The French Connection

I'm currently in the very slow process of translating my French version of this blog into English. However, if you'd like a preview of what's in store, check out the original French language version. You can click the Google translation menu to get a rough idea of message entries.

>> Click here to visit 'Histoire de Bobato'

At the end of the roll

During the winter, I just wanted to do a few small, quick and easy projects in the warmth of my apartment. Fortunately or unfortunately (all depends one's point of view), winter has arrived in the Savoie and it's cold even under the tarp... It doesn't matter because today I rolled my sails around large PVC tubes for winter storage. Rather than storing them folded in their bags, my new sails will spend their first winter around a tube. Nothing could be simpler and it only costs 12EUR. What a deal!

3 PVC tubes and 2 coupling sleeves 10cm in diameter

The mainsail

OK, it's all wound up

An Edel 4 in a Christmas package

OK, it's done! I made myself a gift package for Christmas. So what could be hidden under the tarp...?? Uh, we'll see on December 25th! Of course, I'm still wonder ing how we're going put it under the Christmas tree. Well, Santa Claus manages to getting through the chimney so where there's a will there's a way!

All blue and set on jack stands to take the 2000kg off the tires.

And it 's hot under the tarp.

Mast 'un'-stepping, haul out and winterizing

Whew, all done!

The weather really wasn't on our side this morning for the haul out of Bobato. But we managed to unstep the mast without any major problems. Except we broke a piece of plastic in genoa tube. Oh well, too bad... The haul out was done fairly quickly by the crane operator Mr. Nice French Guy. And then after a good wash down of the hull and all that was left to do after was to transport Bobato to dry dock yard.

My friend Pascal came this morning to give me a hand. We step up under the hand crank crane in port in order to unstep the mast. I tied an extension line looped up under the spreader bars to keep the mast safely in place. Then we started to undo the turnbuckles. Everything went well up to this point. I started to crank away to slowly unstep the mask. Pascal kept a close eye on the mast base, just in case. Within several minutes the mast was gently placed on deck. Then we set sail, rather we powered up the motor to head for the haul out crane. On arrival, we tied up and waited for the crane. Once everything was in place, the haul out took about 2 minutes to put Bobato back on her trailer. Pascal and I continued to clean the hull by hand using good old fashion brushes. Wouldn't you say that this boat is a bit pampered? Finally, to finish up I secured the boat to the trailer with straps and hooked up the trailer to Pascal's 4x4 for the 300m trip to the dry dock.

Well, the sky is nice and gray

Pascal at work, undoing the turnbuckles

Pascal decided to do a pole vault

Mission accomplished!

No, that's not Leonardo Dicaprio.

One last hop

Docked and ready for the crane operator



And Bobato takes flight

That rascal! Hosing under the skirt!

I wonder if the Bobato hasn't lost weight during the season ...

Well, the Bobato is ready for the 300m drive to dry dock

Finally high and dry next to two motor boat buddies

>> Click here to see my fancy backing up skills

A big thanks again to Pascal for his help and 4x4. It'll be a bit strange not to see my Bobato in the Aix-les-Bains marina this winter... Oh well, I'll visit often to finish up my winter projects.

View the slideshow of all photos from this morning.

The last sail of the season

Well, it's over... I headed out for my last sail of the season on the lake. Just to finish up the season in style, I enjoyed an hour of calm solitude. The sun was out and the wind calm... Once I returned to the marina, I began to remove the sails and put them in their bags. The Bobato is now naked! Of course, all my neighbors were in the process of winterizing their boats too. Everyone told me, 'it's too bad, I wanted to take my boat out one more time." Hehehe, that's why I went out for one last little sail. No worries, there's a ton winter projects on my todo list. I'll be hauling out Bobato in a a few days. :-)

It's nice and calm

Folding my sails

The lazy-bag stowed, wow look the boom! It's been a while...

One last memory of the season