Day 161 The storm has passed!

It took off yesterday late afternoon till just after midnight with very high winds.  We clocked them at about 40 knots.  All from the South caused by a big low that came in from the Pacific.  We were hit by the leading edge of the storm similar to the "low" called Katrina that swept into New Orleans a few years ago.   The main "low" hit North of us so we got caught in that sweeping leading edge as it comes in.  Lots of nasty stuff.  The islands got it worse.  We followed some of the other boats progress on our AIS system on my laptop.  It shows the bigger boats as they pass by.  One decided to turn into the protection of Port Townsend as it was so bad.  We went out for a walk about 11:00pm to see what was happening and found a day sailor with a blown out jib tied to the marina.  The wind had caused it to come partially unfurled and it got beaten to death by the mast.  They will be needing a new sail.  We went to bed about midnight and it turned quiet just after that.  The front had passed.  It's much easier to sleep when the storm has passed.

I installed the first of three mast steps yesterday late afternoon.  I used my new drill bit/tap to make the holes in the mast.  Four for each step.  Worked sweet as could be.  I put oil on the bits and let her rip.  Set the threads perfectly.  Each of the steps has to have a special tape put on the back to again stop the corrosion caused by two dissimilar metals touching.  It looks like a plastic tape.  Then "snot" is applied.  This is the stuff I talked about yesterday.  It is called "snot" by all the electricians on the yard.  It's actually called Tef-Gel.   

A special concoction that is a "corrosion eliminator and anti-seize lubricant".  You smear it on the threads and screw them home.  It also eliminates "pitting, galling, and corrosion".  At least that is what the label says.  I still have two to go. 

I stopped after the first one as the wind was really starting to blow.

We ran some errands earlier in the day.  Off to West Marine to exchange Tracy's coat.  She did end up with one from Gill.  A much better coat.  We had to pay a bit more but it will be worth it in the long run.  We also picked up the new foot pump for the galley.  The fresh water pump had begun to leak.  I will have to cut out part of the floor under the sink to get at it but you can't have leaking fixtures.  It had to be special ordered  as it's a "left hand" pump.  They only carried "right hand" pumps.  I'd have thought they would have called it a "left foot" pump but hey, what the heck.

I'm having a piece of metal fabricated for the backing plate for the anchor chain.  I'll be drilling holes in the forward bulkhead for the installation of the plate and the"U" bolt that goes through it to hold the end of the line.

I drilled the holes for the fitting on the boom that holds the boom vang.  I talked about it yesterday.  It holds the boom horizontal to the wind as they fill as we sail downwind.  We attached the fittings and ran the line into the cockpit and through the sheet stopper.  Another job done.  

The anchor chain got two more coats of red paint just to make sure it is covered well.  I may put another on since there is still paint in the can.  No real point carrying a can of paint that is almost empty.

I "whipped" the ends of the line that make up the new "running backstays" to get the line looking completed.  If they don't get "whipped" they will fray and unravel.  Basically, you tape the end of the line with masking tape and then wind a waxed thread around and around the end above the tape and use a needle to pass the thread through the line and pull it tight.  Then cut off the end of the line between the "whipping" and the tape and you're done.  A nice finished look.  

It's time to go.  We have to get the main sail back on the boom this morning so the riggers can decide where to place the fittings for the reefing system that we will need while out cruising.  To "reef" a sail is to make it small by pulling down just a part of the sail and tying it down to the boom  so that you can use the sail, just not all of it when the wind begins to blow.