New post about final preparations at the new website  http://rodetrip.net .  Head over and check it out.  All new posts will be to that address.  See you there!

Check out the new website!  The RodeTrip blog has moved to

blog.rodetrip.net 

Recent posts include....the Marathon, Boat Preparations, our Offshore First Aid class and more!  

One of the big projects that we left on the boat started today.  The boomkin is a piece of rigging on a sailboat that sticks off the stern and helps hold the mast upright.   The boomkin on RodeTrip looks like it has been there for a long time and since we want our mast to stay upright we ordered a new stainless steel boomkin to replace the old wooden one.

It arrived early this week.  The first step in replacing the boomkin is to remove the old one.  First I tied it up to the boom gallows, so that it doesn't fall to the ground.  Next the bolts were removed from inside the rope locker.  Then aggresive use of the hammer helped to get the carriage bolts to pop through just a little bit so they could be pried out of the old teak boards.  After prying the bolts out the boomkin lifted off easily.  The old sealant was scraped off with a chisel and then sanded until clean gelcoat was exposed.

I'm on my way back to the boat now so that when friends arrive tonight I will be ready for the installation of the new boomkin.