Weekend Report 5/17: Bowsprit Renewal

The job is complete - the deed is done.

After nine months of work, the bowsprit installation is complete.

No, I did not hire a kid to start the nuts on those impossible to reach bow pulpit mounting bolts - I brought some of my automitive tools aboard: a 3/8" rachet, two really long 3/8" extensions, a 3/8" universal joint, and a 9/16" deep socket. I put the nut in the socket, and taped a washer over it on the end of the socket. Then, with the extensions I had enough reach to get to the bolts, and the u-joint allowed me to turn the socket even tho I was not lined up with the bolt. Then back up on deck, I squirted generous quantities of polysulphide under the feet of the bow pulpit, and then Jane tightened the bolts while I went below again with my long extensions and kept the nuts from turning.

Then the rest of the weekend was spent on the remaining finishing touches:

• I borrowed a Loos tension gauge from Doug on Angelique and retensioned the rig
• We brought down the newly regalvanized anchor and put away the 300 feet of 3/8 chain and reinstalled the anchor
• We put away the 250 feet of 1" nylon rode in the port side, and added the 50 feet newly regalvanized chain leader.
• We reinstalled the staysail boom
• We bent on the yankee and the staysail
• CLEAN THE BOAT
• And in a completely unrelated task, I rebedded the port over the office desk - it had been seeping when it rained hard.

Finally, we took a couple of beers and drifted out in the waterway, hardly working, for the first time in months, as there was nothing hanging over our heads, It was a unique feeling - I actually felt guilty.

But then as we drifted past the stern, I glanced up and noticed that the triatic stay was loose, so the guilt feeling passed. I will tilt the mizzen masthead aft an inch or so tomorrow night. The whole rig is a little different.

Thus endeth the bowsprit renewal project