AH! The Fun Of Boat Ownership!!!!!

      At this time, ABISHAG is still uncovered as the winterization of the engine has not yet been done. As I noted before, I did cover the deck hatches with blue-poly tarps but the foredeck the stern and the cockpit have not. If they get covered, it make entrance and egress rather difficult and much easier to take a header off the boat and 10 feet to the ground. The weather hasn't lent itself to much in the way of projects either. 

     I had to go for a orthopedic check up yesterday as I have been having pain in my right hip and my right knee, both of which have been replaced. The x-rays  showed that the joints were find which means we are talking sciatica irrriatation which could be from spurs, disc-compression, spinal stenosis or several other things that sadly you can't do much about. So it some physical therapy and Tylenol.  If it gets really, REALLY painful, it is MRI time (which I really can't afford) and a cortisone injection . . . which is only a part but not permanent fix.  

     Since I was down near Essex, I went over to Sound Rigging and made arrangements for new halyards for ABISHAG  as they are approaching 40 years of age.  There is also a problem with the "behind-the-mast-furler." This system furls the main into a tube similar to the furling of the head sail. The problem is feeding the luff (Front edge) of the mainsail into track that runs it up the mast. It gets about half way up and then becomes very hard to get it the rest of the way up. It is not something I am willing to tackle  as the problem could be at the top of the mast . . .  53 feet in the air. I just hope that whatever the problem is that it will not require dropping the mast. All of the electronic wires would have to be disconnected along with all of the shrouds and it is an expensive thing to do. Hopefully, the main halyard is just getting caught on something and that it will be a simple fix. Everyone who believes that will be the case please stand on your head. Replacing the halyards might be as much as $500, not including the cost that will be charge to take them off, build the new ones and re-install the new halyards. Like I said, AH, THE FUN OF BOAT OWNERSHIP! ! ! !