Laying up for Cyclone Season
29 October 2019 | Marina Taina
Greg
With cyclone season fast approaching, we are busy preparing Rapture for an extended layup. She is now berthed at Marina Tiana and we are preparing her to be left. We have been aboard Rapture pretty much for 16 months now so it will take some adjustment being away from her for the next four and a half months. However, we will come back to check on her in December for several weeks. During this time we will install a new wind turbine charging system, service the winches, windlass and fire extinguishers.
Now, when you leave a boat for some time, particular in the tropics, it is critical you have a person to look after her -- coming aboard periodically (weekly). We have found Adrian who comes highly recommended by other cruisers. He will be looking after two other boats on this dock so he will actually see Rapture more often than once a week. When he is on board he will have to check the dock lines, open up all hatches and companion way for ventilation in the endless fight against mold and mildew. Of course, he will run the engine and check the battery because we will not be connected to shore power. All systems will be shut down. The only energy he will use will be to flush the watermaker and electric toilet. Finally, we've asked him to exercise (move) the thru-hulls valves so they don't seize shut and work the zippers and snaps on the bimini and dodger. Oh, yes. Don't forget to deal with pests if found. We've had an invasion of sugar ants that climbed aboard on our gang plank, no red carpet needed. They are really persistent; we've been cleaning frantically and we will remove all unsealed food sources before we go.
Installing chafe protection on the dock lines is particularly important when laying up the boat for an extended period. To minimize mildew and mold, every inch of ceiling, walls,floor and interior cabinetry must be throughly cleaned with vinegar and bleach. The fridge and freezer need to be emptied, washed and bleached and left open to air. The upholstry has been thoroughly beaten to remove dust and then wiped down with soapy, vinegar water. The boat has never looked so clean.
Because the outboard and our tender (dinghy) will not be used until March of next year it is also necessary to service the outboard engine and clean and carefully pack up the dinghy and paddle boards for long term storage. This all amounts to quite a bit of work, but we have now been berthed in Marina Taina for almost a month and we are nearly done with the layup preparations. Our final step will be to put on the boat covers and pull away the gang plank.
During her layup, we will be reconnecting with friends and family in the States then returning to Papeete before flying off to visit Rapa Nui (Easter Island) - island of the famous Maroi statues and Chile, where we will be enrolled in a spanish language course in Santiago. We also have planned treks and excursions to Patagonia and the Atacama Desert. In March, our plan is to resume our cruising, sailing Rapture east, back to the Tuamotos and the Marquesas, and then sail west to the Cooks Islands, Nuie, Tonga and eventually making landfall in New Zealand in November of 2020.