The "Lady" and I

[Squidd]

We're getting closer...

This is the first chance I had to spend a little time getting to know her since I dragged her home from DC...

I emptied her out of all the accumulated nick nacks and collectables from the PO getting to the bottom of all the bins and hidey holes... Pulled all the cushions and PFDs and removed all the hatch and bin covers so I could take stock of what was left..

Then I tried out the electrical...Made up a 30 amp plug so I could hook up the AC power and checked out the outlets.. all good there.. then we went to DC...

I have a "Redi-Amp 8" auto charger that seems to be shorted internaly, keeps popping the circut breaker, I disconnected it from the battery switch and it does put out power but still pops the breaker, so I'm thinking of sending it in for service...in the meantime I removed it from the boat.

Both batterys were dead, so I pulled them and tossed in a temp starter battery to test the DC circuts. Cabin lights work, VHF came on, Bildge pump works, running lights and mast light checked out OK.. What is the "Bow Light" that one didn't go anywhere.. ?

While I was "in" the starboard cockpit locker, I removed a mile or so of extra wires, a combination of phone line (?) speaker wire and a couple power wires that went "nowhere" cleaned it up nice and makes a lot more sense now...

Went in the cabin and pulled a few more "unused" wires and pulled up the floor panels.. keel bolts all clean and accessable but my centerboard seems to be "stuck" in the up position...

I think when I have the crane lift it off the flatbed I brought it home on I'll get underneath and run a long blade down both sides of the keel removeing the crud and hopefully that will allow the CB to drop, then I can reattach the lift rope to the cable and pull 'er back up...

Next warm day(s) I get I'll check out the plumbing, and run a little RV antifreeze thru it for the winter...

Little by little I'm makeing her my own...

Will post updates as they come..

 

[Tori Taylor]

Congratulations!

 

[Squidd]

Thanks, I'm becoming more and more comfortable with her as we spend more time together, when I first went out to DC to pick 'er up I thought "Man, what did I get myself into, buying a 'pig in a poke'"?" But I'm finding very little wrong (other than normal wear and tear on a 34 yr old boat) to fret about...

The centerboard moves a fraction of an inch now, but keel is sitting on blocks so not sure how much "extra" play I can get till she's hanging from the sling.. saw the dirt/crud built up in the CB/Keel slot with a mirror, hoping to clear it out with a long saws-all blade when I transfer trailers..

 

[Merlin Clark]

A carpenters handsaw works well for removing marine growth in a trunk with the board up.
Congrats on the boat.

 

[Ross]

A carpenters handsaw works well for removing marine growth in a trunk with the board up.
Congrats on the boat.

An old one please.

 

[25yearslater]

Congratulations. It is truly a joy to recycle these older boats despite the occasional setbacks.

 

[Merlin Clark]

An old one please.

Or borrowed from a nieghbor you won't miss!

 

[Squidd]

Missed a post or two, sorry...

Been busy building a trailer that I can launch the boat at a landing on my own...Had to get it off the equipment trailer I brought her home on..

Crane came out today and while boat was in the air I ran a sawblade down each side of the keel slot and hit 'er with the pressure washer...Centerboard slipped right out.. Hinge pin is good and CB is solid when down, cable pulled 'er right back up..

Got it on the new trailer and into the barn so I can work on it over the winter... Gonna Buff the blue, sand and repaint the red, and replace the rub rail on the outside... Also want to put on some "grab rails" on the cabin top...

Inside needs a good cleaning, oil the paneling and redo the cabin cushions and curtains...Play with the wireing a little bit and run some new lines and sheets where required and should be good to go... (that's the short list, I'm sure it'll triple before I'm ready to launch come spring..)

 

[Merlin Clark]

That trailer looks like it'll do th job!
I made my new handrails with a folding table saw to rip to width and angle the ends, a small bandsaw to shape the loops and finished with a router with a quarter round bit. Each one took about 10 minutes to make.
Made all my topside trim out of PVC lumber.
The pics show the old and new rails and one mounted and the new toerail I made. As you can see my teak was totally shot.

 

[Squidd]

Those look nice, what do you mean by "PVC Lumber" ...Is that the plastic deck replacement stuff..?

I was thinking Ipe lumber but not sure if it will "bend" around the hull for the rub rail...(should if I plane it down to 3/8" thick)

I see now I can make the hand rail in two pieces/sections rather than try to bend a longer one across the cabin top...

 

[Merlin Clark]

I used Azek deck lumber, 100% plastic. I checked out the composites that are sold at the box store near here and found out the wood they use is just pulp and rots over time.
I decided against teak because of the cost- I paid about $180 delivered for the Azek and teak was going to be something around 4 x as much w/o tax and shipping.
Ipe is beautiful wood, I've never used it so have no idea of what it would be like to work with.
3/8 would be very narrow for a toerail, would you laminate it? I saw somewhere where a guy made a steamer for bending (cut and shaped) trim wood out of a large diameter PVC pipe, a turkey fryer LPG burner and a tea kettle. Very creative!

 

[Squidd]

I have a nice aluminum Toe Rail, what I want to replace is the Rub Rail that is on the hull/deck joint...

Looks like it was made of Oak (too soft for teak) but has rotted off..

Don't know if I'll go as fancy on the machine work, just a nice 2"x3/8" strip with routered edges oiled to match the hand rails...unless I go plastic wood then I can skip the maintenance issues...

I do have a specialty wood shop near here that deals in exotic woods and faux woods...I'll have to see what's available...

 

[Merlin Clark]

Gotcha. Guess I was projecting.
A nice hardwood would look better than the plastic wood. I went the way I did because I had to replace everything except the tiller.

 

[Ed Schenck]

The advantage of plastic besides zero maintenance is the flexibility. It will easily take the radius of the rub rail. I wished I had used it on my Highlander. The bow area was a bear getting the hardwood to take that curve. I have used PlasTeak for several projects on my big boat. http://www.plasteak.com/

 

[Squidd]

Thanks for the link to Plasteak I'll have to check into them further...

I see you can't stain or paint the stuff, so I'll have to send in for a sample to make sure the color is appealing...

I kind of like the idea of recycled plastic for the exterior.. will look into it further..as well as price comparisons to teak Ipe or some other hardwood trim pieces...

 

[Ed Schenck]

Color is important. I originally made new handrails from 1x2", just bought the "lumber". Also made the eyebrow for the cabin sides. I eventually removed them, color was too light. But now they make a darker color. I did leave my dorade lids and traveler base.

 

[Squidd]

Stopped at the wood shop, saw some "cumaru" darker than the mahogany and lighter than the Ipe..and relatively inexpensive..

I'm thinking I may go that route...

 

[Merlin Clark]

Good looking wood!

 

[Amos Cape]

I replaced all my teak with PlasTeak on the outside of the boat and it looks great and on maintenance. Mt hand rails were around 9' long and had no problums getting it to form because it is so flexibility.

http://forums.s2.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=1919

 

[Squidd]

What I'm not likeing about it is it's to "light"/"tan" compared to the rest of the wood on the ship...

Ed did say they make another color of plasteak so I will try to obtain a sample, but the cumaru starts at a nice warm brown...