Decommissioning the Fleet

decommission-fleet

Sunday, October 19, 2025 – All Hands Are Needed on Deck!!

Decommissioning starts at 11 am with coffee & donuts.

On the last weekend of the season, the John LaGrassa Memorial Regatta is on Saturday and the Decommissioning of the Fleet is on Sunday.  All Members are encouraged to come to the Club on Sunday to help the decommission the fleet.

Beer and Hot Dogs starting at 3 pm

Helpful Tools Members Can Bring:

For cleaning:

  • dishwashing gloves
  • sponge

Clothing: Wear old clothes which you can get dirty.  Depending on temperature, be sure to bring enough clothes to stay warm.

Decommissioning Procedures

Over the past few years, we have substantially improved the quality of our fleet.  Almost all boats have been through a top to bottom reconditioning which included new awlgrip paint of the topsides and decks.  Because of this progress, the Decommissioning will focus on cleaning of the boats.  Our main goals will be to get the lazarettes & cabins, including all lockers and bunks, clean and mildew and salt free.  We will accomplish these goals by setting up teams of members to work on a specific J/24.  The suggested order or items is as follows:

  1. Pump bilge dry (it will fill up again as you clean lazarettes & cabins)
  2. Clean starboard lazarette, remove any debris or items inside first.
  3. Check that both lazarettes drain properly into cabin bilge, put small amount of water into lazarette to see if it drains out.  If not, clean drain hole of debris so lazarette does drain before proceeding.
  4. Use hose, Simple Green and sponge to clean, be sure to get channels below lazarette cover.
  5. Keep pumping cabin bilge as needed.
  6. If you notice a lot of mildew in any locker or lazarette, use Tilex to kill all mildew so it does not grow over the winter.  Then thoroughly rinse the surface with fresh water afterwards.
  7. Remove cushions from boat and put on deck to dry if they are wet.  Feel bottom side to determine if they are wet.  If not wet, then put cushions in forepeak for time being.
  8. Remove cooler from boat, place on dock in front of boat and fill immediately with fresh water (so it does not blow overboard).
  9. Remove all sheets from rope locker and place into water in cooler to begin rinsing out salt.
  10. Remove rope locker from boat and clean insides and bottoms with Simple Green and sponge.  Be sure to remove any mildew.  After finishing rope locker, put rope locker back into cockpit right away.  Do not leave on dock as it sinks if it falls in water.  Very expensive!
  11. Remove all bunk boards from cabin.
  12. Clean all surfaces in cabin including areas below bunk boards as well as cabinets.
  13. Allow boat to dry below decks.  Then reinstall bunk boards and put cushions back in place (if they are dry).
  14. Remove sheets from coolers on dock and drape them over traveler bar to dry (do not drape them over the stern pulpit as they can fall off and sink).
  15. Once the boats are fully clean, we will begin removing the sails and booms.
  16. Start by removing the bunk boards in the forepeak and placing to one side (so we can remove the mast later once sails are stored).
  17. Jibs and genoas should be refolded so that the windows are not kept creased all winter.  Please fold the sails as small as possible.  Then store in their bags in the forepeak.  Mainsails can be rolled and stored in forepeak.
  18. Remove the boom and store in forepeak.  Leave the boomvang & gooseneck on the boom.  Disconnect it from the mast.
  19. Attach a messenger lines to each halyard and then pull the halyard to the top of the mast. Secure the halyard and messenger line to one of the spinnaker pole rings (this protects the halyard from UV rays all winter.
  20. Coil the tails of each halyard and wrap them in white shrink wrap.
  21. Tie mast to bow and stern pulpits.
  22. PLEASE NOTE – THIS YEAR WE ARE GOING TO STORE THE BOATS WITH THE MASTS UP. SO NO NEED TO REMOVE THE SHROUDS AND PINS.

 

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