Stepping the mast - a sail boat again!

August 22, up at 08:00 for last minute preparations to step the mast. Sean and Brian were there promptly…these guys are good at what they do. The crane to lift the mast is on shore with its boom leaning out over our boat. Sean assessed the situation and would lift the mast, hang it in the air while Julie and I would back the boat out, turn it around and reverse in. They lifted the mast until it was vertical again and I connected the pull-strings to feed the wires down the pole below the mast where they are connected to 12 volts and instruments...it was a little tense as the wires got twisted in the pole and I could not pull them properly into place as needed. After a few attempts and my shirt soaked from sweat (stressful moment) we managed to untangle and pull them down. Once the mast was sitting in position, Julie and I attached the shrouds with the turn-buckles (big metal connecting bolts) to secure and tension them to the deck. They disconnected the crane ropes from the mast and said 'it's all yours'.

When posting this, we realized we were so busy we never took any pictures. :(

Julie and I spent the rest of the day cleaning and rigging the boat (adjust the shrouds, mount the boom, install the cockpit enclosure, hoist the forward sail (jib), wash the decks, install the Boomvang, install the running rigging, install and wire the wind generator, wire the mast wires for the radar, VHF Radio, TV antenna, running lights and anemometer…it was good to have our cockpit enclosure back again and have her looking like a sail boat again! We worked 9 hours straight…dinner at the Creekside again and early to bed…another early morning to catch the tidal currents.  Julie found it interesting to assist with all of these tasks….as she typically hasn't been this much a part of the whole process...I love the way she can jump in willingly to do whatever needs to be done along this whole journey...she's a great first mate/Admiral!