Like usual, we’re coming when others are going
It’s an amusing time in the boatyard for us. With the official start to H-season just around the corner, large numbers of boats are being hauled. All around us are people preparing their boats for long-term storage, and we’re getting ours ready to sail (sale)!
Yesterday, we made good progress and among other things, re-rigged most of the boat’s running rigging. We made a good call by removing the halyards last year, and the messenger lines that we left in their place allowed us to put them back with very little pain. As always, being super conservative, rather than use the messenger lines to actually pull the new halyards back through the mast, we used them to instead pull a length of small diameter cord through. We then used that cord to pull the halyards back up the mast. While the lines we left there were “almost” certainly still strong enough, I was unsure of how much damage the elements had done to them, and the last thing I wanted to have happen was to have one of those messenger lines part when the halyard was only half way through the mast!
There was one tiny hiccup in that two of the messenger lines had somehow gotten themselves tangled, with one wrapping itself around the starboard spreader and the radar reflector. Fortunately, our friendly neighbor Vince had a climbing harness that we could borrow. We managed to get the jib halyard run properly and then used that to hoist Rebecca up the rig to sort out the tangle.
Rebecca looking very comfortable up the mast.
While we were working, we were also paid a visit by a one of our blog readers, Christine, who along with her husband Matt, was getting their catamaran Sugar Shack ready for a “vacation.” Thanks for coming by to say Hello, Christine. If you’re reading this, we’ll drop by to chat later today. That’s right, it’s back to the boat yard for us. We’re getting extremely close to being done the work that we want to do, and following that, we’ll be putting our baby on the market for some other sailor (couple) to enjoy.
Always send Rebecca up you big chicken!! 😉 Good accomplishments sure are rewarding. I bet you slept well last night..
She is lighter than I am. No electric winches on ZTC.
A real man can pull himself up the mast and only need someone to
carefully tail the winch. That’s how “we” used to do it, in my younger days.
But of course now I put in mast steps so can easily climb while she tends the winch.
Uh, yeah.
Mike and Rebecca
I have been following your website and travels from the beginning and I am not far from you original starting point. Very sorry to here about your mis fortunes with the last fella (true friends are hard to come by). But I have a Question. seeing how you both are so very well liked why don’t you offer smaller vacations for just couples? I don’t think you would have a problem finding customers. And I am sure a lot of your followers would love to see ZTC
Sean
Are you just messing with me? 🙂
http://www.zerotocruising.com/real-sailing-adventure/
If not, I need to do a better job at promoting.
Good planning when you closed the boat down sure is saving you a lot of grief now.
Fact.
Was certainly nice to finally meet the both of you. ZTC is looking good.
Look forward to your next adventures. Amel, PDQ both excellent choices just don’t forget a heater for those southern climates. 🙂
Yes, a heater will be required! Nice meeting you too, Matt.
It was awesome meeting you tow in person after following your blog for years. Your energy and spirits are inspiring! Hope you find your dream boat just after you sell your PDQ! The new buyers will be lucky to have such a treasures vessel.
Thank you, Christine. It was a pleasure meeting you too. Please keep in touch, and enjoy your time back in the States.