SHIP'S LOG:
Yesterday was like a late July, early August day. It was hazy, hot & humid. It is a day when you want to be on the water. It is a day to go sailing . . . and so I did. True, ABISHAG is still tied to a dock up in Portland, but she "ain't the only girl at the dance."
Jim Avery makes sure that his boat, a Nonsuch 26, is in the water on April Fool's Day. Now Jim is a little long in the tooth and his daughter, Ellen, doesn't like it when he goes sailing by himself. However, Jim wants to go sailing every day the sun comes up, so he is always looking for crew. All it took was a simple phone call and we spent the afternoon enjoying a very relaxing sail during which we basically had the ocean to ourselves. It really was a perfect day. one of those that you wish could go on forever. However, all good things must come to an end. The worst part was climbing back into to my "hot" car for the "hot" ride back to my "hot" residence. I was actually kind of hoping that the heat and humidity would produce a nice thunderstorm but such was not the case and that actually made sleeping a little difficult at night, as a house just doesn't orient itself to the evening breeze!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
In The Water . . . Summer Must Be Here!
SHIP'S LOG:
I just noticed that it has been almost 10 days since the last post. Time sure flies when you are having fun. well, it hasn't exactly been fun but it hasn't been awful either. working on the boat, no matter how hard and frustrating it can be at times, is always a strangely relaxing experience. It does however remind me just how old I am getting. The aches and pains and stiffness I wake up with each day seem to be getting worse.
I won't try to get the chronology right so let me just say that I "launched" on the 14th. I was, by that time, really doing only busy work. The day before I had gone all around the hull filling and painting the dings that i picked up last season, mostly from docking attempt and some from blind launch drivers. That is a bad thing about dark colored hulls, they show up ever scrape, every scratch, ever mark. It is not really a necessary thing as it can all be done dockside or even from a dinghy, but it is easier ashore. I was right in the middle of that project when Abe the yard manager comes buy and asks if I was ready to go into the water. When they haul the boats out in the fall, they try to set them on the hard in the order they wish to go back into the water, those going in the earliest nearest the water. it is a way of managing the limit yard space efficiently. I had hoped to be going in sometime during the second week of May but those plans got tossed into a cocked hat when they "finally" decided to work on my wind generator. When they couldn't get it working, they sent it to some firm in Florida and we have been waiting for its return. Since they had to go up some 60 feet ion a man lift and the thing would fit on the docks, we had to wait for it to return ashore so that they could install it. I am not sure when it arrived but by late in the afternoon on Monday, they had parked the man-lift by my boat so that indicated that they had it. when I got there Tuesday morning, the wind generator was back up on the Mizzen Mast. Of course, there was no wind to test the job the company did on the rebuild, but they did send a complementary replacement blade and some sort of replacement piece for the hub. I have no idea why, but I'll take anything they are giving.
They wanted to move my boat because ABISHAG was blocking access ti the boat directly behind which was contracted to go in the water on the 15th. But before they go be moved, I had to be moved to a new spot either on land or in the water. Since one move is less labor intensive than two, they decided to launch me, which is what they did.
Launching the boat is always a source of serious anxiety for me. I am always sure that there is something major that I have forgotten to take care of and that she will sink on the spot. i had been planning to re-do the stuffing box, not because there was a problem but just because it is a good thing to do regularly. I had disassembled it but had not gotten to finish the job. As a result I had to reassemble it and was anxious that it was done right. It leaked of course, but they always will until they take up enough water and seal. Still there is something unnerving about having water coming into your boat while you are tightening down the stuffing box. It is awkward getting at it and I need a special wrench which is a cheap piece of crap and the whole business is a pain. Water is spurting and there I am holding a flash light with one hand and the wrench in the other, laying over the engine trying to tighten down the stuffing box, all the time thinking about sinking to the bottom of the Connecticut River. But it did get tightened down and ABISHAG didn't sink so that anxiety attack passed. And the engine worked too. And the steering as well. And ABISHAG safely got down to "C" Dock and all seemed right with the world.
The next day I went up and got the sails and bent them on. It rain during the whole procedure. Not a lot of rain, just hard enough to be a pain and make the evolution just that much more difficult. But the sails are on. The engine runs. The lines are all in their proper places. Though the batteries are not really doing a good job hold a charge and Josh, the local electrician-magician thinks the charge/inverter is problematic, ABISHAG is ready to go. All I have to do is:
1.) Find out the schedule for the Lyme/Saybrook Railroad Bridge;
2.) Get some good weather;
3.) Get some crew so we can do the two-car tango;
4.) Pay the Yard Bill.
Number 4 may be a bit of a chore!
I just noticed that it has been almost 10 days since the last post. Time sure flies when you are having fun. well, it hasn't exactly been fun but it hasn't been awful either. working on the boat, no matter how hard and frustrating it can be at times, is always a strangely relaxing experience. It does however remind me just how old I am getting. The aches and pains and stiffness I wake up with each day seem to be getting worse.
I won't try to get the chronology right so let me just say that I "launched" on the 14th. I was, by that time, really doing only busy work. The day before I had gone all around the hull filling and painting the dings that i picked up last season, mostly from docking attempt and some from blind launch drivers. That is a bad thing about dark colored hulls, they show up ever scrape, every scratch, ever mark. It is not really a necessary thing as it can all be done dockside or even from a dinghy, but it is easier ashore. I was right in the middle of that project when Abe the yard manager comes buy and asks if I was ready to go into the water. When they haul the boats out in the fall, they try to set them on the hard in the order they wish to go back into the water, those going in the earliest nearest the water. it is a way of managing the limit yard space efficiently. I had hoped to be going in sometime during the second week of May but those plans got tossed into a cocked hat when they "finally" decided to work on my wind generator. When they couldn't get it working, they sent it to some firm in Florida and we have been waiting for its return. Since they had to go up some 60 feet ion a man lift and the thing would fit on the docks, we had to wait for it to return ashore so that they could install it. I am not sure when it arrived but by late in the afternoon on Monday, they had parked the man-lift by my boat so that indicated that they had it. when I got there Tuesday morning, the wind generator was back up on the Mizzen Mast. Of course, there was no wind to test the job the company did on the rebuild, but they did send a complementary replacement blade and some sort of replacement piece for the hub. I have no idea why, but I'll take anything they are giving.
They wanted to move my boat because ABISHAG was blocking access ti the boat directly behind which was contracted to go in the water on the 15th. But before they go be moved, I had to be moved to a new spot either on land or in the water. Since one move is less labor intensive than two, they decided to launch me, which is what they did.
Launching the boat is always a source of serious anxiety for me. I am always sure that there is something major that I have forgotten to take care of and that she will sink on the spot. i had been planning to re-do the stuffing box, not because there was a problem but just because it is a good thing to do regularly. I had disassembled it but had not gotten to finish the job. As a result I had to reassemble it and was anxious that it was done right. It leaked of course, but they always will until they take up enough water and seal. Still there is something unnerving about having water coming into your boat while you are tightening down the stuffing box. It is awkward getting at it and I need a special wrench which is a cheap piece of crap and the whole business is a pain. Water is spurting and there I am holding a flash light with one hand and the wrench in the other, laying over the engine trying to tighten down the stuffing box, all the time thinking about sinking to the bottom of the Connecticut River. But it did get tightened down and ABISHAG didn't sink so that anxiety attack passed. And the engine worked too. And the steering as well. And ABISHAG safely got down to "C" Dock and all seemed right with the world.
The next day I went up and got the sails and bent them on. It rain during the whole procedure. Not a lot of rain, just hard enough to be a pain and make the evolution just that much more difficult. But the sails are on. The engine runs. The lines are all in their proper places. Though the batteries are not really doing a good job hold a charge and Josh, the local electrician-magician thinks the charge/inverter is problematic, ABISHAG is ready to go. All I have to do is:
1.) Find out the schedule for the Lyme/Saybrook Railroad Bridge;
2.) Get some good weather;
3.) Get some crew so we can do the two-car tango;
4.) Pay the Yard Bill.
Number 4 may be a bit of a chore!
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
More Busy Work
SHIP'S LOG:
Back when I made the trip down the ICW, as a precaution against getting caught short of fuel, I set up an arrangement of the back deck to hold a couple of jerry cans of emergency fuel. I can't recall if there ever was such an emergency, but it was a nice safety net to have. Now, however, I really have no need for the arrangement and so I removed the bolt-eyes that had been screwed into the back deck, through which I ran lines that secured the "emergency fuel" cans. It was a simple procedure that nonetheless took a couple of hours. I had to back out the bolts, dig out and sand off the the caulking, removed any of the balsa core that had been compromised, mix up the fairing compound and fill the holes (10), let it dry, sand it smooth and then paint. As I said, nothing complex just time consuming.
I also found that using boot striping tape doesn't work to repair the vinyl Bimini. I will have to come up with another "brilliant" fix. Right now I am leaning toward some heavy-duty sail repair tape. This should be better than vinyl repair tape for two reasons, #1 - it is much more flexible and is actually intended to flex; #2 - it will have better adhesive; and #3 - perhaps most important, I already have some and won't have to spend any money on something new which may or may not work.
No word on the repairs to the wind generator nor on the repairs to the Lyme Railroad Drawbridge. II ain't going nowhere without some movement on those two fronts.
Back when I made the trip down the ICW, as a precaution against getting caught short of fuel, I set up an arrangement of the back deck to hold a couple of jerry cans of emergency fuel. I can't recall if there ever was such an emergency, but it was a nice safety net to have. Now, however, I really have no need for the arrangement and so I removed the bolt-eyes that had been screwed into the back deck, through which I ran lines that secured the "emergency fuel" cans. It was a simple procedure that nonetheless took a couple of hours. I had to back out the bolts, dig out and sand off the the caulking, removed any of the balsa core that had been compromised, mix up the fairing compound and fill the holes (10), let it dry, sand it smooth and then paint. As I said, nothing complex just time consuming.
I also found that using boot striping tape doesn't work to repair the vinyl Bimini. I will have to come up with another "brilliant" fix. Right now I am leaning toward some heavy-duty sail repair tape. This should be better than vinyl repair tape for two reasons, #1 - it is much more flexible and is actually intended to flex; #2 - it will have better adhesive; and #3 - perhaps most important, I already have some and won't have to spend any money on something new which may or may not work.
No word on the repairs to the wind generator nor on the repairs to the Lyme Railroad Drawbridge. II ain't going nowhere without some movement on those two fronts.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
BUsy Work! Busy Work! Busy Work! Busy Work! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
Basically, everything is ready for the launch except for the return and installation of the wind generator for which I wait with great anticipation. As a result, I spend my time whittling down the never-ending projects list, necessary but not vitally important things that need doing. None would prevent the launch. All could be done in the water. Everyone is a pain in the butt, but since I have the time, I might as well knock off a few.
There were five(5) significant gouges in the topsides that need to be filled and fared and painted. Considering the bullet-proof nature of the hull, it wasn't the case of preventing sinking the boat, indeed all were way above the waterline, but rather they would be more in the nature of a cosmetic fix. It is a pretty straight forward procedure: a.) clean out the gouges; b.) outline with masking tape; c.) mix up some epoxy filler and apply it to the gouges; d.) smooth the filler; e.) let the filler harden; f.) sand off the excess and fare it; g.) remove residue with paint thinner; h.) paint. With all the dings and scratches on the hull that have been filled and paint and those which have not, it is getting to the time when a new paint job might be in ABISHAG's future. . . . . .right after Publishers Clearing House finds me!
Having re-caulked the seam in the cockpit Friday, I had to trim it out. This again had me removing the outline of masking tape, which prevents the caulking from just going anywhere it wants, and trimming away globs of stuff where it had unintentionally collected.Then the cockpit grating was put back in place and no one will ever be the wiser.
I am trying to get one more season out of the Bimini. It is old. It is made of vinyl. It had been exposed to the sun too long and has become brittle and inflexible and prone to tearing. There was one major tear where it rubs against part of the support frame and if left untreated, it will tear completely across. There are also several "pre-tears" that need to be addressed before the become the real thing. I could find nothing to deal with the situation, plus fact that I didn't have the coins to make the purchase of such a product . . . if it existed. There probably is something out there but I haven't found it. In the end, I used a roll of boot-stripe tape that I had in the "what-not" spare parts locker. It's the wrong color but "any port in a storm." It might work but then again it might not, I'll just have to wait and see. Doing the tape job was relatively easy as I took the Bimini off its frame. The toughest part was getting it back on again by myself. It just didn't want to cooperate at all and getting it done took longer than the entire "fixing part" of the project.If this tape works, i will try it on the cockpit cushions which are as old as the Bimini and in as rough shape.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I will wash and wax the hull, which should insure some serious rain during the week.
Basically, everything is ready for the launch except for the return and installation of the wind generator for which I wait with great anticipation. As a result, I spend my time whittling down the never-ending projects list, necessary but not vitally important things that need doing. None would prevent the launch. All could be done in the water. Everyone is a pain in the butt, but since I have the time, I might as well knock off a few.
There were five(5) significant gouges in the topsides that need to be filled and fared and painted. Considering the bullet-proof nature of the hull, it wasn't the case of preventing sinking the boat, indeed all were way above the waterline, but rather they would be more in the nature of a cosmetic fix. It is a pretty straight forward procedure: a.) clean out the gouges; b.) outline with masking tape; c.) mix up some epoxy filler and apply it to the gouges; d.) smooth the filler; e.) let the filler harden; f.) sand off the excess and fare it; g.) remove residue with paint thinner; h.) paint. With all the dings and scratches on the hull that have been filled and paint and those which have not, it is getting to the time when a new paint job might be in ABISHAG's future. . . . . .right after Publishers Clearing House finds me!
Having re-caulked the seam in the cockpit Friday, I had to trim it out. This again had me removing the outline of masking tape, which prevents the caulking from just going anywhere it wants, and trimming away globs of stuff where it had unintentionally collected.Then the cockpit grating was put back in place and no one will ever be the wiser.
I am trying to get one more season out of the Bimini. It is old. It is made of vinyl. It had been exposed to the sun too long and has become brittle and inflexible and prone to tearing. There was one major tear where it rubs against part of the support frame and if left untreated, it will tear completely across. There are also several "pre-tears" that need to be addressed before the become the real thing. I could find nothing to deal with the situation, plus fact that I didn't have the coins to make the purchase of such a product . . . if it existed. There probably is something out there but I haven't found it. In the end, I used a roll of boot-stripe tape that I had in the "what-not" spare parts locker. It's the wrong color but "any port in a storm." It might work but then again it might not, I'll just have to wait and see. Doing the tape job was relatively easy as I took the Bimini off its frame. The toughest part was getting it back on again by myself. It just didn't want to cooperate at all and getting it done took longer than the entire "fixing part" of the project.If this tape works, i will try it on the cockpit cushions which are as old as the Bimini and in as rough shape.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I will wash and wax the hull, which should insure some serious rain during the week.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
ABISHAG IS READY FOR THE WATER! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
The last of the odious tasks is done (bottom paint) and ABISHAG is ready for the water. True, there are a whole host of endless little tasks that can be done, will be done (eventually) and are being done, but for all intensive purposes, she is ready to go . . . . So, why haven't we gone?
The major hold-up is the fact that the wind generator is not back from its repair trip to Florida. I can't launch without the wind generator as it needs to be re-installed and tested before I depart for TYC.
Another "minor issue" is that the Lyme Railroad Bridge (draw) is broken again. Last fall, for the 10 day period before Columbus Day weekend, when a number of boats form the club trek north for the winter, there were issues with the same bridge. It spans the Connecticut River between Lyme and Old Saybrook and, with only 19 feet clearance in the down position, if it is not functioning, it can raise havoc with travel plans. Evidently last year's repair was a temporary fix. Being a rather old structure one can't by the necessary parts off the shelf to make a more substantial, permanent fix. I would presume that whoever owns the bridge felt that the trains using it had priority over the boats sailing under it. It makes sense, but now that their search for replacement part(s) has come up empty, new "custom" parts need to be fabricated and that takes time and money. They don't wish to operate the bridge too often less it get stuck in the raised position, shutting down the rail traffic between Boston and New York. I am not completely sure of the times but rather than opening on the half hour, trains permitting, it will open for an hour only two or three times a day. This will make the journey I would not tray to make the river passage at night so that means a daytime run. The bridge will be open from 6-6:30pm but it will me a transit to New London in twilight and eventual darkness. You also have to deal with the tides as you approach the Sound make trip just a little bit more of a challenge. One of the Club Members is making the trip sometime this weekend and I'll check with him to see how he handled it.
Until the wind generator gets back and installed, I will have to content myself with whittling away the "projects" list. Yesterday was spend ripping the caulking out of the seam of the hatch in the cockpit floor through which on can remove the engine. With dental pick and utility knife, I removed the caulking and then taped the edges of the seam and then put in new caulking. As always seems the case, no matter how careful I am, a get some caulking somewhere on my hands or arms or feet - somewhere - and leave little dabs of it everywhere until I see and clean it off. Then I have to go around and remove the trail of spots. Ah, such fun. I also washed the waterline. It had a two year build up of brown scum that resisted every single cleaning preparation. I came up with a new one, sand from the boatyard. I wet the waterline stripe down, picked up some sand, pit it on a sponge, rubbed it a p\bit and washed it off. And it worked. Go figure.
Fred came by and discussed re-doing the stuffing box pack and dismantling the flange that connects the shaft to the transmission and lubing it. Both have potential to grow into more projects than I would care to handle or would be competent to handle, and I already have a list. Oh, it is never ending. Perhaps we can tackle it before the wind generator gets back. Perhaps I'll win the Lottery. Who knows?
The last of the odious tasks is done (bottom paint) and ABISHAG is ready for the water. True, there are a whole host of endless little tasks that can be done, will be done (eventually) and are being done, but for all intensive purposes, she is ready to go . . . . So, why haven't we gone?
The major hold-up is the fact that the wind generator is not back from its repair trip to Florida. I can't launch without the wind generator as it needs to be re-installed and tested before I depart for TYC.
Another "minor issue" is that the Lyme Railroad Bridge (draw) is broken again. Last fall, for the 10 day period before Columbus Day weekend, when a number of boats form the club trek north for the winter, there were issues with the same bridge. It spans the Connecticut River between Lyme and Old Saybrook and, with only 19 feet clearance in the down position, if it is not functioning, it can raise havoc with travel plans. Evidently last year's repair was a temporary fix. Being a rather old structure one can't by the necessary parts off the shelf to make a more substantial, permanent fix. I would presume that whoever owns the bridge felt that the trains using it had priority over the boats sailing under it. It makes sense, but now that their search for replacement part(s) has come up empty, new "custom" parts need to be fabricated and that takes time and money. They don't wish to operate the bridge too often less it get stuck in the raised position, shutting down the rail traffic between Boston and New York. I am not completely sure of the times but rather than opening on the half hour, trains permitting, it will open for an hour only two or three times a day. This will make the journey I would not tray to make the river passage at night so that means a daytime run. The bridge will be open from 6-6:30pm but it will me a transit to New London in twilight and eventual darkness. You also have to deal with the tides as you approach the Sound make trip just a little bit more of a challenge. One of the Club Members is making the trip sometime this weekend and I'll check with him to see how he handled it.
Until the wind generator gets back and installed, I will have to content myself with whittling away the "projects" list. Yesterday was spend ripping the caulking out of the seam of the hatch in the cockpit floor through which on can remove the engine. With dental pick and utility knife, I removed the caulking and then taped the edges of the seam and then put in new caulking. As always seems the case, no matter how careful I am, a get some caulking somewhere on my hands or arms or feet - somewhere - and leave little dabs of it everywhere until I see and clean it off. Then I have to go around and remove the trail of spots. Ah, such fun. I also washed the waterline. It had a two year build up of brown scum that resisted every single cleaning preparation. I came up with a new one, sand from the boatyard. I wet the waterline stripe down, picked up some sand, pit it on a sponge, rubbed it a p\bit and washed it off. And it worked. Go figure.
Fred came by and discussed re-doing the stuffing box pack and dismantling the flange that connects the shaft to the transmission and lubing it. Both have potential to grow into more projects than I would care to handle or would be competent to handle, and I already have a list. Oh, it is never ending. Perhaps we can tackle it before the wind generator gets back. Perhaps I'll win the Lottery. Who knows?
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
I Still Have ll 10 Fingers!
SHIP'S LOG:
I spent yesterday helping Wayne lay the tile floor in the galley at TYC. Part of my task was to cut the porcelain tiles when they needed to be cut. Power-tools like the diamond-bladed Wet Saw for cutting the tile always scared the hell out of me, but after some very careful instruction from Wayne, it all went off without a hitch. Truth be told, there were only perhaps a dozen tiles that needed to be cut, the rest of the time was spent watching Wayne perform. With great care and efficiency, he set in place about 3/5 of the new floor. The rest will be done today and then grouted on Thursday. It is a nifty learning experience now added to my ever growing catalog of skills. True, I wouldn't jump right in a tackle such a job by myself but I wouldn't be afraid either.
I spent yesterday helping Wayne lay the tile floor in the galley at TYC. Part of my task was to cut the porcelain tiles when they needed to be cut. Power-tools like the diamond-bladed Wet Saw for cutting the tile always scared the hell out of me, but after some very careful instruction from Wayne, it all went off without a hitch. Truth be told, there were only perhaps a dozen tiles that needed to be cut, the rest of the time was spent watching Wayne perform. With great care and efficiency, he set in place about 3/5 of the new floor. The rest will be done today and then grouted on Thursday. It is a nifty learning experience now added to my ever growing catalog of skills. True, I wouldn't jump right in a tackle such a job by myself but I wouldn't be afraid either.
Monday, April 29, 2013
It Be Getting Closer
SHIP'S LOG:
Two days of working on ABISHAG were split by a day of working on the Galley down at TYC. Saturday was a real hammer. I never realized how much work it is to put in a floor. we have been going at it for three weekends straight now and this past Saturday, the concrete board was set in. I never knew there was such an item. It is concrete over a webbing or mesh of fiberglass the size of plywood. It had to be cut to fit (thank goodness we had someone who could actually do it right) then laid over a skim-coat of "mud." It was them nailed in place along the edges and then screwed firmly in place. I don't think that I have swung a hammer that much in my life. By the end of the day ,y arm was ready to fall off but the entire floor in all of its levels is done and awaits only the laying of the tiles on Tuesday. I'll be helping the floorman, Wayne, laying the tiles which probably means I hand him the tiles and try to stay out of his way.
Friday was a day of cleaning and dealing with the stuffing box. I got a late start as I had to pick up a friend at the Fishers Island Ferry terminal at 1:30 and so I didn't arrive at the boat until 3pm. The first task was the stuffing box. this ancient item allows the drive shaft from the engine to exit the boat and turn the prop without allowing water to gush in and sink the boat. There is a bronze item call a gland that fits over the shaft and into which one inserts several rings of "flax packing" filled with wax or grease. This is then slid down the shaft to the stuffing box and tightened down sufficiently to keep water from entering and lose enough to allow the shaft to turn without heating up. It is a simple procedure to replace the "packing" in most case but the design of the engine compartment in ABISHAgG is such that one has to lay-out over the engine to unscrew the gland and its locking nut and extract the packing. One extracts the packing with a packing tool which is basically a corkscrew on a cable. I used to have one when I had the 27 O'Day but it went with that boat when I made it a charitable donation for tax purposes. That'll give you and idea how long ago that was! I got the gland and locking nut off the stuffing box and cleans and lubed them but I was unable to extract the packing. The arrangement of the stuffing box was such that i couldn't even see the packing let alone extract it. Friend Fred has a "packing tool" and will bring it by on his next visit. Perhaps I'll just add grease and leave things as they are. After all, there was no problem that I could tell with the stuffing box and I was merely doing due diligence maintenance. But as they say in Maine, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
The rest of Friday was given over to cleaning the interior of the boat. Not only did the floors and walls need cleaning, so dis the lips and edges of all the hatches. Dirt and petro products and surprising odds and ends collect in and under the edges of all the hatches in the deck. Since you never see them, who thinks to clean them. Doing the first real major cleaning drove home just how much space there is in a 39' X 11'5" boat. And it was all done on hands and knees. what I wouldn't have given for a bucket and mop!
Sunday was the start of paint week. weather permitting, ABISHAG's bottom will be bright red by Friday and ready to enter the water. I had already removed all of the loose paint from the bottom and Sunday was given over to painting those spots. I used a "hard" bottom paint for these spots. It adheres better to the bottom and won't wear away like the ablative bottom paint that will go on. The hard bottom paint is blue in color and thicker in consistence so it builds up quicker and "fills in" better. The ablative paint is designed to "wear off" but the "hard bottom paint" will stay much more readily in place. I st no matter what I do. I still can't figure out why there are some places on ABISHAG's bottom where paint just doesn't stay. I suppose that with a Marine Unit, I could get some bottom paint removal chemicals and strip the entire bottom and them put down a barrier coat and all new paint, but then, I don't have a Marine Unit to play with. Hell, I had to raid my stash of quarters I use for doing laundry when I am living on the boat to come up with enough money to buy gas to get back to New London. Doing the bottom paint forced me to fix a gouge in the keel that was caused when I snagged a fishing wryer. The steel cable cut into the fiberglass enough to be noticeable but no enough to penetrate it deeply. I had sufficient underwater epoxy to fill it and then paint it.
The yard was filled with boat owners getting their crafts ready and I was unable to wash down the outsides of ABISHAG. The wind was honking and those doing varnishing and/or painting would not have appreciated the shower. It will have to wait for this week when I basically have the yard to myself. No word on the wind generator or when it may return. I am both eager for its return and dreading it. Eager, so that the batteries will stay topped up and dreading it as who knows what it will cost. What ever it is, it will be a major "ouch!"
Two days of working on ABISHAG were split by a day of working on the Galley down at TYC. Saturday was a real hammer. I never realized how much work it is to put in a floor. we have been going at it for three weekends straight now and this past Saturday, the concrete board was set in. I never knew there was such an item. It is concrete over a webbing or mesh of fiberglass the size of plywood. It had to be cut to fit (thank goodness we had someone who could actually do it right) then laid over a skim-coat of "mud." It was them nailed in place along the edges and then screwed firmly in place. I don't think that I have swung a hammer that much in my life. By the end of the day ,y arm was ready to fall off but the entire floor in all of its levels is done and awaits only the laying of the tiles on Tuesday. I'll be helping the floorman, Wayne, laying the tiles which probably means I hand him the tiles and try to stay out of his way.
Friday was a day of cleaning and dealing with the stuffing box. I got a late start as I had to pick up a friend at the Fishers Island Ferry terminal at 1:30 and so I didn't arrive at the boat until 3pm. The first task was the stuffing box. this ancient item allows the drive shaft from the engine to exit the boat and turn the prop without allowing water to gush in and sink the boat. There is a bronze item call a gland that fits over the shaft and into which one inserts several rings of "flax packing" filled with wax or grease. This is then slid down the shaft to the stuffing box and tightened down sufficiently to keep water from entering and lose enough to allow the shaft to turn without heating up. It is a simple procedure to replace the "packing" in most case but the design of the engine compartment in ABISHAgG is such that one has to lay-out over the engine to unscrew the gland and its locking nut and extract the packing. One extracts the packing with a packing tool which is basically a corkscrew on a cable. I used to have one when I had the 27 O'Day but it went with that boat when I made it a charitable donation for tax purposes. That'll give you and idea how long ago that was! I got the gland and locking nut off the stuffing box and cleans and lubed them but I was unable to extract the packing. The arrangement of the stuffing box was such that i couldn't even see the packing let alone extract it. Friend Fred has a "packing tool" and will bring it by on his next visit. Perhaps I'll just add grease and leave things as they are. After all, there was no problem that I could tell with the stuffing box and I was merely doing due diligence maintenance. But as they say in Maine, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
The rest of Friday was given over to cleaning the interior of the boat. Not only did the floors and walls need cleaning, so dis the lips and edges of all the hatches. Dirt and petro products and surprising odds and ends collect in and under the edges of all the hatches in the deck. Since you never see them, who thinks to clean them. Doing the first real major cleaning drove home just how much space there is in a 39' X 11'5" boat. And it was all done on hands and knees. what I wouldn't have given for a bucket and mop!
Sunday was the start of paint week. weather permitting, ABISHAG's bottom will be bright red by Friday and ready to enter the water. I had already removed all of the loose paint from the bottom and Sunday was given over to painting those spots. I used a "hard" bottom paint for these spots. It adheres better to the bottom and won't wear away like the ablative bottom paint that will go on. The hard bottom paint is blue in color and thicker in consistence so it builds up quicker and "fills in" better. The ablative paint is designed to "wear off" but the "hard bottom paint" will stay much more readily in place. I st no matter what I do. I still can't figure out why there are some places on ABISHAG's bottom where paint just doesn't stay. I suppose that with a Marine Unit, I could get some bottom paint removal chemicals and strip the entire bottom and them put down a barrier coat and all new paint, but then, I don't have a Marine Unit to play with. Hell, I had to raid my stash of quarters I use for doing laundry when I am living on the boat to come up with enough money to buy gas to get back to New London. Doing the bottom paint forced me to fix a gouge in the keel that was caused when I snagged a fishing wryer. The steel cable cut into the fiberglass enough to be noticeable but no enough to penetrate it deeply. I had sufficient underwater epoxy to fill it and then paint it.
The yard was filled with boat owners getting their crafts ready and I was unable to wash down the outsides of ABISHAG. The wind was honking and those doing varnishing and/or painting would not have appreciated the shower. It will have to wait for this week when I basically have the yard to myself. No word on the wind generator or when it may return. I am both eager for its return and dreading it. Eager, so that the batteries will stay topped up and dreading it as who knows what it will cost. What ever it is, it will be a major "ouch!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
