Getting ready for winter

Time to get the boat ready for winter. Drain the engine coolant and replace with fresh antifreeze, fill the diesel tank and put some fuel set in it to prevent condensing water getting in it etc. Its a good time to do it now while the weather is nice and the real cold hasn't come in yet. If it gets very cold, I'll also drain the domestic plumbing. I found out this was quite easy earlier this year when I had to fix the leak in the water pump. I'm also going to replace the domestic batteries which are on their last legs. If I don't report on the blog that I've got it done by this time next week you can write me a slap on the wrist!

I must also book High Line Yachting's wet dock at Cowley Peachey so we can get Herbie in there for a week and strip and repaint the roof. I was pleasantly surprised to find out their rates were cheaper than I imagined. About £160 for a week. Not bad considering its a nice heated secure indoor dock and you have 24hr access. There's quite a lot to plan in advance though. Book hire tools, choose and buy paint and consumables, get some safety gloves and goggles, get the loan of a transformer for the 110v power tools, try to fit in the when friends can help :-). It might have to be after Christmas.