It seems as if every time I start to think that we are ready to really get into a routine and tick items off our list the Universe likes to throw a curve ball. If I were trying to divine a reason, it would be that we have yet to learn the lesson that there really is no such thing as a plan and schedules are like unicorns. Mythical, elusive and something that people have heard of but no one has actually seen.
I had planned to return from a week in Dallas with Maura and my mom to get the house packed up and moved in a few short days. What I did not plan on was a rare summertime outbreak of Influenza Type A at the Dallas hotel that felled so many people the CDC had to be notified. Who gets the flu in July? I do. That's who.
I managed to escape getting sick in Dallas only to return home and to cook up an impressive case for myself and Kitty. Maura apparently has an amazing immune system and escaped infection. I have been laid low for a solid week. So much for getting anything other than sleeping done. Kitty had the good sense to wait for me to begin recovering before succumbing herself. Fortunately we have some flexibility in our moving date so my viral induced slug like momentum was accommodated. Mark wisely has avoided contagion by staying on the boat moving the refit forward.
Mark has been painstakingly going over every inch of the deck, seeking out any and all soft spots and crafting a raised base for all the winches. Lifting the winches and mast collar off the deck by just a few millimeters might seem like a whole lot of work for such a small measurement but we are really hoping that this along with bedding the hardware properly with butyl tape will ensure that this time, the deck core stays dry. I am hopeful because I never want to have to go through this again. Like Ever.
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| Yucky. Seriously yucky. |
Since I have been holed up all week fighting the flu, Mark thoughtfully did a bit of content creation documenting the before and after of the mast collar project. A big thanks to him for taking the time to grab some short video for me.
So the word of the day is "Spartite" and the theme for the month is "Schedules and other mythical beings" and we continue onward...
Inch by inch, you are making progress to the goal!
ReplyDeleteOh no!!!!!! Well that WAS nice of Kitty not to get sick until after you did at least. UGH!
ReplyDeleteI keep missing these posts! Sorry to hear you have been sick...I got sick and Tate also got sick this summer, unusual. Good on Mark for making that video and I'll always impressed with how nice his projects turn out. We are scotch tape and construction paper compared to that. The Mast collar looks awesome and robust now :)
ReplyDeleteGot the link to your post from the blog for Del Viento. I just wanted to share my experience with Spartite. We have an older ('82) Cal 39 and the mast was sealed with Spartite. No leaks and no problems until we had to pull the stick for a standing rigging refit. The deck opening for the mast was tapered bottom to top, and rather than the mast slipping out when being craned, the boat actually was lifted slightly above its' design water-line. Had to carefully cut the Spartite away from the mast (sawsall and a sacrificial aluminum plate to protect the mast) before the stick could be removed. After cleaning both the mast and the mast opening of old Spartite, the mast was replaced using hardwood wedges to keep it centered. We now have a rubber boot (an inverted new inner tube), further wrapped with mast tape and finished with a custom Sunbrella mast boot. It has proven to be water-proof, and should we ever have to pull the stick, it will be much easier.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up! When we have to pull the mast we will be certain to cut it before hand. I suppose looking at things from a positive perspective, its good to know Spartite will indeed hold on to that mast!
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