Preparations and tender maintenance

 Preparations continue, the job list is static at 26 jobs to complete but I have the Garmin tracker just about sorted out. https://share.garmin.com/SVLouisa. Messaging with the family is partially working. I wanted to get some heavy weather practice so went out in an F8. Three reefs and all seemed good, made progress downwind and limited progress upwind. 8 hours in the middle of winter and no other boats about was great. I don't think there has been much sunshine around since I was last down but the solar panels are holding the batteries up well. The inner jib needs modifying which I think I can do myself.

Louisa was looking fine in the morning gloom when I left her.

This visit to the boat was as much about maintaining the tender as it was about Louisa and sailing. When I was last out the gunwale started to come adrift so I devised a new rubbing strake made from 1/2" water pipe and insulating foam. 

I think it worked well, it is held on with cable ties and seems like an improvement.