{"id":639,"date":"2026-02-18T14:44:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yachtersworld.com\/?p=639"},"modified":"2026-02-18T14:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:44:23","slug":"how-do-you-winterise-a-sailor-nikki-henderson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yachtersworld.com\/?p=639","title":{"rendered":"How do you winterise a sailor?! \u2013 Nikki Henderson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you’re land bound for weeks of months, use your time off the water wisely says Nikki Henderson as she contemplates how to stay sharp in the off season<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Passage planning skills are thoroughly tested<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019ve never been one for New Year\u2019s resolutions. They feel as loaded with guilt as they do optimism. And by the time February rolls around it\u2019s easy to hit a slump. This year feels particularly anti-climactic. I\u2019ve found myself enviously following the transatlantic<\/a> and Caribbean race circuits, second-guessing my decision to stay on dry land this winter.<\/p>\n

But instead of dwelling too long on that misery it prompted a more useful question: what should we be doing with the off-season? Most of us know how to winterise a boat, but how do you winterise a sailor?<\/p>\n

One of the most effective ways I\u2019ve found to improve when I\u2019m not on the water is to deliberately put myself back in the role of student. So, this winter, I\u2019d challenge all of you who\u2019s lines are securely fastened to the docks to do the same: learn something new.<\/p>\n

An obvious candidate is to nerd up on your instruments. These systems are astonishingly capable, yet most of us use a fraction of their potential. Once the season starts, diving into menus and adjusting settings can feel like opening a can of worms. Everything behaves differently, you don\u2019t know how to undo what you\u2019ve done \u2013 and so it\u2019s easy to conclude that it\u2019s better to just never touch them again.<\/p>\n

So the off-season is the perfect time to read instrument manuals properly, watch a few webinars, and understand what your setup can really offer. Even if you don\u2019t own a boat, understanding NMEA network architecture, autopilot tuning, or how to run a proper speed calibration makes you a valuable asset on any crew.<\/p>\n

Winter is also the time to tackle jobs that are too miserable to do once the boat is in commission. Servicing pumps is a great example \u2013 freshwater pumps, bilge pump, macerators and toilets are all deeply unpleasant to pull apart when you\u2019re living on board or sailing regularly. Doing them now will reduce the risk of them failing later.<\/p>\n

Article continues below\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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Do we need to rethink our relationship with electric winches \u2013 Nikki Henderson<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n
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It\u2019s rare that emails landed in my inbox with a subject like \u2018MAIB reports on fatal sailing accident\u2019. But a\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n