This could be expensive

Busy day today, took the mainsail and genoa (both sails for the boat) to Crusader Sails, a lot of discussion and chin scratching followed. It's not looking great for the headsail, everything has to die one day, I'm just hoping that the genoa will last another season, but bearing in mind the trip we have planned, we might not be able to put it off having to buy another one. Of course it won't be cheap.

On the way back I picked up the 2.5hp outboard from Warsash Marine. Then it was off to Pixie.

Thanks to the joys of the M25 this morning, I was running about an hour later than planned, that will teach me to get up early to brave the traffic!

Next, Mark from Gosport Boatyard came over and we had a good chat about the fitting the windlass, getting the engine serviced and the crack on the bow roller. Mark said the crack had probably been there a while and that if we were doing a lot of channel crossings, it would be a good idea to get it sorted. So we're getting a quote for that as well.

Fitting the windlass won't quite be as easy as I hoped, which was why I wanted to get it fitted professionally. They have done this before, I haven't.

We're going for the slightly big and very shiny Lewmar V2 with a drum on top. The drum will enable Kirsty to haul me up the mast, or out of the water if I go over the side, if she wants to that is!

I also took the opportunity to clean the engine bay. What fun. Last year I bought some magical only drink oil white cloths that sits dormant under the engine and absorbs any oil which it finds, but - and this is the clever bit- is leaves the water. I'm happy to report it works a treat. Removing the oily pad left behind clear (ish) water that was easy to mop up.