After many frustrating weeks of waiting and trying not to be a major pain at the marina, Ilya was finally launched on Friday, May 20. We had several things done to the boat while on the hard:
1. bottom sanding and painting (with a multiyear paint);
2. Install a Sail Cradle (from Sail Care);
3. Lead the main halyard aft (for single handing) and install a cleat for the main halyard;
4. Reinstall the genoa (I don’t know why they removed it in the first place, though it might be good for it to be stored during the winter)
The Sail Cradle was quite the adventure. When first installed according to the directions, when deployed, the cradle provided such pressure to the boom that it would life 3 feet in the air. When the original length of cord was attached to it, it wouldn’t lay on the mast when not deployed, and I would have about 5-6 feet of cord laying around on the deck. A phone call to Sail Cradle reached a perplexed owner who offered to send out a new original cord. On the other hand, I also believe the marina boat year manager followed the directions. Both people have credibility, so something else is going on here. I only hope it isn’t the rapture. Maybe I just need a Boomkicker or other kind of vang.
In any case, Ilya is now in a very inconvenient slip next to the area where the marina launches all its vessels from the boat yard. There is about a 10 foot wide entrance from the slip to the little creek, so something is likely to scrape -- I hate that. But better in the water than on the ground.
Finally!
1. bottom sanding and painting (with a multiyear paint);
2. Install a Sail Cradle (from Sail Care);
3. Lead the main halyard aft (for single handing) and install a cleat for the main halyard;
4. Reinstall the genoa (I don’t know why they removed it in the first place, though it might be good for it to be stored during the winter)
The Sail Cradle was quite the adventure. When first installed according to the directions, when deployed, the cradle provided such pressure to the boom that it would life 3 feet in the air. When the original length of cord was attached to it, it wouldn’t lay on the mast when not deployed, and I would have about 5-6 feet of cord laying around on the deck. A phone call to Sail Cradle reached a perplexed owner who offered to send out a new original cord. On the other hand, I also believe the marina boat year manager followed the directions. Both people have credibility, so something else is going on here. I only hope it isn’t the rapture. Maybe I just need a Boomkicker or other kind of vang.
In any case, Ilya is now in a very inconvenient slip next to the area where the marina launches all its vessels from the boat yard. There is about a 10 foot wide entrance from the slip to the little creek, so something is likely to scrape -- I hate that. But better in the water than on the ground.
Finally!