I hauled out mid August last year to start my bluewater refit - with a target of finishing by end March this year. Then at the end of March I realised that I'd achieved that, more or less. But only by working almost every weekend and most nights, late into the dark cold freezing winter nights, the only sad soul in the marina working on his boat, panicking all the while that I wasn't going to make the start. And then the plan was to get down to Plymouth by the end of April, because I didn't have any spare time in May. So I finally set off towards the start line at 0500 5th April with a veeerrrrry cold NWly. Off Beachy Head, a forecast of N8 and snow made me stop in Brighton, thank goodness, arriving two hours before four inches of snow fell! On the next weekend, cold NW again and managed to rip off the starboard teak toe rail in rough seas off Portland. Good shakedown though, with the empty pages in my 'jobstodo' book filled up again! And my bank account and credit cards drained by Brighton and Mayflower marinas, and expensive teak for the toe rail. Drove down to Plymouth last weekend with tools and teak to replace the rail and finish off the job list...so, I think I might actually be ready. Whoever it was said the race is in two parts, the first being to get to the start line, was right - it feels like it's been quite a battle so far!