"Vienna"

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still getting ready for the trip. the rigger comes by in order to tension the shrouds. for future reference, I'd like to note down the steps: (i) manual tightening of all turnbuckles, (ii) a neat trick to check that the mast doesn't lean to one side: take the main halyard and hold it against one of the upper shrouds (that are directly next to the mast), measure the distance between the halyard shackle and the deck, move over to the shroud on the other side of the mast and measure the corresponding distance there - the two measures should come out identical, (iii) take a rig tension meter, and adjust the tension of the starboard upper shroud s.t. the reading on the meter comes out at 22, remember the requisite number of turns of the shroud's turnbuckle, and turn the turnbuckle of the port-side upper shroud the same number of times, (iv) tension all lower shrouds by giving two full turns to the turnbuckle of each shroud.

I can't quite recall how the backstay was tightened - need to write to the rigger in order to find out.

on a lighter note: I'm now lying next to a gay couple sailing on a ship out of Christianshavn, the harbor next to Kobenhavn's Christiania. they do smoke a lot and their boat looks as if it had been designed under the influence. they don't bother to ask my name, and instead simply call me "vienna".

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