Maiden Voyage

[hummingbirdbassist]

Maiden Voyage after 2 yrs on the hard of my ownership I launched, it was exciting and nerves all at the same time.
Had mechanic on hand and had leak at stuffing box, a few wrenches later ,,,,, drip minimal, yanmar 2qm15 chugged like a champ.
After about 2 hrs in slip we pushed off, motored for about 1 hr,went below and saw fluid coming out of transmission top(where it says oil) after several paper towels and oil pads i realized it was overfull and once it purged itsrlf of access it ran flawless.
Old depth finder and knot meter did not work. So i was totally dependent on old charts from 1983( came with boat)
But the ride was awesome....

 

[kito]

Congratulations! I am glad it went well. I am looking forward to my project H30 hitting the water next Spring ....hopefully. I can understand you being nervous. I get nervous just thinking about it. After I find there is no leaks and my nerves calm a bit I imagine the whole east coast will hear me celebrate.

 

[kloudie1]

CONGRATULATIONS !! Glad to hear the news !!

 

[Kermit]

Fantastic! I've been thinking about you and hoping things are working out with your boat.

Have you figured out the answer to my next question?

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

Kermit,
Dont have answer yet,,,but still pondering it!!!
Talk about nervous,,,,,
I got off work and drove 2 plus hrs with 9000 scenarios going thru my mind,,,, did not sleep a wink on boat, first light i was up running around thinking i shoulda, what iffa,,howabouta,etc lol, then the lift came and i walked every inch of yard until the water with her. The time when preparation meets opportunity and they held her in straps for a while as we fixed and looked for leaks, removed straps and there she floated. Man not to sound whimpish but i felt like i gave birth. To all the seasoned sailors here you probably know the feeling. Those who have not experienced it, i pray you will soon!

 

[rardiH36]

Old depth finder and knot meter did not work.

Congrats on taking the plunge ... and surviving with what seems to be big grin!

Re those old instruments. Are they DataMarine/Corinthian ones like in the attached picture? If so, I do have pdf's of the original owners' manuals which possibly might help. Let me know.

My set on my 1980 Cherubini Hunter 36 still work. But one of them didn't at one point until I managed to DIY revive it.

If your fuses and 12v wiring is good, next step is to insure that the cables and cable end fittings from the sensors are still ok. Then if you have done soldering before, and have a reasonably steady hand, one trick is to take the display units apart and remove the circuit boards. Take pictures and write down notes so you can get them back together again. With a low watt and sharp point soldering iron, heat and re-melt every solder joint on the board. Be real careful not to melt solder across the gaps to any adjacent connections which can create destructive shorts. Check that the plugs connecting any wires into the circuit board are still attached and they are clean. Also inspect the boards carefully as sometimes the copper foil conduits can split. Solution for this is to carefully scrape off the green coating with a knife to expose the now clean copper surface. Then carefully bridge over the break with a dab of solder. These tips aren't the sure bet solution, but over the years I have gotten quite a few old electronic devices working again for me. (Particularly with two 1988 and 1989 Jaguars I owned ... re-soldering the various boards, such as the dead bulb alert pcb, worked every time.)

Since these old speed and depth units aren't supported any more by the OEM's, not much to lose by trying DIY ...

 

[braol]

Talk about nervous,,,,,
9000 scenarios going thru my mind,,,, did not sleep a wink ..... running around thinking i shoulda, what iffa,,howabouta,etc lol, then the lift..... To all the seasoned sailors here you probably know the feeling.

The feeling doesn't go away no matter how many times you launch...it just diminishes over time as you know what to expect and learn your boat inside and out. A successful launch is a final confirmation and evidence of all your off-season work being well done. (If you enjoy the feeling, you should try building your own airplane sometime...but I digress.)
Oh, and the feeling returns when you climb aboard for that first long-distance cruise to a destination. And just 10 miles can be 'long-distance' if you haven't ventured outside of protected waters to a strange harbor before. I remember my first cruise I ever did from Santa Barbera to San Diego via Long Beach and Newport Beach. The first thought that entered my head was "I can't believe I'm doing this" followed by "Now WHY am I doing this?" followed by "I really shouldn't be doing this." In the end, you just rely on your own good judgement, make conservative decisions, and just kind of 'let it go.' Oh, and drink a few beers and/(or) a few shots of rum...that's the age-old cure for the cruising jitters.

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

Funny you say that, i felt the same way a succesful launch was the end result of my bloody knuckles, aching back, blurred vision, late night scratching my head and my butt, my oil stained clothes ive slept in,and the many new unfavorable words ive learned!!!! I will get tgat rum you speak of tho,

 

[Chief RA]

HBB: My best, hope she gives you much joy! I refurbished and launched my Catalina 250 this summer and yes it was nerve wracking and fun all at the same time! Chief

 

[stollo770]

Fantastic to hear that your maiden voyage went so well! I went through the same thing when I launched my Hunter 27 the first time after I bought her. She was on the hard for two and half years prior to my purchasing her and I had to put in a lot of work to make her perfect again. I didn't sleep for 2 nights prior to launch and on launch day I was super nervous/paranoid about every little thing. In fact, I slept on her for two days after her launch to make sure everything was really alright; my thinking was that if she didn't sink after two days, she would probably be fine. Ha. How trivial it all seems now.

I agree with you about your feelings of satisfaction after all the work is over. All those hot, oil soaked days really feel worth it once the boat is working perfectly in the water. I will say though that my happiest memories include me in some contorted position, reaching back into some cramped space, trying to fix something that doesn't want to be fixed.

 

[braol]

I will say though that my happiest memories include me in some contorted position, reaching back into some cramped space, trying to fix something that doesn't want to be fixed.

Stollo, send me your address and I'll get you an airline ticket to come work on my boat this spring!

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

Yeah i agree with all post, someone once said putting the exhaust hose on was like wrestling a snake in a phone booth !!!!! After doing it,,,,, man,,,,, it was worse than that! Lol. Next time down im building a new battery shelf, clean up some wiring, install a second bilge automatic bilge pump under engine and "Y" it into starboard side sculper drain. Working on a solar charge system for the stand alone battery for bilge pumps.

 

[hummingbirdbassist]

Pic i hope

 

[kito]

I agree with you about your feelings of satisfaction after all the work is over. All those hot, oil soaked days really feel worth it once the boat is working perfectly in the water. I will say though that my happiest memories include me in some contorted position, reaching back into some cramped space, trying to fix something that doesn't want to be fixed.

I have to say the "contorted" positions I have been in are by far my least happiest memories. Just ask my neighbors who have heard about every 4 letter word coming from my boat on a daily basis. I haven't taken many pics during my renovation but my scars will bring back the memories. My latest was yesterday. I was using my electric die grinder to sand down some blisters with 40 grit when it grabbed and slipped out of my sweaty hands. It ground a 4" long cut into my forearm and side. Lessoned learned......always use the momentary switch instead of locking it on.

 

[braol]

I've had the same problem with wire wheels on drills.

 

[stollo770]

I have to say the "contorted" positions I have been in are by far my least happiest memories. Just ask my neighbors who have heard about every 4 letter word coming from my boat on a daily basis.

I think your missing the spirit of working on your boat. Yeah its cramped, and hot and uncomfortable and my neighbors probably think I'm trash with how much I cursed. However, in those moments I really felt close to my boat. My H27 is 34 years old, obviously I'm not the original owner, but when I'm really working on her in those uncomfortable positions I feel like I am. I feel like I've known her all my life and she appreciates what I'm doing. Plus there is the satisfying pay off at the end when the work is done and everything is working perfectly. Maybe its just me but when its all said and done, I really feel like the boat is mine.

 

[braol]

I think your missing the spirit of working on your boat. Yeah its cramped, and hot and uncomfortable and my neighbors probably think I'm trash....

I have several neighbors that I KNOW think I'm trash just because my boat is 37 years old. But I can single-hand my boat better than some of them can sail their crew'd throw-away French tubs. I know every inch of my boat, which makes things better in an emergency and puts me really in tune with my, and my boat's, capabilities. Sure, I also have autopilot and late-model instruments but they are tools, not crutches. I can set a spinnaker single-handed. I've seen 6.9 knots on my meter with 30+ kts of wind blowing while my neighbors were sipping wine in the marina (we were swigging Pusser's Rum).
I can't wait to see the neighbors faces next Spring when I hoist my new all-wooden gaff rig I'm building/experimenting with in the garage....heh, heh, heh....