Good Weather enables some more interesting projects with new skills to be learned.

 Marlinespike skills and Maintenance projects conjoined more this past Saturday to enrich Volunteers with experience in going aloft,  turning in an eye splice and working some challenging canvas repair.  When Volunteers, Rob and Jake Harrington, Danny and Laura Johnson, Calvin Milam, Mikell Evatt, and John Whitsitt mustered, Chief Mate Charlie laid before them three challenges;  The main mast needed a coat of D.1 oil, which required 3 hands hauled aloft in bosun's seats.  The huge sunbrella awning suspended from the foreboom suffered several tears and blown out grommets, and needed to be dropped and repaired. And finally, some of the head rig eye-splicings had been stretched to the point of losing their thimbles.  

Jake and Rob Harrington hit the final stretch
 on the Main mast after spending
two hours aloft.

That set up the day.  Charlie, Calvin, and the Harringtons rigged up harnesses, bosun's seats and set up a station for D.1 oils, rags, and other tools.  

Bryan Oliver, Mikell Evatt and John Whitsitt broke out the bosun's bag with sailor palms, needles an rolls of patching canvas. 

And we all set to work.   Meanwhile, Danny Johnson in best form as usual, had just recruited another trio and brought them aboard, Eric Labarca, and sons.  Together, Danny led them thru the ship's orientation and a deck tour. 

Meanwhile Hunter was below baking up tons of Mac & Cheese for lunch.  

Charlie, assisted by head knot-tie'er Joe Gorman
, coaches Jake and Rob Harrington
 on tapering their splice.

As lunch was complete and secured, the mast oiling was left to absorb. and bosun's gear was secured.  Charlie then gathered the now idle group around the foremast to "flash" the jumbo", the drill of preparing and raising the jumbo sail off the bowsprit.  Next, the group moved to a spot around the line locker and began a master class in turning in an eye splice. John, Mike, and Bryan returned to repairing/ patching the rents in the awning. 

By 1530, the weather was chilling and the splicing practicum came to a close, all was secured on deck, except the awning, where Mike and Bryan determined to get in one last line of stitching before stopping.   

So what happened today?

Three volunteer hands aloft applied two coats of D1 Preservative/sealant to the Mainmast while tended by Danny, Laura on deck.  The main deck awning was downrigged inspected, and four rips hand darned with herringbone stitching, followed by flat stitching on oceanis canvas patching (the sewing machine remained sketchy and recalcitrant.).  And three volunteers learned how to turn in an eye splice.  

A pretty good day.