Bristol-Blue Lake Michigan Sailing Adventures

Each year I struggle with the end of the season cover method.  This is perhaps due to the versatility of the cape dory Typhoon.  Some years I drop the mast other years, I leave it up. This changing back and forth between covering with the mast up or the mast down changes the process immensely.  With the prediction of a harsh winter coming from the weatherman this year I have opted to go with the mast up method.  This method allows me to get a steeper pitch on the cover hopefully allowing for the snow to slide off the tarp.  To accomplish this, I raise the boom at the mast so it slopes to the stern then use the spinnaker pole to slope down to the bow.  After I strategically place a few 2x3's to support the center of the tent structure I'm ready to tarp it.  This year I picked up two tarps thinking I'd do one forward of the mast and one aft but they turned out to be too small. I had to get a larger one and cut it down the center for the mast.  Then,...

Tower Marine pulled Kraken for me mid-September this year and it has been raining ever since.  Sunday after it stopped raining I got down and pulled all the sails and cushions for the winter.   I have to get down and do a little more cleaning and pull the motor this weekend.  I'm hoping to get the cabin squeaky clean so when spring rolls around I'm ready for a early launch again this year.  This year I'm planning on leaving the mast up and tarping off over the boom and spinnaker pole hopefully giving my self a bit more pitch so the snow slides off as they are predicting a rough winter for us. It all fits in the back of a Ford focus. Sun setting on the end of a great season. Drying stuff out in the garage. A quick end of season cleaning before stashing the cushions under the guest bead for the winter helps.  It is amazing the condition of these cushions after 38 years they still look new with a little Armor All.