Volunteers Don't Let the Weather Discourage from Shipyard Prep

 Today was originally planned to be a "barn-raising-style" event, 8 to 12 volunteers teaming up to down-rig the mainmast of her spars and gear.  We volunteers had done it before, and I was planning a Sea food Gumbo Lunch for those who had signed up.  

Then the weather forecast virtually reversed itself the first of last week.  High chance of rain all morning, with temps in low 40's. As the week progressed to Saturday, the forecasted rain disappeared, then things looked better. But by that time, we still had only one sign-up for Volunteers.  The forecast remained cold, high in lower 40's.  I cancelled the planned Volunteer Day/Gumbo feast due to lack of participation, but left open open opportunities for volunteers to come for some deckhand skills  training. 

Saturday morning; clear and cold; breezy, north to northwest. I didn't expect anything, excepting Walter Barton, steadfast regular, who'd indicated he would show up regardless.  I boarded early to check a bilge, try the power for brewing some coffee, and review notes for what projects might be salvaged.  Promptly at 0900 I heard much thumping and gangway jangling overhead of the saloon butterfly hatch. I pushed open the saloon companionway cover to see Lance Halderman drop off the elevated gangway, followed by Walter Barton, Ken Fonville, and Danny Johnson.  Unexpected but welcome!

Lance and Ken using the boomlift
 to raise the foreboom and shift it aft
 and outward. 

Forgetting about my coffee, we immediately mustered up where I explained what I hoped we could accomplished with four instead of eight to twelve volunteers. Danny Johnson had brought with him some 2x4 stock. He was already setting up to construct a shallow platform to span over the dock cleat obstructing the head of the gangway, a long-suffered trip hazard.

 The rest of us organized around the objective of clearing the port side bulwarks of coolers and loose gear. With that space cleared we would lift and shift the three foremast spars, further aft and close up against the bulwark, lashing them down for sea to the timberheads. 

As that effort progressed, someone asked for an update about going to shipyard.  I still had no answer, only conjecture; we still had no Captain until February. No other crew scheduled for coming aboard;  only the promise of eventual delivery to Stephens Towing.   

Lance pointed to the empty deadeye mounted on it's chainplate just aft of the Mainmast shrouds. That brought about my rambling reminiscence the days when the schooner sailed with her main topmast, adding another 25 feet into the sky, and we sailed under "full press" - all sails set. Our stability rating and Coast Guard rules restricted our sailing full press with passengers, which made the experience on deck with topmast, gaff topsail and fisherman flying singular and memorable.

The topmast hasn't been rigged since 2018.

By noon, we had made good work of shifting spars and  rearranging deck gear.  Danny's platform at the head of the gangway worked splendidly.  I apologized for not bringing the gumbo, but hopefully, In the next few Saturdays there'd be an opportunity to serve up some for lunch, if sufficient sign-up's were entered.