Glad to hear from you again.

Michael wrote:

Had a good sit down with the folks at the rigging shop today plus the
sailmaker and a couple other crafters. Back to work now to pay for the
outcome.

I guess staying home to do it yourself isn't an option....


We're going with the roller furling forestay out on the bowsprit,
an attachment point for the cruising assymetrical spinnaker, a non roller
furling self tacking stays'l. (this leaves room for the radar unit on the
mast which didn't work with the pure solent rig and provides a place for a
storm jib for those of us who make sail changes in plenty of time), some
Murray or Anderson bottom action winches,

Sounds like sensible choices up to the last... I have heard good things about
Anderson winches but never used one myself, did not know they made bottom acting
ones. The only bottom action winches I have used are quite old fashioned and
only slightly better than nothing... although very decorative.


same mast but refitted complete
with everything to include LED lights, full batten loose foot main and a new
boom plus a power vang.

Power? You mean hydraulic?


The baby stay and two lower shrouds will become
four lower shrouds to make more room on deck. And the wheel steering is
coming off and the tiller is going back on! Most everything is handled from
the cockpit except the halyards and reefing gear. I did this to ensure that
job would be down in plenty of time and not left too late.

Putting the cart before the horse IMHO. Where the lines are led shouldn't impact
the sail handling decision making, other than where the crew goes to carry out
the actions decided on.

One shop is
designing a new pulpit/rail system and a new aft pulpit/stern arch system.

That sounds expensive. Why not put the radar on the arch too? We are getting
some custom stainless work done on the tugboat, so far have not been handed a
bill but I know it is not going to be cheap. More to be done of course. The fun
never stops.



Meanwhile there's this young sailor who goes out with everyone and anyone
every chance he gets. Helps out in the refit yard with no pay just to learn
how to do boats.

That sounds kinda dumb, unless his work is not worth anything. The days of free
apprenticing are over. My company has to pay wages to mechanics helpers who
don't know a screwdriver from a monkey wrench, but hopefully they are learning
while they work.


I wonder if he'd like to carry on with Se Fjern. What do
you think? Donate for a tax write off? Sell? Keep her for just in case?
Or start some one else off in this wonderful world of sailing?

My advice would be don't "keep her just in case." In case of what?!? Sell if
anybody will give you a reasonable price, donate if not. If you're considering
giving it to the indentured apprentice, then work it out that he'll pay for it
one way or another, or the boat will come to a bad end. People do not value free
things. But it's a charitable thought to help somebody else get started.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King