Yeah, there's a number of things less than perfect, but I'm finding enough well done stuff to satisfy me. Like the winky washers backing the pulpit. I had 1/4" aluminum backing plates cut and punched for re-installation. I don't think the hardware on this boat was ever re-bedded, but it doesn't seem to have leaked bad. All the deck stuff is coming off and getting redone with butyl tape and 4200 where necessary. I'm in contact with 'Chris' at Tartan and he's giving me some guidance on several fronts. Says I should have a delrin washer at the hull/rudder interface and my skeg is on the way. Certainly the thru hull valve placements are not to ABYC spec on this boat, but there isn't much chance of changing those due to where they have to come through in the engine compartment and head (avoiding balsa core). New valves, maybe, but that's it. They all work.
I wandered Lowe's in Brewer yesterday and tried to imagine putting down some of that fake wood plastic flooring in the larger panels. Easy to cut and lay. We've got it in the house in the Virgin Islands and it seems to hold up, but I have to wonder about water intrusion. Instead, I got enamored with plastic Craftsman tool boxes that would fit certain spaces and tool selections.
The rot in the coachhouse teak ply is getting alleviated by cleaning 2' around each port, put lauan back in, paint it satin white and batten the edges with teak. Plain old Cetol satin throughout the interior.
Someone used 1 part polyurethane on white deck areas and I haven't decided whether to strip it and recover the gelcoat, with stress crack repairs and matching, or prep and 2 part the whole thing. It's gotta go, one way or the other, though. It's heavily chalked and holds dirt.
The 2 biggest things will be refrigeration and windlass (and maybe self steering gear when I feel flush). As to the windlass, I'm leaning towards the Maxwell after reading Practical Sailor. They seem to have a good warranty. Not sure on sizing yet, but the "8" series looks like it. Not sure whether to go horizontal or vertical. Probably vertical. Both look like pretty clean installations. I'm adding another bow roller as well, removing the port chock. That was done to starboard, and the chock was just screwed to the toerail. Got to be something better than that.
Also looking at an integral rail chock amidships and adding a cleat. Hamilton Marine has one that might work with sufficient whittling. I don't like cleats on the genoa tracks, think its a bad idea. New masthead sheaves, new running rigging, new wind indicator whatsit to the sending unit for the masthead and we're almost home.
Oh, I took a photo of the "brain" in the "bubble" next to the holding tank forward. Let me see if . . . need wife to figure out how to post it here. It's a clear, half-bubble, caulked to the hull on the port side in the locker at sole level. Looks like a wad of fiberglass insulation in it. No connections to anything.
Wordy, ain't I? I'm up to my chin in this refit and really don't have the time available to do it all. But I've never been one to trust yard monkeys, so I do it all myself. Back south to the V.I. a week from Sunday.
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