Fids

[Riley Smith]

I've ordered a set of fids to put an eye in the halyards. If you don't know what a fid is, imagine a short, pointed, hollow, knitting needle with plain opposite ends. It is used to splice double braided lines. In this case, it'll be used to put an eye in the new halyards. The eye will use the original stainless steel thimbles, for abrasion resistance where the shackles attach.
You cannot view this attachment.
I found the bad spot in the 1/4" throat halyard while rigging up for the FL 120. You can see the difference in texture and diameter of it on the right side, alongside the peak halyard, with the throat being larger because it is starting to disintegrate internally. But I found it mostly by feel; it didn't feel right. I knew it was time but got one more out of it. I thought it was only the second but got to reconsidering and now remember it's the third set of halyards in twenty something years. 1/4" is tedious and larger is easier.You cannot view this attachment.

[Wolverine]

I bought all new running rigging just before the FL120. I need to buy a fid and learn how to splice a eye.

[Frank B.]

I was initially surprised that you didn't go local at one of the best places to get sail supplies around, Sail Makers Supply, on Old Spanish trail in Gautier. Then I checked their website and they don't carry fids. I have trouble staying away from that place when I go to visit my mother.

[Riley Smith]

Frank, I had forgotten that you had previously mentioned that place to me. I'll check 'em out, as they are located near the Labrot House. Gautier is a weird place. The only reason it exists as a city is people hate Pascagoula that much and it is so spread out and dispersed that something will open, go bankrupt, and be gone before you knew it was even there.

Wolverine it isn't too hard with good instructions. The splice works along the lines of the classic Chinese finger trap. The more tension applied, the tighter the outer layer grips the inner layer. But to get there is an operation with several steps and and getting the whole operation right in your head takes some gymnastics. Getting good line for this is another problem in this burg. I'd prefer FEELING the line before buying and that makes online shopping out. Maybe the store Frank mentioned might put me on some but I don't see rope on their website.
I had intentions of looking you up during the FL 120, but when I arrived I was done in and just rested mostly because I knew the dawn held a trying day. I did see a satellite as I was laying back looking at the stars. That honking big ole GBH scared the crap out of me at 3am, too.
You cannot view this attachment.

[rfrance0718]

Me too! My main halyard is worse off than that. I have the line. Need the funds and a good video.

[Riley Smith]

Looks can be deceiving, especially w/ double braided line, because the core is invisible in normal use. The outer sheathing was slipping up and down in that spot, which means the INNER CORE is gone there. It was just before breaking. Maybe God watches over idiots and gives them the lightest air day in history to get back to the dock. So far, no fids. If you really want to stretch your dollar, you can go to the opposite end with the eye and keep the OLD halyard. But I've been hankering for new rope, as every OTHER line on the boat is brand new. Good instructions are a must and a video wouldn't hurt (haven't looked yet because I don't have all the stuff).

[Frank B.]

I think Gautier has a bright future, with the OS high school moved out there on the line and all the residential development on the same street between there and Mary Mahoney drive, Gautier becomes the easiest place to shop, certainly better than slogging your way into OS.

I've done a lot of eye splices with a fid, but bought some double braid a while ago that I just could not get to splice.  Not sure what it was, I set it aside to use for other purposes.  Could have been a new one with Dynema core or something like that.

[Riley Smith]

STILL no fids. Delayed shipping. Harrump!

 Never mind that, I've got to find a piece of cypress to fix the floorboard that I broke a piece off of. Those cypress floorboards are light until they get wet. If I ever need any more ballast I'm just going to wet them down. We were about Gautier yesterday but at a bad time. I almost didn't get supper because we were so late. The river should be headed down but at that point it was still very fresh and muddy, although visibility is improving. It now longer looks like a moocha but more like a weak attempt at making coffee.

The juvenile alligator gars were gathered up under the lights and letting the falling tide/ river current bring them food.You cannot view this attachment.

They were all about 18-20" long and it was pretty relaxing watching them in the current.You cannot view this attachment.

[Norm L.]

There was a thrift store in Gautier and another of the same on 49 in Gulfport. Whenever I was that way for a job and had spare time I'd stop in. For many jobs it was coveralls. But too often you'd show up and have to go unexpectedly into undesirable places with your coveralls 300 yards away in a shipyard parking lot.
So I did buy good name brand shirts and pants as long as they were between $5 & $10. The new 5&10 store.

[Riley Smith]

They often have a great clothing section for such. I look for work jeans whenever I go in, although I haven't been in a while. Hey, believe it or not, I have a pair of jeans (Planet Earth) that are almost 12 yrs old and I still wear. They were my traveling jeans when I'd fly, because I always felt that good sturdy clothes and good footwear just might make the difference if worst came to worse.