New Volunteers "waist" little time in advancing past "never-ever" to competent deckhanding skills.

New Volunteers have been joining us every week now over the past month.. a positive sign.

On traditional sailing vessels, brand new, inexperienced recruit deckhands were given the rating "Waisters", relating to their primary place of work, performing the menial tasks for the time being in the "waist" or midships, the safest part of the vessel. 

With Luke McCain aloft on the foremast sanding,
Walter and Graham manage his tag line,
fixing his position around the mast.

 Our new volunteers didn't take long to rise above, by laying in on some challenging projects. By their second period on deck,  Alex Lyashevich, Josh Zoodsma, and Luke MCain have each, already laid aloft at least once sanding or oiling the masts.   Dallas Spencer has already been out in in the head rig storm-lashing down the furled jib. All ready beyond "Waisters" to apprentice deckhands.

Friday was a full day., volunteers concentrated on securing the rig, and the deck before the oncoming weather system that was due to hit today.  

First job was doubling up all dock lines. Water Barton, dropped down into the Forepeak and handed up three coiled dock lines to Bryan.  Dallas Spencer staged one at the bow, at #2 and #3 kevels.  Lines were run out thru the kevel hawseholes and back over the top of the rails where Bowlines were made off . Bryan passed out heaving lines, gave a refresher in highwayman's hitches.  Each volunteer then made several throws and recovery's just for practice before sending the last heave over to drag the doubled dock line over to secure on a dock cleat.  

Next issue to be tackled was the loosening furl of the jib out on the jib stay were it was threatening to be pulled out by the predicted high winds Saturday.  Walter, Bryan Oliver and Dallas  laid out to the jib boom of the head rig to resecure the jib, where the downhaul lashing had come apart; it's head was now drifting back up the stay, exposing loose  canvas-risked being caught in the wind, pulling apart the rest of the lashing, and.. well, it doesn't take much imagination see how that ends.  So with extra gaskets, Walter laid out onto the jibboom grabbing hold of the jib halyard block. As Bryan loosed the halyard line from the belaying pin, Walter began pulling the halyard block down the stay.  Dallas, straddling the furled jib took up the resulting slack in the down haul, and restarted a new daisy chain furl, overhauling  the slacked down haul-tightening the daisy chain all the way aft to the jib's clew.  

Alex finishes up a primo work coil
 of the Main Sheet, before
hanging it on to boom.

The last project. was forcing the ship away from the dock for setting fender boards between the dock pilings and ball fenders. CAPT Davis in covering and lashing down all the gear and furniture stowed on the dock.  The new director's chairs, were taken onboard and stowed in the forecastle with all the deck cushions. Bryan, Tony Marchesani and Alex, adjusted the fender boards and fenders to protect the hull it might make contact with dock pilings.