After reading Grahams report it got me thinking how many times we have rigged and launch Lady P this year.

After spending the winter dry sailing at Rutland I got used to launching and recovering Lady P.

We then moved her to Boston which includes rigging her afloat because our mooring and the slip we use has a bridge between.

We then sailed the Wash a few times which includes lowering the mast and passing through a lock then under 3 bridges, we then raise the mast on the go.

We then took her out and had Easter on the Norfolk Broads, inc passing under the odd bridge.

Back to Boston for a while and Wash sailing.

Then we took her to the PSSA RIOW race.

Back to Boston and a trip up to Gibraltor point (skegness).

Then the floods came and since we moor on a fresh water river we had big problems.

Managed to get her out of the river very early one sat morning when the river was over 2m higher than it should be. Had my wife wadding in cold flood water.

Down to Brixham for a week.

From Brixham we took her by road to the Solent to leave her for a couple of weeks.

Back down for Cowes week (well weekend)left the boat rigged on her trailer at Bucklers hard for a further 2 weeks

Back down and a 10 days around the Solent and Poole harbour. (lowered to mast in Poole to replace a broken wind indicator)

Then the PSSA event at Rutland. By now I count that within 1 calender year we had raised the mast about 15 times.

The boat is now back on her mooring at Boston for another 6 weeks, then back to Rutland for the winter.

I have a very good crew who assist, Kiala my wife, Joe 9 and Lucy 7 they all have there jobs and can do it without instructions. We have a few short cuts which reduce time, snap shackles speed lots of jobs up.

Paul Burton.

Parker 235/ 40 Lady Penelope...

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Wow Paul! That really does make you the expert! I drop my 21 mast each season but wouldn't like to have to do it much more often.

I have to slacken the shrouds quite a lot to get enough slack in the forestay to pull the pin out (Rotostay furler so not easy to get at the bottlescrew which is inside the drum somewhere). Then, however careful I am to count turns it seems to take best part of a tide to get the tension right again.

How do you do that?

Geoff Harwood Cygnus P21/30

I let the backstay off....

Then winch in the pulley/pole system hard which makes the forestay slack enough to get the pin out. I sometimes sit on the pole to get the pin out......

Paul Burton.

Parker 235/ 40 Lady Penelope...

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OK - I think that works with the 235 because with the cap shrouds well outboard you don't need so much tension. On the 21 with the shrouds hard up against the coachroof they need to be pretty tight to keep from going floppy on the lee side in a blow. I only use the backstay to bend the mast when I need the main to be flatter so normally all the forestay tension comes from the caps.

Geoff Harwood P21/30 Cygnus

On the 235 you can get enough tension on the mast raising tackle to release the forestay without adjusting the rigging settings / screws. It makes life much easier.

Paul, I thought we had travelled around a lot, but all that in one year and you are still married !

Graham Ebb

235 /25 Blue Jazz

Paul, I forgot to say, I sent some pictures of your boat to your sailing club email address.

Graham

Got the pictures......some really good ones there ..thanks Graham...

Paul Burton.

Parker 235/ 40 Lady Penelope...

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Hmmm, on a guilt trip now.....

Have raised mine once......have yet to lower it!!!!!!!!!!

Stephen Godber

235/51 "Exodus"

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I need to try raising/lowering without loosening the cap shrouds, I'd always been taking 4-8 turns off each side. I'll give it a go.

Graeme