And Away We Go !

[santana 22]

hey everyone!

heres the story: the boat is going in on thursday after a long winter of rennovations (complete electrical makover, new paint everywhere, small adjustments here and there, you get the idea) and im wondering what kind of early season checklists/ shakedown manouevers you guys do to your boat/ recommend? to throw a wrench in all this, on my very first and only cruise with this boat after i bought her last fall, a chainplate ripped out and i almost got de-masted so i have essentially no experience with this boat in the water!

what are you guys' recommendations? ie. check through hulls, switch on all electrical, tack and jybe a few times, but is there some more specific things i can do? thanks!

-Gabe
"whisper" 73 santana 22
narragansett RI

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Gabe,
As I approach a boat at anchor or at a dock I always check to see the mast is straight and see if the rigging looks in good condition. See if she sits on her lines in the water. If you are launching off a trailer then certainly make sure stays and shrouds are all attached and that cotter pins are secure and can't fall out before launching. Thruhulls should be closed. Docklines are ready and the boat can't drift away.
Once in the water, I check tiller to rudder play to make certain there isn't any and see that the tiller can be raised and lowered at the cockpit end. Check your halyards when raising the sails to make certain there isn't any fouling and they raise and lower the sails easily. Once the sails are raised then do some tacks and jibs and make certain the boat tracks properly when the tiller is centered.
There is much more but you get the idea.
Have a great sail!!
regards,

[Butler]

Go Gabe!
TUNAS (Santana 22's) are a lot of fun!
Make sure your sheets are running clear on the correct side of the lifelines and are at hand in the cockpit. That all your running lines are knotted on the ends(I lijke to use a small bowline) so that they won't run out through the sheet guides or through halyard cleats. I once failed to knot a main sheet and just caught the bitter end (pretty much the reason it's called that I figure) just as it was about to run out of the boom sheet block in force 5. Could have been a real mess...

[santana 22]

thanks for the advice guys! she goes in at 11 tomorrow so i have the whole day to check everything is working (read "sail all over narragansett bay")