Usually downrigging a schooner involves lots of coiling, carrying, hauling, the breaking down of shackles and turnbuckles, and depending on the rig, attempting to free up the top mast so that it can be lowered gently to the deck, rather than dropping it like an unguided missile. The last time I helped downrig a schooner, I spent hours in the cross-trees, helping those who knew far better what they were doing than I, and generally enjoying the view on a brisk Fall day. A rendezvous at the bar that afternoon ended the day most satisfactorily.
I see now that the folks at the Sultana Project have outclassed us all. They have turned a downrigging weekend into a Tall Ship and Wooden Boat Festival with sailing, food, music and even a talk by Dava Sobel, the New York Times best selling author of Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time. This will be the Sultana Project’s eleventh annual Downrigging Weekend celebrating the end of the sailing season.
From October 27 – 30th in the harbor and wharfs of Chestertown, Maryland, there will be a boat show, fireworks, music by Chris Cerino and members of the Visiting Ships. There will also be sailing available on the KALMAR NYCKEL, the PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, the AJ MEERWALD, the LADY MARYLAND, the SIGSBEE, the ELSWORTH and the host Schooner SULTANA. Sounds like a fantastic weekend. Thanks to Linda Collison for pointing it out.
I like your description of downrigging. Especially the rendezvous at the bar, a necessary part of all things nautical.