Thursday, I was on a road trip to Seattle while Tracy stayed on Zephyr so the doors could be open to allow a breeze to keep the kids cool.
Yesterday was a day of several jobs to get them off the list. I started my day(early to avoid the heat) by taking apart the windlass. This is the marvelous piece of equipment that pulls up the anchor every time we are ready to leave after a night stay in some cove or harbor. Without it, my back would be in really rotten shape or we would be using a lot of line instead of chain to connect our anchor to Zephyrs bow(as many boats do). Chain is better for anchoring as it holds better and is much stronger than line. We have been anchoring the majority of the trip to Alaska, I felt it was time to tear it apart(I'd done it in Newport) and get her all cleaned and re-greased. For the last part of the trip, it got a good bit harder to have the chain come out from the anchor locker. The gypsy(holds the chain) was harder to turn. Apart she came and off to get all the dirt and "stuff" out of her workings at the local hose. Using a metal as well as a bristle brush, I finally got her all clean. I put on a waterproof grease as I rebuilt her and now she is ready for more anchoring.
While I was doing this, Tracy was getting the equipment ready to go up the mast. She's been up before and we needed to switch out the clevis pin(holds the wires to the mast)for the forestaysail stay. When Brion Toss did our rigging last year, he didn't have the right pin for that fitting and used a bolt and nylon locking nut. With our recent experience with these nuts, we knew it was time to get the bolt off and the new clevis pin installed. We'd had two made at the local metal fabricator.
We strung a line to the top of the mast and then using what can best be described as mountain climbing gear, up the line she goes(No that is NOT Tracy in the pictures). You sit in the "chair" and pull up the bottom straps so it grabs the line and stand up. Then you raise the strap for the seat so it binds on the line. Over and over until you get to where you need to go. To get down, it is just the reverse.
About 25 minutes later, she was up at the fitting with a bag full of tools and line to tie off the wire and the job was done. The new clevis pin(surprise surprise) fit perfectly. Most times, when we have something made like this, it's just off a little bit, but not this time. Now the forestaysail stay is on the way it is supposed to be and the nylon locking nut came off just fine.
Down Tracy came and the gear was stowed and all the lines needed were coiled and put away.
Next we were off to Port Townsend Rigging to pick up our new "quick"disconnect fitting for the forestaysail stay we had just worked on. While we were out sailing with the Genoa sail, we found(as Bill-previous owner had found) that the wire for the forestaysail gets in the way as you tack(change directions under sail) the boat. With this new fitting, we can detach the wire and stow it against the mast as we use the Genoa. Since the Genoa is the primary sail at the bow and gets used most, it's important that she be able to be used without something causing problems as we tack. Now we will be able to stow the wire and yet use it when we need the forestaysail in rough weather.
Typically, the forestaysail is used in rougher weather. It sits much close to the center to the boat and allows better control as the weather gets nasty. We've used it several times when we are out sailing and the wind misbehaves. The fitting simply tightens the wire when you hold the upper handle and rotate the lower handle. We had to cut off the old fitting from the forestaysail stay with a hacksaw making sure we left enough wire to join the two fittings.
This is the fitting that attaches to the wire. The "eye" of the fitting goes into the adjuster and when cinched down, the wire is nice and tight.
Once that was done, we took off on errands. One of our friends that keeps their boat at Sea Marine had planned to launch yesterday afternoon but as we drove by we found them still in the yard. Not sure what the delay was but we will find out the next time we see them. We stopped at West Marine to pick up a package the we had shipped there. It get strange telling people you have no real address for mailing you things and West Marine has allowed us to use there store for a mail drop. My package came(via UPS)to the boat yard from Fisheries Supply with the 17 new pine plugs that are to be used in case and through hull fitting blows. You keep one at each through hull just in case they are needed. I checked them out and they are the wrong size. The small end was much bigger than was listed on their website.
I called Fisheries Supply and they checked their inventory and found that everyone they had was cut wrong and they would issue a call tag and take the bad plugs back. Unfortunately, they won't have anymore to send me until they get the problem resolved with their supplier. Oh well, maybe later once we hit shore farther down the coast once we leave Port Townsend.
We're sitting in fog as I type this yet the day is forecast for nice sunshine. The heat wave has stopped at least for the next day or so. Seattle is finally out of the high 90's.
Well, it's off to take care of more jobs while it cool outside.
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