[Rhodes22-list] back stay tension/traveler bar update & reflections on July 7,2005

[P&M Beals]

Thanks to all who have offered  help and suggestions...

We did a thorough inspection of our traveler bar and socket...sorry- forgot
the camera, and found that we have a hole in the socket, no hole in the
traveler bar.  IT looks like there used to be a pressure type screw used in
the past because we can see the imprint of a screw on the traveler bar...so
Bob on the Nokoi, I believe it was, hit it correctly for our traveler bar.

We are either going to try to recreate with set screw ( my husband knows
what this is- not that I do) the pressure screw to hold the traveler bar in
place a bit more, or using some suggestions sent to me from Alex Bell,
of Mariner Canvas Company, we may drill a hole in the traveler bar so we can
use the pin method.

For now, we have tightened the backstay tension, checked all the shrouds
tension as advised...

My sister from upstate NY hopes to come for a sail this weekend, so we shall
see how it goes, if Tropical Storm Cindy clears up enough for us to manage a
sail.

On the other topic of today, July 7, My sympathies go to all the people of
Great Britain at this time of tragedy and sorrow...we (our family) were in
London three weeks ago, had a wonderful time, and I keep thinking about the
unpredictability of our life experiences, and how these unforeseen,
unexpected acts shake my and our children's outlook.  I  keep saying I will
not become a fear-ridden person, and that we will keep on doing things we do
when we want to do them. Still, I don't know if I would have the guts to
forge ahead with a trip, after something like this happens...realistically
it is probably the safest time to travel when security is so heightened...
except in airports in England I didn't see any tight security on the metro
or buses while we were there.  And of course, while this emboldens some to
say our war on terrorism is so justified, I don't believe  this is a
winnable war going just the course we are going...of course any direction
feels like a no-win direction today.

Thanks for listening, thanks for sailing support...

Catch a good breeze, enjoy your day, and live life like today could be your
last...Thanks to all on the list for your help and good stories.

Phyllis
Whisper
Keyport, NJ