Bristol Channel Cutter Elizabeth

Another milestone - mast stepping. I took 2 days to rig the mast, taking my time and making sure it was all done well. Of course I ran into a few issues, like one of my sta-lok eye terminals was actually 7/16″ not 1/2″ which I didn’t notice until I went to put in the pin.  But it’s a simple fix with Sta-lok… you just swap out the eye. No need to cut wire or re-form it. Just add more goop and locktite and snug the new piece down. I used Tef-Gel anywhere and everywhere I could to help isolate the stainless and aluminum. I used Lanocote on the turnbuckles. I wire wheeled, then passivated all the mast hardware I reused. And I seized the stays’l block shackle — that took me happily back to my old schooner days. I was almost ready to whip out the pine tar and start slushing my brand new 1×19 SS rig!

I made a mistake on the mast step base. I should have tightened it down where I wanted it (before dropping the mast in) which was all the way aft, in order to reduce rake. Evidently the boat sails alot better with less rake. But I left the base loose, in order to help out with the rock n’ roll (swell) we were experiencing while lowering the mast into the boat. I only realized this “oopsie” after the gin pole lines had been released from the mast. Well, I asked to have it reconnected and some strain taken on the mast so we could re-align it, and move the step aft. We were only able to get it back half way on the bolt slots… good enough for now. I think however that it’s better this way, since any further back and my stays wouldn’t fit. I built all my rigging off the old rig, using the same dimensions… which ensured I’d have rigging that fit, but didn’t allow me to remove the rake fully. Guess there’s always next time…

The boat got smaller with the mast and boy did the mast get yellower once installed. I think it must be the yellow and green combo… I feel like the flag ship for the Oakland A’s, John Deere or McMaster-Carr — take your pick. My mast color struck up many a conversation around the yard, and was dubbed “Safety Yellow”. I like the Sterling Cloud White top I did, I think it’d be nice in all white - perhaps just the white top makes the mast look squat… I’m not sure. Without sails, its hard to judge, she still looks naked.

Last spring when the boat was delivered I thought I’d be in for about a month’s worth of work,  then I’d launch and go sailing! Little did I know… things take 3x as long, and cost 5x as much as anticipated. All in the name of fun… or is it obsession, or is it addiction?

As I kept pushing the launch date back another week, then two, then three - the running gag became “June 09″ which at the time seemed so far away and rediculuous. But oh how true it was! June 1st to be exact. Although, I am launched… I’m far from ready to go sailing.

The launch went smoothly, except for no water flowing from the exhaust on startup. I had to tie up to the dock for a few minutes while I primed the pump… filled the raw water strainer with water. I guess when I winterized it, the strainer drained. I would have thought the pump would overcome that, but I suppose that is a large volume of air.

Living aboard on the mooring gets me in the mood. I’m pirating wifi from ashore, somones unsecured network. I use a Linksys router flashed with an application called DD-wrt, and a 15dbi omni directional antenna. Works OK. It’s still not 100% reliable, but I can usually find signal and get some work done after dinner. The boat has put a severe leak in my wallet, and the pumps are barely keeping up. Solar panels, wind generator, and a new dodger will have to wait. But I did order a Simrad TP32, a necessity. I was so excited to see the brand new lifelines (purchased by previous owner) in place, first time they’ve been rigged since I’ve known the boat. Too bad the gorgeaous quick releases he ordered don’t fit in the D-rings on the stantions.

After having spliced my entire rig WRONG last summer, I’m back to re-rigging my boat with Sta-loks. Splicing was yet another expensive and time sucking mistake I’ve made. I am happy that I learned to splice, and enjoyed the process (agony). But mechanical terminals are the way to go. I have much appreciation for them now that I know the alternative. I understand Hi-Mods are even easier than Sta-Loks, and are perhaps more appealing to the eye (still undecided on that), but since I had the bottom Sta-Lok studs already, I opted to re-use those and just buy new Sta-Lok tops, saving myself $700 or so. I’m reusing the wire from the splices where I can, but that still left me buying almost 200′ of new wire. The only tricky thing with Sta-Loks is keeping the strands out of the gap in the wedge. Here’s a pic of how they line up to avoid the gap.