Under Cover Schooner

Good morning everyone. We have a rainy drizzly day on our hands today. The crew will be out here in Appleton working in the barn on a few final miscellaneous painting projects. Mary will be aboard painting cabin thresholds and I will be working in the bilges today finalizing a new fire pump installation. The last minute details are many but we are in good shape for our annual Coast Guard inspection on Monday at noon. We even have the awnings set as you can see in the picture. Of course if you're a loon you don't need an awning.

Becki, Sara, and I finished rigging the main and fore peak and throat halyards yesterday. That just about finishes the rigging work aloft. The lesson of the entire rigging process these last few days is the "devil is in the details." One shackle put in the wrong place, one line lead unfairly, one missing cotter pin, one block put together incorrectly during "Blockfest" 2 months ago, and the entire process comes to a screeching stop. We were musing about how many places on earth that lack of attention to detail can have such a big impact.

All this goes back to what I was saying yesterday about seeing ourselves in the bigger picture of life. Thoreau must have been thinking about sailing ships when he made his wonderful analogy, something to the effect, that when we pull on one string in nature we find it connected to everything else. I often remind the crew of Bill Cosby's humorous recounting of the conversation between God and Noah, indignant about having to build an Ark to God's specifications, when God pointedly asked Noah how long he could tread water. I think about it from my modern perspective and often mention how much I hate to fill out paperwork for the Coast Guard.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.

Comments

Hail Mary

My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui

Swimming Anyone?

Good morning everyone. Winter is still here in New England though it seems to be taking a rest these days. We have enjoyed a little bit of a thaw. We still have snow covering our field but it is thinning out in the sunny patches. Mary Day rests comfortably in the harbor, bilges dry, cover intact, waiting for the crew to return. Another busy week has passed so I will get you up to speed on everything that is happening here at the global headquarters. Jen is putting the finishing touches on year end taxes. Blockfest 2008 is finally finished. The blocks have received quite the massaging. And while we have the off-white paint out we are starting in on the lifeline stanchions, the davits, and a few other miscellaneous parts. Alex asked me last night how we were doing with our pace. We are doing great but in the back of my mind I know that there is never enough time to do it all. Having perfectionist tendencies is a curse. I want to do it all and know we will never have enough time. There se

Fall Maintenance

Good morning everyone. The sun has been kind to us these past few days and the crew has been spending much time aloft prepping and painting the mast heads and tarring the rig as part of our annual fall maintenance schedule. They were a little silly on tar fumes by the end of the day hence the rat board dance moves. Am I the only one who is reminded of Willy Wonka's little friends at the sight of the crew in their tyvek suits? Schoona-loompas? The smell of tar, after all, is what we sailors live for. Extracted from the stumps and roots of pine trees through dry distillation pine tar will cure what ails you especially some skin conditions and any emotional maladies from being too long away from the sea. All we know for sure is that Mary Day’s rigging is kept hail and hearty by coats of tar mixed with boiled linseed oil. Notice that I specified boiled linseed oil and not raw linseed oil. Tar mix with raw linseed oil will not “kick”. Don’t ask me how I know this… just take my wo

Sailing Vacations
A Maine Windjammer

Search This Blog