So is this forum for Neptune boats as well?

[Hooks]

I just bought a Neptune 24 and Google says that it's built by Capital Yatch's but is very similar to the Newport line. So not sure if this is a place I can ask questions. If not can someone direct me to the proper section?

Bottom line is I paid $3000 for it and the guy is letting me put $1000 down and make $400 payments for 5 months. It's not the boat I wanted but it's the boat I can afford until I can find something more what I want. Going to try to live aboard but not sure if there's enough space. Only one way to find out

Issues I'm aware of that I need help with.

1) The entry way "door" is rotted wood. It needs replacing. Where can I find something that matches the specifications of this boat?

2) The cushions all need new covers. It's just foam wrapped in sheets right now. Where do I find some that will fit? Searching google for neptune sailboat isn't turning up much.

3) The wood counter around the sink is rotten and needs replacing. I guess I just take the wood out, bring it to home depot or something, and have them cut me something similar? I take it I need to put something on the wood to make sure it lasts?

4) He added a water pump to the kitchen faucet that kicks on automatically when the knob is turned but the faucet in the head is the hand pump kind and It's not working. What's step 1 in troubleshooting it?

5) It has a window unit rigged under the entry way but no heat. What's a good heater that will work in a small space that won't burn the boat down? Preferably something that will kick off when a certain temp is reached so I don't wake up in the middle of the night sweating?

6) It needs a good cleaning. What's a good cleaner that will work on the fiberglass well? Like I wanna go out there this weekend, and scrub down everything.

7) The bilge doesn't have a float switch and you have to manually connect it to the 1 battery on the boat. How hard is it to add a float switch?

8) I need a battery charger. What's a good recommended one that will make sure the battery is always at a full charge when I'm at the dock?

9) It only has an ice box and a sink. I have a mini fridge I can find a place for but need something to cook on. Any suggestions there? I have a propane grill but not sure if they will let me keep it at the dock. So I was thinking a cheap plug in the wall burner thing? I have a Microwave I can try and fit too but space isn't an asset on this boat.

10) There's a compass and maybe a depth finder. Any suggestions on something cheap that can help me navigate and at least see the wind speed and how fast I'm going? I'm just going to be around Lake Ponchartrain so I don't really need much.

11) I want a larger canopy to keep the sun off me. Where can I look to find that for this boat? I plan on spending a lot of time outside and it gets HOT in Louisiana so the more shade I have the better.

12) It doesn't have the large plug that is at the marina. The owner (who lives 2 slips over and is going to help me with a lot of this) said that the people that lived on it before he bought it had an adapter cable going to an extension cord and had that rigged in the boat to power the A/C, fridge, microwave, etc. He said I can make one of these for $10 at home depot. Any clue what he's talking about? Are there plans online? Is this safe?

13) I want to make the boat more of a live aboard. So I want to add some form of storage. What's out there? I don't need all the beds and couches so I planned on removing the foam from one side of the boat and putting the microwave and mini fridge and whatnot on it. Maybe I can rig some form of cabinet space above it? I don't know. I have a 47" TV I'm going to try and fit somewhere in there.

14) Any tips you guys can offer me on living in such a small space? I have a dodge caliber I bought to help with storage. I can fold the back seats down and put clothes and whatnot in cardboard boxes back there if need be. But really I had an 800 square foot apartment and occupied maybe 50 square feet? I don't need much.

I know there will be more questions. Sorry. There's so much I want to know and so much to do. I'm extremely excited and happy to finally have my own boat, even if it's tiny

 

[simpsoned]

Go to www.capitalyachts.info...that is the website for all of the boats made by capital yachts...there is information there for Neptunes, and lots of the DIY informaton also applies to Neptune's...
My answers to your questions are in red
1) The entry way "door" is rotted wood. It needs replacing. Where can I find something that matches the specifications of this boat? If you are handy, you can build a new one yourself...if not, take the old ones off and find a woodworker who can help.

2) The cushions all need new covers. It's just foam wrapped in sheets right now. Where do I find some that will fit? Searching google for neptune sailboat isn't turning up much. Take the cushions to an upholstry shop and they can re-cover them in whatever fabric you want.

3) The wood counter around the sink is rotten and needs replacing. I guess I just take the wood out, bring it to home depot or something, and have them cut me something similar? I take it I need to put something on the wood to make sure it lasts? Pull the sink, take off the old counter and use it as a template. You can use plam (prelaminated wood) or you can use exterior grade plywood and cover it with laminate you can get from Home Depot.

4) He added a water pump to the kitchen faucet that kicks on automatically when the knob is turned but the faucet in the head is the hand pump kind and It's not working. What's step 1 in troubleshooting it? Pull the hand pump and take it to West Marine or a similar marine supply house. Pull it apart and see if the diaphragm is belly up or if you have a bad sucker washer.

5) It has a window unit rigged under the entry way but no heat. What's a good heater that will work in a small space that won't burn the boat down? Preferably something that will kick off when a certain temp is reached so I don't wake up in the middle of the night sweating? Get a small ceramic heater from Home Depot with a thermostat on it...cost's about 39.00...that's what I did.

6) It needs a good cleaning. What's a good cleaner that will work on the fiberglass well? Like I wanna go out there this weekend, and scrub down everything. Simple Green or Bio Green Clean (have to order that on line...pricey but super good)

7) The bilge doesn't have a float switch and you have to manually connect it to the 1 battery on the boat. How hard is it to add a float switch? Depending on the brand of bilge pump, not hard to get a pro to do it...

8) I need a battery charger. What's a good recommended one that will make sure the battery is always at a full charge when I'm at the dock? Go to your local auto parts store and get a mid range one...

9) It only has an ice box and a sink. I have a mini fridge I can find a place for but need something to cook on. Any suggestions there? I have a propane grill but not sure if they will let me keep it at the dock. So I was thinking a cheap plug in the wall burner thing? I have a Microwave I can try and fit too but space isn't an asset on this boat. go online and look for an inexpensive non pressurized alcohol stove...

10) There's a compass and maybe a depth finder. Any suggestions on something cheap that can help me navigate and at least see the wind speed and how fast I'm going? I'm just going to be around Lake Ponchartrain so I don't really need much. You can use your cell phone GPS to estimate speed...though the hull speed on a Neptune is about 6 knots maximum. Forget about the wind speed indicator...use the telltales on the shrouds for direction and learn to estimate what you speed is...

11) I want a larger canopy to keep the sun off me. Where can I look to find that for this boat? I plan on spending a lot of time outside and it gets HOT in Louisiana so the more shade I have the better. Go to West Marine and get a bimini cover...costs about $150.00 for the whole shebang.

12) It doesn't have the large plug that is at the marina. The owner (who lives 2 slips over and is going to help me with a lot of this) said that the people that lived on it before he bought it had an adapter cable going to an extension cord and had that rigged in the boat to power the A/C, fridge, microwave, etc. He said I can make one of these for $10 at home depot. Any clue what he's talking about? Are there plans online? Is this safe? He is right...or you can go to any marine supply store and get an adapter for about $29.00. You don't need plans, just what configuraton the plug at the breaker is and what you are plugging into, plus about 2 feet of 8 to 10 gauge 3 wire SO cord. You can get that at HD.

13) I want to make the boat more of a live aboard. So I want to add some form of storage. What's out there? I don't need all the beds and couches so I planned on removing the foam from one side of the boat and putting the microwave and mini fridge and whatnot on it. Maybe I can rig some form of cabinet space above it? I don't know. I have a 47" TV I'm going to try and fit somewhere in there. Good luck...big is not what living aboard a boat is all about...think of it as a small RV on the water...you can use plastic storage crates for temporary storage...ditch the big TV and keep the beds and couches...also, look around for litle niches for storage...I have a Newport and they all have spaces to squirrel away stuff...

14) Any tips you guys can offer me on living in such a small space? I have a dodge caliber I bought to help with storage. I can fold the back seats down and put clothes and whatnot in cardboard boxes back there if need be. But really I had an 800 square foot apartment and occupied maybe 50 square feet? I don't need much. See the answer above...the Neptune should have some hanging space...I live aboard for stretches in the summer...and the thing to remember is don't try to make the space into your "everything...keep things to the minimum and only essentials...

Ed Simpson,
Spokane WA
N30 #854

 

[centerline]

if there is no Neptune forum, then posting in an off brand forum is not going to get you the best response....
click on the "forum" link at the top of the page, then go to "shared forums".... then to "ask all sailors".... you may not be able to get brand specific information, but neither can you from posting in a brand specific forum that is not your brand.... but you have a MUCH broader audience that you are asking the question to, and someone WILL have an opinion...even if its not the answer you was hoping for

is the wood in the boat actually rotton or is it just extremely water stained?... it makes a BIG difference in the immediate need of the repair, or if it really NEEDS to be repaired at all....

the upholstery is going to be expensive, no matter how you do it... good material costs money.
you can sew it yourself much cheaper. the only real trick to it all is knowing how to cut it out so you have the design you want.... a cut that takes a LOT of sewing can create nice designer cushions, but if you cut for the minimum of sewing, you can create fully functional foam coverings that will work just as well for just as many years... and still look good.

you have a lot of questions, but if you post 2 or 3 at a time, you will get better answers than if you unload all of them at once.... too many questions can be overwhelming to try and answer all at once, so you usually end up with either short incomplete responses to all your questions, or people reading it that could help but just dont have the time for the long post.... I fall into the last category.... I like to help, but its just too much all at once!.... reasonably short posts are always better, but not too short.......

enjoy the "new" boat....

 

[McIntoshUSA]

I agree with Centerline. It is allot cheaper to make your own cushions. It is actually easy as long as you ok with using a sewing machine. When I was a kid I worked at an upholstery shop.
1. Take your old cushion covers off.
2. Turn the covers inside out
3. Take a razor blade or very sharp knife and gently cut the threads holding the pieces of fabric together.
4. Lay your new fabric out flat
5. Lay your old fabric pieces on top of the new fabric. Be sure to stretch the old pieces out so they lie flat
6. Now using your old pieces of fabric as a template, cut the new fabric pieces out.
7. Pin 2 of the new pieces together inside out. Now using a sewing machine sew them together still inside out
8. Now sew the 3rd piece of fabric on (still inside out).
9. When finished turn the new cushion cover back to right side out and put the foam cushion in

Good luck