Dismasted

[Mark Gudschinsky]

I spent all winter working and lurking, and am now caught with spring rushing up. As for my best laid plans for refitting The Flyer this winter, they got away. The mast and bright work is showing age after three years. So Saturday the kids and I stripped the rigging and pulled the boom and mast and hauled it all into the boatshed for sanding and finishing.  As we came back out and got our first look at The Flyer for the first time in three years without her trimmings it was quite a shook!  A bare sailboat is like a girl with her skirt blown up, she needs some sort of modesty applied to preserver her dignity!

Luckily it looks like it should only take a few days (with drying time) to get the bright work back on. As for lines and blocks etc., while the boat is bare, it might time for an upgrade. I’m considering converting to Harken or similar for the improved function it offers. I do have reservation about hanging modern bits on a traditional looking boat though.

[Alexander Gudschinsky]

I know why your plans failed, It was the spirit of Swimmers revenge! Sure you take The Flyer home for work, but what do you do with my Amphora? You leave her under a tarp at the lake house next to a four-wheeler that turns off every time we start it. (Even at full gas!) I say it's time to give Swimmer a new paint job! (And a patch job too) Hey Greg, what did you do with Dragon all winter?