2007 begins with boat preparation. Lot's to do. Servicing the equipment, installing up grades, cleaning everything, epoxy, new sails, new equipment, weight in the keel. Hum, weight in the keel would mean less crew needed, lighter boat over all. Don't worry, we'll race with every crew member that confirms ahead of the event. Recently, a very good racer, infamous actually, suggested to me . . . "get some new sails and you can get really good crew." We don't need new sails to get good crew. We've already got excellent crew and have done very well with our crew. We're the envy of the Marina and the racing series. Anyone who has sailed a race on Azzurra is always welcome and there'll be room on board for you. . . bring your gear, let's have some fun. Maybe, we'll get new sails too. But, Rudy says the present ones are excellent we just don't trim them properly.
January 20th practice: Ken's working with all the lines. Eagle, Russ and Thurman are discussing something. Bill's at the Yacht Club having brunch.
Eagle, Thurman and Russ are installing the engine, while Ken's lining out everything. Where's Bill?
Now we go from sea level to the mast head. John's winching up Pierson to clean and wax the mast. Also, replacing the running back stay shock cord, checking and servicing all of the halyards. Exciting to do it at the dock. To do it at sea . . . not for me. However, sometimes it's necessary.
So far so good:
Now some work to do about 60 fet above sea level.
Anyway, we had good dinner and drinks at Bluewater Grill later.