Soon to the Water

The stick in the photo is actually a pair of cardboard mail tubes with the same 6.5 inch diameter as the real mast. By stepping a short facsimile of a mast while we are still on the hard and under the big top we can double check the boom and boom gallows height, accurately position the mast on the step to fix the aft rake, build the partners and mast wedges and with the boom and gaff in place measure for a mains'l cover.

A few more recent photos:

Next month we will truck the boat to Hillman's Marine on Dickinson Bayou. Hillman's is the closest point of entry with the water depth and crane capacity we need. Their prices are reasonable and they have no problem with outside contractors working in their yard. After we see where she floats on her lines Hillman's will take us back out of the water so we can paint the boot stripe, apply  bottom paint and step the mast.