The weather is going to be nice tomorrow......you can check it out here at the met office
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/sw/sw_forecast_weather.html
Wonderful! It means that I can get on with finishing off the odd jobs on Arwen. With ‘she wot must be obeyed’ (SWMBO) away at her mother’s and number one son away camping...I may get some peace and quiet. I’ll enjoy tomorrow. It will make up for what is going to be a very painful Sunday (5 hours of marking, 3 hours of lesson planning and 2 hrs of academic paper writing - just don't go there).
I want to do various bits and pieces to get her ship shape. In no particular order of importance
• Petroleum jelly the hatches to ease the threads and ‘waterproof’ them
• Finish the netting across the front thwarts
• Adding more metal eyes and bungee cords under the decks to hold various things like bucket, hand held pump, large fenders etc
• Sort out straps across the cockpit floors either side of the centre case – to hold down the ballast sacks of sand I put in when solo sailing – I worry that if for some reason, Arwen tilted over too far – they’d shift precipitating a nasty capsize experience.
I’ve then got to do some bits and pieces on the sprit boom. I have a topping lift on it and it’s rigged for easy reefing. However, I’ve realised I was reefing it from the wrong end and I kept having this huge bight of rope hanging down threatening to garrotte me. Whilst looking through the fantastic CD of past DCA bulletins (DCA – Devon Cruising Association) (go to http://dinghycruising.org.uk/
for further details), I came across this diagram.....and I like the system.
It means that I can reef from the mast end rather than trying to pull reefing ropes half way along. That should be safer for a start. With the topping lift I want to put a small block in it half way up on the starboard side so that when I pull the topping lift halyard – it rises more easily. I’ll post photographs when I’ve done it so you can see better what I mean.
So an early morning rise; quick dash to Marine Bazaar chandlers and then back home to get Arwen off the driveway.
I’m really looking forward to tomorrow!
Steve
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/sw/sw_forecast_weather.html
Wonderful! It means that I can get on with finishing off the odd jobs on Arwen. With ‘she wot must be obeyed’ (SWMBO) away at her mother’s and number one son away camping...I may get some peace and quiet. I’ll enjoy tomorrow. It will make up for what is going to be a very painful Sunday (5 hours of marking, 3 hours of lesson planning and 2 hrs of academic paper writing - just don't go there).
I want to do various bits and pieces to get her ship shape. In no particular order of importance
• Petroleum jelly the hatches to ease the threads and ‘waterproof’ them
• Finish the netting across the front thwarts
• Adding more metal eyes and bungee cords under the decks to hold various things like bucket, hand held pump, large fenders etc
• Sort out straps across the cockpit floors either side of the centre case – to hold down the ballast sacks of sand I put in when solo sailing – I worry that if for some reason, Arwen tilted over too far – they’d shift precipitating a nasty capsize experience.
I’ve then got to do some bits and pieces on the sprit boom. I have a topping lift on it and it’s rigged for easy reefing. However, I’ve realised I was reefing it from the wrong end and I kept having this huge bight of rope hanging down threatening to garrotte me. Whilst looking through the fantastic CD of past DCA bulletins (DCA – Devon Cruising Association) (go to http://dinghycruising.org.uk/
for further details), I came across this diagram.....and I like the system.
a reefing system I will try on Arwen
Copyright Dinghy Cruising Association
It means that I can reef from the mast end rather than trying to pull reefing ropes half way along. That should be safer for a start. With the topping lift I want to put a small block in it half way up on the starboard side so that when I pull the topping lift halyard – it rises more easily. I’ll post photographs when I’ve done it so you can see better what I mean.
So an early morning rise; quick dash to Marine Bazaar chandlers and then back home to get Arwen off the driveway.
I’m really looking forward to tomorrow!
Steve
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Thanks for taking a look at my blog. All comments and advice are welcome - drop me a few lines. You can always find videos about Arwen at www.youtube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy. Look forward to hearing from you.
Steve