory!

I notice that I have been writing in the plural. This would mostly be because Matthew Lingley and myself have decided to pursue our racing interests together, given the success and immense fun we had last season. Conveniently, Matt also lives suspiciously close to Hotsocks and our newest sponsor, Shotley Marina. Shotley have kindly agreed to support our berthing needs for the coming months, and are perfectly places in the mouth of the Orwell to give us 24 hour access to the North Sea and her surging tides, ships, rigs and moving sand banks. This definitely isn't the Solent!

So the biggest challenge for us this year is the 1000 mile Doublehanded race that takes place on the 16th June from Scheveningen in Holland (www.1000mile.org). As you might have guessed, the race involves 1000 miles of double handed racing between Scheveningen, Bergen and Lerwick. At present there is a fleet of 15 for the entire race, with a larger fleet expected for the Bergen to Lerwick leg which also comprises a local race taking place at the same time between the same destinations! We are thrilled to be racing against our RBI rivals Nigel and David onboard Fastrack VIII, a Jeanneau Sunfast 3200.

Before then we hope to take part in the RORC North Sea Race which will conveniently act as a feeder race to the 1000 mile race. The 1000 mile race meanwhile is one of the official qualifiers for the RWYC TwoStar TransAtlantic Race next year, on which Matt and I expect to be on the start line.

So as usual, we are running out of time.. the jobs list is getting longer and Hotsocks is still to be decorated in her new livery... New title sponsor news to be announced soon!