Ready to Sail

If Christeen had a keel, her planking was re-bedded and re-fastened, her centerboard installed, her rudder put back in place…you get the idea. She would be ready to sail today even through the ice, well maybe not ice, but wouldn’t you want to see that happen? Given the prediction for more oncoming weather (snow, sleet, rain, cows, dogs, cats), it may still be icy when she is launched; at this point anything is possible. Despite one of the heaters in the building failing and in need of repair, volunteers and shipwrights have been plugging away at the many projects needing attention.

After a few months of work and diligent efforts by the shipwrights and volunteers. Christeen’s mast and all of her standing rigging have been surveyed, stripped, cleaned, re-galvanized, wrapped, served and treated with a tar and a black paint mixture. All of these jobs have taken hundreds of man hours to complete, but as with all of our projects this winter, the end justifies the means. Although some of the tasks are laborious they are well worth the cost as we try and make

Christeen better than ever. And there's nothing wrong with some new shiny rigging! All of these steps and treatments are going to ensure, along with proper

maintenance, that the standing rigging will outlast us all. 

The mast has received many hours of special treatment and it has been coated with a tar, linseed oil, and varnish coating. This coating, which needs to be reapplied twice a year, prevents the wood from rotting and protects it from the UV rays and dramatic climate changes during the year. All of the fittings on the mast being re-used have been re-galvanized and some parts have been replaced. The boom, gaff, and jib boom will also receive some TLC with heavy sanding and some new coats of paint to start them off on the right foot when the boat is re-launched in April.