Break Out Another Thousand (BOAT)

Things are coming along nicely in our efforts to prepare Mystic for launch day 2019. Dave replaced the water pump impeller and alternator belt. I hoisted him up the mast in the bosun chair so he could add the jib and spinnaker halyards. He got to our spreaders and I heard a deep groan. The wooden spreaders were destroyed. THIS IS TERRIBLE NEWS! You know what they say about boating, "Break Out Another Thousand!"

Drive belt and water pump impeller

New impeller installed

Suspicious conditions - time for new spreaders

Dave finding stuff to spend money on!!!

When I lowered him down the mast we went into Plan B mode. Dave carries a variety of tools on board and he's an accomplished woodworker. Making new spreaders would be an easy task under the right conditions. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a table saw in his tool bag. We are taking a quick road trip to Connecticut for my sister's surprise 50th birthday party so the plan was to make the cuts while we are there using our brother-in-law's tools. We drove through the night on Thursday, attended the party on Saturday, cut the new spreaders on Sunday then drove back to St. Augustine Sunday night, arriving mid-day on Monday. It was a whirlwind trip, for sure and we were exhausted!

The St. Augustine Marine Center rigger, Andrew, had lowered our mast while we were away. Both spreaders were snapped off and on the ground. They were rotted through, even though they had been sealed with epoxy. The fir just could not withstand the extreme Florida weather. We decide to use cedar this time. It is not as strong as fir but it is more rot resistant. In addition, you coated them with Flex Seal to protect them from the sun.

Not what we expected to find

Rotted through

Heartbreaking damage

Dave and I finished off the details of the spreaders on Tuesday and Andrew and his crew stepped our mast on Wednesday. Everything is happening so fast now. It's exciting and unnerving at the same time. We're scheduled for launch on Thursday.

Adding Linseed Oil, being careful with my rags

Dave building spreaders

New Spreaders Installed

Mystic without a mast

Picking up the mast with the crane

Working toward vertical

Ready to raise mast onto Mystic

Andrew and his assistant lining mast up to the base

Getting things straight

Attaching the rigging

She's whole again

First thing Thursday morning we could hear the tractor with a boat trailer rumbling outside of Mystic. The crew picked her up off of her jack stands and settled her in for a ride to the water. Once she was in the launch staging area she was transferred to the travel-lift for lowering into the well. Things went very smoothly and we found ourselves aboard a floating Mystic after 18 long months on the hard.

Aligning the trailer under Mystic

Beth and Dave watching the action

Making her way to the launch pad

Transferring Mystic from trailer to the travel lift

Splashing Mystic

The launch crew helped us tie Mystic off in a slip. We are finally on our way to the next chapter of our adventure! We will sit here while we finish our list of last minute projects over the next few days. Wouldn't you know, a big storm is expected this weekend. This is a safe place to wait for it to pass. We plan to drop our lines and bid farewell to St. Augustine on Monday, April 22. It's time that we move on.