On The Hard In Mystic

SHIP'S LOG:

ABISHAG was hauled, washed and blocked on August 20th at the West Mystic Shipyard. Hauling was required to renew the zincs, renew the bottom paint, replace at least two(2) thru-hulls, install the wind vane steering system. Numerous other projects that need to be done can be accomplished with greater ease out of the water rather than in.

The Master's Personal LOG:

The boat looks even bigger out of the water than she does in it.The deck is a good 10 feet off the ground which, for me, will make getting in and out exciting. Time to get started on that never ending project, fix-it list.

Spent the first day cleaning the bilge, well attempting to clean the bilge. It is tough to get much done holding your breath! I do not want to imply that it was malodorous, but it was enough to gag a maggot. No amount of cleaners could really clean the bilge without plain and simple, old fashion scrubbing. Sadly, there is also no way to attempt the scrubbing without getting lots of it on you. There's one pair of shorts and a tee-shirt that will never be worn again. A bucket full of bilge cleaner and water into the bilge, down on your hands and knees with various scrub brushes to get into all the exotic places, hose it down with fresh water, and pump it out. Like many boats, ABISHAG was built with a sump box into which ran the drains from the sinks and showers. This keep human detritus from melding with the oils and other effluents common to the running of a boat. Unfortunately, somewhere in her past, the hose connections to the sump box were disconnected and everything sort mixes together in the bilge, hence the rather pungent aroma. It took a good half dozen wash outs to get the bilge water to go from black to light grey. The fragrance has pretty much gone and I am now left with the question of whether or not to reconnect the sump box connections.

Spent a day trying to trace all of the hoses in the boat. It stretched into 3 days as there were hoses that led no where . One hose ran from the bilge all the way forward. I had to trace it under the settee, through the forward head, under the forepeak bunk and into the chain locker where it was connected to.....nothing. It might have, at one time been connected to something, but it also might be the way one of the previous owners was simply storing a large length of hose for some eventuality. Thanks goodness the eventuality didn't come as the hose had begun to deteriorate and had lost its flexibility. It split easily under all but the slightest bend and so it went to the trash heap. Tracing the hoses in each compartment meant first gaining access to them. This often meant shifting cushions, lifting out lockers and removing flooring. I tagged each hose with a white rigging tape label which often required my attaining some rather interesting bodily contortions. What added greatly to the enjoyment was the fact that weather was in the 80's and beastly humid. Normally a boat orients itself to the wind, allowing fresh air to stream into the boat through the hatches. Unfortunately, with the boat on land, it was a real crap-shoot as to when or if any breeze would get in to cool the boat and me. Invariably, I would be head down in a compartment, stretching to get to some hose, when a drop of sweat would fall on my glasses. One drop wasn't so bad, but one drop never went anywhere by itself and it wasn't long before I had to stop, get myself out of the hatch or locker, and clean off the glasses. It was a procedure that was repeated constantly. But it was only three(3) days and there was a great sense of accomplishment when I got it done.