Today is our second full day back aboard. We’re looking forward to sailing away from the dock, feeling the breeze in our hair and watching the dolphins frolic in our bow wake, but there’s no use getting in a big hurry. 🙂 Today’s big project was getting the sails bent back on.
The mainsail is in place, flaked into the Mackpack on the boom. The Mackpack lines are untangled and ready to help catch and flake the mainsail as it comes down. Both reef lines are in place, tested and secured. Zipping the Mackpack closed means we’re one step closer to going sailing.
The roller furling jib is back on the furler, jib lines are in place, and all is ready to go. Click here for an earlier CommuterCruiser post with specific steps (and photos) for putting the roller furling back on or removing it, as well as flaking the sail and mainsail care.
The boat is ready to sail! Lots of green lines are no longer green, the hatch, liferaft & binnacle canvas no longer have green accents & are either back in place or packed away for the winter sailing season. And, yes, we had to hose the bird crap off the boat again this afternoon… amazing how dirty the boat can get in less than 24 hours!
Now about that stuck steering wheel…. we managed to figure out how to take the compass off the binnacle, so we can access the interior … keeping our fingers crossed that the only problem is that the wheel lock mechanism is stuck in the locked position! But that’s not a today project….
It’s hot, and in keeping with our philosophy of never doing too much in any one day — it’s important to make time for FUN, especially when you’re getting a cruising sailboat ready to leave the dock after six months. Otherwise you just end up burned out, snapping at each other & wondering if this was a wise decision … after all where’s the fun? So make time for fun!
When we get our commuter cruiser projects finished, it’s time for a dip in the nice refreshing swimming pool!
How about you? What projects did you finish today? Please leave a comment and share! Cheers! Jan
Installed v12 USB chargers at the nab station and helm.
Make two new cockpit pillows.
Added port side flag halyard
Finishing touches on the g/daughter Halloween costume.
Hi Martin! On today’s list is to install a new starboard side flag halyard – our old one disintegrated, also replace the anchor light which apparently is on vacation, change an impeller, maybe fire up the diesel (it’s been fresh water flushed & closed down since last May) AND, I desparately need a haircut. I told David he could do it if he didn’t want to waste the half hour drive to town, but we’ll see. Maybe changing the impeller and firing up the diesel will go quicker than anticipated & I can go get a real haircut. 🙂 Cheers! Jan
Dug 80 pounds of old chestnut hulls out of the bilge! Ok, our boat is a restoration project, and those nuts have probably been there since the first squirrel climbed down out of the trees, but really – 80 pounds? Wild!
Wow! We always have our caretaker do a visual inspection for things like cockroaches, ants, bugs, etc. This year he must have been bored because he crossed out etc. and added, raccoons, rats and PANTHERS! Really, panthers? I asked him when he stopped to make sure everything was OK if he was just trying to make me smile or what with the “panthers” notation. He said his neighborhood here in SW FL is having more and more trouble with the increasing panther population. I guess it’s good that they’re making a comeback from being endangered, but I still have a hard time imagining walking down our dock and meeting a PANTHER! 🙂 Cheers! Jan