Wrapping up the Haul Out

As we moved from June into July, the weather was still a mix of cold mist, fog, and rain, interrupted here and there by a sudden clear, hot, and humid day.

The first sails of the season aboard the Helen Brooks were on June 25 (it was a pleasant start with a family who had joined Lou aboard two years ago), and so Lou began working early mornings and late nights on Evelyn, trying to finish up the work and get her in the water before Helen became too busy. Therefore, in a way the wet weather worked in Evelyn's favor because it generated less interest in sailing.  Then, at the end of the first week in July, Lou was warned that there were some vacations happening at Oceanhouse, and the last day we could put in would be Thursday July 11--after that and we'd have to wait until at least July 18th or so.  That gave us a target date, and the final push began!  The work day began earlier and ended later, and projects began to wrap up to a point where the boat could be launched, and any remaining work could be done while on the water.  Lou worked from about 5:30 AM until midnight each day, between Evelyn and Helen, and I helped prep things to move along by sanding, priming, and organizing the rigging.

The last week brought a flurry of activity--the deck paint was finished (after some hot and grueling days and nights of sanding), the mast steps were painted, the bowsprit was painted and oiled, the staving and trim were varnished.

attaching the rigging to the masts

The last three days of work were a blur, without too much time for reflection.  Here is what I wrote:

Tuesday, July 9: Cold, windy, foggy, damp.
Drove to Northeast Harbor and sailed Helen 10-12, returned to Manset and worked on Evelyn: sanded & primed samson post, taped & varnished cabin sides, trim, and staving, oiled blocks, organized rigging & rigged standing rigging, sanded teak grate, bowsprit: sand & paint/oil spar and black cap, sand & first layer of paint for main mast step.

Wednesday, July 10: foggy, misty, overcast, rain.
In the AM: last bits of bottom paint, sand/paint mizzen mast step, paint samson post, install doors
Drove to Northeast Harbor and sailed Helen 10:30-8, return to work on Evelyn.

Thursday, July 11: overcast, rain, fog

organizing the lines

Launch Day!  early AM, took cover down, rig (there were 2 mistakes and they still need seizing...will need to go aloft), attach mast step and bowsprit, load up life jackets, new fenders, lines for rigging sails, load sticks onto truck, load boat onto other truck, step masts (mistakes with both forestays, couldn't find pins), launch boat, cruise to NEH, rig sails, go aloft to fix, dinner, clean up tools and gear at Oceanhouse.

Photos of Evelyn's launch, 2013:

Cover down, ready to go. Anything missing?

The spars are loaded...

...Evelyn is leaving the yard...

...approaching the ramp...

...and going into the water!

Looking aft as we rig the sails.

Our new hoops lashed to the sail, and the newly leathered clapper.

New (matching!) black fenders.

New trim, varnish, and newly painted deck and cabin!

The recently replaced and repaired deck, repaired instrument box,
and newly installed mahogany staving with its shiny new varnish!

Evelyn enjoys her first night at mooring in 2013, in the company of her
new ring buoy and new kedge anchor.  So much newness!!!

All in all, Evelyn's 2013 haul out lasted five weeks (perfect timing, as a few days later our water supply ran out), from June 6 - July 11.