Up and Away!

UP --yes, today I went UP the mast.  I am replacing the spreader boots (so the jib does not rub on the standing rigging).  So before I cut the leather and foam liner, I needed to visually inspect where the rigging and spreaders intersect to hold the mast in column.  We have 6 locations that require spreader boots.

The process to go up the mast is pretty straight forward.  Get into a climbing harness, attach the harness to the main halyard, and have Alan winch away.  My trip up was quite successful; I spent most of the afternoon cutting the leather and have punched holes in 2 pieces.  I figure it will take me 3 trips UP the mast to finish the project; I expect to space the trips out over this week.

While I was busy with my project, Alan successful installed new navigation lights.  The forward lights were not working due to corrosion.  Sounds like a simple project until you have to route the wires through the bow pulpits and stainless steel tubing.  Port side took 4 tries; starboard only 3.

And yes, the refrigeration gremlin....well....the local repair man came.  He left with the 12 volt compressor system.  He asked if we had a spare control module.  That lead us to rummage through various compartments and lift up the floor boards as we think we have seen one...but alas no pot of gold today.  He will bring the compressor back tomorrow but we are expecting that the refrigeration won't work until January.

And tomorrow...well, rain is expected.  And so is the mechanic to tear apart the port engine and the stainless welder to work a few projects.   Alan will direct traffic; I hope to stay out of the way and busy on my sewing machine.