News from Moose

Hi everyone. I decided since Griff and Cheryl are relaxing after their trip from BVI and doing a few more repairs on the boat, I would escape from my prison in the hammock and go on deck and talk to you about what goes on up there when we are sailing.

First they undo the sail cradle - this is in place to protect the sail from the sun when we are not sailing. The halyard (rope) is attached to the top of the sail and it is ready to be raised.

Next the anchor must be raised. To do this Griff stands at the gypsy windlass and steps on the round black switch on deck which raises the anchor. While he is doing this Cheryl is at the helm moving the boat slowly forward. They do not want the boat pulled forward by the windlass.

Now we need to get the sails up. To raise the mainsail we must be headed directly into the wind so that the sail goes straight up and does not get caught on the lazy-jacks (a system of ropes that lie on either side of the sails and make it easier to drop the sail straight down when it is lowered). It is Cheryl's responsibility to keep the boat headed into the wind and Griff's to pull on the halyard. Today I pretended to do this.

When the sail is part way up it becomes too heavy to just use 'manpower' to raise it so a winch and winch handle are used.

We have a foresail (genoa/jib) and a stay sail (situated between the foresail and mainsail). Both of these are furled sails, that is, they are wrapped around the stays when not in use. When needed they are pulled out and cleated off in the cockpit. Griff and Cheryl both do this depending on who is at the helm when these sails are needed or when the sails need to be shifted to the other side of the boat (tacking).

I thought I'd take a few pictures of what else is on deck.

Liferaft

Solar panels

Wind generator

Sunshower

Instruments for navigation

So long for now.