Mast Progress

After the boat show we sailed Tango over to Solomon's where we had the new (to us) mast shipped.  It was a long and not so fun sail.  What should have taken us 6hrs ended up taking 11hrs.  As usual, the weather was not what had been predicted.  NOTE: I am taking a meteorology class and hope that once I am done and we have our pactor modem all set up that I can do a better job of verifying/predicting weather.  Seems our weathermen lately are more weather guessers...  Anyway, I digress...  I was getting over a head cold and still had some head conjestion which unfortunatly messed with my equilibrium and caused me to be sick for the entire way (very green, didn't actually get sick).  Not fun!  Thankfully ASSWOP was ready to step in and take my place. She did awesome!!!  I have to admit she kept a course better than we do!  It is amazing technology!  We had winds over 20 knots and she loved it!  She'd fall off 5 or so degrees and then counter to get back on course.  Heavy gusts she'd get blown off maybe 10 degrees but would immediatley correct.  It was so cool to sit back and watch her work.  She will be awesome during those long offshore passages.  

Above: J making some minor adjustments to ASSWOP while she does all the "heavy lifting" :)  

We've been in Solomons for about two weeks now and as with any major project it never really feelsl ike your making progress becuase the list is just so long.  Add to that our work and personal lives are very busy right now with training, travel, events and we're BOTH taking classes.  I am taking two classes and J is taking three.  Life right now is wake up, go to work-work, come home change and report to the other work (mast), work until sunset, make a quick bite to eat, do 1.5-2hrs of school work, crash for the night...  Rinse, Repeat...  

This weekend we have a lot we want to accomplish on the mast as we hope to step the mast early this week.  We'll be out of town next weekend for a wedding and the following weekend we'll be in Port Townsend, WA for a sail repair seminar so we're running out of time.  I'll post some pictures of our progress but here's our list of things we needed to do on the mast and where we currently stand.  

MAST:

Remove sails from old mast (bring to local sail loft to be inspected and cleaned)

Wire anemometer and masthead light

Install trysail track

Fill radar holes and other holes not used

Touch up paint on mast

Treat/paint corrosion

Remove/install winches

Remove/install radar deflector

Replace masthead sheave pin

Replace masthead sheaves

Swap best lights

Measure/adjust standing rigging (shorten headstay)

Lubricate sail track and whisker pole track

Install whisker pole track fittings

Install reef lines

Check cleats/clutches for halyards (ensure sufficient)

Fill mast step holes

Install mast step

Silicone cotter pins

Swap over rigging

Silicone mast head holes/wiring

Safety wire shrounds to spreaders

Reinstall spreader boots

Install secondary VHF antenna and coaxial connector

Install/run halyards (splice all new halyards)

Install new cleat

Polish all stainless hardware

BOOM:  

Replace outhaul with messenger line

Remove outhaul track

Remove all fittings

Remove paint

Treat corrosion

Paint (Awlgrip Eggshell White to match the new mast)

Install lazy jack tie down points

Install reef points

Build up lazy jacks

Install clew reef line clutches

Replace boom sheave pin

Replace boom sheaves

Lubricate outhaul track

Replace spacers with sheaves at end of boom

Install jammers on boom

Polish all stainless hardware

Our girl, looking naked without her mast and boom.