Locking up our floating home - Winterising Sea Moon

At Cleopatra Marina in Greece, Scott and Sandy hauled their Seawind 1160 Lite catamaran, Sea Moon, onto the hardstand for a four-month winter layup. Preparing a multihull for extended land storage required methodically decommissioning every onboard system, securing lines, and preventing interior moisture accumulation before departing.

After navigating a long cruising season in the Med, the creators behind Sailing Sea Moon faced the stressful reality of packing up their vessel. As Scott explained while surveying the catamaran in the yard, “Yeah, we’re super stressed cuz it’s it’s hard to leave your home and make sure that you’ve remembered everything, but we are on the hard, which does tone it down a little bit the risk factor.”

Interior Sanitation and Mildew Prevention

Inside the hulls, Sandy tackled the cabins to ensure everything remained clean and fresh. The crew flushed their freshwater toilet system thoroughly with vinegar water before securing the plumbing. With the queen-size aft cabin designated as an indoor storage locker, all deck gear, stand-up paddle boards, and cushions were brought inside to protect them from weather exposure.

To prevent trapped moisture from turning into mildew across the winter, ventilation was prioritized throughout the living quarters. Sandy cleaned out the galley fridges and freezer, propping every door open to allow continuous airflow. All cupboard doors were unlatched or removed, and dedicated moisture protectors were distributed across storage lockers to absorb ambient humidity over the coming months.

Electrical Shutdown and Battery Monitoring

On the technical side, Scott executed a selective electrical shutdown. Rather than disconnecting the house bank entirely, he isolated auxiliary circuits while keeping essential monitoring active. As Scott noted regarding the setup, “Yeah, all the power is completely switched off so there’s nothing going. We We still have around about 35 W of power that’s residual. I haven’t turned the batteries off. We’re just going to let them do their thing, which is what we always do when we leave the boat.”

The batteries were brought up to 100% state of charge to maintain health across the four months of storage. Fresh water supplies were isolated, and bilge pumps remained operational on automatic switches to handle any rain intrusion that might penetrate the deck during heavy winter downpours.

Exterior Deck Securing and Rigging Protection

On deck, the crew stripped the exterior to reduce windage and protect sensitive sailing hardware. The mainsail was flaked and brought into the saloon, while all deck winches were fitted with protective covers. The tender dinghy was hoisted and securely tied down, and loose deck items were stowed away.

To safeguard the rig against severe winter gales, Scott tensioned and bound the lines to eliminate mast slap and chafe. Reflecting on his storm preparations, Scott said, “Yeah, we set the boat up for a a massive one in every 100-year winter storm to come along, so I’ve I’ve I’ve ocky-strapped up all the halyards on the mast.” With the marina situated inland, wrapping the boom in plastic was deemed unnecessary due to the absence of airborne saltwater spray.

Contractor Projects and Spring Commissioning

Before leaving the keys with marina reception, the crew arranged for professional contractors to perform routine service during their absence. Marine mechanics were booked to replace the throttle cables and install new filters on the twin Yamaha 25 hp high thrust outboards. Simultaneously, professional riggers were scheduled to repair the bowsprit and deliver a replacement halyard for Scott to fit upon return.

Stepping away from their catamaran marked an emotional transition. As Sandy acknowledged, “This will be the longest we’re going to be away from Sea Moons, so um it is challenging, but you know, this will be the last season for a long time that we do leave her.” The couple expects to spend two full weeks cleaning and recommissioning the boat before launching into their next cruising season.

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