As of now, I am hoping the yard has launched Hukilau. I finished up the essential prep work on Friday evening (the Friday of Memorial Day weekend) and called the yard on Saturday morning to tell them she's ready to go.

I didn't get chance to remove the outboard before they shrink wrapped the boat last fall, so the engine stayed on all winter, locked to the bracket. Some stupid bird built a nest on the bracket, so that was a nice surpise when Dan and I removed the cover a couple of weeks ago. Dan deigned to help me as part of my birthday present. He assisted in removing the shrink wrap and washing the boat.

We didn't get a chance to wax her that day, but I did so myself over two later visits. It should have been done in one visit, but I mistakenly used Marine Rubbing Compound instead of the West Marine One Step Compound/Wax for almost one whole side of the boat before I realized my mistake. In my defense, the bottles for the two products are almost identical, even if the labels are clearly different.

This year, I had to do something about the bottom paint. It was flaking off in big, honking chunks, right down to the gelcoat. I resolved to sand down those spots, leaving only solidly attached paint. I had a quart of Micron CSC, and thought that would be plenty.

I put on a long sleeved sweatshirt, long pants (thank goodness it was cool out), latex gloves, a dust mask, safety glasses and a painting cap, and started sanding with my palm sander. Annoyingly, the circuit breaker on the pole would trip about every few minutes, but I managed to finish my sanding in about 45 minutes. In many places, the red indicator coat I had painted on the boat when I first bought her 10 years ago began to show where I had sanded down the flaking blue paint. I was glad to see the red coat still there, and presumably still good.

I then painted over the sanded areas with the CSC. I used almost every drop of the CSC, with only a tiny bit left in the can by the time I was finished. I hope that the paint on the bottom remains effective. For much of it, it will be entering I think its third or fourth season of protection.

I also took the opportunity to scrape barnicles out of the centerboard well. There were quite a few. I inspected the centerboard pendent line; still looks good, if a little worn. It may be time to consider replacing it.

The teak needs to be cleaned/bleached and refinished, and the cockpit has not yet been washed or waxed. In fact, because I didn't get to wax it yet, it is unlikely I will do so with the buffer this year at all. I do want to figure out a way to get rid of the nasty gray mold/mildew spots though.

Next up, I will try and bend on the sails this week.