Rain squalls passing thru cuts the Volunteer Day short, but not before restoring a whole Pinrail.

 The seven of us who mustered aboard already knew this Saturday would likely be interrupted by those green and yellow splotches exploding and disappearing on the weather radar,  moving inexorably up the coast. Dallas Spencer brought with him an almost completed suite of traditionally stropped double becket blocks, he had been carving out and rigging up.  Their destination would be the replacement of the port side boat falls tackles, effectively doubling the purchase for lifting the small boat/tender. 

Given the weather unpredictability dashed our intentions of some sail training- if a partly set sail was caught in a gust. So, Bryan chose a couple of projects from the Daily Punchlist that could be started and paused if necessary, if/when things deteriorated. 

Walter, Wayne, and Ken taking off two years
 of grime from belaying pins before
soaking them in linseed oil.

First things first:  Open all hatches, and butterflies for ventilation.   For the project; All lines made fast to the port pinrail had to be taken off and secured elsewhere, for the duration of the project. Ken Fonville, Wayne Burdick, and Walter Barton accepted the project of restoring the entire portside mainmast pin rail and its 7 wood belaying pins;  sanding the thing down and wiping down with 2 coats of linseed oil.  Doug Hartley, Alex Lya, and Dallas, gathered tools and sandpaper, and gathered around the upturned dory to start restoration work on her torn transom. Bryan started on the pin rail itself.  

 Doug, working the dory repair with Dallas, astutely observed a visiting couple on the dock and offered them a tour.  15 minutes later, they disembarked, sufficiently impressed with their experience to leave with Doug a $20 donation.  A few more of those will on a weekly basis could easily cover some gaps in our consumable needs. 

As the morning progressed and sky turned more gray, the belaying pin/pinrail crew worked to finish the oiling, and restoring lines to their proper pins. They would all be completing their work before lunch time.  The three on the dory, staying into the afternoon, called in a delivery order for lunch from East Bay Deli, courtesy of the Schooner.  Bryan's family-his daughter and husband with Bryan's two young grandsons visiting from St. Louis,  showed up for a ship tour as things were winding down, just in time for the first cloudburst to hit.  All hands and visitors quickly retired below to the saloon for a short time as it passed over.  As the wet stuff dissipated, saloon denizens clambered back on deck. The Pinrail crew secured tools and materials before going ashore, Bryan's family tour group also disembarked, while the Dory team finished lunch and resumed their work. Hopefully with in a few weeks, the Dory will be ready for launch and a sail.