I actually sailed today

[Frank B.]

....in a manner of speaking.  What I learned:

That outboard that I've spoken ill of as of late ran perfectly for long periods of time at all RPMs.  I bought it a new, high quality fuel line. Could it be that simple.

A boat deteriorates faster if not used if it is in the water at the dock.

I've reached the age, or rather condition, whereby I am no longer comfortable single handling, particularly on a day with strong wind. I should have put reef in before I left the dock, but rather I fought it the whole time.

I need to get one of those holsters that has a pair of pliers and a pry tool as my hands can no longer manipulate any mechanism without aid.  also need a slot for a small can of dry lube.

I paid my dock fee, who da thunk they still charge you if you don't use your boat.

My OEM halyards and sheets are stiff and powdery although show no signs of cuts.  They are twenty years old and have been in the weather constantly.  Probably time to replace.

I'm due for a bottom job, have always done that myself.  This time the yard may get to do it.  As a close friend recently told me, "At our age a dollar saved is a dollar wasted",

[Riley Smith]

Yay! I'll bet it is a whole lot cooler at that end of the state! And yeah, when "powder" forms on the halyards, it's time for new. You can have them made or do it yourself. My lines are 1/4" and I tried unsuccessfully to put eyes (with thimbles) in them. It's really hard to do with 1/4" but would probably be possible with 3/8". Now I just tie them to the shackle instead of actually shackling them. Maybe I'll try again later in the winter, but it actually helps because I don't have to figure out which is the front side of the mast in a tangle of lines. Not as "shippy" but adequate for my small boat. The larger the line the easier it is to work with it (up to a point). Not cheap, either, for really good line but I let WM rip me off some in the interest of expediency and being near a store. Tomorrow is supposed to be actually COOL here on the coast! I'm intent of fishing tonight, if the wind lays, but Mrs. Smith has been working me like a slave before hand 

[Spot]

I found a place on Ebay 'Valley Rope' that sells nice double braid at hard-to-beat prices.
He doesn't always have every color in every size but that is OK by me.
When I did my boat a few years ago, I was 'overeager' and purchased lines too big for my sheaves, causing me to demote 2 of the oversized halyards to jibsheets and ordering smaller working halyards.
It's worth a dimension check and not rely on memory or hand feel.

PS these I have not spliced, I just tied a halyard hitch to the shackles. I have to look it up the one time I tied the three shackles and have since forgotten...