This Weekend at ELISSA/TSM

This week:

Sounding like a parrot – but it’s more beautiful weather… we’ve been coating fools this week – and the paint is looking great. I’ve jumped in with all four feet and begun stripping the skylight lid for bare-wood varnish. There will be no more tea-parties or storage of harnesses once this is done… Many have been coming down to get those 7 bonus hours. Thank you, thank you. The rest of you follow their fine example.

Saturday is your penultimate training. Weather fair to middlin’. We hope to be paint-rolling the hull until the manatees come home… ‘specially port side. Putting our best face port-ward or something like that. We may also be sending down a sail in preparation for the 4th and final new square topsail. Foremast may have temporary FUT footropes, so extra care there may be in order.

Sunday is your final shot at making up a class. Don’t miss it and get struck from the roster. The Jones family reunion will be in charge of the day. We will either be sending up (or down, if we don’t get to it) the topsail and possibly installing footropes (if the tar is dry enough by then).

Volunteer hours:

You have until 14 March to complete the 130 hours and 16 classes required of sailing crew. You cannot sail without them. You also must complete at least 7 hours of work OUTSIDE of sail training between 7 February and 14 March if crewing is important to you.

This 7 hours makes it likely that we’ll be ready to sail – so no wiggling out of it or shirking your duty, my friends. Pull together and we’ll go faster…

Fun Musters:

Graduation is in two weeks – huzzah. Expect a party. The Houston Yacht Club wishes to come celebrate with us (and kick off their Elissa Regatta festivities), so they are providing food. That means we need RSVPs (really, we need you to tell us you’ll be there) and you’ll have to remember to share your rum and not act like a bunch of brigands. Sorry to disappoint.

Things to be Thinking About:

Night watch sign-up is done. If you didn’t get a watch, don’t worry. We’ll assign you one. The fall out should be entertaining.

Plankowners’ party and auction is in the pipeline. Pound the pavement and get us some fun stuff to auction! Contact Judy G. JudyGlaister@yahoo.com if you are onto something – she tries to stop us pestering the same kind people too many times in one day.

Suff’n’such:

Save America’s Treasures is at risk. Please complain to your congressperson. It’s a freaking drop in the bucket by national budget standards. Write a letter:

https://secure2.convio.net/nthp/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=536

You are all our eyes and ears aloft – keep Roy, John and myself apprised of unusual, irritating or frightening sounds; and please be vigilant for missed mousings, chafing lines or other rigging irregularities as you climb. We’re in the home stretch – it’s time to be excited.

merci bien,
Charlie Wright
Waterfront Manager