The insurance paperwork turned out in changing company since the company I had didn’t cover a tip going to the Carieb. I asked several companies for a quote. One large English company that had a good review in Yachting Monthly offered the coverage I was looking for. However it turned out one already had to be a customer with European coverage for some time before they would consider expanding the coverage for the Caribbean . Anyway I got a good offer from Unigarant. They required an inspection of the boat which was fine with me and went very well of course. After all I’m not preparing my boat for the insurance but for a safe trip for myself and my crew! Anyway, I’m insured so that’s taken care of.
One other thing I wanted to fit was a ‘sea-me’ radar reflector. That’s an active reflector which sends a signal when hit by the radar beam from another vessel, .. strong enough to make me look like a freighter J I installed the sounder with it, so when it’s been hit, it beeps, and I know there’s a ship nearby.
To change the seacock I had to haul the boat out of the water. I expected to find some mussels and stuff, I had noticed the boat was steering different but when the boat came out it looked more like a coral reef had started to grow. Also the prop was overwhelmed ..L. 
It took a while to clean it all and to restore the antifouling. I was a bit worried about the seacock changing action. That can turn out to be a real hassle … but … that went surprisingly smooth. The tube for mounting the hose broke of right away so it was about time for a change. It really looked like one of the examples I had read in the articles in the Yachting Monthly on sea cocks. If you want to read more, sea: nightmare-of-seacock
It was a quite frightening series on the difference between brass and bronze. In short: you should use brass sea cocks only in fresh water conditions but not at sea. The zinc in brass will dissolve over time in salt water conditions, over time meaning 5 years or less depending on the electrolyse conditions at your berth. Bronze will hold for at least 15 years. I was quite surprised to learn that this was not common knowledge at the chandleries I regularly buy stuff. Anyway, the one I fitted new obviously was bronze.
What I should have bought also for replacement was a [zinc!] anode for the prop. It was to be expected that that was more or less gone .. and it was! The chandlery of course had all types of anodes, except the one I needed. Well anyway, as soon as we get to warmer waters, I’ll get out my snorkel and change it.. J
Since the work went pretty well and no other surprises popped up, we were in the water again soon and sailing back to Scheveningen…. a knot faster, going upwind and against the tide then the day before, going downwind with the spinnaker and with the tide .. :-o
One other thing to take care off was getting the medicines for the trip. I took the regular first aid course learning how to deal with emergencies while waiting for the ambulance. Basically the only thing you learn is how to do CPR. Of course that’s very useful but not at sea where no ambulance will come in the next 10 minutes. So I also did the medical training that officers on freighters have to do. There I learned how to physical examine sick or injured people, set injections, stitch up wounds etc. Of course you only get to do this on behalf of the Radio Medical doctor who tells you how and what. You’re his eyes and hands so to speak. Part of the treatment might involve giving some kind of medication. So there’s a list of medicines in specific doses and concentrations which is exactly know by the Radio Medical doctor and basically he can just give you the number of the box to be sure to give the appropriate medicine. Most sailors go to their doctor and get some prescriptions for antibiotics or painkillers, but I feel more comfortable this way. Of course, I hope I never have to use them and I can throw al away afterwards, but anyway…Want to read more? check stc-bv.nl course 'scheepsgezondheidszorg onbeperkt' [SGZO]
Finding a place to leave the boat safely from the end of January till we com back to sail her home again was sort of the last thing to take care of.. a bit depressing to do right now. On the other hand, it’s not something I want to spend a lot of time on when I get there. I found a promising place in What’s left on the list now is more or less down to going to the supermarket and stow the stuff. After that we can slip the lines and set sail for the first leg, to Falmouth
