After some minor repairs and a good inspection, we were finally ready to re-step the foremast this week. I would have preferred to step it a week ago, but we were scheduling with Old Town Boatworks, who had a large yacht to launch. In order that we could have the crane in Lunenburg when it was best for everybody, we all compromised. Of course, spring road restrictions and the availability of the crane from Lawrence Veinotte Enterprises were the final piece of the puzzle. With our shrouds all inspected by Ironbound Rigging and all our blocks hung the mast was quickly lifted into place. Working with a professional crane company and a good professional deck crew make the lifting and securing of the masts an easy proposition. Not that I didn’t worry, but the professional work environment certainly eases the stress.

After much back and forth, we decided to pull the main mast for a quick inspection and repair as well. With only two days between putting the mast on the wharf and re-stepping it, all the stars had to align! Happily, everything went as planned and the mast is in the vessel, and we are again a schooner after a long winter of looking a bit forlorn with one mast.

One of the great traditions around putting masts back into the ship is the coins that we place under the mast. These are placed to help “pay the ferryman across the river Styx” in case we have the unimaginable tragedy of the vessel sinking. A last insurance policy for a poor sailor. We have posted a video log showing the masts and coins if you are interested.

The idea of putting one mast in and taking another out on the same day had appeared to me to be an impossible task. We looked at a lot of options but in the end lifting out was the best decision. Lots of options and variables to ponder. Given the companies and people we had the privilege of working with I have no doubt that pulling the masts was the right decision.

On Friday morning, with the masts reasonably secure in place we went for a quick jaunt along the harbour front. Getting out from behind Theresa Connor was a bit difficult as we were being pushed onto the wharf by the wind. Using a small boat to push the bow helped us spin around in the narrow channel and get moving in the right direction. We passed by the empty Picton Castle wharf before turning back towards our summer dock which is in front of the Bluenose II Company Store. The crew are still learning which lines go where and in which order. This will all become second nature in short order.

After securing to the wharf and getting our lines doubled up for Sunday’s wind and rain, the crew carried the jumbo boom aboard and bent on the smallest of the Bluenose sails. Starting to bend on sail is a big mental game changer for the crew. They can now see the end of maintenance period and are getting excited about learning to sail the big model kit they are putting together.