Saturday- Doug Hartley Recognized for 100 Volunteer Hours; The Mainsail finally comes aboard The tempo is accelerating.

 Best news of Thursday was the visual sight from a distance that the Main mast boom lifts had been installed, removing the single remaining obstacle for finishing up-rigging the Mainmast, sail and all. Thursday was almost a washout but for the appearance of Walter Barton and Jody Smith who saved the afternoon.  Bryan Oliver gathered the team around the Foremast for a demonstration in lashing the foresail luff grommets to a mast hoop. After a few do-over's Walter and Jody made eight successful lashings of the 15 mast hoops.  The remainder would be finished on Saturday. Meanwhile Bryan started marling-hitching the foot of the foresail onto the fore sail boom. The completion of that task would have to wait for Saturday and additional hands to stretch the foot out. 

Saturday morning saw a grand sight with  8 volunteers mustering midships. Today was always the stated goal post for having all the sails bent on, and the ship ready to cast off.  The mainsail still lay in a roll on the dock-her rigging likewise. Of equal priority, the tender's outboard Yamaha had been sent ashore for servicing, and was to arrive this morning to be lifted up and be reinstalled/tested.  

Oh, almost forgot,, the rigid inflatable tender had been sitting in the water tied to the dock for several days now needing her bottom brushed down.  

Dave Brennon forcing the bow
of the tender over onto the dock
 prior to cleaning off the bottom.

So, naturally,, Volunteers broke down into three groups to tackle projects simultaneously.  Bryan and Alex gathered up tackles to rig up a hoisting gear on the deck pylon, to enable the lifting of the heavy outboard engine over and into the tender.  Dave Brennon and Nate with some help from Walter Barton and Jody Smith pulled the tender up onto the dock sufficiently to get to the bottom with a broom brush. 

Nate and Walter on a test run of the tender.

Nate Mack departed with help to retrieve the outboard engine from Capt Davis's truck, and cart it back to the dock where the tender waited and the hoist was rigged. 

Doug Hartley working a lifting  bridle
 around the mainsail for hoisting and swinging aboard

Doug Hartley had finished installing the brackets for the man overboard life ring and flag pendant. He and Ken Fonville shifted to the huge mainsail rolled upon the dock. As volunteer help arrived on scene, together they laid out the huge sail on the dock, reflaking it to expose the corners then rolled it, cigar-like and rigged a strop across the center. Then, using the mainsail throat halyard tackle, they raised up the huge limp roll, and swung it out over the dock and onto the deck where they arranged the roll of sail lengthwise on the aft cabin top under the main sail boom.

As more volunteers completed their projects, they converged on the mainsail roll, laid it out and identified the head, lifting it up to the gaff where Bryan Oliver started a marling hitch from the gaff throat aft to the peak. As volunteers completed marlinghitching of the mainsail head onto the gaff, lunch arrived, a most welcome spread of pulled pork sandwiches and sodas, laid out by Capt Davis on the saloon hatch.

Lunch time, complete, a few minutes of free time for texting, etc, and hydration, then the climax project of the afternoon, the marling hitching of the mainsail to the boom.  all fifty feet of her. Volunteers lined up along the boom to lift and stretch the fifty-foot ."foot of the mainsail along the top of the boom while Bryan started the hitching from the throat end. 

Bryan stretching the mainsail boom
lacing hitch by hitch aft towards the clew.

Other volunteers fill in afterwards continuing the hitch all way to the cockpit when time runs out, as well as space to work. 

As the projects slow to a strategic pause, Bryan calls one last muster under the foresail awning and brings Doug Hartley front and center to recognize his achievement of over 100 Volunteer hours. 

Doug Hartley, flanked by Bryan Oliver
 and Capt Davis, recognized on Saturday
for 100 Volunteer hours, that milestone
was passed in April, actually,
 he's closing in on 200 hours.

Capt Davis awarded Doug his "Foremast Volunteer" Pin, and card. Doug actually passed the 100 hour mark in April, and is well on his way towards 200 hours already.  Special thanks to Doug on his workmanship in restoring the life ring and pendant pole brackets mounted on the starboard bulwark which was rotting away. 

Coxwain Nate Mack taking the tender
 on a test run around the harbor before
 bringing her up to the schooner for hipping.

Alex Lya, Bow lookout and
Painter handler aboard the tender