EP63: Ready to Re-Step Our Mast… Then It All Fell Apart
After over a year of mast work, we’re finally ready to re-step — only to have it all derail at the last moment when the wrong turnbuckles arrive.
After more than a year with the mast down and a long mast rebuild behind us, it finally seemed like time to step it back into place. In this episode, we dive into the final stages of our complete mast overhaul — from wiring and hardware to rigging — only to have progress completely derail right at the finish line.
EP63 captures what it feels like when momentum suddenly stalls, when months of effort build toward a moment that doesn’t arrive, and when you have to reckon with a delay that feels personal and frustrating.
Continued refit and systems work aboard a cruising catamaran as winter projects progress.
Episode Summary
In EP63 of Sailing Roam, we push hard toward re-stepping our mast after a complete rebuild that included stripping old paint, full rewiring, new clutches, updated spreader lights, and cleaning and servicing every piece of mast hardware. From wiring the masthead VHF and instrument leads to running halyard and control lines internally (with the help of an unconventional RC car messenger), we check off almost every item leading up to crane day.
Just two days before the scheduled re-step, the long-awaited turnbuckles finally arrive — but with the wrong thread size. There’s no workaround, the crane appointment gets canceled, and our momentum grinds to a halt. After a year of work and anticipation, the setback hurts, but it’s also part of the reality of long refits.
What We Had Built Up To
For over a year, this mast has been the symbol of Roam’s progress. Stripped, rewired, outfitted with updated hardware, and patiently pieced back together, it was poised for its next life aloft — a centerpiece of what it means to be ready to sail again. This episode showcases the culmination of that work.
The Day the Turnbuckles Finally Arrived
Waiting for parts is part of the refit rhythm, but nothing tests patience like being days from a milestone only to have it slip away. When the turnbuckles we’ve been waiting on since before Christmas arrive with the wrong threading, there’s no fix that keeps things safe or seaworthy. The crane appointment is canceled, and the re-stepping goes back on the calendar later.
Mast rebuilds test patience. They test planning. And sometimes they test how you respond when something you thought was settled suddenly isn’t.
Why This Episode Matters
EP63 isn’t about progress, exactly — it’s about endurance. It’s about what it feels like to be so close you can almost taste it, and then realize you still have more to wait for. It’s a universal part of long, complex projects like liveaboard refits, where momentum can build and stall unpredictably.
If you’ve lived through delays, parts setbacks, or momentum you thought was finally arriving only to slip away again, this one will feel familiar.
What Comes Next
We may be postponing the re-step, but nothing about the mast rebuild is wasted. All the hardware work, rewiring, and reassembly are solid. We’ll reschedule the crane and return stronger than before.
Thanks for sticking with us — we’ll get there, even if it takes a little longer than planned.
