Day 163 Anchor on board!

The anchor is on board!!  Tracy dragged the chain back under the bow of the boat so we could 

get it on board yesterday morning.  I was out running an errand to pick up the new aluminum plate that will be the backing board that holds the "U" bolt to the bulkhead in the forward locker. 

Tracy handed me the rope from the ground that will connects the chain to the boat.  You need to have it set up that way so in case you have to ditch the anchor in a really bad blow and you can't get it back up, you simple cut the rope and you're free.  If you have to try and unhook the chain from a fitting with the chain under a load, that is just about impossible.   

I fed the line around the windlass(big motorized gizmo that hoists the anchor)and fed it through the hole in the deck down into the anchor locker.  Loaded the chain into the slots on the windlass and pushed the button and up came the chain.  Every 25-30 feet, I had to stop and crawl down into the locker to reposition the chain.  It tends to bunch up in  a pile to close to the bow so I have to pull it back toward the end of the chain locker with an old boat hook.  Up it came nice as you please.  When it finally got to the anchor, I had to reach forward and pull it over the fitting and into place.  The nylon tabs I had sewn on as markers of anchor chain length worked just fine.  None came off while being pulled up.  Another job off the list.

Next came the reefing lines on the mainsail.  Our mainsail is set up with three reefing points.  These are big grommets that are placed in the sail at certain levels from the bottom of the sail to about half way up the sail.  You install lines--also known as rope--from the boom up through the grommets and back to the boom and then lead them forward to the mast and a cleat is used to fasten the line so it won't go back out.  As the wind grows in strength, you use each reef in turn to make the mainsail smaller so that the wind doesn't cause your boat to get pushed over by it's force.  You still make headway but it allows you to remain in control of your boat--real nautical stuff huh?  

The riggers had left lines known as "messengers" inside the boom so that we could feed the lines inside the boom from the fitting where they attach to the outer end of the boom to the outlet for them where the boom meets the mast--also known as the "gooseneck".  Once through, they are cleated and stowed til needed.  The problem with having three of them is that when you raise the sail, each of those lines had to run free while the sail is up which makes for lots of extra lines running aloft.  If you forget to let them loose(done that a time or two) you can't raise the sail.   

While measuring for how long the lines needed to be,(we got lucky and had some lines in storage that we could use) we found that when they reattached the boom to the mast--just a bit lower since the holes didn't align from the last fitting, the sails grommets won't reach the hooks that hold it down when we need to reef.  Now we get to make nylon straps and install them through those grommets with metal rings attached so that it can be attached when the reef is needed.  Another project for us.  It's like I have said in the past--knock one down project and another rises.

I have to re-whip the ends of the reefing lines as I had originally whipped them and then fused the ends of the nylon lines with a lighter.  Well, I've been advised by Brion Toss (our rigger)that that is not the way to finish them.  Just whip them and leave them alone.  If you fuse the ends of the lines, it makes them hard and they can be sharp and cut not only your hands but also the sails if they come in contact with them.  So off with the fused ends and redo them.

"Whipping" a line means just taking a piece of waxed thread and winding it tightly around the end of the rope and then pass the end of the thread through the rope using a needle so it is nice and snug and won't pull off.   That's all there is to it.  Not a tough job, it just takes some time.

Brion, our rigger is ordering a few more fittings to complete the rigging.  Hopefully they will be in in the next few days.  We have the main on and can hoist the jib sails but the big sail at the bow--roller furled genoa--still can't be raised as one of the fitting to raise it had gotten misplaced.  The "running backstays" still need to be installed after the "pad eyes" are taken off and rotated 90 degrees.  They were installed in the wrong direction.  The lines are all set for installation in the block and tackle that will control them.  These lines are used to balance the pressure on the mast as we use the jib sail during big blows.  As the wind pushes the sail, it tends to bend the mast out of shape.  This block and tackle will pull the mast back to a straight position.

Troy, our new electrician is off to the doctor for a followup to the tonsil surgery he had last week so he was gone all day.  His doctor is clear over in Seattle so it's an all day trip.  He is having to go back again today.  Jack, the original electrician is just back from the boat equipment show he went to earlier this week.  We might see him on Friday.  He's off to a seminar on solar power next week so hopefully Troy will be ok by then.  

It's chilly outside today.  The HIGH is only going to be in the 40s!!!  At least the Sun will be out and not much wind so we can still get some things done outside.  If it gets too chilly, there are several jobs that need to be done inside.  Rain is forecast for later today.

Well, it's back to work.