Of Flying Boats Sails Sky Hooks and Shining Things.

A couple of years ago my now Son-in-Law gave me four huge truckers ratchet straps. The kind you would use to tie down earth moving equipment. The had failed some Health & Safety inspection due to a bit of oil contamination and a few frayed ends.  I put them aside in the loft for the day when I would decide to go into the transport business. 
Now as you all know the centreboard case can't be fitted until the boat is right way up but its inevitable there will have to be a bit of fettling underneath to make things clean and tidy. 

 Its a job I'd been putting off due to the lack of access until I remembered about the straps.  They weren't quite long enough to go all the way down under and back up again but by joining a couple together end for end I was able to wind her up on the ratchets far enough to get down and get under.   One of these days the whole roof is going to collapse, there is so much stuff up there, but she's now back down on her cradle for now. 

My friend Richard is currently building a Selway-Fisher Lillie Canoe Yawl. 

You can read the full story here,  

Lillie Canoe Yawl 

He's a talented bloke is Richard, he's recently finished building a Steam Traction Engine so it was well within his capabilities to make up a couple of bronze travellers for the masts on Lillie. And guess what? He had enough bronze bar to make me one for the Morbic. 

See how it Shines.  

I ordered my Sail before Lockdown started here, which was in March.  I wasn't in much of a hurry for it as the boat wasn't finished and I didn't know if they were able to work although I imagine sail making is a fairly solitary profession. Anyway I got a final invoice for the sail a few weeks ago and paid it straight away expecting it to turn up soon afterwards.  A couple of weeks went by and still no-show so I eventually gave in and called them. 

"Oh Yes, the little lug sail, I remember". 
 Less of the little I thought but ignored his slight at the size of my main. 
"Did we Not, ah oh yes, It'll be with you tomorrow." 
I got the distinct impression he had suddenly realized that the bag he had been kicking under the table for the past few months was indeed my "Little Lug Sail". 

It duly turned up the next day as promised and no damage done. 
It looks lovely.   

Now all I have to do is track down some Douglas Fir for the Spars.