Last Sail of the Season

October 17th. The trees along the shore were turning, the air was crisp, and we managed to squeeze in one final proper sail before putting Iris to bed for the winter. Worth every cold finger.

With the mainsail up and a decent breeze, she moved beautifully — as she always does when you let her run. Moments like these are why we do this.

We arrived at Karlslund Marina as the sun was setting, feeling good about the season. The plan was simple: haul her out the next morning and get ready for winter.

The Lift That Wasn't

Friday the 18th. The lift crew arrived with their tractor and the haul-out wagon — and that's where the trouble started.

Iris is an Arcona 460 with a deep keel, and she is, it turns out, exactly on the edge of what the equipment at Karlslund can handle. The wagon couldn't quite get her clear of the water. After a tense assessment, the only safe option was to put her back in.

So there she sat. Back in the water.

Waiting It Out

We headed home and waited. The practical concern weighed on us more than anything: if Karlslund couldn't get her up, where would she go? Bullandö was fully booked, and there aren't many places in the Stockholm region that can handle a boat with Iris's draft. Plan C wasn't a happy thought.

Second Attempt — and Success

The marina team were fantastic throughout — patient, professional, and clearly as motivated to solve the problem as we were. On Monday the 20th they came back for a second try, and this time they got it right.

It worked.

She's up. She's safe. And she's ready for winter.

A big thank you to the team at Karlslund Marina — they went above and beyond to make it happen. That kind of dedication doesn't go unnoticed. And a special thanks to Albert, who came down and helped stretch the big tarps over her. Much appreciated.

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See you on the water in spring. — Marcus & Arne