Boat Journal

Chronicling a love affair with sailing

Tag: repairs

Spring Fever

I have been in the doldrums for the past several months. Well, not literally, but figuratively. I couldn’t figure out why. I had plenty of projects to pique my interest, enough ‘fun’ books to read. Then the weather started warming up and I started making the list of what I wanted to accomplish before spring. All the suddent, my mood improved, there was a spring in my step again and the world looked like a more cheery place!

Hmm…. not addicted to sailing, am I?

So, what’s on the list? Let’s see:

  • Replace the handholds, both of which decided to crack after I started cleaning and oiling them. I wonder, if I’d left them alone, if they still would have cracked.
  • Replace the wood in the galley that started splitting from all the water gushing in from the hole on the deck
  • Paint topside and deck, repairing any more holes as I do
  • Replace the outboard with an inboard electric engine
  • Step the mast and install the antenna for the new satellite radio. Put the FM antenna up there while they’re at it (will have the marina do that for me)
  • Have the rigging checked while the mast is down
  • Get a new jib
  • Replace the knotmeter

Well, we’ll see how the budget holds out. I’m going to try to be smart about the budget. ย Well, I’m gonna try! ๐Ÿ™‚

I did finally finish the repair to the deck hardware for the pump out. It required more epoxy for the soft spot, and an interminable wait for the stuff to harden. The directions say to not use when the temperature is less than 50 degrees. So I had to wait awhile for a few days where the high was at least in the 50’s. Then I figured I’d better wait another long while for it to set up.

I picked up some cork gasket material at the auto supply place and cut it to fit under the fitting. I’m trying my darndest to make sure no more moisture gets through this thing.

Sticker Shock

Well, repairs are underway and I’m having sticker shock!

There were certain things that needed to be taken care of that I didn’t think I was quite ready to handle, so I’m having them done before I take the boat out. The general repairs were about what I expected. But that soft spot on the deck was more extensive that we originally thought and that’s going to be a killer to cover!

Sorry Megan and Lissa – not only will I have to sell my firstborn, but my second born, too, to pay for it.

Not really. But, well, I did know I was buying a sink hole.

๐Ÿ™

It’ll all be worth it!

Good news was that the steering column isn’t as bad as we thought. That is, the fiberglass around it is sound, so that will just require replacing the backing plate, not repairing the deck as well.

It’ll be a week or two before the plumbing and electrical work is done. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can get a better price on the fiberglass (deck) work.

I did get some pics of the boat before the work started. I’ll add to it as things are getting done:

 

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