November 2, 2013

November 2, 2013

     We picked up our new main sail from Hasse & Co. (Port Townsend Sails) on Tuesday the 22nd of October.

 Let me back up a little.  Kelsey from Port Townsend Sails called and informed us that our sails were ready to be picked up.  Our old sails were there waiting in storage and the new Main was white and beautiful waiting to be filled with wind for the first time in its existence.  We get there (this was on the 18th of October) and pick up all of our old sails, they fill the car, we have no room for the new Main. The old sails are living in the car for the time being.  We are hoping that we can sell them to another IP owner.  If we don't sell them, I will likely cut them into some kind of pattern for reusable grocery bags or beach bags, or maybe just recycle them somewhere.  And as it turns out the new main does not fold anyway and even if the car was empty it would not go in.  The kind people at Port Townsend Rigging offered their Pickup, and we graciously accepted and picked up our new Mainsail on Tuesday the 22nd.  With all the rigging complete to date, the boom was ready to welcome its new tenant.  We put the sail on and  hoisted it up on the 23rd.  We slowly let it back down and ever so carefully began flaking it (laying it down on the boom in a nice even folded pattern).  We were proud of our flaking job.  In the sail bag we found we came across a smaller bag filled with parts and pieces for sail repair, an instruction manual for replacing the cars, and some line labeled "reefing nettle."  What in the world is a reefing nettle?  I would plan to return the sail loft and talk to the ladies there, they would explain all this "stuff."  And what about this giant sail bag?  Do we stow it somewhere on the boat?  Do I return it to the sail makers?  Oh the questions! I will go to the loft on Friday, the 25th.  For today, we are just happy to get the sail on the boom, flaked, and tied down.  OH! The next thing we are so grateful for is that our sail cover fits and fastens over the new sail. So that was our major accomplishment for that day.

       Thursday rolls by with nothing much to report.  The riggers are finishing up their jobs.  Putting on the cunningham, making their final touch ups and looking over the rigging to be sure we were ready to set sail.

     Friday morning I drop the Bucket off at preschool and go to the sail loft with my little bag of goods.