Even more off-set steps...

Item 7.

Launch day is fast approaching (this Friday), and the jobs are slowly being ticked off the list almost as quickly as I add new ones to the end........ 

One more work session before launch (I've got Thursday afternoon off) so how are we doing???  Well of the immediate jobs....

1. Outboard well bracket/protection? The "back" of the outboard well is protected, the front - where the clamps are tightened - is not....  the well is in good condition so I may well bring a couple of pieces of wood with me to use as protection, to keep it that way....
2. Fit a more chunky cleat on the foredeck, if required Will still do - but this is slipping towards the "medium term" list... I have a boat jumble at Netley [clicky] coming up next month - I may see what's available there as I also want some separate mooring cleats for foredeck and mid-ships....
3. She's missing a fair-lead on the bow, on the starboard side - replace....See 2/. - for the moment I'll plug the srew holes and wait...
4. Drill the bow roller to take a locking pin (to keep the rope or chain in the roller)
5. Check and see if I can find a replacement roller for bow fitting....
6.  Drill the mast gate to take a locking pin (to keep the sail slides in the slot)
7. Replaced starboard side mushroom vent Port side still to do but this was a quick win as I found a (single) new one in the boat and it seemed foolish not to fit it...may find another one at Netley if I'm lucky....
   
8. Replacement halyards are on the way (for topping lift, main and genoa) current ones are in a poor state (sound, but very old, and very green).... 
9. UV strip for jib
10. Bend on the jib, Too short for the roller reefing to work (top of the sail isn't high enough for the halyard diverter to work), but one of my readers came up with a cunning plan that I hope to try just before I launch....
11. About to order a boom/sail cover off eBay and I’ll fit it if it arrives in time (no time to make one though I toyed with the idea, but at £60 I wonder if it’s cheaper than I can make it anyway!) The cover arrived and was fitted at the weekend - I have to say that I'm very impressed. Quality is good, heavy duty zip at the mast, velcro under mast fastenings, and tie backs at each end...also delivered extremely quickly...   I'll be interested to see how it lasts longer term but I'm optimistic..
12. Need a main sheet - current one not sufficient... :o( Blocks have arrived (Selden 50mm set) and the line arrived this morning - 18 mtrs of 10mm... I'll make it up this week...
13. Attach the boom and bend on the main All done... I have a block at the out haul to provide some tension to the foot, I've bodged a kicker until I can afford a jamming cleat (Netley if I'm lucky), the boom claw is fitted, and the claw retainer (to stop it sliding forward when kicker is applied is also in place....  looks good...  time will tell.....
14. Is the roller furling line long enough? Yes - just...
15. Curtains



Item 6....  same purpose but I have a different solution...

1. Measure up for curtains... I'm hoping Ma-In-Law will make them for me..Done
2. Buy curtain material Done
3. Get them made up (in hand) Done
4. Fit curtains - wooden support blocks fitted (the hooks for the curtain wire will screw into these) - just need to get curtain wire and hooks...
16. Last but not least – remove old name and .. ..and what a job - also had to remove the old (case hardened) gum from the gaffer tape used to apply the "for sale" sign - copious amounts of Turps and Mr Muscle, and a wallpaper scraper, finally got it off....
17. ...give her a damn good power wash No can do as no water/power source
18. Source new long shaft engine - in hand... New one this one, and an unpleasant surprise...  but....  at least I thought of it a week before the launch rather than finding out about it on the day! My current engine is short shaft and not suitable, I'm hoping I can part-ex it with the guy who services my current outboard as he has a nice Suzuki 2 stroke 4HP for sale...
19. Fill screw holes on transom Like a colander it is....    They're all M3 sized - no idea what they were for - longer term I'll fill them the proper way, but for now they're above the water line so I'll fill them with a nut/bolt/penny washer with a gloop of sealant between washer and hull....

Longer term...

• Consider lining the cabin with ply - roof only perhaps... The more I live with it the more I like the ability to get to all the fittings without having to remove linings.....!
• Fit electrics - nav lights/VHF/stereo/cabin lights Next winter
• Solar panel for battery charging Same time as electrics
• Replacement main Jelly Bean Phil [clicky] popped by this weekend (he'll always be Jelly Bean Phil even though he sold the aforesaid Jelly Bean a couple of years ago now! ) and dropped off a used full size jib, and a spare mainsail he was using last year. The main is is in cracking condition in comparison to the one I got with the boat..  all I needed to do was swap the sail slides over and I now have a fully functioning main....  cheers, mate! What that means is that I may be able to wait until next year for new main.... in the meanwhile, I'll keep an eye on eBay for a genoa...
• Standing rigging By end of season minimum.... as part of fit out however, I have made good the back stay tensioner (a cable at the bottom of the single backstay that fits over a block and makes the backstay an inverted Y)..
• Tiller pilot and electrics Long way away...