Running Lights The ship gets red and green running lights on the sides. I ended up losing the die cast ones that came with the kit so I bought the little brass ones and stuck a red and green glass bead in them. Then I built the little platforms they rest on and finally got them mounted.

Red port running light mounted to ratlines. Green starboard running light mounted to ratlines.

Third Time’s a Charm

Once again the jib is done and rigged! My wife and sailmaker was unhappy with the previous one. The sewing of the lines stretched the fabric out of shape and she was really unhappy with it. So, cut it off and re-do it! We think we’re happy with this one.

Jib sail on Bluenose model ship

Thoughts on DEI

Today I was asked a question about how important Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is in the workplace. And while I think I did OK answering it, my feelings on the matter are a bit more complex and I wanted to take some time to write them out.

We all grow up in a culture. By that I mean all the things we’re told are right and wrong, good and bad, the right way to dress, the wrong way to behave, etc. All these lessons come from a variety of sources: our immediate families, extended families, the television, the friends we hang out with, the churches we attend even the country in which you grew up and even the region within that country. As we grow up, we incorporate all these concepts into our being. They shape how we think and how we feel. This is all perfectly normal.

However, the cultures we’re in change. Sometimes they change because we move. Maybe to another country, or to another region within our country. Maybe you change churches or change friends. When we do that, we’re exposed to different cultures. But even if we stay put and never leave our home town, the culture there still changes over time. The things that used to be “right” are now “wrong” and some of the things that used to be “wrong” are now “acceptable”. I’m sure everyone reading this can already think of examples of this they’ve experienced in their lifetime. Again, this is normal.

The thing is, most, or maybe all, of those things we grew up with, that we’ve incorporated into our belief system as being the right way or the wrong way of doing things or behaving, or looking aren’t absolutes. They’re a product of the culture we grew up in at the time we grew up in it. The culture of today, that is shaping the lives of children right now, is no better or worse than the one I grew up in. It’s just different.

And here’s the thing, my goal is to be accepting and tolerant of those people who grew up in different cultures because their way of doing things isn’t wrong or bad simply because its different from what I grew up with, it’s just different. And I hope their goal is to be tolerant and accepting of me because the culture I grew up in is different from theirs.

This, in my opinion, is why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is so important, not just in the workplace, but in our lives. By being exposed to different people with different thoughts, different behaviors, different clothes, different skin tones, we start to grow as human beings. We start to learn a different perspective. It doesn’t mean we’ll adopt those other perspectives, or behaviors, or dress but we can if we want to. We may learn different ways of looking at situations. Be exposed to different ways of doing things. Expand our minds and our horizons to become better, more tolerant people.

To me, this is why DEI initiatives are so important in the workplace, in college admissions, in our communities, in our elected officials. The more exposure we get to different ideas, the better we become as people.

JIm

Finished the Jib Got the jib sail back on and completely rigged. We discovered we messed up the stitching on the first one we did so had to take it off and re-do it. Kudos to my wife for being a sport and remaking the sail. 2 down and 2 to go! It’s looking good.

Jib and jumbo jib sails on Bluenose model shipClose up of jib sheet rigging

And the in haul and down haul at the front of the sail.

In haul and down haul

And the topping lift and sheet

Topping lift and sheet

Close up of the halyards at the top

Halyard and blocks

Jumbo Jib is Finished

Brief hiatus while Dena and I were off on a little vacation for the last couple of weeks. More on that later. Now back to the boat and was able to finish off rigging the Jib

Jumbo Jib sail

Sunday 9th of July 2023

Working on the jumbo jib. Had to remove the jumbo jib boom so I could lace the sail to it. Now I get to reattach it and re-rig it.

Jumbo Jib

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Working on the jumbo jib. Had to remove the jumbo jib boom so I could lace the sail to it. Now I get to reattach it and re-rig it.

Jumbo Jib

Tuesday 4th of July 2023

Up top showing the blocks for the jib halyard. I think this is so cool looking.

Jib halyard

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Tuesday 4th of July 2023

Where it attaches to the bowsprit.

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Tuesday 4th of July 2023

Jib in place

I got the jib all “hung”? My wonderful seamstress wife made it for me and I just got it attached. Still need to do the lower corner but I’ll do that after I get the next one up there, the jumbo jib.

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Up top showing the blocks for the jib halyard. I think this is so cool looking.

Jib halyard

Where it attaches to the bowsprit.

Jib in place

I got the jib all “hung”? My wonderful seamstress wife made it for me and I just got it attached. Still need to do the lower corner but I’ll do that after I get the next one up there, the jumbo jib.

Friday 23rd of June 2023

**I got my flying backstays untwisted! **

I had such trouble with them. As soon as I put a little tension on the lines the blocks would twist all around. A little wax, a little weight on the lines, and tying them off to a different place and they look good!

Flying backstays

Source: Micro.blog Feed

**I got my flying backstays untwisted! **

I had such trouble with them. As soon as I put a little tension on the lines the blocks would twist all around. A little wax, a little weight on the lines, and tying them off to a different place and they look good!

Flying backstays

Thursday 8th of June 2023

And behind all those templates you saw the main sail. It’s huge! Over 14” at the base where it’s lashed to the main boom. My wife has graciously consented to see them up for me. I’m so lucky!

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Thursday 8th of June 2023

Then comes the fore sail. It goes between the fore mast and the main mast.

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Thursday 8th of June 2023

Right behind it is the jumbo jib. Why jumbo when it’s smaller then the jib? I don’t know.

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Thursday 8th of June 2023

Jib. This one is all the way at the front close to the deck.

Source: Micro.blog Feed

Thursday 8th of June 2023

Starting on the sails! I finally realized I don’t have to fully rig things up just to measure up the sails. So I temp rigged the main boom and main gaff and am now on to sail making.

Source: Micro.blog Feed

And behind all those templates you saw the main sail. It’s huge! Over 14” at the base where it’s lashed to the main boom. My wife has graciously consented to see them up for me. I’m so lucky!

Then comes the fore sail. It goes between the fore mast and the main mast.