Today: Sidestay shackle to increase length since no one bothered when the tabernackle was installed.  Stepped mast down and installed a Topping lift.  A really nice feature.  I will add a cleat to allow slack in the topping line so that it stays out of the way of the sail.  Also, new maple tiller since the vintage one shattered. also new maple keel stabilizer steps.  Next up:  tiller extension, bright work seat backs, and floor paint...and yes, I will sort out the mainsheet mess...

It's my First Time...

The boat sails very well.  All the most important things are in working order.  I only used the mainsail, since it was the first day on the new lake with the new boat and winds were steady at 15mph and gusting to 30mph.  I did a test run early in the morning, then was able to take Brycen for an uneventful sail in the afternoon.  The "bright work" needs work...basically the teak backrests, and tiller need mending and refinishing, and a couple of cracks in the fiberglass in non-structural areas.  Of course once you have a certain boat. You immediately realize what you don't have as well......first thing that comes to mind is a boom stay.  When I first rigged the boom I was using the halyard as a aft boom stay because other boats had one...of course then I couldn't figure out how to raise my mainsail....well, being a "dingy", I don't have an aft boom stay, I in fact have a halyard.  That took a while to make sense out of.  The unfortunate part is of course for anyone in the cockpit while the mainsail is down, is basically covered up by a sail....