We did so many projects over the winter of 2012/2013. It’s tremendous getting to try them all out, some of them getting everyday use. Gradually the boat is getting more and more workable. Here’s the short list, with some descriptions following:
– More plant racks
– tricolor navigation light and anchor light at top of mast, with a two-way toggle switch (on-off-on) to control them
– AIS – Automatic Identification System – besides the unit itself and its wiring for power, this involved installing a VHF antenna at the top of the mast and a GPS antenna on the top of the cabin, with associated wires. This is the gizmo that, among other things, tells you where the ships are in the fog. Life-changing.
– yuloh and yuloh post – there will be an entire entry devoted to this, after a bit
– port berth leecloth – mesh fabric that works like a hammock on the side of the berth to prevent falling out in big waves
– port berth seatbelt – extra insurance against falling out of the berth while sleeping in big waves, or in stray rowdy boat wakes
– cockpit padeye for safety tether (for when you’re out and about in the cockpit in big waves)
– repair charcoal stove door gasket and latch
– second anchor roller, port side of bowsprit
– modify bronze roller furling rod (welding job) – one more roller jamming opportunity removed…
– new gasket on forward window – no more leaking in big waves!
– gaskets in footwell hatch (eliminating significant water entry in heavy weather sailing – MAJOR improvement)
– installed 6 gallon freshwater tank for wash water and plants – so nice to no longer be dodging gallon jugs in the cockpit!
– installed 3 gallon waste tank – there’s a story that goes with this, which will get its own post
– mizzen rotation stop – sounds small, but makes such a difference. No more mizzen mast twisting when it shouldn’t.
– installed high-capacity manual bilge pump (may we never need it!)
– painted several new coats of e-paint antifouling on bottom – I love this stuff, even though it’s a bit fussy. No worries when you touch it, or when it touches your favorite sandbar.
After launch we did a couple more things, including finally installing a charge controller for the solar panel. Huge improvement, both in charging performance and in removing the daily tasks of “human charge controller.”
That’s the biggest stuff we did. Below, I’m copying my “working list” from our projects, for anybody who would like to see how it really went, in more detail. Looking back, the amount of work seems ridiculous, but living with it now, it feels enormously worthwhile. Once again, so very many thanks to everybody who contributed to this process: Suzanne Jean, Theo Fadel, Henri Jean, Pat Bennett, Carolyn Meher, Michele Meher, and Tom Potter, who all worked specifically on various aspects of this list. What a nice outcome!
Winter Projects
things to be done (items moved to “done” category when complete):
–leak test forward window
–dock lines ends
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS///////////////////////LOAD BOAT!!!!!!!!!!!
. cargo boom (later?)
. design and build junk mainsail (not now)
aluminum mast tab for lightning ground –not now
. storm anchor cradle and tiedowns
. depth sounder
Shemaya
order and splice new dock lines and mainsheet – done
Epoxy List
various holes:
top of rudder – no
battery cable clam–not now
Completed epoxy (these are holes and cutouts, each sealed with epoxy)
Yuloh eyebolt hole – done
yuloh post – done
rudder stop – done
mizzen rotation stop – done
antenna cable clam – done
pump mounting – done
rounded eyebrow corners – done
yuloh pin hole in motor mount – done
GPS mount–done
yuloh eye strap–done
deck fills–done
safety tether tiedown–done
rudder post –done
head tank vent–done
GPS antenna–done
Port cockpit locker water tank tiedown–done
starboard cockpit locker water tank tiedown eyestrap–caulked
name boards mounting holes–done
yuloh post–done
Painting List
tabernacle bracket for battery navigation light?
… forward window–done
… motor mount–done
… rounded eyebrow corners–done
touch up toe rail–done
Bottom paint perhaps??–DONE!
In paint shop
yuloh–done
yuloh post –done
rudder stop – done
mizzen rotation stop – done
Completed
… Theo… round off downhaul tube – done
Epoxy slide board – done
… Theo… tabernacle chewed place – address this – done
… Theo… new plant racks (2, with four holes each), two brackets for new plant racks – done
… Suzanne/Shemaya… mizzen work – remove sail; lash on reefing line ring; check luff straightness – done
… Theo… measure dock lines and main sheet – done
place order for tri-color and bebi – done
… Theo… drill hole for mast lights wire alongside locker divider – done
… Theo… smooth grommets in mizzen sail – done
make motor mount thinner – done
… Theo… forward locker cover modifications – cut, add cleat to narrow piece, drill and countersink narrow piece, drill big piece for rope handle – done, needs installation – done
.. stainless mast pin – done
… Suzanne/Shemaya… wire ties on trailer, check battery – done
order double pole double throw switch for tricolor light – done
order AIS, antenna, cable, connectors – done
rudder stops on outside of hull – canceled (replacing with cockpit rudder stop)
. change out cup hooks – canceled (replacements not small enough)
… Theo… Install plant rack brackets — done
… rudder post epoxy–done
… Theo… round off eyebrow corners–done
… Theo and Suzanne… install cable clam for antenna wire–done
figure out parts for bilge pump — done
– drill for GPS antenna?? –done
drill for yuloh eye strap–done
drill for deck fills — done
drill for safety strap tiedown–done
… install mizzen rotation stop–done
… install bilge pump — last hose connection –done
–install deck fills –done
— order gasket–done
Carolyn
–install cockpit safety tether tiedown–done
–install yuloh eyestrap–done
attach port locker wires–done
… Suzanne… paint motor mount, epoxy and paint rounded eyebrow corners –done
bow eye–make backing plate, install–done
. wash algae off of boat, at stern–done
–install yuloh eyebolt–done
… install rudder stop–done
– Mast – Finish antenna mount–done
…berth seatbelt padeyes–done
…install vhf antenna cable deck seal–done
… Shemaya… get welding done on boom roller rod–done
… mount radio license inside boat –done
install mast antenna wire connectors–done
… AIS vhf antenna – research and order, install on mast–done
install deck plug cylinder –done
— remove incorrect gps ant.–done
… install new gps antenna–done
… lug rig adjustments – photograph rig, remove curved roller furling rod, weld on tab for lift shackle, reassemble everything–DONE!
… reassemble boom roller rod–done
… paint yuloh–done
repair/modify mainsail head–done
…make holes for name and place boards–done
… Theo… repair stove latch–done
adjust yuloh post–done
… interior mounting bracket for AIS–done
Shemaya – order bilge pump strainer–done
… make leecloth–done!
address window leak–done
Theo… Sort out yuloh storage–done
–seizing on yuloh–done
.. finish rubbing strakes — make, install –done
… eyestrap for stern anchor–done
. install water tank–done
. install starboard cockpit locker tiedown brackets–done
… install leecloth–done
. splice and mark anchor rode–done
… Install name board–done
..footwell hatch gasket–done
… Theo – place board bolts–done
put in footwell hatch–done
… eye straps for life jackets on starboard overhead–done
cut out watercatcher fabric–done
receive and install replacement masina light–DONE!!!
–connect mast wire, anchor, and tricolor lights, again–done!
…install water tank vent–done
fold/roll packraft –done
sewing – mesh anchor bags–done
test water pump–done
registration stickers on boat, trailer–done
Birthday cards for nieces–done
nav light brackets – screw or tape onto tabernacle, tape onto top of existing stern light–done
Finish assembling head tank–done
leather on yard–done
put yard back in sail, tie in–done
drill for double busbar mounting–done
pack spare anchor rode into blue bag–done
install head tank–done
finish seatbelt installation–done
put working anchor onto boat–done
load spare anchor rode into boat – Port cockpit locker–done
fill 20 peat moss bags–done
pack peat moss into boat – starboard cockpit locker behind and over water tank–done
– load packraft in starboard cockpit locker–done
put bronze roller rod back into boom–done
organize charts–done
fill charcoal bags – 20–done
load charcoal bags into boat–done
sewing – water catcher–done!
stern anchor line into green mesh bag–done
load rain gear bag onto boat, head end of starboard berth–done
load and tie in forward port black organizer–done
bedding: 2 sheets –done
blue fleece blanket, shiny fleece blanket, green cocoon from daybed, purple sleeping bag (stuffs behind forward black organizer over chicken pies) 4 down pillows, one polyfill pillow–done
heron fleece, purple bed fleece, green bed fleece, red daybed fleece–done
load canvas pockets bag, forward–done
load galley gear, forward end of starboard berth–done
red first aid kit, purple kayak cushion, behind forward black organizer–done
yellow kayak lifejacket, forward of forward black organizer–done
kayak dress-up canvas bag, forward of forward black organizer–done
inflatable lifejackets head of port berth –done
beaching legs–done
awning, 2 boathooks–done
load charts onto boat – starboard berth underneath all cushions–done
organize clothing–done
load clothing into boat–done
drinking water–fill, load–done
load books/cruising guides onto boat (alongside yellow water organizer)–done
check autopilot socket wires – done
… assemble ais power cord – done
install interior antenna wire and connectors – done
.. sew watercatcher udder – done