The Stick Is Back In!

Finally, after all the Covid hold-ups, the mast is done and back in Kamalii. We brought her down from Gulf Harbour to Half Moon Bay on the Thursday morning to catch the tide (rather shoal coming in) and left her tied up overnight, then dropped the rig in first thing in the morning.

There was some mad panic when I couldn't find the mast chocks (four people furiously going through every locker we could think of), but Isi had thoughtfully packed them away and managed to come out of class at school in time to get my messages and let me know where they were. Other than that no drama at all, though it was a bit of a rush to get everything together in time to get back out before we missed the tide.

I replaced the V1 stays (lower cap shrouds) as these are the highest load bearing stays. The rig is just loosely set up now and in the next couple of weeks we will find a suitable weather day (increasingly difficult as winter arrives) to take her out under sail and tune the rig. I'll endeavour to use the time in between to drop the genoa in at the sailmaker for some maintenance, and hopefully give all the winches a service etc.

I'm glad that it's done, and really didn't need the sailing season wrecked, though Covid did that anyway, but it's nice to know that your mast is 101% in tip-top shape. A big thanks to Paul Tingy and Robin Kenyon for doing such a top job.

Heading to Half Moon Bay. Any day on the water is a good day - even without a mainmast.

Not such great conditions heading back to Gulf Harbour.

What's all the firewood on the aft deck? The trestles that were made to support he mast - may as well put them to use elsewhere!

Mast Repairs Complete

The mast is nearly ready, only about 6 weeks late thanks to the Covid lock-down. Paul and Robin have done a great job and the mast is looking a million bucks (feels about close to what the repair cost too...). I must admit it's a good feeling knowing your mast has been gone over from top to bottom.

The new masthead has been sheathed in fibreglass, so it is fully sealed - don't want it all happening again! We had all the fittings electro-polished as well, the spreaders have been painted and varnished, etc, etc. I will replace some of the standing rigging as well, but don't want to hold things up, so will do that after the mast is in. Plan at this stage is, subject to weather, to put her back in Kamalii on Thursday. Fingers crossed. 

New masthead has fibreglass sheath - not going to let it happen again!

Before the sail track went back on

See the scarf lines for the new section? Beautiful.