A bit of evolution on the rig...

Robert Reich makes some sense, a doll for an uncertain future (spelled zombie apocalypse), and the Bahamas does something right...

Hey. I'm the first to admit that a lot of my thought processes involve cunning plans having to do with making my lifestyle better while throwing less money at it. You might say one of my favorite mantras is "live better, spend less" which is a bit more positive than my other old standby of "I will not be ripped off"...

I'm currently working on some changes to the new rig on "So It Goes" which went from a standard CAL 34 rig (until mast fall down go boom) which was replaced by a keel stepped "Simplicity rig" and now being reworked to a "Simplicity rig on a deck stepped mast in a Wharram-esque tabernacle".

With me so far?

The reason of going back to deck stepped is all about the fact that we were quoted nearly $500 to step or unstep the mast... Yowza! I'm sure you'll all agree that the yard in question is somewhat pyratical and only an idiot of the first rank would pay that sort of money for less than ten minutes of crane time.

Not being an idiot of the "first" rank (as hard as I try I can't seem to get past the third level) there was no way I'd ever pay that kind of money. The simple fact that they were asking that kind of silly money was enough writing on the wall to make me think long and hard about a rig I could not step or unstep by myself if needful.

Being able to step/unstep your mast whenever needed has a lot of advantages and being in the Caribbean during "H" season it is not lost on me that tucked back in the mangroves I'd be even safer if I could drop the mast and stow it on deck. Better yet, if I need to sort something out with the masthead light, paint the mast, or redo a halyard it all becomes somewhat easier...

Now that the new tabernacle is almost ready for prime time, I've been thinking how a pair of beaching legs would also be a very handy accessory allowing us to dispense with more than a few haulouts (spelled saving a lot of money) as long as I have a reasonable beach and a few feet of tidal range.

Sounds like a plan...

Listening to Dave Davies

So it goes...