Last Day of Winter

S/V Kat Boat in the sun for the first time in 2019

 It's the last day of Winter 2018 and work has begun for the season. With a final snowstorm spring is on the way. Sure we'll most likely have one more snow event but the temperatures are rising and even the flying insects are out. And as soon as I could I started work.
 As faithful readers will no doubt recall The Lady and I are headed to Port Townsend, Washington for the Pocket Yacht Palooza (And the following Crooza) this July. We've a long way to go a short time to get there as far as our future home away from home is concerned. But we take it one day at a time and it'll all get done with time to spare.
 I've done just a touch of work during the winter, adding a fold down chart table to the cabin. And I'll admit that the lack of ability to get things done has been driving me, and by proximity her, positively nuts. But I've wasted no time and so much done so far!
 First up was the rigging. It's been my plan to go to double purchase on both the throat and peak halyards. Thanks to my visit to the Beetle Cat I got a pretty good idea of how that would work.

Beetle Cat Halyards

 I had purchased 300' of quarter inch nylon for halyards, replacing the suitable but less then desirable line the craft had had purchase. It has served me well and I have had enough left over for new halyard set up. Of course I haven't put the mast up fully yet so both are rather long at this time.
 The light line that was in the lazy jacks needed replacement. The jacks on Kat Boat serve as topping lift as well and the stretch of the original line was not ideal. I used slightly thicker nylon as a replacement, remaking the system as a perfect copy using the original.

 The last rigging itemaccomplished was reworking the mainsheet, to very Beetlerific 'to the hand'  and traveler set up. The original set up let to the tiller and while very nice while cruising imparted drag and lack of feel. The nice thing is it's simply a matter of rerouting line in order to switch between the two depending on how I'm feeling on the day.

 In between all of this has been bailing and drying and sorting. The Lady is hard at work coming up with storage solutions and preping the cabin for our future trips. Thought is to be wet no later then April with the first Messabout set for May 18th at Finley Point State Park.

Work on a bright winter day

I posed a question over on The Catboat Association Facebook page about how to properly fly our national ensign. Now if you're up on your flag code as it pertains to sailboats, you'll know the point of honor on a gaff is not necessarily the highest point as one would thing. The proper display is at the peak (top) of the aftermost gaff. Now I heard on the page that flying the flag from the stern, as one may on a powerboat or marconi rig is perfectly acceptable. And many gaffers do. But one answer gave me what I needed. I ordered a grommet set and added a flag attachment to peak of my gaff. Now Old Glory will fly where the Good Lord and the Flag Code intended it too. Some traditions should be followed. 

That's better.

That's it for the time being. To really finish up I need to get to location where I can raise the mast. But seeing as we have four feet of melting snow everywhere, including my back lot, I can almost sail anywhere if I can get the boat off the trailer! I should be unthawed come this next weekend and I'm sure we'll have another round of updates. Winter has not been fun at all and this changing season is very welcomed. 

Happy Spring from me and us to your and yours!