Jo' Daddy at bat, Jojo on deck

We just bought another boat.  Yep- pretty soon it'll be time to "thin the herd" as Dana would put it, so we'll be selling Jo' Daddy (the J24 we're racing in a little less than two weeks in Charleston Race Week) as well as our old Buccaneer, Dorado.  The new boat is an Olson 30, which we hope to outfit for some ocean races over the next several years.  First off, we need to do a couple of upgrades- rearranging the backstay (which is already done), replacing lifelines, adding a port-a-potty (big thing for the girls) and possibly replace the standing rigging, because I have a feeling it's all original, or at the very least, may have been replaced around 1994 when the boat was upgraded to a double-spreader rig.

I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo, but the standing rigging portion of the backstay attached to the two plates on the transom is slack.  The line to tension the block system is only partially trimmed, but only has about a foot of purchase left before it is bottomed out, leaving insufficient backstay tension as a result and doesn't allow you to fully depower the main by bending the mast in heavier air.  That was the first modification I made to look like this-

Now there's plenty of trimming line left to apply backstay tension to more fully depower the main in heavy breeze.  You can't see from the photos, but the lifelines are a bit jagged where they run through the stanchions, and have already sliced one of the crews hands.  I found that the class allows a brand of synthetic line for use in replacing lifelines, which have traditionally been stainless cable covered with a plastic sleeve.  The new stuff, called Amsteel Blue, in the 1/4" diameter has a breaking strength of 8,600 lbs.  All you need to do is figure out some sort of sleeve where it runs through the stanchions to limit the effects of chafe, put in some eye-splices in the ends, and presto- happier/safer crew!

Anyway- lots to do.  Jared (one of my most dedicated crew) has already informed me that he won't go offshore in that boat until I fig reefing lines in the boom.  Right now, there are just some parachute cord messenger lines, so I don't know if the blocks and cams in there are functional, but that is the next project..  it's always fun messing around in boats, right!

The sail inventory (this ain't all of them), is quite extensive, especially in the spinnaker category.  Four spinnakers, three genoas (1 x 150%, 2 x 130%), one blade jib and one main.  I think only one main-- there were three owners of Wrinkles (which we've renamed Jojo, just need to go through the proper ceremonies to dename, then rename her), so there are parts and pieces scattered about.  At least one other spinnaker pole (there's one carbon pole in the v-berth) and hopefully another mainsail somewhere.  I'd really like a back up, preferably with two sets of reef points... if for no other reason, to make Jared happy.

I guess that's it- stay tuned for more posts and photos taken of various projects as they come along, and of course, sailing!