A RIGGING TYPE DAY

Glorious spring weather in Canoe Cove today, shorts weather with clear sky and bright sunshine.  The first day with no rain I reckon.

I stuck another epoxy patch on the fresh water tank this morning, the warmer weather is helping the epoxy to cure faster, I think one more internal patch tomorrow and we will be back in business with the water tank.

My mainsail turned up again this morning with the sailmaker.  I wanted some modifications made, handles sewn into the luff and nettles for lashing the sail to the boom when reefed.  We fitted the sail and it looks excellent with a good heavy build.

Next came the rigger to check over the rig.  Always a good precaution once a year or before any ocean passage.  It is also a blue-water insurance requirement that the rig is checked by a rigger.  The rig is good shape, just a few rivets to replace in the jib furler foil.  I will have new lifelines made up with plain wire to replace the old plastic coated ones.  I don’t like plastic coated wire, you never know what is happening underneath the plastic.

After the rigger had departed I set about replacing some halyards.  I should have replaced a couple last year but I pushed it to get another years use out of them.  I have also rigged a halyard from the masthead spinnaker block.  Not that I expect to be using the spinnaker this trip when single handed but just as an additional halyard.  Always handy to have a spare halyard available.  It was very pleasant sitting on deck in the sunshine splicing  eyes in the halyards.

The spider bite on my arm isn’t any worse, funny its not any better either.  I googled spider bites in Canada and a whole bunch of horror stories came up, I closed it down before I frightened myself.