This stuff is great. I am really glad I remembered to soak the rusty old bolts holding my exhaust to the engine last fall. It would have been a real shame to start pulling the engine now so I could drill out some broken exhaust flange bolts. Access was a little challenging but with not too much effort I was able to remove the bolts holding the exhaust to the engine and pull out the exhaust for complete replacement.
The pipe failed through the short coupler fitting at the top of the "loop". The whole exhaust piping is in pretty rough shape. The plan is to find someone to make a replacement with something more durable. I realize "black pipe" from the hardware store is acceptable for some boats but I think I can do better.
I am actually just recovering from my illness now and about two hours at the boatyard was about all I could do before going prone again.
In addition to removing the exhaust and a quick evaluation of the boat's condition in general (just fine but maybe a tad dirty and stuffy inside) I spent a few minutes at the mast making sure my new hardware fits the mast and to see how long I need to make the halyards. Now that I have the lengths I can cut and whip to fit and use the ends to make up my genoa sheets. I can do that from my sick bed.
The Garhauer blocks are going to work well.
If I had been smart I would have put one of those "D" shackles with the pins through the middle inside the eye splices I made last week - capturing the "D" shackles on the halyard lines forever. But I am not smart, I am learning, so I will have to worry about dropping and losing the shackle everytime I disconnect the sail from the halyard. Thankfully, that won't be too often but I know I will forever be thinking I could have done it better...
Oh well.
...and access to Jenny has greatly improved in the past week too. I can actually get to her now without requring any technical climbing gear.
That's the update :)
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