Mast Sanding is Done! Now to oiling and slushing; New Captain is selected; Name TBP, Next month to include Harbor Sea Trials.

 Expectations for low Volunteer participation due to the confluence of SEWE Events, and President's Day Weekend. were borne out this last weekend.  Nevertheless, the four of us who did muster aboard, did, with grit and determination, take on and complete the last project that had bedeviled us for months.  You guessed it-  Sanding down the foremast.

Mostly weather,, cold, wind,, rain, low motivation,, all  combined to delay for months, the completion of that last middle 30% of the mast.  And so it was, with Tony Marchesani and Walter Barton on the Jumbo halyard, and Bryan Oliver on the tag line,  

Alex waayy up the foremast
 taking down the grime with
 an orbital sander.

Alex Lya was slowly hoisted up the foremast with his Dewalt orbital sander and a bucket full of spares. After a 1/2, Alex signaled he was ready for someone else to have some fun.  So he was lowered to the deck, and Bryan Oliver replaced him. 

Alex, shouting down,
 "This is fun, so who's next?"

Another 1/2 hour later, Bryan was back on deck, and everyone took a moment to gaze upward, partly admiring our handiwork, partly wandering why it took so long, feeling the weight of an unfinished onerous chore being lifted up, the gates finally opening to... more projects?

Well, yes. that will always be so.  After all, it's the way of traditional sailing vessels. But as we all secured the deck, our bosun's chairs, loose hardware, etc, and mustered below, Bryan updated with news.

Carin Bloom, Historian, had met with Bryan again, this past week, onboard, to advance discussions on education standards, and topics for docksides, and cruises, with schools, and adults. Grants of $15,000 plus are available with proper application for Charleston 250 celebrations.  Carin also provided contact information for the African-American Maritime History organization, a possible partner in educational programming. Bryan is making contact.

Heath Hackett is within hours(?) of naming a new Captain.  The immediate objective is to onboard the new Captain, and take him into the harbor with some of Heath's motoring pilot team mates to familiarize said new Captain with piloting the schooner safely on/off the dock.  Once satisfied with progress in that skillset, Capt Heath will schedule a Volunteer Harbor Sea trial, likely first of several, over the month of March.

Meanwhile, we advance the projects of finalizing the twin personae of Spirit of South Carolina,, a Traditional 19th Century working schooner, and a more modern yacht, each personae to suit a targeted clientele.