Good morning everyone. Jack and Jill went up the… masts?? Thankfully no one came tumbling down. Yes, Jack and Jill Tar, or Rob and Katie as it would be, tarred the rig the other day while Jen and I have been pounding away in the office. If you ever saw my two finger hunt and peck typing you would know why I say “pounding”. Not one of those life skills I ever mastered. Jack tar (and my own variation of Jill) is an obvious reference to the days when copious amount of tar were used to preserve all manner of natural materials including rigging and wood aboard sailing ships. Jack was not necessarily a term of endearment. If you were referred to as John you probably had money that any local barkeep would do their best to pry from you tarry fingers in short order. As the forebitter says ‘”when your money’s gone, its the same old song, get up Jack, John sit down.” The crew, posing as Oompah-loompahs in their white Tivek suits, get covered with tar in the process so they should be preserved for many years to come. The tar mix is a combination of 2/3rds pine tar, 1/3rd boiled linseed oil, and a dollop of gloss black paint. The result is a mixture of a yet defined depth of black, like the inside of my terminally unwashed coffee mug.
I was at the schooner yesterday and, unbeknownst to Jen, just happened to have my saw with me. There is one schooner project I have wanted to get to for a while. I am committed now. Can you guess what it is from this picture taken by Jim Dugan?
Have a great day. Be well. Do good.
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