Hey! From Someone New to Cruising

[somedayNYC]

Hi All,

I bought a 1984 Pearson 303 late last season and have started to work on getting her ready for next season. Had the mast destepped and I'm working on removing and checking out the chain plates for any corrosion and then rebedding . I also plan to rebed the pulpits and stanchions, as I read these are subject to leaking and causing delamination on the P303. Plan to check all the spars and standing rigging, and replace any incandescent bulbs on the mast with LED.

Anything else I should think of doing before we restep the mast?

Looking forward to becoming an active member here!

Jeff

[chucklesR]

Flag halyards, deck lights (install if you don't have) check the wind transducer both fitting, caulking and wire connection.
This goes without saying you should also check every single piece of hardware on the mast.

[outbound]

make sure you run some juice in the wires while you have the mast down. check all senders with a multi meter. shame to do the work and not have the lights work once the mast is restepped. Also pass messagers for all halyards and look at them. replace or at least re reeve in opposite direction depending on what shape they are in. Have fun- remember when you stop learning you better be dead or you soon will be.LOL

[somedayNYC]

Great suggestions - thanks! It will be good to inspect the halyards - something I could not do in the pre-purchase survey and something that is a real pain to fix on a bosun chair!

Jeff

[somedayNYC]

Thanks for the great suggestions! Would you wax the spars too? they are painted fairly recently, so I don't see the need, but what do you think?

Jeff

[CalebD]

Make sure that the tracks for the sail slides are clean.
I recommend using McLube for the tracks and slides: McLube Sailkote 16oz - Dry Lubricant for Marine Application and More

Which marina do you plan on using in south Brooklyn?

[somedayNYC]

Thanks for the suggestions - I do have some McLube so I will be sure to spray some in the tracks.

The boat is on the hard on City Island and I plan to keep it on a mooring at Bayside Marina in Queens. I thought about keeping it in Brooklyn - would be more convenient to my home - but LI Sound has more to do and better destinations than the South Shore.

Where do you keep your boat?

Jeff

[CalebD]

Jeff,
We kept out boat a Steppingstone Marina (Great Neck) for two years, right outside Little Neck Bay. The extreme western part of the Sound can be a bit congested with other boats and commercial shipping but further east it opens up nicely with lots of places to visit.
The Sound is a great place to keep a sailboat even though often, in summer, the winds can be better on the south shore of LI. The problem with the south shore is the few inlets that can, at times, become pretty boisterous and, of course, ocean swells.
My boat has been on a mooring in the Hudson up by the Tappan Zee Bridge for about 7 years now.