Almost wet.

The launch is getting close and I think I am on schedule for it.

Saturday began with a thorough scrubbing; the first real wash in nearly two years. Then I gave the bottom a fresh coat of paint. That's when the picture was taken.

I spent the rest of the weekend doing minor little things that got the boat closer to being ready. Not much exciting.

My shortened tangs on the jumper struts worked out well. I installed the upper jumper stays and tensioned them.

I serviced the engine and it started right up. (after changing fuel filter, pumping fresh gasoline through the lines, pulling spark plugs and squirting some WD40 into the cylinders, changing the oil, replenishing the coolant, blah blah)

I will admit I spent a lot of time driving home for tools, hardware store for materials and back to the boatyard. Major projects in the boatyard away from my supplies and tools is a bad idea. Have I mentioned that before?

I moved the jackstands and blocking and painted a second coat of bottom paint to get the areas covered by the stands/blocking and just to fill in a few light spots.

Lots and lots of little details, nothing worth talking about or taking pictures of. Still waiting for good varnish weather.

Launch date is set for June 16 (Thursday) around 8:00. The plan will be to launch and then hang off the anchor (can't stay on the docks for more than a few minutes) while I rig the sailing gear. Then I will head out the Merrimac river and south around Cape Ann. Most likely I will stop somewhere around Cape Ann (Rockport/Gloucester) for the night and then have an easy morning run to Salem harbor Friday morning.

Then I might take the rest of the weekend off. I am super excited to sail the boat but I am also ready to take a break from the 7 day work schedule. Someone mentioned to me that it has been nearly 6 years since I last sailed Jenny. That was the end of a three month down east cruise to the Canadian border. Seems like yesterday but when I look at the old photos I don't recognize the boat at all. Back then Jenny was more than a bit rough- a bit hideous is more like it - but I still had a blast that year. Someday I hope to repeat a cruise of that length or longer. Just give me a few more years to get ready.

Next weekend will be more small detail work. Cleaning, packing, fussing over small details. Worrying and making my hair gray(er). That sort of thing.

Em tasol wantoks