Parts Have Arrived

I didn't get as much done yesterday as I wanted, but I did mount my cleats and caulk the companionway frame. I also worked on routing the main halyard. First, I mounted the deck organizer and fed the halyard through it to see how it would work as is, but it looked like it would chafe badly and wouldn't feed the blocks and organizer correctly. I ended up bringing the down haul around the mast and aft of the starboard spreader to the block I've got attached to a pad eye just aft of the mast on the starboard side that turns it to the deck organizer.

It's the best I can do short of mounting another pad eye further forward, but there's still a few places where the halyard will chafe, in particular the radar reflector bracket and its mounting screws. I spoke to Kevin about it and he said using fairleads for this sort of thing was pretty common, so that's what I decided to try once I get a chance to go up the mast.

I wanted to get a few more things mounted this morning while I was waiting for the parts to get here, so I started off with the cockpit locker latches. One is broken, so I could only mount it's lower hook -- I'll use a cord to tie it off for the time being. I'd like to replace the old latches with something better, and safer, but haven't found anything suitable yet.

The problem is that if you're in the locker working on something, like I was today while working on the exhaust hoses, and the hatch closes, you could become trapped since these latches are similar to those used on old refrigerators. New boats no longer use them, but mine's 40 years old and still has the original ones. I always tie off the hatch whenever I'm working, so I'm not too worried about it, but I don't want to temp fate, so I'll replace them when get a chance to finish the cockpit.

Most of the stuff I ordered came in this afternoon, so I was able to re-hookup the exhaust system. However, I'll probably replace the hoses, or at least adjust the length tomorrow. It was getting dark and cold by the time I got it hooked up, so I went ahead and put it together as is, but the hose is a little too long and rubs against the hull. Eventually, that might chafe a hole, so I need to trim it, but the bigger problem is that the waterlock is mounted athwart ships which isn't correct.

Since this is a sailboat which can and will heel, it should be mounted inline with the engine. Another problem is that the hose has to make an additional 90 degree turn, but since it's off center, it really makes a 180, then a 90 going up. If it were inline, it could just make the single 90 going up. Again, with all this snaking around, it's no wonder it leaked -- snaking around like that in such a short span, less than 3 feet, puts a lot of stress on the hoses and the joints.

Most of the climbing gear I ordered also arrived today. I set it all up, but since I won't get the easy aiders until tomorrow, I didn't try to test it out yet. While I was down at the office picking up all the packages, I bought 3 bullseye fairleads from Gill. I'll use them to help turn the main halyard down haul around the mast and away from the radar reflector bracket and the spreaders. He also let me grab a small piece of 1/4" scrap teak I can use to make shims to fit them to the curved mast. Hopefully it won't take too long to make them up, and I'll have everything ready to go when the easy aiders get here and I can go aloft.

Departure watch:

I've got a few other things to do, e.g., hooking up lights, radios, etc., but hope I can get it all ready and also take her out for a few short shakedown sails this weekend. I'd like to leave and go through New York City as early as Monday, but definitely some time next week. The tides should be favorable next week, but the forecast is calling for a bit a wind, so I might need to work around that. I'm not sure I want to be out in anything too strong without proper non-skid.

This morning, Kevin mentioned they'll need to move me somewhere next week as they start to berth the boats that'll stay at the dock for the winter. It's probably not a big deal, but I'm hoping I can get out of here anyway before I become a nuisance. They've been really good to me, so I don't want to wear out my welcome.