The previous owner had added a few bits and pieces that Mike as the new owner thought were out of place on such a traditional vessel. So he replaced the chromed fairleads at the stem with bronze ones (adding another pair at the stern as well,) and did away with the stainless steel blocks that the mainsheet had been led through. (He also did away with the main boom with which she had been fitted, and which was really redundant in view of the sprit. This also now allows him to brail up the mainsail on occasion, which is a very convenient possibility with the sprit rig.)
Rerigging thus started, things seemed to get a bit out of hand, and a variety of new but traditional fittings presented themselves as being altogether indispensable. But the first were two new wooden blocks to augment the last remaining one from the original rig, with which to allow the use of a double-ended mainsheet. Obtaining suitable blocks proved to be a difficult experience though. Mike had some trouble in locating any wooden blocks at all at first. Then when he eventually found some they weren't
stropped, they were fitted with (he could hardly believe it) white plastic sheaves, and they were very expensive. To get them sufficiently authentic-looking (not to mention operable,) he turned two new wooden sheaves to replace the tacky plastic ones, further purchased two also-high-priced bronze thimbles from the same chandler, and then stropped and seized both blocks himself. All in all, each block finally cost about $70 plus labour—which gave Mike pause for thought—and from then on he made his own fittings from scratch.
Those other new fittings included wooden saddles on the quarter-knees to shackle the new mainsheet blocks to; wooden beeblocks on the standing knees supporting the centre thwart to lead the jibsheets back to the stern for single-handed sailing; wooden thumb cleats forward of the beeblocks to snub the sheets under (and so alter the lead) when sailing close-hauled; a wooden horn cleat on the sprit to which to belay the snotter (the line that supports the sprit and thus makes the whole thing work); two thumb cleats on the mast to locate the snotter for sailing whether the sail is full or reefed; wooden kevels (two pairs, amidships and forward) to allow quick belaying of mooring lines; a pennant staff to allow the new burgee to swivel freely above the masthead to show the direction of apparent wind; and finally, a new 'positive attitude' boathook with bronze head, complete with decorative rope handgrip and a lanyard at the head ('positive attitude' because it floats vertically to allow easy retrieval if inadvertently lost overboard).
left: belaying pins and simple mast hole
right: the highly effective sloop & sprit sail
Below: detail of the strakes and the centre board house
59.