Just a minor update as little has been done on the boat this year. The new (to me) house is demanding a lot of time and little is left over for Jenny.
Projects I am working on are the replacement of the Marelon seacocks with proper bronze seacocks. This job is nearly done but the replacement seacocks do not have the same dimensions which is requiring some rework to make them all fit. One of my cockpit drains just will not line up with the drain underneath and I am about halfway through moving the cockpit drain fitting about an inch over. It won't be perfectly symmetrical with the other drain but the alternative seems to be more work than it is worth. Particularly when it is so hard to get anything accomplished around the house repairs and I don't want to add anything I don't need to to the to-do list.
I am also routing the deck drains out of the cockpit well and into their own hull thru-hulls. I just wasn't happy with the decks draining into the cockpit and with the other rework going on it seemed a good time to rectify that.
Honestly, it isn't much fun to document a job that I have already done once so no new pictures at the moment.
Otherwise, I try to hit the odd nagging issue that doesn't require too much surgery but isn't really noteworthy enough for the blog.
Em tasol wantoks
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Not Dead
I am not dead and the Jenny did not sink.
This spring, my girlfriend and I bought an old house with enough land to bring Jenny home which is where all the tools and materials are. The logistics were becoming increasingly difficult as the project focus changed from basic fiberglass and rough structural work to the finish details. When I went to the boatyard to work on the hull all my tools fit in one bag. As the project progressed this was no longer the case.
The old house needs tons of work and will be a decade or two project. Come to think of it, the boat has become a decade project too hmmm... Anyway... The house had some priority work that needed to be done and then there is all the settling in and stuff and Jenny just had to wait. Now I have to schedule fixing the house, building a workshop and getting back to work on the boat. I really need to quit my day job...
I left off with the seacock replacement project. The head and sink are complete. The raw water intake for the engine will need some modifications because the replacement hardware is a bit larger than the original. The cockpit drains will need a lot of rework for the same problem.
Today, I started a list and spent some time remembering where I left off.
This spring, my girlfriend and I bought an old house with enough land to bring Jenny home which is where all the tools and materials are. The logistics were becoming increasingly difficult as the project focus changed from basic fiberglass and rough structural work to the finish details. When I went to the boatyard to work on the hull all my tools fit in one bag. As the project progressed this was no longer the case.
The old house needs tons of work and will be a decade or two project. Come to think of it, the boat has become a decade project too hmmm... Anyway... The house had some priority work that needed to be done and then there is all the settling in and stuff and Jenny just had to wait. Now I have to schedule fixing the house, building a workshop and getting back to work on the boat. I really need to quit my day job...
I left off with the seacock replacement project. The head and sink are complete. The raw water intake for the engine will need some modifications because the replacement hardware is a bit larger than the original. The cockpit drains will need a lot of rework for the same problem.
Today, I started a list and spent some time remembering where I left off.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Remembering I have a boat on Memorial Day
Did someone say I have a boat? I seem to have some distant memory of something like that. Only I don't remember owning a boat. I remember a boat owning me but maybe that is just semantics.
Well, it is Memorial Day and the weather has dried up and become warm. Two weeks ago I did some spring cleaning. If I leave the boat alone too long the mold comes back. I blame the bamboo flooring. In hindsight that was a bad idea. It looks nice but I haven't met anyone that has used it that didn't wind up with a mold problem. Something about mold in the bamboo fibers. I am putting a rug down for now but long term I will probably have to epoxy seal it and put a plywood veneer over the whole thing. I guess an inch and a half of cabin sole thickness wasn't enough.
About $850 worth of 'seacock' parts arrived this week.
Not a true seacock but I know people that have had good luck with these. The thru hull threads into a flange (middle) with normal threads and the top of the flange has pipe threads to accept a typical ball valve. Future maintenance should be much easier. The part that fails is the valve and it just threads off. I don't expect more maintenance however. I have gone with the traditional all bronze components - no more awful Marelon - so I expect to retire with these fittings. If the ball valves do seize up they should be easy to replace.
I ordered six of these - three in 3/4 inch size and 3 in 1.5 inch. My plan last year was to add two for the deck drains but that is going to take more planning and not a high priority so for now I am going to continue letting the deck drain into the cockpit. I am not terribly happy with my initial decision to go that route. I find on sloppy days the bow scoops up a lot of water and sends it aft where it winds up in the cockpit, soaking the feet of my unsuspecting friends. Its a little funny when they panic and think the boat is sinking but it also gets annoying after the first few times. Another solution might be to cut a slot in the toerail with something on the deck to direct the water through the slot. Those two inch toe rails definitely contribute to the volume of water sent aft and if I could redirect it before it gets to the drains I might be okay. A plan for another day.
Today, I measured the thru hulls for length but found I couldn't do a decent job of cutting them on the tailgate of the pickup. The old bolt holes have been cleaned and filled. I decided to continue with my original plywood backing blocks. I would never use plywood again but they are glued in solid and they are doing their job so I didn't feel like starting a fresh fight with them.
Next week I should be installing the assemblies and hopefully I won't have any significant problem lining up with the existing plumbing. Hopefully...
Well, it is Memorial Day and the weather has dried up and become warm. Two weeks ago I did some spring cleaning. If I leave the boat alone too long the mold comes back. I blame the bamboo flooring. In hindsight that was a bad idea. It looks nice but I haven't met anyone that has used it that didn't wind up with a mold problem. Something about mold in the bamboo fibers. I am putting a rug down for now but long term I will probably have to epoxy seal it and put a plywood veneer over the whole thing. I guess an inch and a half of cabin sole thickness wasn't enough.
About $850 worth of 'seacock' parts arrived this week.
Not a true seacock but I know people that have had good luck with these. The thru hull threads into a flange (middle) with normal threads and the top of the flange has pipe threads to accept a typical ball valve. Future maintenance should be much easier. The part that fails is the valve and it just threads off. I don't expect more maintenance however. I have gone with the traditional all bronze components - no more awful Marelon - so I expect to retire with these fittings. If the ball valves do seize up they should be easy to replace.
I ordered six of these - three in 3/4 inch size and 3 in 1.5 inch. My plan last year was to add two for the deck drains but that is going to take more planning and not a high priority so for now I am going to continue letting the deck drain into the cockpit. I am not terribly happy with my initial decision to go that route. I find on sloppy days the bow scoops up a lot of water and sends it aft where it winds up in the cockpit, soaking the feet of my unsuspecting friends. Its a little funny when they panic and think the boat is sinking but it also gets annoying after the first few times. Another solution might be to cut a slot in the toerail with something on the deck to direct the water through the slot. Those two inch toe rails definitely contribute to the volume of water sent aft and if I could redirect it before it gets to the drains I might be okay. A plan for another day.
Today, I measured the thru hulls for length but found I couldn't do a decent job of cutting them on the tailgate of the pickup. The old bolt holes have been cleaned and filled. I decided to continue with my original plywood backing blocks. I would never use plywood again but they are glued in solid and they are doing their job so I didn't feel like starting a fresh fight with them.
Next week I should be installing the assemblies and hopefully I won't have any significant problem lining up with the existing plumbing. Hopefully...
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The summer that didn't happen...
The season came and went but nothing much was accomplished on Jenny all year which is why there hasn't been a blog update in forever.
Between financial setbacks, family issues and health issues every weekend this year was either a wash or severely impaired.
I am not too happy about it but that is what happened. I can tell Jenny is not happy either.
So now I think the plan is to keep Jenny on the hard again next year and do next summer what I had planned on doing this summer. Getting a summer mooring rental agreement with a decent price increase helped me make that decision a few weeks ago. I like cruising more than day sails anyway and I don't have the ability to go on a cruise right now. Maybe in a few years.
Jenny is back snug under her standard winter cover. Nothing much to show there. This year I have even less room at the boatyard and there is even more mud on the ground than before. There is a good chance this is my last year at my current location. I know I was spoiled before but this place is not working out and it is time to move on.
Anyway, just a boring update but boring is better than dead I guess.
Happy Holidays everyone and here is hoping for a more productive season next year :)
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Marelon Seacocks suck monkey balls and Spring Varnishing is boring
Nope, not forgotten but the work on Jenny has been pretty boring (lots of varnishing) which isn't very interesting to write (or read) about.
First of all, Forespar Marelon Seacocks... they suck.
I started this boat project as a wet behind the ears newbie-don't-know-nothing sort of person. At that time I was looking at the old corroded seacocks in the boat (though few and far between - straight tubes abounded) and saw the new, modern, can't corrode Forespar Marelon seacocks and thought that was my answer. As it was a safety issue, installing new seacocks in the under water holes in the hull was an early priority. I think I installed about $1,000 worth of Marelon seacocks in the boat. After the first season they started to feel stiff so I contacted Forespar technical support for recomendations for maintaining the seacocks. I was told, any lubricant other than aerosol (the propellent swells the material) and rinse them out every season. Fair enough. By the end of the second season I was getting worried. Towards the end of the third season my girlfriend shut off the head intake as we were going home and mentioned the seacock felt 'funny'. I checked it and found the handle had sheared off the ball. Luckily this was on an intake which was broken in the closed position so I was able to carry a bucket in the boat and draw from inside and continue with a semi-working toilet until haulout.
I am not interested in having more failures of seacocks so I have removed all my seacocks.
Luckily I chose not to install these with 5200 as others had suggested and the 4200, which was holding fine, gave up its hold without resorting to the nuclear option. I did have to hand chisel off the plastic mushroom heads which was a painful job but only took a few hours.
As you see, the balls were well lubricated at removal.
There were all rather stiff. Even though they were very greasy there was a lot of grit around the ball.
The balls were all heavily scored. If they were metal I could polish them. I am not sure what I am supposed to do with Marelon to make them smooth again.
In any case, when the ball gets stiff, the weak point in in the connection between the ball and handle. There is a square section that the handle is slotted on. The picture shows a 1.5" seacock. The 3/4" seacock is much smaller and that is what my girlfriend pealed off. I don't blame her, the plastic is rather soft and easy to distort. The handle itself is rather weak and I can severely distort the handle if I wanted to.
So in the end, a little grit gets into the ball cavity (dirty ocean?...) causing the ball to get stiff and then the connection snaps with hardly any effort. 3 years of summer use before failure. Bronze has been king for a few centuries and I should have stuck with the proven material. Next time I will let someone else try out the new fangled stuff. End of story, Marelon seacocks suck and I wasted a lot of time and money on them. Bronze is good.
So I have plans to replace the seacocks soon but I have a few other non boat expenses coming up and a full set of seacocks is going to set me back some so I have been procrastinating. Luckily it has been good varnishing weather, and that is cheap, so that is where I have been spending my time.
First of all, I upgraded my ladder to something more substantial. I was having fun going up and down on a ladder that was flush with the deck but I know that sooner or later I am going to dance my way off while having a toolbag in each hand so I purchased a 12 foot ladder.
Now I can climb up and down safely and I have a second ladder to use as a poor man's staging for work at deck level.
For the past month, every saturday and sunday morning I am varnishing. It is boring but with widespread failure starting it has to be done. If you want the varnish you need covered storage, preferably indoor and heated and really preferable would be to hire a varnishing crew every season to do it for you...
Not much to say there. Sand off, brush on... My winch blocks are near the end of their life. 50 years is about it I guess...
I managed to install the panels that go behind the galley which will allow some fun projects to move forward there.
As you can see the interior is sanded and ready for a final coat (or two) of the satin finish. That will probably happen this weekend or over the July 4th extended weekend.
Other minor projects included some electrical connectors which will allow me to remove the engine electrical box completely without having to disconnect every wire leading in to it. The box covers hardware that secures the starboard cockpit coaming so removal will always be something I need to do from time to time.
I am also ordering some deck navigation lights to be installed this summer and the propane tank and installation bits to finalize last year's stove project. There there is the big electrical project which is mostly just a project on paper at this point.
And that is where it stands.
Think of me slaving to the varnishing Gods while you are enjoying this fantastic last spring early summer sailing weather in New England...
First of all, Forespar Marelon Seacocks... they suck.
I started this boat project as a wet behind the ears newbie-don't-know-nothing sort of person. At that time I was looking at the old corroded seacocks in the boat (though few and far between - straight tubes abounded) and saw the new, modern, can't corrode Forespar Marelon seacocks and thought that was my answer. As it was a safety issue, installing new seacocks in the under water holes in the hull was an early priority. I think I installed about $1,000 worth of Marelon seacocks in the boat. After the first season they started to feel stiff so I contacted Forespar technical support for recomendations for maintaining the seacocks. I was told, any lubricant other than aerosol (the propellent swells the material) and rinse them out every season. Fair enough. By the end of the second season I was getting worried. Towards the end of the third season my girlfriend shut off the head intake as we were going home and mentioned the seacock felt 'funny'. I checked it and found the handle had sheared off the ball. Luckily this was on an intake which was broken in the closed position so I was able to carry a bucket in the boat and draw from inside and continue with a semi-working toilet until haulout.
I am not interested in having more failures of seacocks so I have removed all my seacocks.
Luckily I chose not to install these with 5200 as others had suggested and the 4200, which was holding fine, gave up its hold without resorting to the nuclear option. I did have to hand chisel off the plastic mushroom heads which was a painful job but only took a few hours.
As you see, the balls were well lubricated at removal.
There were all rather stiff. Even though they were very greasy there was a lot of grit around the ball.
The balls were all heavily scored. If they were metal I could polish them. I am not sure what I am supposed to do with Marelon to make them smooth again.
In any case, when the ball gets stiff, the weak point in in the connection between the ball and handle. There is a square section that the handle is slotted on. The picture shows a 1.5" seacock. The 3/4" seacock is much smaller and that is what my girlfriend pealed off. I don't blame her, the plastic is rather soft and easy to distort. The handle itself is rather weak and I can severely distort the handle if I wanted to.
So in the end, a little grit gets into the ball cavity (dirty ocean?...) causing the ball to get stiff and then the connection snaps with hardly any effort. 3 years of summer use before failure. Bronze has been king for a few centuries and I should have stuck with the proven material. Next time I will let someone else try out the new fangled stuff. End of story, Marelon seacocks suck and I wasted a lot of time and money on them. Bronze is good.
So I have plans to replace the seacocks soon but I have a few other non boat expenses coming up and a full set of seacocks is going to set me back some so I have been procrastinating. Luckily it has been good varnishing weather, and that is cheap, so that is where I have been spending my time.
First of all, I upgraded my ladder to something more substantial. I was having fun going up and down on a ladder that was flush with the deck but I know that sooner or later I am going to dance my way off while having a toolbag in each hand so I purchased a 12 foot ladder.
Thank you Google for displaying this image sideways... 
Now I can climb up and down safely and I have a second ladder to use as a poor man's staging for work at deck level.
For the past month, every saturday and sunday morning I am varnishing. It is boring but with widespread failure starting it has to be done. If you want the varnish you need covered storage, preferably indoor and heated and really preferable would be to hire a varnishing crew every season to do it for you...
Not much to say there. Sand off, brush on... My winch blocks are near the end of their life. 50 years is about it I guess...
I managed to install the panels that go behind the galley which will allow some fun projects to move forward there.
Other minor projects included some electrical connectors which will allow me to remove the engine electrical box completely without having to disconnect every wire leading in to it. The box covers hardware that secures the starboard cockpit coaming so removal will always be something I need to do from time to time.
I am also ordering some deck navigation lights to be installed this summer and the propane tank and installation bits to finalize last year's stove project. There there is the big electrical project which is mostly just a project on paper at this point.
And that is where it stands.
Think of me slaving to the varnishing Gods while you are enjoying this fantastic last spring early summer sailing weather in New England...
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Spring Cleaning.
No. I am not dead and Jenny is not a rotting hulk in someone's backyard these days. It was a long winter.
There she is poking her bow out among a bunch of ugly ... things... I don't think Jenny is very happy with me at the moment.
Thankfully, the winter cover held up just fine and two weeks ago it looked just like I left it in October. I checked on it every week or two but with 3-4 foot snow drifts around the boat at all times I didn't get too close. The spring has been cold and wet and with Jenny not going in this year I have been spending time around the house. So far I have delivered five pickup loads to the dump. Most of that stuff is leftovers from boat projects and previous year's winter covers so I guess in a way I have been busy working on the boat...
Jenny is in the middle of a mash of boats and with the mud finally drying out and boat owners behind me anxious to launch I figured last week it was time to take down the winter cover. If you remember, I mentioned that the winter cover went up during a rainy weekend and the boat was absolutely filthy when the cover was complete. Well, the dirt was still there so last weekend was take down the cover and clean, clean, clean...
While washing the hull I could see many more indications that other boats have been rubbing up alongside Jenny. They left their wax and gelcoat smeared across the topsides. Some cleaning and rubbing took care of most of it. The rest will be fixed when I re-paint...
Because I was in such a rush to get the boat covered up last fall,the interior was never cleaned up and it was quite messy inside as well. This weekend I have been cleaning again trying to make amends for my lack of attention. Last fall on the trip home I became aware of a mold problem. Over the winter the problem didn't resolve itself so today I was crawling around inside all the storage areas spraying a bleach mix and hosing everything possible out. I took a big bite out of the mold but I have a feeling I will be fighting it for a while. There are a lot of nooks and crannies inside and I have jammed a lot into those nooks. When I built the interior bits I always had in mind that water will get in and it needs to flow out somehow. This was helpful when I decided to bring my hose inside and just open up inside some of the storage lockers. After that it was back to hands and knees and a squirt bottle with paper towels. Owning boats is SO much fun sometimes.
One of the first projects this year will be replacing all the seacocks with new bronze fittings. The new Marelon seacocks I put in a few seasons ago are failing already,(the head inlet broke and I could only flush my toilet by disconnecting the toilet supply hose and putting it into a bucket of water - not exactly convenient). I will have a blog post just for that but be assured I am not amused with Marelon right now. At last count I need 9 seacocks. Where so many holes in my boat came from I don't know but I don't want to wait for the next failure so out they come.
I have also been doodling plans for an electrical system. Hopefully, that will be the fun upgrade this year. Not sure if I will complete it but make good headway I hope at least. I have been daydreaming about all the things I want and at least allow for them at some point in the future. I might go with something simple to start but easily expandable over the next few years. I have been debating but I am going to put in a simple AC system. I have no intention of sitting at the dock with shore power (watch me eat my words...) but I want to wire in some outlets for working on the boat in the off season and it doesn't make sense to wire up the outlets and not put a simple panel and external connections. I definitely don't need AC power in the boat but it is one of those, might-be-nice-someday things and I want to be able to power up tools and heaters and such over the winter without dragging a cord through the boat. It is a luxury but then again, this whole project is a luxury so why stop now?
The basic plan is a housebank that will be charged through a battery combiner when the engine is running with the option of solar and possibly wind charging sometime in the future. The two electric bilge pumps on a hot battery bus and a switch panel with ... at the moment... about 12 circuit breakers. (That number keeps going up...) Things to wire up early would be some navigation lights both on the deck (for motoring) and a masthead (for sailing). I have diagram of a Triton and I keep scribbling all over it and looking at the best way of running the wires. It keeps me entertained at night.
Perhaps more important that an electrical system (but definitely not as much fun) will be apply lots more varnish. The exterior has always been a game of catch up and I never get enough down. Getting more varnish down on the inside will allow work to proceed in there as well. The stove is one of those things just waiting for varnish before mounting the stove cabinet. Finding a way to secure propane tanks on the aft deck and plumbing the gas to the stove is another 'must do' project this year.
Rigging stuff includes lazy jacks. I can't go another season without them. Then there is the windvane lines that would have been done last year if I hadn't been stupid and decided to work on the tiller head on the mooring.
Over all, I think the plan is finish a bunch of half done projects and then start the electrical system.
Hopefully, I will find something to entertain you with this summer.
Oh, and buy some land so I can stop paying ridiculous boat storage fees and I can build indoor heated storage for Jenny and varnish to my hearts content in February.
Spring is here and boatwork has begun. More interesting stuff ( and less 'hopeful dreaming') coming soon!
Take care and keep the dirty side down ;)
There she is poking her bow out among a bunch of ugly ... things... I don't think Jenny is very happy with me at the moment.
Thankfully, the winter cover held up just fine and two weeks ago it looked just like I left it in October. I checked on it every week or two but with 3-4 foot snow drifts around the boat at all times I didn't get too close. The spring has been cold and wet and with Jenny not going in this year I have been spending time around the house. So far I have delivered five pickup loads to the dump. Most of that stuff is leftovers from boat projects and previous year's winter covers so I guess in a way I have been busy working on the boat...
Jenny is in the middle of a mash of boats and with the mud finally drying out and boat owners behind me anxious to launch I figured last week it was time to take down the winter cover. If you remember, I mentioned that the winter cover went up during a rainy weekend and the boat was absolutely filthy when the cover was complete. Well, the dirt was still there so last weekend was take down the cover and clean, clean, clean...
While washing the hull I could see many more indications that other boats have been rubbing up alongside Jenny. They left their wax and gelcoat smeared across the topsides. Some cleaning and rubbing took care of most of it. The rest will be fixed when I re-paint...
Because I was in such a rush to get the boat covered up last fall,the interior was never cleaned up and it was quite messy inside as well. This weekend I have been cleaning again trying to make amends for my lack of attention. Last fall on the trip home I became aware of a mold problem. Over the winter the problem didn't resolve itself so today I was crawling around inside all the storage areas spraying a bleach mix and hosing everything possible out. I took a big bite out of the mold but I have a feeling I will be fighting it for a while. There are a lot of nooks and crannies inside and I have jammed a lot into those nooks. When I built the interior bits I always had in mind that water will get in and it needs to flow out somehow. This was helpful when I decided to bring my hose inside and just open up inside some of the storage lockers. After that it was back to hands and knees and a squirt bottle with paper towels. Owning boats is SO much fun sometimes.
One of the first projects this year will be replacing all the seacocks with new bronze fittings. The new Marelon seacocks I put in a few seasons ago are failing already,(the head inlet broke and I could only flush my toilet by disconnecting the toilet supply hose and putting it into a bucket of water - not exactly convenient). I will have a blog post just for that but be assured I am not amused with Marelon right now. At last count I need 9 seacocks. Where so many holes in my boat came from I don't know but I don't want to wait for the next failure so out they come.
I have also been doodling plans for an electrical system. Hopefully, that will be the fun upgrade this year. Not sure if I will complete it but make good headway I hope at least. I have been daydreaming about all the things I want and at least allow for them at some point in the future. I might go with something simple to start but easily expandable over the next few years. I have been debating but I am going to put in a simple AC system. I have no intention of sitting at the dock with shore power (watch me eat my words...) but I want to wire in some outlets for working on the boat in the off season and it doesn't make sense to wire up the outlets and not put a simple panel and external connections. I definitely don't need AC power in the boat but it is one of those, might-be-nice-someday things and I want to be able to power up tools and heaters and such over the winter without dragging a cord through the boat. It is a luxury but then again, this whole project is a luxury so why stop now?
The basic plan is a housebank that will be charged through a battery combiner when the engine is running with the option of solar and possibly wind charging sometime in the future. The two electric bilge pumps on a hot battery bus and a switch panel with ... at the moment... about 12 circuit breakers. (That number keeps going up...) Things to wire up early would be some navigation lights both on the deck (for motoring) and a masthead (for sailing). I have diagram of a Triton and I keep scribbling all over it and looking at the best way of running the wires. It keeps me entertained at night.
Perhaps more important that an electrical system (but definitely not as much fun) will be apply lots more varnish. The exterior has always been a game of catch up and I never get enough down. Getting more varnish down on the inside will allow work to proceed in there as well. The stove is one of those things just waiting for varnish before mounting the stove cabinet. Finding a way to secure propane tanks on the aft deck and plumbing the gas to the stove is another 'must do' project this year.
Rigging stuff includes lazy jacks. I can't go another season without them. Then there is the windvane lines that would have been done last year if I hadn't been stupid and decided to work on the tiller head on the mooring.
Over all, I think the plan is finish a bunch of half done projects and then start the electrical system.
Hopefully, I will find something to entertain you with this summer.
Oh, and buy some land so I can stop paying ridiculous boat storage fees and I can build indoor heated storage for Jenny and varnish to my hearts content in February.
Spring is here and boatwork has begun. More interesting stuff ( and less 'hopeful dreaming') coming soon!
Take care and keep the dirty side down ;)
Saturday, December 14, 2013
First Snow 2013
Well, the first real snow of 2013 is falling and Jenny is safely under her winter cover.
Bringing her home so late caused some problems though as all my plans got backed up against the impending winter weather. While I enjoyed my September/October sailing I think next time I will haul out earlier and have more time and better weather for putting Jenny to bed.
Speaking of end of season sailing. I have some video clips from the trip home.
Attempting to get much done on Jenny over the winter in the new boatyard is not really an option so rather than fight it I am just going to have to accept that nothing will be happening until spring.
The plan at this point is to NOT launch Jenny next year and instead finish the projects that didn't get finished this year and get an electrical system started.
I realize that life is short and I should sail as much as possible but for the second season in a row I am finding that leaving Jenny on the mooring all summer is not all that satisfying. I thought this past season that I would have time for a little cruising but my real job didn't allow it so once again I was restricted to weekend sailing.
Day sailing on the weekends is okay but not really what I had in mind for the boat and I am finding the effort has not been worth the reward. Jenny, to me, is a vehicle to go places, not go around in a circle and having to make time every weekend to check on her even if the weather was not good for sailing became a chore by the end of the season. Plus, as I mentioned in the last post, Jenny seems to be absorbing a lot of damage simply resting on her mooring all summer. I think she chafes at the lack of cruising too.
So rather than experience another unsatisfying summer on the mooring I think I will keep Jenny in the boatyard where I can be so much more productive. And if I want to go away for a weekend to see friends I won't have to feel so guilty about it and worry about Jenny while I am away.
That is the plan for now at least. That could change by next spring.
I didn't get pictures of the winter cover this year for a few reasons. One reason is that it looks the same as the past few seasons. Another is that the weather was awful; cold and wet and hanging around taking pictures wasn't very fun. A third reason is that this year Jenny is sitting in a very muddy spot and the frequent ups and downs on the ladder in the wet cold weather left the decks absolutely filthy and I am embarrassed to show the condition of the boat. After the snow storm passes this weekend maybe I will get out to the boatyard for a check and take some pictures.
That's it. This blog has gone rather quiet for a few reasons. I can't say what the near future will bring. More updates come spring for sure but between now and then I am not so sure. I will be moving towards a real electrical system so I might put my ideas up here. Then again, I often promise more than I deliver so maybe I should just keep my mouth shut for now and hope.
Happy Holidays everyone :)
-Britton
Bringing her home so late caused some problems though as all my plans got backed up against the impending winter weather. While I enjoyed my September/October sailing I think next time I will haul out earlier and have more time and better weather for putting Jenny to bed.
Speaking of end of season sailing. I have some video clips from the trip home.
Attempting to get much done on Jenny over the winter in the new boatyard is not really an option so rather than fight it I am just going to have to accept that nothing will be happening until spring.
The plan at this point is to NOT launch Jenny next year and instead finish the projects that didn't get finished this year and get an electrical system started.
I realize that life is short and I should sail as much as possible but for the second season in a row I am finding that leaving Jenny on the mooring all summer is not all that satisfying. I thought this past season that I would have time for a little cruising but my real job didn't allow it so once again I was restricted to weekend sailing.
Day sailing on the weekends is okay but not really what I had in mind for the boat and I am finding the effort has not been worth the reward. Jenny, to me, is a vehicle to go places, not go around in a circle and having to make time every weekend to check on her even if the weather was not good for sailing became a chore by the end of the season. Plus, as I mentioned in the last post, Jenny seems to be absorbing a lot of damage simply resting on her mooring all summer. I think she chafes at the lack of cruising too.
So rather than experience another unsatisfying summer on the mooring I think I will keep Jenny in the boatyard where I can be so much more productive. And if I want to go away for a weekend to see friends I won't have to feel so guilty about it and worry about Jenny while I am away.
That is the plan for now at least. That could change by next spring.
I didn't get pictures of the winter cover this year for a few reasons. One reason is that it looks the same as the past few seasons. Another is that the weather was awful; cold and wet and hanging around taking pictures wasn't very fun. A third reason is that this year Jenny is sitting in a very muddy spot and the frequent ups and downs on the ladder in the wet cold weather left the decks absolutely filthy and I am embarrassed to show the condition of the boat. After the snow storm passes this weekend maybe I will get out to the boatyard for a check and take some pictures.
That's it. This blog has gone rather quiet for a few reasons. I can't say what the near future will bring. More updates come spring for sure but between now and then I am not so sure. I will be moving towards a real electrical system so I might put my ideas up here. Then again, I often promise more than I deliver so maybe I should just keep my mouth shut for now and hope.
Happy Holidays everyone :)
-Britton
Sunday, November 10, 2013
End of season 2013
Jenny, is home.She arrived at the boatyard dock three weeks ago with the last nice sailing weekend fading fast. It was a three day trip bringing her home this time and there was some fabulous sailing which made up for a rather depressing second half to the sailing season.
It wasn't all bad. There was a sail party with three of my friends (who all have intimate knowledge of classic plastic rebuild projects) and the sail home was the best sail since my three month cruise.
It was that broken tiller head that did me in though. In hindsight, I have no idea why I chose to start fixing a highly critical part that was still working while the boat was on the mooring instead of waiting for the end of the season when I could have worked on it at my leisure.
The solution to the worn tiller head that I killed was a new tiller head. I will say it looks beautiful and works well.
The only issue I had was that the slot for the key was on the opposite side from the original. That mean I had to cut a new slot, on the mooring, by hand, flat on my belly, with the boat wakes making my boat and tiller shaft go back and forth, back and forth... Of course there was the fear of making the slot too big, or crooked, or lopsided, or... any one of a hundred ways I could really mess up and cause a lot of trouble (like having to tow my boat to a haulout facility and drop the rudder to replace the shaft...) so I had to go very slow and check often.
There was really no need for that nonsense and I should have left it alone until the end of the season. Lesson learned. For those of you that have to know, I put a rotary file on a drill motor and cut narrow slots smaller than the width of the keyway. I then used a handfile to slowing deepen and open the keyway up to the required dimensions. Thankfully the shaft is bronze and not stainless. It still took several hours of work over two weekends.
The month of September would normally be my haulout period but moving a family member, bad weather and 'other social obligations' meant I didn't bring Jenny home until the third weekend of October. Day one of the trip was beautiful with perfect sailing weather. Day two the winds were not as forecasted, quite strong,with a few hundred miles of fetch instead of the land breaze expected. The conditions just too rough and I had to wait out the day in Rockport harbor. Day three was a light wind day with the winds coming just as they were supposed to on day two. An easy sail to the mouth of the Merrimac river and motor at high tide up to the boatyard dock. That is where I left Jenny as the boatyard staff wasn't sure where they were going to put her for a few days.
Because I was out so late most of the boatyard was filled up by the time I got there and my location is less than ideal this year.
Jenny is buried in the midst of boats with no water or electricity close by. I am not terribly happy about the location but there isn't much I can do about it either.
One thing I noted in my first walkaround was how many dings and scratches Jenny picked up this year. The mooring ball did a lot of damage to the bow section as in the previous year in Salem but in addition, there are several scrapes from what looks like other boats getting too close and perhaps oarlocks from curious people in dinghies. Judging from what I saw when I spent some nights aboard I am not too surprised but that is even more to be unhappy about.
The weather is fast going bad and I am racing to get Jenny ready for the winter. Four pickup truck loads of stuff have come out of her so far and the systems are all winterized. At this point I just need to get a cover on and I can't do it soon enough. The weather in October was pretty nice for sailing over all but being this close to the winter and not having Jenny put away is worrying. Next time I will try harder to get her out earlier. The nice weather back then just isn't worth the worry now.
And that is where it is at. There are more details to talk about but the push is on and there is not enough time to make long blog posts. When the snow flies I will try to come back and cover some of the stories.
More blog posts coming soon.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Interesting video
I will admit that I have a secret lusting for a Bristol Channel Cutter. If my sole aim was to cruise I would have to take a closer look at one. In fact, after considering the costs of Jenny to date, buying a used one doesn't seem so extravagant any more. Of course it wouldn't be customized to my liking and I would still wind up tossing all my money and more at it. All that space and still beautiful to look at... Be still my beating heart.
This video is a little dated and goes on far too long but there are some interesting contruction details in it that I thought made it worth re-posting.
Anyway, here it is.
This video is a little dated and goes on far too long but there are some interesting contruction details in it that I thought made it worth re-posting.
Anyway, here it is.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
June 2013 update
So far so good. To date, I have not missed a weekend overnight stay on Jenny this season.
Fine drinks in the harbor every evening...
And scrumptious breakfasts every morning...
Not a bad life.
I have even managed to continue with some small projects. I have bits and pieces under the varnish brush at home when the weather permits and I got tired of prying open the access doors-that-don't-have-hinges-yet so I just drilled some finger holes. Crude but very effective. The latches are installed but I have held off on the hinges until I can get the final coats of satin varnish on the panels.
I have even managed to do some sailing...
Yes, that is in fact my assymetrical spinnaker finally in action. It took a bit of time to work out and I definitely need to ask some friends how to get it under control but when I do finally manage to get the sail up it is beautiful. Sailing under the assymetrical spinnaker has been a lot of fun.
Because I have been a little video crazy this year, I even have some video.
I love my awning that I had made for me by Withum Sailmakers two years ago.
The only issue I have with it is that the stiffening poles are over six feet long which made stowing the awning on the boat rather challenging. This year I bought some stainless steel tubing, cut them into 4 inch lengths and put a little dent in the middle. Then I cut the stiffening poles into managable lengths and used the short sections of tubing to assemble them back to full length. Now the awning stows into a two foot length. Much more manageable I believe.
And then, in preparation for final rigging of the wind vane, I took a good close look at my tiller head.
I think I found where the slop was coming from...
A friend offered to sell me a very nice Triton bronze tiller head fitting but I thought I could save some money by simply drilling out and installing some lubricated bushings instead. The bushings only cost be $3. The drills and reams to make the holes cost me... about $120.
And then I found out the drill press I planned on using (owned by a kindly friend) had a bent shaft which sort of negated the idea of using those nice reams (the larger one cost about $55). A second drill press offer also fell through so in the end I decided to drill by hand.
That sort of worked, mostly, but not very well. It turns out the larger ream needed a 5/8 inch chuck which was bigger than the hand drill I had. I felt very manly gripping the ream with my bare hands and turning by hand - two hours and a bit of sweat later I had reamed out the holes - the fitting was aluminum after all, not something hard like steel.
I was felling very tough and masculine as I drilled out my final hole and then... the drill bit caught, twisted, and broke the tiller head fitting.
So I have a desperate plea in to my friend for that nice bronze fitting. If that doesn't work out I know of a Triton I can raid for parts but I will have to admit, a bronze tiller head fitting would look mightly sharp.
So no sailng for the rest of this weekend.
Other than the little issue with the tiller head, the windvane is close to being operational and getting that going should be exciting. I have the blocks I need to route the tiller lines. Two of the blocks need to be mounted on the aft deck so I won't install them until the fall when I can drill and fill the mounting holes properly. The two forward blocks will mount low below the cockpit coamings. That should happen "soon-ish". For this summer using just the two blocks will cause the tiller lines to occupy a good amount of the cockpit but I think I can live with that for the rest of this season.
And that is that. Jenny is being used every weekend, as much as a place to have a picnic and hang out as opposed to regular sailing. She seems happy. I know I am happy. Life is good. Hopefully, I will have a working steering system soon and I can put down my drinks and hearty breakfasts and break in that spinnaker a bit more.
Look for another update around the end of July.
Keep the wet side down :)
Fine drinks in the harbor every evening...
And scrumptious breakfasts every morning...
Not a bad life.
I have even managed to continue with some small projects. I have bits and pieces under the varnish brush at home when the weather permits and I got tired of prying open the access doors-that-don't-have-hinges-yet so I just drilled some finger holes. Crude but very effective. The latches are installed but I have held off on the hinges until I can get the final coats of satin varnish on the panels.
I have even managed to do some sailing...
Yes, that is in fact my assymetrical spinnaker finally in action. It took a bit of time to work out and I definitely need to ask some friends how to get it under control but when I do finally manage to get the sail up it is beautiful. Sailing under the assymetrical spinnaker has been a lot of fun.
Because I have been a little video crazy this year, I even have some video.
I love my awning that I had made for me by Withum Sailmakers two years ago.
The only issue I have with it is that the stiffening poles are over six feet long which made stowing the awning on the boat rather challenging. This year I bought some stainless steel tubing, cut them into 4 inch lengths and put a little dent in the middle. Then I cut the stiffening poles into managable lengths and used the short sections of tubing to assemble them back to full length. Now the awning stows into a two foot length. Much more manageable I believe.
And then, in preparation for final rigging of the wind vane, I took a good close look at my tiller head.
I think I found where the slop was coming from...
A friend offered to sell me a very nice Triton bronze tiller head fitting but I thought I could save some money by simply drilling out and installing some lubricated bushings instead. The bushings only cost be $3. The drills and reams to make the holes cost me... about $120.
And then I found out the drill press I planned on using (owned by a kindly friend) had a bent shaft which sort of negated the idea of using those nice reams (the larger one cost about $55). A second drill press offer also fell through so in the end I decided to drill by hand.
That sort of worked, mostly, but not very well. It turns out the larger ream needed a 5/8 inch chuck which was bigger than the hand drill I had. I felt very manly gripping the ream with my bare hands and turning by hand - two hours and a bit of sweat later I had reamed out the holes - the fitting was aluminum after all, not something hard like steel.
I was felling very tough and masculine as I drilled out my final hole and then... the drill bit caught, twisted, and broke the tiller head fitting.
So I have a desperate plea in to my friend for that nice bronze fitting. If that doesn't work out I know of a Triton I can raid for parts but I will have to admit, a bronze tiller head fitting would look mightly sharp.
So no sailng for the rest of this weekend.
Other than the little issue with the tiller head, the windvane is close to being operational and getting that going should be exciting. I have the blocks I need to route the tiller lines. Two of the blocks need to be mounted on the aft deck so I won't install them until the fall when I can drill and fill the mounting holes properly. The two forward blocks will mount low below the cockpit coamings. That should happen "soon-ish". For this summer using just the two blocks will cause the tiller lines to occupy a good amount of the cockpit but I think I can live with that for the rest of this season.
And that is that. Jenny is being used every weekend, as much as a place to have a picnic and hang out as opposed to regular sailing. She seems happy. I know I am happy. Life is good. Hopefully, I will have a working steering system soon and I can put down my drinks and hearty breakfasts and break in that spinnaker a bit more.
Look for another update around the end of July.
Keep the wet side down :)
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Post Launch 2013
Jenny, is comfortably resting at her summer mooring in Salem MA. The launch went very smoothly and the delivery was... well, a bit wet and sloppy but whatever.
I went to the boatyard Monday night to get my mast set up only to find it buried behind some new arrivals which made working on it impossible. A phone call tuesday and the boatyard crew had the mast out in front the very next day. Of course I didn't get to it until Wednesday morning.
I was more than a little concerned when going over it to find the top of the forestay has been damaged by some rough handling.
Naturally I was not happy about that. I don't remember the damage being there last fall but I really can't remember and the damage might have occured during the move from the last boatyard. I took a good long look at it and decided to use it but I think I will have it replaced in the Fall. There are no broken strands but it is kinked a bit and slightly unwound. This is only the second season the stay will have been used and I am not happy to have to replace it so soon.
On a more positive note, the two new foresail halyard blocks look very nice.
I am very happy to have two workilng halyards to use this year. Now I can play with my assymetrical this summer which should be fun. The old block was really decrepid too and if the genoa was not on a roller furler and only raised once a season I would really worry about it. Now I will feel much free-er about switching out to my other 100% jib should the conditions arise.
Despite the damage to the forestay I am starting to like the crew at the new boatyard more. Knowing that I wanted to get out quickly and catch the outgoing tide (the Merrimac is notoriously rough under certain conditions and has been known to flip 30 foot boats) the yard set up my mast the day before. I forgot to install the windex and the yard crew insisted on sending a guy up on a very long forklift to install it later that evening. Wednesday was a long day of fussing and loading I was able to set up the rig and bend on the sails for an immediate departure after launch.
The morning of launch day I was up early for more packing and food shopping anxious to get to the boat and see her safely in the water on time. I am always a nervous hen during launch imagining all sorts of catatrophes. The worst catastrophe of all occured when I arrived and found Jenny missing completely.
Apparently, the boatyard anticipated a busy morning and decided to launch Jenny early and had her resting quietly at the end of the dock when I arrived.
It was a very odd feeling to suddenly have all the stress depart and see my girl resting comfortably where she belongs. Being at the end of the dock made for many long trips to load her up with groceries and last minute stuff but in the end it all got done and we were ready to go ahead of schedule.
On this trip I was playing around with video cameras and didn't use the still camera much. I have uploaded some clips of the trip on youtube. Unfortunately, I had an issue with some of the audio and rather than put in some pop music background I left most of the video without any sound at all. Anyway, here it is:
The trip out the Merrimac was a quiet stroll. The winter storms this past winter have changed the channel quite a bit but at the top of the tide it was a pretty easy motor out. Once outside of the entrance buoy we had enough wind for some light sailing across Ipswich Bay towards Cape Ann. Later in the afternoon the wind picked up and we were close hauled with some decent wind that put the rail down. Good sailing if a bit rough pounding into the 2 foot chop.
I am happy to report that the genoa is working much better this year now that it is rigged properly. It furls effortlessly and goes up and down at will. Much better than last time. A real joy to use.
We came around the northern tip of Cape Ann and anchored in front of the beach in Rockport that night.
Originally we were expecting some rainy weather and figured we might have to sit tight for a few days somewhere. The weather forecast however changed a bit and was predicting strong winds out of the east which is exactly where the Rockport harbor is open to the ocean. Early the next morning we were up and out looking for Salem or at least a better anchorage a few miles away. As it turned out, the seas were sloppy but the winds were light so after motoring out of Rockport harbor and around Thatcher's Island we found ourselves motoring with the wind in sloppy following seas for the next few hours into Salem harbor. We didn't escape the rains however and it was a rather messy trip.
For the second time in a row, when I arrived in Salem harbor, no one knew we were coming or which seasonal rental morring we were scheduled for. Two years ago I called ahead several times and let them know were were coming but when I arrived they were still unprepared and had no mooring pendant on our mooring. This time I called and emailed ahead of time letting them know when we were coming and again, no one knew what to do with us when we arrived. After circling for half an hour they sent someone out to find our mooring. It took another half an hour for them to actually find the mooring. It took another half an hour for them to find someone who could put a mooring pendant on our mooring. Clearly I am going to have to call them again and find out how I can make their lives easier and have the mooring ready when we arrive next year. Other than being totally unprepared every season Salem Water Taxi has been good to work with. Motoring around the mooring fields in the rain was not the most fun I could have been having.
With that little detail resolved, we spent a few hours, eating, cleaning up, watching the rain fall and generally relaxing and enjoying the fact that we had a arrived and all the prep work was done and now it would be fun all summer.
Oh, and I have to say, doing the dishes in the new working sink is an actual joy after having to wash them over the side for so many years. I could do dishes all day long now and never get tires. It really is that exciting.
And that is that. Jenny is home on the mooring and ready for the 2013 sailing season. I won't post blogs of every sail because I find that kind of reading to be rather dull. I have a few projects in mind that I will post - like taking care of a few new found leaks - but otherwise I expect I will only post once a month or so as some small projects get done.
Happy sailing season everyone :-)
I went to the boatyard Monday night to get my mast set up only to find it buried behind some new arrivals which made working on it impossible. A phone call tuesday and the boatyard crew had the mast out in front the very next day. Of course I didn't get to it until Wednesday morning.
I was more than a little concerned when going over it to find the top of the forestay has been damaged by some rough handling.
Naturally I was not happy about that. I don't remember the damage being there last fall but I really can't remember and the damage might have occured during the move from the last boatyard. I took a good long look at it and decided to use it but I think I will have it replaced in the Fall. There are no broken strands but it is kinked a bit and slightly unwound. This is only the second season the stay will have been used and I am not happy to have to replace it so soon.
On a more positive note, the two new foresail halyard blocks look very nice.
I am very happy to have two workilng halyards to use this year. Now I can play with my assymetrical this summer which should be fun. The old block was really decrepid too and if the genoa was not on a roller furler and only raised once a season I would really worry about it. Now I will feel much free-er about switching out to my other 100% jib should the conditions arise.
Despite the damage to the forestay I am starting to like the crew at the new boatyard more. Knowing that I wanted to get out quickly and catch the outgoing tide (the Merrimac is notoriously rough under certain conditions and has been known to flip 30 foot boats) the yard set up my mast the day before. I forgot to install the windex and the yard crew insisted on sending a guy up on a very long forklift to install it later that evening. Wednesday was a long day of fussing and loading I was able to set up the rig and bend on the sails for an immediate departure after launch.
The morning of launch day I was up early for more packing and food shopping anxious to get to the boat and see her safely in the water on time. I am always a nervous hen during launch imagining all sorts of catatrophes. The worst catastrophe of all occured when I arrived and found Jenny missing completely.
Apparently, the boatyard anticipated a busy morning and decided to launch Jenny early and had her resting quietly at the end of the dock when I arrived.
It was a very odd feeling to suddenly have all the stress depart and see my girl resting comfortably where she belongs. Being at the end of the dock made for many long trips to load her up with groceries and last minute stuff but in the end it all got done and we were ready to go ahead of schedule.
On this trip I was playing around with video cameras and didn't use the still camera much. I have uploaded some clips of the trip on youtube. Unfortunately, I had an issue with some of the audio and rather than put in some pop music background I left most of the video without any sound at all. Anyway, here it is:
The trip out the Merrimac was a quiet stroll. The winter storms this past winter have changed the channel quite a bit but at the top of the tide it was a pretty easy motor out. Once outside of the entrance buoy we had enough wind for some light sailing across Ipswich Bay towards Cape Ann. Later in the afternoon the wind picked up and we were close hauled with some decent wind that put the rail down. Good sailing if a bit rough pounding into the 2 foot chop.
I am happy to report that the genoa is working much better this year now that it is rigged properly. It furls effortlessly and goes up and down at will. Much better than last time. A real joy to use.
We came around the northern tip of Cape Ann and anchored in front of the beach in Rockport that night.
Originally we were expecting some rainy weather and figured we might have to sit tight for a few days somewhere. The weather forecast however changed a bit and was predicting strong winds out of the east which is exactly where the Rockport harbor is open to the ocean. Early the next morning we were up and out looking for Salem or at least a better anchorage a few miles away. As it turned out, the seas were sloppy but the winds were light so after motoring out of Rockport harbor and around Thatcher's Island we found ourselves motoring with the wind in sloppy following seas for the next few hours into Salem harbor. We didn't escape the rains however and it was a rather messy trip.
For the second time in a row, when I arrived in Salem harbor, no one knew we were coming or which seasonal rental morring we were scheduled for. Two years ago I called ahead several times and let them know were were coming but when I arrived they were still unprepared and had no mooring pendant on our mooring. This time I called and emailed ahead of time letting them know when we were coming and again, no one knew what to do with us when we arrived. After circling for half an hour they sent someone out to find our mooring. It took another half an hour for them to actually find the mooring. It took another half an hour for them to find someone who could put a mooring pendant on our mooring. Clearly I am going to have to call them again and find out how I can make their lives easier and have the mooring ready when we arrive next year. Other than being totally unprepared every season Salem Water Taxi has been good to work with. Motoring around the mooring fields in the rain was not the most fun I could have been having.
With that little detail resolved, we spent a few hours, eating, cleaning up, watching the rain fall and generally relaxing and enjoying the fact that we had a arrived and all the prep work was done and now it would be fun all summer.
Oh, and I have to say, doing the dishes in the new working sink is an actual joy after having to wash them over the side for so many years. I could do dishes all day long now and never get tires. It really is that exciting.
And that is that. Jenny is home on the mooring and ready for the 2013 sailing season. I won't post blogs of every sail because I find that kind of reading to be rather dull. I have a few projects in mind that I will post - like taking care of a few new found leaks - but otherwise I expect I will only post once a month or so as some small projects get done.
Happy sailing season everyone :-)
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Buckets of sweat
Mother Nature has not been kind. I was really looking forward to the three day weekend over Memorial Day to get the boat up to snuff and ready for the upcoming launch. Instead I watched buckets of rain for two of those three days. Not exactlly the plan I had in mind.
Actually, to be fair, the heavy rain turned into a light rain on day two so I was able to install the exhaust line that I had recently built. The one nice day was spent on the engine, replacing the impellors, changing the oil, replacing the fuel filter, yada yada boring stuff. The good news is that at the end of all this the engine started.
Unfortunately I wasn't terribly impressed with my new exhaust. I am not really sure what the issue is but after wrenching hard on the tapered thread fittings to get everything lined up I was disturbed to find that after getting the wet exhaust hose installed one of the joints went all loose and floppy. I ran the engine anyway and the exhaust seemed to work okay but I wasn't sure if I had a little leakage or not. It was hard to tell under the wrapping. Not the most promising end to my much anticipated three day weekend.
The good news is that that the weather wasn't cold or wet this past weekend. The bad news is that the weather was brutally hot. Heat exhaustion was a real possibility in the direct sun with temperatures above the mid 90's according to the area reports and I strongly suspect much hotter on deck in the middle of the boat yard. I could not let my bare skin touch the deck without risking burns and touching metal bits sent me flying in the air several times. It was hot hot Africa hot this weekend and it was brutal. It is also four days before launch so waiting for better weather was not an option.
After mulling my exhaust over I decided to remove the exhaust and dope up the threads with an "exhaust paste" that is supposed to harden and seal after 24 hours. I wish I could say that made a big improvement. Unfortunately, I did notice some looseness in the piping this morning as I was finishing up the connections. A second run of the engine showed no issues or signs of leakage so I think I am good but I am not crazy about my black iron pipe exhaust. Black iron has never been known for great quality but I think it is probably getting worse and I suspect that the threads just deform too easily and don't stay tight very well. I am sure after a few hours corrosion will set in which will help with the sealing but I will say now that I am not terribly thrilled so far. It works. I just don't have that warm and fuzzy feeling about it.
The last weekend before launch also meant it was time to uncover the boat. I am glad I left the cover up late as we have been getting a ton of rain and the boatyard seems to attract lots of leaves and dirt. This weekend however it was time to open her up.
The decks were filthy and some scrubbing had to be done which was actually quite productive as it made being on deck tolerable for a little while.
Otherwise lots of small projects are being wrapped up. I had taken the coamings off expecting to do some major varnish rework on them this spring. Instead I stuck them back on in the same condition they came off a year and a half ago. I have no doubt I will be fighting a losing battle all summer trying to keep some varnish down. I fully expect the varnish work to look pretty hideous by haulout. I am not happy about this but there just hasn't been the weather to varnish the exterior yet. At all. All the more reason to find indoor heated storage next winter.
Jenny is ready for the move to the other side of the highway where the actual launch site is. That will happen in the next day or two. I am trying to get the mast raised ahead of the launch so I will have a chance to bend on the sails and get the rigging tighted down before splashing. I never liked being tossed out into the river, drop anchor, set the rig and get out with the tide race that was the norm from my last location.
At this point, I have to review my rigging and make sure it is ready. I need to install the running rigging. I need to load the boat with all the 'stuf' that needs to be onboard like anchors, lines, cushions, supplies, and all that ton of stuff that a boat seems to need. That will probably happen after work over the next two nights or on Wednesday which I took off from work just for the last minute stuff. Originally, I was planning on Wednesday being a relaxing easy day mopping up some details. Now I expect it to be a very long rush to the finish line. Oh well, you would think by now I would have learned that this is never the case. Maybe next year I should just take the whole launch week off from the day job. Or maybe a month...
That is it. My next blog post should be after my launch with Jenny comfortably on her mooring in Salem harbor. The schedule is tight but I am on schedule with less done that I had hoped for. On a positive note I will be sailing in a better boat than I hauled out a year a half ago. I guess that is something to be happy about.
A happy blog post coming soon :-)
Actually, to be fair, the heavy rain turned into a light rain on day two so I was able to install the exhaust line that I had recently built. The one nice day was spent on the engine, replacing the impellors, changing the oil, replacing the fuel filter, yada yada boring stuff. The good news is that at the end of all this the engine started.
Unfortunately I wasn't terribly impressed with my new exhaust. I am not really sure what the issue is but after wrenching hard on the tapered thread fittings to get everything lined up I was disturbed to find that after getting the wet exhaust hose installed one of the joints went all loose and floppy. I ran the engine anyway and the exhaust seemed to work okay but I wasn't sure if I had a little leakage or not. It was hard to tell under the wrapping. Not the most promising end to my much anticipated three day weekend.
The good news is that that the weather wasn't cold or wet this past weekend. The bad news is that the weather was brutally hot. Heat exhaustion was a real possibility in the direct sun with temperatures above the mid 90's according to the area reports and I strongly suspect much hotter on deck in the middle of the boat yard. I could not let my bare skin touch the deck without risking burns and touching metal bits sent me flying in the air several times. It was hot hot Africa hot this weekend and it was brutal. It is also four days before launch so waiting for better weather was not an option.
After mulling my exhaust over I decided to remove the exhaust and dope up the threads with an "exhaust paste" that is supposed to harden and seal after 24 hours. I wish I could say that made a big improvement. Unfortunately, I did notice some looseness in the piping this morning as I was finishing up the connections. A second run of the engine showed no issues or signs of leakage so I think I am good but I am not crazy about my black iron pipe exhaust. Black iron has never been known for great quality but I think it is probably getting worse and I suspect that the threads just deform too easily and don't stay tight very well. I am sure after a few hours corrosion will set in which will help with the sealing but I will say now that I am not terribly thrilled so far. It works. I just don't have that warm and fuzzy feeling about it.
The last weekend before launch also meant it was time to uncover the boat. I am glad I left the cover up late as we have been getting a ton of rain and the boatyard seems to attract lots of leaves and dirt. This weekend however it was time to open her up.
The decks were filthy and some scrubbing had to be done which was actually quite productive as it made being on deck tolerable for a little while.
Otherwise lots of small projects are being wrapped up. I had taken the coamings off expecting to do some major varnish rework on them this spring. Instead I stuck them back on in the same condition they came off a year and a half ago. I have no doubt I will be fighting a losing battle all summer trying to keep some varnish down. I fully expect the varnish work to look pretty hideous by haulout. I am not happy about this but there just hasn't been the weather to varnish the exterior yet. At all. All the more reason to find indoor heated storage next winter.
Jenny is ready for the move to the other side of the highway where the actual launch site is. That will happen in the next day or two. I am trying to get the mast raised ahead of the launch so I will have a chance to bend on the sails and get the rigging tighted down before splashing. I never liked being tossed out into the river, drop anchor, set the rig and get out with the tide race that was the norm from my last location.
At this point, I have to review my rigging and make sure it is ready. I need to install the running rigging. I need to load the boat with all the 'stuf' that needs to be onboard like anchors, lines, cushions, supplies, and all that ton of stuff that a boat seems to need. That will probably happen after work over the next two nights or on Wednesday which I took off from work just for the last minute stuff. Originally, I was planning on Wednesday being a relaxing easy day mopping up some details. Now I expect it to be a very long rush to the finish line. Oh well, you would think by now I would have learned that this is never the case. Maybe next year I should just take the whole launch week off from the day job. Or maybe a month...
That is it. My next blog post should be after my launch with Jenny comfortably on her mooring in Salem harbor. The schedule is tight but I am on schedule with less done that I had hoped for. On a positive note I will be sailing in a better boat than I hauled out a year a half ago. I guess that is something to be happy about.
A happy blog post coming soon :-)
Sunday, May 19, 2013
D-Day
June 6th. D-Day. Also known as my tentative launch date.
I was initially planning on an earlier launch but with the weather everyone is behind so I don't feel terribly bad about the late start. I still have a couple of unopened quarts of varnish waiting for better weather.
Last weekend was a total bust due to the heavy rains. The time wasn't completely wasted as I was able to load up that splicing video again and finish up my running rigging. No matter how many times I make an eyesplice with the double braided line, I still need to go back to my reference video.
Not my most productive weekend but not a complete loss either.
My devious plans to abduct a partner to help me install my exhaust pipe didn't work out so well either. Clearly I am going to have to up my game. Next week I have been promised some help. I hope so or I will soon be getting desperate.
This weekend among a bunch of small wrap up items I spent some time reviewing the engine which is the only real obstacle before launching. I seem to be in pretty good shape. I had planned on buying a pair of new water impellors this morning but my local supplier wasn't open. I guess they don't open on the weekends until after Memorial day. What is the point in that?
Anyway, materials are all there or on the way so I feel reasonably comfortable about the engine. Rigging is basically done.
While not the most important thing I could be working on I spent some time on my interior again this weekend. I did some final sanding and oiling of the galley counter top. I was a little concerned when I bought the specialty butcher block oil because it is completely clear and I was afraid it would add no color to my very plain white maple counterop. Thankfully, the oil added just the right about of color and the oiled walnut looks really great.
After three trips to the hardware store for hardware (have I mentioned that I am dimensionally challenged?...) I was able to secure the sink firmly in place. And then I decided that I needed to leave the sink loose so that I could slide in the engine start battery. Plus, I realized it would be better to add a bit of sealant under the lip of the sink so that random bits of water doesn't find its way to the storage locker underneath.
I did quite a bit of varnishing this weekend actually. Today's weather was the first opportunity this year to lay it down. It is a stretch but I am hoping I can get enough build coats on the settee backs that after a coat of satin finish I will be able to permanently install the locker doors. Doors without hinges are annoying. Installing panels acrosse the back of the galley would be victory too. It won't hold me back from sailing but it looks so much more fnished with the panels in place. Plus, I might be able to play around with the shelving over the summer.
Stovetop structure and a few other bits and peices were worked on as well but no pictures were taken.
I felt some real momentum today until I realized that last week's rains meant I had a grass field in my front yard this weekend. My momentum died when I had to find and drag out my very neglected and unloved lawn mower.
So it looks like I have a three day weekend to wake up the engine, finalize the rig and uncover Jenny. Then one final weekend and then launch. The pressure is definitely there but I have some hopes that all will be well. It will be more of a case of what gets done and what waits until next year. Handrails for example; most likely next year sadly.
Fingers crossed.
Bunden er båtløs mann. Men det er ikke meg!!
I was initially planning on an earlier launch but with the weather everyone is behind so I don't feel terribly bad about the late start. I still have a couple of unopened quarts of varnish waiting for better weather.
Last weekend was a total bust due to the heavy rains. The time wasn't completely wasted as I was able to load up that splicing video again and finish up my running rigging. No matter how many times I make an eyesplice with the double braided line, I still need to go back to my reference video.
Not my most productive weekend but not a complete loss either.
My devious plans to abduct a partner to help me install my exhaust pipe didn't work out so well either. Clearly I am going to have to up my game. Next week I have been promised some help. I hope so or I will soon be getting desperate.
This weekend among a bunch of small wrap up items I spent some time reviewing the engine which is the only real obstacle before launching. I seem to be in pretty good shape. I had planned on buying a pair of new water impellors this morning but my local supplier wasn't open. I guess they don't open on the weekends until after Memorial day. What is the point in that?
Anyway, materials are all there or on the way so I feel reasonably comfortable about the engine. Rigging is basically done.
While not the most important thing I could be working on I spent some time on my interior again this weekend. I did some final sanding and oiling of the galley counter top. I was a little concerned when I bought the specialty butcher block oil because it is completely clear and I was afraid it would add no color to my very plain white maple counterop. Thankfully, the oil added just the right about of color and the oiled walnut looks really great.
After three trips to the hardware store for hardware (have I mentioned that I am dimensionally challenged?...) I was able to secure the sink firmly in place. And then I decided that I needed to leave the sink loose so that I could slide in the engine start battery. Plus, I realized it would be better to add a bit of sealant under the lip of the sink so that random bits of water doesn't find its way to the storage locker underneath.
I did quite a bit of varnishing this weekend actually. Today's weather was the first opportunity this year to lay it down. It is a stretch but I am hoping I can get enough build coats on the settee backs that after a coat of satin finish I will be able to permanently install the locker doors. Doors without hinges are annoying. Installing panels acrosse the back of the galley would be victory too. It won't hold me back from sailing but it looks so much more fnished with the panels in place. Plus, I might be able to play around with the shelving over the summer.
Stovetop structure and a few other bits and peices were worked on as well but no pictures were taken.
I felt some real momentum today until I realized that last week's rains meant I had a grass field in my front yard this weekend. My momentum died when I had to find and drag out my very neglected and unloved lawn mower.
So it looks like I have a three day weekend to wake up the engine, finalize the rig and uncover Jenny. Then one final weekend and then launch. The pressure is definitely there but I have some hopes that all will be well. It will be more of a case of what gets done and what waits until next year. Handrails for example; most likely next year sadly.
Fingers crossed.
Bunden er båtløs mann. Men det er ikke meg!!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Tick tick tick
The countdown has definitely begun and I can hear the unrelenting tick tock of the launch day countdown timer. As usual, I feel like I have too much to do and too little time to do it all in. It doesn't help that my sickness last month has boomeranged and I am getting a second round of it now. Back then I had the luxury of resting and convalescing. Not so anymore. Tick tick tick...
I am really happy about having a water system this year. I feel so much more civilized. One thing I never did (five or six?) odd years ago when I put the tank in was actually open the access panels and look inside. With all the grinding and sanding that has occured since then I figured it was a good idea to clean out the tanks before drinking from them. I was mildly suprised at how clean they were inside. A minor amount of dust but nothing to worry about.
I brought some nuts this time and was able to bolt down the pumps into place. Then after rinsing and wiping down the inside of the bilge tank I pumped 5 gallons through the system. Have I mentioned I really like my new water system?... Then to complete the water system checkout I filled the tank through the deck fitting. A lot more dirt came through after that which means I will be doing some more cleaning in the near future.
While doing this I had a rare moment of memory recall and I remembered that when I spec'ed out the tank I had the welders put a fitting on the top section so that I could drop a rod down in to measure the quantity of fluid inside. Until now I had completely forgotten about that open hole buried under the cabin sole. That would have been a nasty surprise the day before launch.
Of course I couldn't remember exactly where the fitting was and I had to resort to a few exploritory drilling operations until I located the center of the hole. I will be adding a hinged cover apparently to cover this all up at some point.
Really it isn't so bad. Of course those shavings in the above photo dropped into my tank adding to the amount of cleaing I need to do.
I had intended to install the engine exhaust today but ran into a few snags. The first is that I had forgotten the gasket and it took a bit of searching to find it. The second is that it is really awkward to hold it in position and get the bolts started; expecially since the fittings all need to be 'tweaked' into their final position ( I will be sure to ask, cajole, bribe, kidnap a helper next weekend). Finally, the box of cloth wrap I bought from Moyer Marine was too short. I need to purchase another roll. I will do that locally and save some money.
I have compiled a list of "things that need to be done before launch". It is a long list. I haven't set up an offical launch date yet but I was thinking about the last weekend in May until I realized that was Memorial Day weekend - a weekend I usually stay far away from the water and inebriated boat skippers. Maybe the following weekend. Certainly not the weekend after next. I should probably quit my job so I have more time for the boat...
Tick tick tick...
I am really happy about having a water system this year. I feel so much more civilized. One thing I never did (five or six?) odd years ago when I put the tank in was actually open the access panels and look inside. With all the grinding and sanding that has occured since then I figured it was a good idea to clean out the tanks before drinking from them. I was mildly suprised at how clean they were inside. A minor amount of dust but nothing to worry about.
I brought some nuts this time and was able to bolt down the pumps into place. Then after rinsing and wiping down the inside of the bilge tank I pumped 5 gallons through the system. Have I mentioned I really like my new water system?... Then to complete the water system checkout I filled the tank through the deck fitting. A lot more dirt came through after that which means I will be doing some more cleaning in the near future.
While doing this I had a rare moment of memory recall and I remembered that when I spec'ed out the tank I had the welders put a fitting on the top section so that I could drop a rod down in to measure the quantity of fluid inside. Until now I had completely forgotten about that open hole buried under the cabin sole. That would have been a nasty surprise the day before launch.
Of course I couldn't remember exactly where the fitting was and I had to resort to a few exploritory drilling operations until I located the center of the hole. I will be adding a hinged cover apparently to cover this all up at some point.
Really it isn't so bad. Of course those shavings in the above photo dropped into my tank adding to the amount of cleaing I need to do.
My initial thoughts for this season was to leave the sink drain hose extra long and simply pull up the sink to gain access underneath just until I was happy with how it was all working. The problem was that the drain hose kept kinking so today I cut out a proper access to the under sink area. The eventual plan is to add a dropleaf to the countertop which will cover this access door.
I had intended to install the engine exhaust today but ran into a few snags. The first is that I had forgotten the gasket and it took a bit of searching to find it. The second is that it is really awkward to hold it in position and get the bolts started; expecially since the fittings all need to be 'tweaked' into their final position ( I will be sure to ask, cajole, bribe, kidnap a helper next weekend). Finally, the box of cloth wrap I bought from Moyer Marine was too short. I need to purchase another roll. I will do that locally and save some money.
I have compiled a list of "things that need to be done before launch". It is a long list. I haven't set up an offical launch date yet but I was thinking about the last weekend in May until I realized that was Memorial Day weekend - a weekend I usually stay far away from the water and inebriated boat skippers. Maybe the following weekend. Certainly not the weekend after next. I should probably quit my job so I have more time for the boat...
Tick tick tick...
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