1) Strengthen forward deck around windlass as it has a huge crack in it - With time to spare at the end of the day we tackled the issue that is the wiggling windlass. Every time you use it, the thing looks like its going to rip free from the deck, there is a massive crack running from below the windless to the anchor locker door. We removed the windlass, dad cut 2 large bits of 12mm ply and we ended up sandwiching heaps of epoxy resin and glass matting between the deck and the ply and also the same concoction between the two bits of ply to give an incredibly strong base structure. Dad also had the horrible job of glassing the whole piece to the underside of the deck. Working upside down with runny epoxy was not fun, lets say there was as much epoxy on him as the project by the end of it! Now it was just a waiting game, leave it for a couple of days to fully cure before carrying that project to the next stage. Next step was to create a plug the correct size for the chain to go through and pour around the plug with thickened epoxy to protect the core material of the deck. Thanks to Mads from Sail Life for this great advice. Check out his channel here. Next step is to grind out the massive crack in the deck and lay several layers of glass and epoxy back in then fair and paint it up and this is as far we we got this weekend as time unfortunately ran out for us.
2) Re-arrange items on rear railings - We wanted to move the outboard motor to the opposite quarter so we could use the 4:1 pulley system for the dinghy to lower the outboard using out new motor lift harness we built. With a bit of modification the bracket swapped sides and this time got through bolted with 4 big stainless bolts. I also fitted the brackets for new horseshoe life rings, dan buoy lights, dan buoy (MOB pole) which is mounted in a big fishing rod holder. With all that done it looks really good, and should all comply with Cat 1 requirements.
3) Swap out round light above our bed - easy task in comparison so it was a great one to tackle one evening with the head torch and a bed covered in crimp fittings, tools and heat shrink tube. But final result is good and light is bloody bright on high.
4) Water tank - not on the original list at all but after having a look under the cabin sole I discovered that one water tank (starboard side) has never been turned on since we owned it and we essentially just doubled our water capacity in an instant. Now since that has been sitting there for 4+ years we want to look for something to 'decontaminate' the tank and Emma went off to the local boat chandlery to see if they had something up to the task...no such luck but told to get some sodium metabisulphite so add that to the list of things to get when we go home.
5) Through bolt life raft - now this is probably one of the stupidest things we did a half assed job on originally in Florida, the life raft was just screwed to the deck with 4x stainless screws so if we ever got a big wave over the front it had the potential to rip the liferaft off....hmmn probably not good so I bought 4x 8mm stainless bolts and washers to do the job right. I drilled out some large holes (13mm), taped the bottom of the hole inside and poured thickened epoxy into the holes and left it to go hard. This is as far as we could go as needed to paint the area before reinstalling the life raft cradle. But the idea of the epoxy is that you now drill a smaller hole through the epoxy and if water ever leaked into the bolt hole it couldn't seep into the foam core of the deck and do damage, it can only drip through the bottom of the hole.
6) Various other things - lots of small things here and there, measuring all sorts of things like keel bolts so I can get a socket to fit them to ensure they are tight. What massive bolts, its 3/4" stainless keel bolts with 1 5/16" bolts holding them on. Small things like this need to be done as its a long way to the boat and you can't exactly just pop over and measure something if you forget.
The week flew by and we achieved so much in such a small amount of time really, the next few weeks back home are taken up by things like a potluck dinner, Emma's parents coming for a weekend etc etc so might be into August before I can make it back to get some more things ticked off the list. Until then keep posted, we have a few projects on the go at home before we go back so will post them as we progress on them. New companionway door etc...
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| Frosty Morning at Havelock Marina |
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