Blogs consolidated

Please redirect your future reading to my new consolidated blog.  I will phase out both of my blogspot blogs in favor of the new site.  Please be patient with the simple structure.  I hope to expend my layout to be much more visually appealing as time goes on.  Thanks for your readership!
New blog

Steve, Ginny and George come to visit

It was a joyous reunion with Steve Ginny and little George.  We invited the members of our small "Sea-You-There" group which is actually an Atlanta contingent of the West Coast Sailors group that meets every year at the Cedar Key Boat Meet on the first weekend in May.
As many of you know, Steve an Ginny have been on an extended tour of Central and South America in there diminutive and highly modified SeaPearl 21 for the last four years. Many of us have enjoy there blog posts and Steve's serialized and well written reports in Small Craft Advisor magazine during this time.
Steve and Ginny spent nearly a year with me while the built the modifications for Thurston.  It has therefore been with a special and fond (and proud) feeling that I have followed there exploits and adventures.
Sadly, those adventures ended rather catastrophically on the north coast of Hispaniola where a rogue wave pitch-poled Thurston, destroying her masts and sails.  At least it was mostly over and importantly, Ginny and George were already home in Bremerton, Washington.
That was in January.  After settling in with his aging mother, Steve, Ginny and George were ready to come back to Georgia and collect their car and trailer.  Steve offered me the trailer as there was no more Thurston to ride on it.  I thought of a better solution and now he is re-purposing Embers Watch, Bill Moffitt's Mikes Boat which I was supposed to rehab long ago. 
I feel confident that Embers Watch has found a good home.  Bill came over today and met with Steve giving him some tips on rigging.

The rigging on Embers Watch is a little tricky.  I'm glad Bill was able to give Steve some tips

Obviously, the family is already bonding. 

Steve is taking advantage of the shop facilities to do some upgrades like strengthen the bow in mount a bow eye to pull the boat on and secure it to the winch post. 

A new rudder from Rudder Craft

The rudder from Rudder Craft is here.  Neater and more secure packing I have not seen!

Lining up the beautiful new tiller handle was a big concern

It is a thing of beauty.  Note how the gas strut holds the rudder up and down!

A

 A detail of the gas strut holding the rudder in the up position

Gas strut holding rudder in the kick-up for obstruction position. Hauling up gently on the pennant can position the rudder for shallow water as in beach starts.  A sharp pull upward brings the rudder in the full upright "not in use" position.

 

A set of oars for a SP 21

I don't know if you have priced a set of Shaw and Tenney 9 foot oars lately.  The price will take you aback.  You can easily spend more than $300 without the shipping.
I found these on Amazon for just under $100.  They are remarkably beautiful and flawless.   I have a set of plastic oar collars coming from CLC.
The rudder from Rudder Craft is coming. Can't wait to see it!