This was a big project – we needed to remove the mast. As you know, we didn’t do a survey , and it was hard to predict what condition the rig was in. This actually is a separate survey that a potential buyer should have done when purchasing any sailboat. Since the mast, rigging, and sails are the primary propulsion for this vessel, it was important to get the mast down to ground level and get a good look at it!

This was no small task as the mast is very heavy and is over 50′ long. We got busy doing everything we could form the deck and removing all gear we could, including the sails and boom. The truck arrived at 2:00 pm and we were ready. Truck & driver is very expensive, so didn’t want to waste time. The weather was perfect, we enjoyed the sun but that’s just a bonus, best part was light winds – you don’t want to try and do this in a gail.  The entire process was done in about 30 minutes.

Now the real work begins! Taking apart old, corroded things is always diffficult. We know fasteners will break and there will be lots of little parts to keep track of. Great experience for our rigging students to see this process from start to finish. Thanks Quinn from Northwest Rigging, our instructor, for his sharing his knowledge and skills with our students.