Birth of the Curtis Pocketship

With the cooperation of the weather (barely) the Curtis family Pocketship finally emerged from its home of the last 7 months.

In this photo it looks like I am loading the boat on to the trailer all by myself. If I didn't have a sloped driveway where the trailer wants to run away in an instant you probably could maneuver Pocketship to the trailer solo.

Here are my helpers, holding back the boat so it wouldn't slide down the trailer too rapidly. In the video you can see them hoisting it up to the trailer so that I could start winching.

A group shot of some of the usual suspects who helped flipped the boat twice and load the boat on to the trailer. Starting on the left, myself, then my brother Jeff, ex-teaching colleague Eugene, my next door neighbor Terry, and another teacher Harald.

Proud first time boat builder

The boat looks considerably different and more impressive when you can stand back and view in its entirety as compared to the restricted views in the garage.

Carefully making sure the mast pivot gets installed in the correct location

Jib self-furler works slick.

Installing the main sail and testing if the gaff rides up and down the sail track easily. It does but the track does need lubrication as advised in the manual.

"The halyard is dead ended on the side of the mast above the track, leads down through this bullet block, through a Harken 092 cheek block screwed to the mast just above the track, thence to the deck" That's easy for you to say! Here you see me in one of several puzzling moments trying to sort out where all those ropes go.

Rigging is now all complete on what I am quite certain is the first finished Pocketship besides the prototype. Weather permitting, it is out to the lake tomorrow for the christening and a quick sail before having to wrap the boat in a large tarp for winter storage. I promise lots of photos of the christening and first sail.