Boat update

We bought a used light-air sail before coming down to Mexico but it wasn't exactly the right size.  The new sail is on the bottom, the genoa is on top.  The leech (bottom edge) must be cut down so it fits onto the roller furling and it needs to curve nicely toward the clew (the point about where Dick's left foot is) and

the hanks must be replaced with luff tape.  This is a hank, located on the luff, or leading edge of the sail, it allows the sail to be clipping onto a forestay (metal line) for raising and lowering.  But we don't use the hanked-on system, we have a roller furler.  The sail won't be raised/lowered, but rather rolled up around the forestay. 

Everything along the luff had to be taken off or apart.  Here I got to dig out these stitches with a garden tool.  Dick will have to replace/redo the cringle by hand.  The cringle is the loop at the head (top) of the sail. 

Drawing the nice curve along the foot:

Here I'm "basting" the luff tape with onto the sail with double-sided sticky tape.  The tape loved the sail but didn't want to stick to the luff tape.  Next time (although I really hope there won't be a next time) I'll use a stapler. 

A close-up just before stitching two rows of zig-zag.  The corded edge of the luff slips into a slot on the roller furler.

Janice from Gitana has a Sailrite sewing machine and has some sail repair experience.  She offered to do the sewing, with my help to guide, lift, and pull - at not cost.  I will help her when she makes repairs to their jib sail.

Meanwhile, this week, Dick attached permanently the metal framework onto the nacelle to firmly hold the outboard

and began sorting through the stuff that goes onto the boat from the stuff that he will try to sell or throw away.