Stepping the Mast
01 September 2009 | Wardell's to North Tonawanda
Sunday, Sept 1st2009
What a day!
Stepping the mast's...why did we buy a ketch? I know, I know... I'm just tired.
Janice and Harley arrived just in time to see me vacuuming up the sawdust off the boat deck and Steve having his first beer. It was 3:30pm. By 4:30 pm we were paying the bill for Denny's help (ha! ha! ha!).
Rule No 4 BE AS INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE! Denny charged us $90.00 for wood (the scrap wood that we found) and $63 for transient docking with NO facilities (note: if you get there the night before; hang off the wall on the other side for free and take the sails down etc ... in order to make quick work for the next day). DON'T expect any help from Denny. AT ALL!
He'll walk by every now and then and throw out some advice. . . but some of it not that good. Steve constructed the main part of the mast support back in Mississauga. We just needed to tweak it for height and as you will see in the photo, we strapped it down with ratchet straps. Actually, when all was said and done, the boat seemed pretty balanced. As I sat down that night in North Tonawanda (5 minutes away for $20/night) I told Steve how proud and happy I was with the job and the fact that he did not punch the little weasel in the head when he gave us his outrageous bill. Steve's says a colonoscopy will be a breeze after this. Later on that evening I enjoyed a glass of wine with Janice as they had just delivered us 2 cases of beer (60 cans for $30). Then my Benedryl kicked in and as I slurred my words, they left us and I gladly went to bed.