Each day, we’ve been doing all the little things needed for the masts to be installed. David’s been making repairs here-and-there on the main mast. I had already reglued the birds mouth scarf at the top of the mast and the repairs he’s doing now are a couple small scarfs. After those are done, I can put the final couple coats of paint on the masts and we can put all the hardware back on.

Last Friday, I dropped off one of our mast bands to the foundry so they can make another. It had too much wear for us to be happy about simply putting it back up. Especially since its the band that the staysail is stayed to and that the lower triatic is stayed to.

Monday, I put in the order for a bunch of Hi-MOD compression fittings that will be used for the upper terminations of the shrouds and stays. Today, I put in the order for the cast thimbles that will be used for the lower (spliced) terminations. Next Monday, I’ll put in my order for the rigging wire. At this count, we need more than 1000 ft. Mostly it is 3/8″ 1×19 but there are a few bits (running backstays, for example) which can be done with 5/16″ 7×19 and then a few more bits that require 1/2″ 7×19.

I’m behind on my leathering of the mast hoops–so I’m hoping that I’ll be doing that in the evenings this week and next. While I can do it with them on the foremast, clearly it is easier to do inside, sitting comfortably in a chair with the cat warming my feet.

Well, I’m off to the various projects. More later.