Updates to boat and blog

Summer is waning, the hurricane season is in full swing, and the tick tick of the clock counting down to launch day is growing audible.  Both the boat and the blog have rested long enough.  It is time to get back to work / play / boat ownership.

While continuing to enjoy our summer in Beaufort, NC, we have committed to another season working for Outward Bound in the Florida Everglades.  The decision to return to FL sets a Beaufort departure date of no later than November 1 for C'est la Vie.

Past readers of C'est la Vie's blog will note the change of format.  We use Blogger to host the site and I elected to give their new "dynamic views" a try.  The black ribbon across the top of the screen allows the reader to choose the layout of the blog.  I personally like "classic" and "magazine".  The "flipcard" layout is useful because it allows the reader to sort blog posts by author, date, and label in a graphic manner.  I believe that the dynamic views will also translate better to mobile devices.   The big loss with the new format is the lists of photo albums and web links once visible along the side bar.  These links are now hidden unless the reader selects a tab from the right side of the screen.  My fear is that this will limit readers ability to simply stumble upon projects or trips that may interest them.  Please share your thoughts on the new format.  I can always switch back.

As for boat projects... A year of sailing under the new genoa convinced us to give up on patching and repairing our circa 1995 mainsail.  We have contracted Omar Sails to build C'est la Vie a new loose footed, fully battened mainsail.  Images of the project are available: Replace Mainsail Project - fall 2012.

We are pleased with the Strong Track system installed last fall.  Since the sail slugs are in excellent condition, I harvested them off the old main and gave them to the sailmaker.

Paul from Omar Sails convinced me to to fix the gooseneck / boom in position on the mast.  Previously C'est la Vie's boom ran along a short track on the mast.  This allowed the luff to be tensioned via a downhaul attached to the boom or the halyard.

To fix the position I sandwiched the car between two stainless steel plates bolted to the existing track.

The tension on the new mainsail luff will be adjusted via halyard or cunningham directly attached to the mainsail.  

We added C'est la Vie's boom gallows in 2010 (Boom Gallows Project).  Despite or best efforts to squeeze in the gallows and bimini, the boom made contact with the gallows when sailing close hauled.

Our new mail will be cut higher along the aft end of the foot to provide greater clearance between the boom and the gallows.