Although I'd left the sails on Seatern on the 16th, the weather for the weekend is looking stormy so I decided to take the boom and mainsail, and the mizzen mast off Seatern.

There had been some concern on the Swallow Yachts Forum about the wooden plug at the base of the mast swelling and splitting the mast should water have got inside it. I opened one of the cable glands and water did indeed trickle out. I contacted Matt who said that the plugs are soaked in epoxy and should not swell. However he suggested using a fine (2mm) drill to make sure the small drain hole (seen central front of the mast) was still open. It looks like water has drained from it in the past but such a small hole is easily blocked.