Bluebird, the Mariner, is poised on the edge of the Delaware River. She would have been launched today except for a part about 1/4 of an inch in diameter.
Two friends, John Morrison and Bill Van Keuren, came to the boat club to help with the expected launching. It took a regretable trip to West Marine to get another piece of stainless steel wire rope for the centerboard -- I had botched the job and messed up my first piece of wire. But now the centerboard is apparently in working order.
There were then a few assorted items to clean up before launch, including plugging the hoses left inboard when I dispatched the perfectly good ceramic head to the Dumpster. I used wooden bungs and hose clamps. And there was a bit of bailing in the cabin to get the rainwater level below the pivoting pin of the centerboard.
Then, as John spread high pressure duct sealant over the two ends of the pin, Bill and I sorted out the rigging, getting the shrouds attached on either side and the backstay fitting properly pinned.
With John an I in the cockpit supporting the mast, Bill pulled on a long rope off the bow and we raised the mast.
But as Bill was pinning the forestay in place, John noticed that the turnbuckle holding the backstay to the stern had broken.
So Bluebird sits on the launching rails, awaiting a turnbuckle. That will happen tomorrow or the latest, by noon on Thursday, because there is another boat -- another Mariner -- scheduled to launch then.