Derigging Shamrock

After the crowds of the last week of the visitor season the quay has gone quiet and the crew has started removing Shamrock's rigging ready for the winter. Both gaffs and booms have been removed using their respective throat halyards to swing them onto the waiting trolley and subsequently towed into the boat shed. After removing the bowsprit any ropes that could be removed were cleared from the mizzen mast blocks. Using the deck winch the mizzen mast with blocks still in place was lowered over the stern then after removing the blocks manoeuvred onto the cargo hold hatch and left overnight. On the next morning’s high tide it was swung over the bulwark, balanced on the trolley and, using the dropping tide, lifted clear of Shamrock and taken into the boat shed. Now the boat shed is not quite so empty.

The view the crew has to endure!