SV C'est la Vie

Home Sweet Home!

2011-11-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a great deal of luck with tides we made record time around the inland side of Marco and Goodland. We cleared Coon Key and re-entered the Ten Thousand Island around 14:30. Our winds had veered more westerly so we were able to motor sail along the outside of keys. We turned in Indian Key Pass around 16:00 and rode a flooding tide into Sunset Island.

Two weeks and four hours after our departure from Beaufort NC we had C'est la Vie tied into her dock and a cool beer in our hands.

Thanks to Bud for his willingness to take his time to assist as crew and share the adventure.

Closing in on Marco Island.

2011-11-16T11:53:00.001-05:00

As yesterday aged into twilight, the NOAA forecast became less favorable for sailing offshore through the night. We elected to call it a day and anchor for the night. We passed Punta Rassa, entered San Carlos Bay, and dropped the hook as the last light drained from the sky.

We greeted the dawn light today while riding an outgoing tide from the bay into the Gulf of Mexico. Since entering the Gulf we have been motor sailing close hauled under the main.

We have put astern 30NM and are currently 5NM out from Marco Island. If the day continues to go as planned, then we should make it home to Sunset Island this evening.

Back to salt water!

2011-11-15T14:33:00.001-05:00

Despite a foggy start we have cleared two locks and 5 draw bridges today. We are now back in salt water just north of Ft. Myers, FL.

Our next stop will be for fuel at the Ft. Myers City Marina. After that we remain undecided... Push on through the night tonight and hopefully arrive E'city torrow or anchor here tonight. We are looking over weather predictions and tide charts to aid in our decision.

Dinner Guests

2011-11-15T13:58:00.001-05:00

Ten hours of motoring delivered us to the River House Docks in Moorehaven, FL. We arrived midafternoon. The early arrival gave us time to clean house and shower prior to the appearance of dinner guests.

First to arrive were Bart Blankenship, fellow Outward Bound Instructor and sailor. He was assisting is brother with a sailboat delivery to the east coast of FL. We realized via Facebook that our paths would likely cross.

Quick on Bart's heels, Anne arrived. She drove up from Everglades City to visit and deliver a few groceries.

We found Joey's Pizza in town and shared a dinner at the picnic area beside the docks.

Lunch guest.

2011-11-15T13:49:00.001-05:00

The forecast predicted fine winds for sailing across Lake Okeechobee on Monday. So we awoke early and motored away from St Lucie Lock well before dawn. We cleared Port Mayaca Lock mid morning and found the lake a windless mirrorstretching out to the horizon.

We have now transited Lake Okeechobee many times aboard C'est la Vie, but have yet to sail across. This day proved no different. We set the auto pilot and let the motor hum along.

We did have a guest for lunch while moving northward in the rim canal. A monarch butterfly landed on Bud's sandwich.

West bound in fresh water

2011-11-13T20:42:00.001-05:00

After a morning of motorsailing close hauled under the genny, we turned west and entered the St. Lucie River at Stuart, FL. Our plan is to spend the next three days crossing from the eastern, Atlantic coast of FL, to the western, Gulf of Mexico, coast via the Okeechobee Waterway.

Fifteen miles westward in the river we reached the St. Lucie Lock. The lock lifted C'est la Vie approx 13 feet and into fresh water. Immediately following the lock is a state park that offers 8 boat slips on a first come first serve basis. We were fortunate to arrive early and claim slip #2.

Tomorrow we plan to run upstream in the St. Lucie River, cross Lake Okeechobee, lock down into the Calusahatchee River, and tie up for the night at the Moorehaven town dock.
Early to bed... Early to rise....

Good day for sailing in Indian River.

2011-11-13T08:02:00.001-05:00

After passing the Canaveral Barge Canal and accompanying bridges the winds picked up off our port bow. The ICW transits the Indian River in this area. The River maintains a depth and width that allowed us to enjoy some sailing close hauled southward. We were able to shut off the motor and make around 6 knots for over three hours.

The time under sail proved valuable as we came motoring into Vero Beach Marina on fumes. We fueled up and grabbed a mooring ball for the evening.

This morning we got another dark thirty start and are current approaching Ft. Perice.

Cold north winds aided in our 77NM day.

2011-11-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

Despite the cold, north wimd, or perhaps motivated by the hope of moving south to warmer temps. We rose to a dark thirty start out of the Matanzas' anchorage. The gusty wind was impractical for sailing because it constantly shifted from port to starboard off our stern. Attempting to harness the wind would have required constant gibes in the stiff breeze. So we motored on through Daytona and New Smyrna Beach.

The image below is of Bud at the helm while passing Ponce Inlet.

Where luck did not favor us with wind it did grace us at all the draw bridges. In total we passed thru 5 draws yesterday and did not slow up for a single opening.

By late afternoon the winds finally worked in our favor. We were able to motorsail a broad reach down Mosquito Lagoon and on to Titusville. We dropped the hook around 18:30. Pleased with our 77NM day, average speed of 6 knots, and the promise of warm weather tomorrow.

Cold Front

2011-11-11T10:42:00.001-05:00

After clearing the Bridge of Lions we pushed on to one of Anne and I's favorite anchorages at Matanzas Inlet.

We set the hook with just enough daylight remaining to send Bud up the mast to secure a loose spreader boot in preparation for the forecasted high winds associated the a passing cold front.

Yesterday was the first time I donned shorts on this voyage. The passage of the cold front delivered the promised 20+ knot winds along with a return to cool temps and a biting north wind.
We have remained bundled up this morning.

The 20 knot wind are fortunately on our stern as we approach Daytona Beach.

Back on the inside, and still pushing south

2011-11-11T10:27:00.001-05:00

After entering Florida we tied up for a night at Ferandina Harbor Marina. This gave us the opportunity for hot showers, a dinner out, and a trip to the grocery store to re-provision. Keeping to our rhythm we were off the dock pre dawn and taking full advantage of the flooding tide's southward current.

We made the 14:30 opening at St. Augustine's Bridge of Lions.

Finally sailing back into Florida waters

2011-11-09T21:12:00.001-05:00

C'est la Vie sailed back into Florida waters this afternoon.

For the first time since we began our voyage south just over a week ago, NOAA dropped the small craft advisories for the Atlantic waters in our area (NOAA considers any vessel under 65 feet a "small craft".)

We began the day in Tea Kettle Creek. By late morning we were approaching the Brunswick Bar Channel, and after listening to reports from other sailing vessels on the outside, we chose jump out for the afternoon leg to St. Mary's River inlet.

The offshore stretch proved more lumpy than expected, but it did knock and hour off our travel time and afford us the satisfaction of sailing back into Florida.

Tonight we are tied up at the Ferandina Beach Harbor. Tomorrow we plan to return to the ICW and hopefully make St. Augustine or beyond.

Cruising the Georgia ICW

2011-11-09T21:09:00.001-05:00

Our sprint down the ICW has now extended down into the infamous Georgia waters. Land of the 9 foot tidal ranges and meandering, ill marked channels. By moving dawn to dark we are continuing to cover about 60NM per day. Sometimes we.even pause to enjoy the sunrises.

Worlds largest single masted sailing vessel.

2011-11-08T11:53:00.001-05:00

What has a beam nearly twice C'est la Vie's length and mast that would reach end zone to end zone on a football field?

Marabella V, the worlds largest single masted sailing vessel - of course. We passed her tied up at Thunderbolt Marine this morning. We saw the mast from Tybee Rodes, but thought it was a cell tower.

We are currently motoring south through the Skidaway Narrows.

Beaufort not Beaufort

2011-11-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

Made good time yesterday covering 66NM, by getting lucky with the tides and running dawn to dusk.

We pushed hard to make the 11 am opening of the Ben Sawyer Bridge. Passing the bridge, which only opens on the hour, provided us access to Charleston Harbor. We made a quick transit of the harbor motorsailing under a full genny. Unfortunately this would be the first and last time we set the sails on Sunday. The remainder of our afternoon was spent motoring with a pack of sailboats southward in the ICW.

The daylight faded into a gorgeous low country sunset as we found an anchorage in the upper South Edisto River.

Myrtle Beach to Cape Romaine via the ICW

2011-11-06T08:55:00.001-05:00

We continue to make progress south via the ICW despite gale warnings posted for the southeastern seaboard. Yesterday's run Myrtle Beach to Cape Romaine covered 63NM. The day started in the morning darkness. By the time we had good visibility we were down in the beautiful Waccamaw River stretch of the ICW.

By mid afternoon we were making 8+ knots motorsailing down Winyah Bay under a full genny in stiff north breezes.

Making the turn west back into the ICW and Cape Romaine NWR, we furled the genny and motored the remaining 15NM to our anchorage at Five Fathom Creek. During the last stretch Bud prepared a wonderful loaf of bread.

Out in the marsh grasses, Five Fathom Creek is a bit exposed, but the soft clay bottom provided good holding in 10 feet of water. My only hesitation for endorsing the anchorage would be the shallow approach. While well marked we still observed depths of 6 feet at mid-tide. According to our resources the tide range in the area is around 5 feet. This could make access at low tides impossible.

This morning, we were running before sunrise this morning and plan to anchor south of Charleston this evening.

Hemmed into the ICW by weather

2011-11-04T20:44:00.001-04:00

Foul weather off the southeastern seaboard has kept our travels thus far in the ICW. We are making the most of the daylight hours and have managed to reach Myrtle Beach, SC in two and a half days of travel. If we can continue our pace we will pass thru Charleston over the weekend.

Based on current NOAA forecasts the earliest we can hope to run offshore will be Wednesday. Perhaps a Port Royal Sound to JAX or St Augustine passage will be in our future.

If anyone is seeking additional information about our travels, I am posting more updates and images to Google+. Posting from my phone to G+ is easier than posting blogger updates. Perhaps "the Google" will link these two formats soon? For now search for Jeff Lovett on Google+ if you are interested.

South Bound

2011-11-02T20:37:00.001-04:00

After lunch with Anne and; my family, Bud and I cast off from Bock Marine and began our journey south. We unfurled the new genny while still in Core Creek. The winds were inconsistent so we motorsailed down Bogue Sound. We covered 30nm today and are currently anchored in Swansboro, NC.

Back in the water!

2011-11-01T20:36:00.002-04:00

The last few days are a blur. Most of the time and effort has gone into finishing up the rigging and trouble shooting various issues that have arisen from our summer projects (i.e. a tang on the backstay rubbing on the aft halyard sheaves, a kink in the new hose connecting the galley sink to the fresh water tank, etc.)

We finally launched on All Hallow's Eve...

Today we wrapped up our troubleshooting - I hope. We also, rigged the mainsail and the Dutchman furler.

My father, Bud, who will be crewing for the return trip to Florida, arrived today. We hope to complete provisioning and some last minute projects tomorrow morning and shove off by mid-afternoon.

With any luck our blog will now transition from documenting projects to a travel log. Stay tuned!

A step forward - almost

2011-10-27T20:14:00.000-04:00

C'est la Vie's mast is now standing! The top stays arrived midday and by 14:00 the crane was hoisting the mast into position. The day was not without is glitches, I mean we are working on a boat. The retired top stays were made up with Norseman wire terminals. I removed these from the old rigging and planned to reuse them on the new. The inner cone must be replaced prior to re-installing the fittings on new wire. I took my fittings to West Marine and used them to identify the part required. West Marine ordered a cone for 5/16 wire fittings. C'est la Vie's fittings are 1/4. The difference was so slight, that I did not notice at the time. When Paul, from Omar Sails, began to install the fittings on the top stays, he identified the cones as too large. Damn, thwarted by the top stays - again. Here is the point where I must cease my rant and be thankful that we hired a professional rigger, Paul, to assist/consult on our rigging repairs. It is doubtful the either Anne or I would have realized the cone in the swageless fitting was incorrect for our wire size. We would have assembled the fitting and likely compromised the integrity of rig. Paul assured me the mast would stand supported by the four lower stays, the fore stay, and the back stay until the correct parts arrive tomorrow.

I'm an avid and committed Do-It-Yourselfer, but in this scenario having the knowledge and experience of a professional on hand was worth the additional costs.

We moved on from the frustration of the top stays to success with the forestay and new Harken Cruising 1 furler.

By the days end C'est la Vie had regained her mast and boom.

Despite the delays, it feels good to be putting the pieces back together.

Top stays, cap shrouds, where's waldo?

2011-10-25T20:13:00.000-04:00

Thought we would have the mast re-stepped by the end of the day, but...

Here it is resting atop ever weakening saw horses. My new goal is to get the mast erect before the saw horses give out. So whats is the hold up?

Things were going well. Paul from Omar Sails installed our two new fore stays and assembled the Harken Cruising 1 furler. I installed running rigging and a rope clutch for the genny halyard. We completed our respective tasks and surveyed the scene.

"Where are the the cap shrouds?" I inquired.
"What do you mean?" was Paul's reply.
"You know the wires that run from the top of the mast to the chain plate fittings on deck." I stated.
"Oh the top stays."
"Ok, where are the top stays?"
"I thought you had them."
"No you said you would order them along with the two new fore stays. I supplied the four lower stays."
"Hmm, we must have had some mis-communication."

Paul's final statement left me speechless.

I left Paul to expedite the order of two new stays and walked away to inform the yard manager that we would not be needing the crane for a couple more days.

At least the bottom painting is on schedule...

Pictured above is the first coat of Pettit Trinidad Pro.

Windlass rebuild complete!

2011-10-24T19:42:00.000-04:00

We installed the refinished windlass on deck last week - Refinished windlass installed - but I'm finally getting around to icing the cake. Polishing the bowsprit and greasing the anchor rollers is much easier without the anchors hanging from their rollers. Polishing & greasing complete, I hoisted the anchors back onto the bowsprit.

Here is a link to our photo album documenting the entire process - Refinish Windlass - Summer 2011

Installing the new mast step & compression post

2011-10-23T21:54:00.000-04:00

Weeks of pondering, prep work, and fabrication culminated in today's installation of our new compression post and deck mast step. The pondering began when we pulled the rig in early July. The damage due to chafing between the mast and the deck partners compromised the integrity of our mast. We explored the options and elected to amputate the damaged, lower section of the mast and replace it with a post below decks.

The three primary components of the solution - modify the existing mast step to accommodate a new step for the compression post; fabricate a new two step plates and a post; and create a solid, cosmetically appealing platform for the mast deck step - are all complete. Today we assemble the components....

We began with a test fitting to locate the proper position for the compression post mounting plate.

After a bit of head scratching and calculations we marked the correct position. With the post hanging in the hole from above decks we charged ahead...

We taped off the deck step, created a electrical barrier between the aluminum mast sleeve and the stainless steel deck plate, fit the wooden centering puck on the post, ran messenger lines for mast electronics, and finally fit the base of the compression post onto the assembly.

Lowering the post down for another test fit we were discouraged to find the gap between the deck and the deck plate was in excess of 1/8". We designed the system to have a 1/32" to 3/32" inch gap between the deck and the deck plate. This gap will ensure the compression post bears the force of the mast load not the decks. A gap in excess of 1/8" meant the post was too long, or did it mean the step on the keel was to high? Cutting the post would require us to delay our installation while the post returned to the machinist. We could grind down the interior step and continue the fitting today. Bet you can guess our next move...

We rigged up some plywood and tarps in hopes of limiting the fiberglass dust inside the boat and began to grind down the interior step. This was a time consuming process that required a bit of grinding followed by a test fit. Then more grinding. Then another test fit. Then... and you get the idea.

By the time we were satisfied with the fit Anne and I were using a sheet of paper to feel for gaps. To be certain we did not leave any voids under the step we applied mold wax to the base of the post and a thin layer of thickened epoxy to the step.

The final installation of the post went smoothly. My focus was on the interior. Anne managed the topside installation,

In the final assembly the tiny gap between the plate and the deck was filled with 3M 5200.

We left the original hole in deck to allow for the installation of the post and to ensure the decks were not bearing the load. I created a 1 1/2" wood puck to center the post in the original mast partners and prevent any movement.

The puck is fitted snugly in the partners and bolted directly to the deck plate and mast sleeve.

Looking down on the deck step the two bolts that affix to the wood puck at visible inside the mast sleeve just fore and aft of the messenger lines in the image above. The lag bolts at each corner of the deck step are set into the 2" thick solid fiberglass deck platform.

We plan to install the rigging on the mast tomorrow and step the mast on Tuesday!

mast modifications

2011-10-22T20:59:00.000-04:00

The mast lying on saw horses aside C'est la Vie is a sad sight, but the situation does offer a opportunity to make some repairs and modifications that have long resided on our to do list.

First: Replace the mast head sheaves, run the halyards internal on the mast, and add additional halyards:

Before:

Originally the mast had two halyard sheaves that accommodated a main and foresail halyard. These sheaves used the through bolt, visible in the center of the mast just above the white coaxial cable, as an axle. (see image above) This allowed C'est la Vie's rig to run two external halyards. Our addition of a roller furled head sail and a removable inner stay for the storm jib will require two fore halyards. To accomplish this we will add additional sheaves and reroute the halyards inside the mast. The new system will provide two fore halyards and two aft halyards.

The original sheaves are the large wheels in the lower portion of the image. The four new Harken sheaves are above the originals (three of which are still wrapped in plastic.) Paul from Omar Sails cut the exit slots and installed exit plates on the lower mast. He also located and drilled holes on the forward and aft side of the mast for the bolts that act as axles for the new sheaves. The two sheaves that occupy each axle are separated by a shim. The shim, visible between the two halyards in the image below, runs fore to aft and is anchored in place by the axle bolts. The shim prevents the sheaves from sliding side to side and prevents the halyards from slipping off the sheaves and becoming entangled.

After:

Secondly: Improve the attachment of the spreaders:

Before:

C'est la Vie's aluminum spreaders are not original to the vessel. 1960 vintage Morgans were equipped with wooded spreaders. When we purchased C'est la Vie she came equipped with aluminum spreaders. These are a nice improvement, but were poorly attached to the mast. In rough seas the spreaders would swing fore and aft. We discovered that two 1/4" bolts fit into 5/16" compression tubes were used to attach the spreaders.

We added a 3/8" bolt to the center of the assembly and enlarged the outer two bolts to 5/16". These modifications eliminated the play in the spreaders.

After:

We are closing in on re-stepping the mast. Below is the long view of our progress...

Head refinishing project completed!

2011-10-21T08:08:00.000-04:00

Since the port side chain plate brackets are behind much of the head plumbing, we stalled the head project to await the complete installation of the chain plates. After using a water hose to test the deck seal of the chain plates - no leaks -, I installed the head pump and made up the hose connections above the new counter top,

Our pump for the lavac head is located in the cabinet above the counter. On C'est la Vie the pump is plumbed so that it can be used to flush the toilet or pump out the holding tank when offshore.

Here is a look at the completed head...

Here is a link to a photo album documenting the process of refinishing the head and replacing the plumbing - Refinish Head - Summer 2011

We do plan to order a new toilet seat seat/lid when we get back to Florida this winter.

Refinished windlass installed

2011-10-20T19:38:00.000-04:00

Once we added the final grease..

And Anne used the excuse of torquing down the bolts on the base to show off her guns...

We reunited the windlass with the foredeck...

Now all that remains is to service the anchor rollers on the pulpit and rehang the anchors.

Chain plate deck fittings rebuild is complete!

2011-10-18T21:42:00.000-04:00

With the completion of the new chain plate deck fittings we are one project closer to re-stepping the mast. The entire process is detailed in our photo album - Chain Plate Deck Fittings - Fall 2011

Before:

After:

We applied the third coat of Brightsides Paint to the surrounding area yesterday. spot painting around the chain plates, mast step, and anchor windlass certainly highlights the sad state of our topsides paint.

Today we used 3M 4200 to re-bed the chain plates. This process prevents water from seeping through the deck fittings.

While working in the area we installed & bedded a new flush deck waste pumpout fitting. Over the past few weeks of working in the head I have noticed some water leaking in near the portside aft chain plate fitting. Unsure of how the water was intruding, we played it safe and re-bedded the port and starboard stanchion bases as well.

working above and below the waterline

2011-10-17T21:23:00.000-04:00

Today's efforts were a continuation of yesterday's projects. I started the day by adding epoxy thickened with a fairing filler to the area around the rudder stock. This filler is easy to sand and will allow me to return the hull to a smooth surface by sanding the cured epoxy.

While the epoxy cured, I turned my efforts to adding another coat of Brightsides Paint to the mast step and chain plate fittings. Adding a coat of paint is actually a time consuming process the starts with sanding the area, then wiping down the area with solvent, then wiping the area with a tack cloth, then mixing the paint with thinner to achieve the correct viscosity relative to the temp, then applying the paint, and finally cleaning up the tools. A few hours of work went into coat number 3.

By the time I finished the coat of paint on decks, the epoxy below the water line had cured. A few minutes with the orbital sander and the hull returned to a smooth surface.

The next stage in repairing the hull is to add seven coats of barrier coat. The barrier coat serves to keep water from soaking into the fiberglass hull. The red bottom paint visible on the majority of the hull serves to inhibit marine growth.

I was able to complete 3 application of barrier coat this afternoon by rolling on the next coat once the epoxy on the hull became tacky. To keep the epoxy and roller from hardening I placed them in a cooler with ice. To accelerate hardening of the epoxy on the hull I used a hot air gun to elevate the temperature. This method allowed me to apply the three coats in about one hour.

A bit of investigative digging

2011-10-16T18:25:00.000-04:00

We noticed the two hairline cracks on either side of the rudder stock shortly after we hauled out in June. And, we probably should have checked them out earlier in the summer. A couple days ago we finally got around to grinding out the surrounding area to investigate. The area is outlined in blue tape in the image below.

Our investigation yielded a couple small voids in the epoxy build up where the hull layup meets the bronze thru hull tube for the rudder stock. The voids are the best case scenario since once exposed they are easily repaired. After giving the area a few days to dry out, I filled the voids with thicken epoxy. Once the epoxy began to set I then added two layers of mat to to the area.

A couple days ago, Anne had created the horseshoe shaped pieces of fiberglass cloth that extend well beyond the cracks and voids. The fiberglass mat will provide additional strength to the area.

I focused on applying the fiberglass to the hull in the a.m. while waiting on yesterday's coat of Interlux Brightsides on the mast step to completely dry. By midday I switched my efforts to the topsides and added the second coat of paint to the mast step and chain plate fittings.

We now have two coats down. Hopefully we will have the painting completed before the next round of rain reaches the area on Tuesday evening.

Sanding and applying the paint on deck allowed enough time for the epoxy at the rudder to set. By late this afternoon, I was able to sand down the repairs on the hull.

The next step in the hull repair is to fair out the surface. Once the repaired area is smooth we will cover the area with barrier coat. By the time we get a fresh coat of bottom paint on the hull our repair should be indistinguishable from the rest of the hull.

A little TLC for the engine too

2011-10-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

The vast majority of our work on C'est la Vie since our haul out in June has gone into rigging. Being a sailboat our efforts to rejuvenate our primary source of propulsion seem appropriate, but we are not too proud to rely on our faithful Beta Marine when we need a little push. So it only seems fair that we devote some time (and money) to the engine as well.

Our new instrument panel and wiring harness are installed. Yes, this time the installation is well sealed with caulking. Mike from L&M marine took the lead on this project. I made some modifications to the engine room access below decks.

C'est la Vie's engine room access is located behind the companion way steps. I've spent many hours cursing the wooden cross brace while installing alternators, changing oil; replacing the starter, etc. My assumption was that a brace this obtrusive must be vitally important to the structural integrity of our vessel. Via discussions with Mike, a fellow M34 owner, and a closer inspection, I believe this brace can be removed.

Why have I not done that years ago? With the brace removed the panels on each side of the opening are more fragile. When the lower panel is screwed into place it serves with same function as the cross brace. To provide adequate purchase for screwing in the panel, I created new, enlarged braces on either side of the opening (lower, right below fire extinguisher in image above.)

The additional room in front of the engine allows us to relocate the raw water pump from the rear to the front of the engine (shiny, bronze object in center of image above.) This move will make changing impellers much easier.

P.S. Must admit I'm a bit embarrassed by the stained oil pad in the first image of the engine. I am compelled to state we do not have an oil leak, I keep this pad in place to catch any drips from changing or checking the oil. It is also a sure method of identifying if leaks occur. So we keep a clean oil pad under the engine. The stains on the pad in the image below are from work replacing the temprature gauge sensor and the oil pressure sensor.

First coat of primer is on the mast step.

2011-10-12T20:39:00.000-04:00

Despite the rumbling of distant thunder, I pushed my luck and proceed in applying the initial coat of primer to the mast step.

In anticipation for this winter's project of painting the decks with new non-skid, I expanded the area we will paint to include the hatch in the head. Future coats will include the area aft of the salon hatch, but I needed to fill some cracks and dings prior to painting the area.

Unfortunate surprise in the lazurette leads to a new project.

2011-10-11T20:19:00.000-04:00

Today's rains prevented any progress on the above deck projects. I did spend some time connecting the new stern anchor light and and re-connecting the wind generator in the electrical panel.

Mid afternoon, Mike from L&M Marine arrived with our Beta Marine order.

Have I mentioned that we ordered a new instrument panel and wiring harness from Beta Marine? A few days ago in an effort to better access the wires in the lazurette we slid aside our propane locker and were appalled at the rust & corrosion on the back side of the instruments. The entire housing for our oil pressure gauge was paper thin. I am amazed the ignition switch was still working with all the corrosion on the terminals.

I'm guessing the area took a soaking during last fall's rough five day crossing from Wilmington, NC to the Abacos.

When taking green water across the decks an occasional stream ran past the cockpit combing and down the back side of the cockpit near the main sheet traveler. This water likely found it's way to the backside of the instruments via an insufficient seal around the instrument panel.

Well the old panel is now history. Mike took the housing back to his shop to install the new panel.

When Mike removed the old panel there was no caulking around the housing. To be sure we will remedy this when the new panel is installed.

Like any good boat project this is growing larger by the minute. A new panel has new gauges. New gauges require new sending units on the engine. It seems the new gauges do not speak the same language as the old sending units. Well new sending units require a new wiring harness. Oh yes and while we are getting greasy lets replace and relocate the raw water pump. And so goes the creation of an new list of projects.

Before the rains began to fall

2011-10-10T19:47:00.000-04:00

With rain forecast to begin falling by late afternoon, we worked to tick off as many outside projects as possible. We started the day by re-installing the dodger and bimini. These will better allow us to continue working on interior projects during the rainy days. Both the dodger and bimini were removed in early summer to limit UV damage and reduce our windage during hurricane season. While the dodger was off the boat, Tony at Beaufort Canvas replaced the leather wrap along the top, aft edge. This part of the dodger frequently serves as a hand hold while in the cockpit. Over the course of 4 years we had worn through the original leather wrap.

Once the bimini and dodger were re-installed, I went back to work sanding and fairing the mast step. Anne focused on pulling the new coax wiring for the AM/FM antenna and for the new anchor light, both mounted on the stern wind generator post, to C'est la Vie's electrical panel.

I completed fairing the mast step just as the rain drops began to patter on the deck.

By this time Anne had completed running the wires and moved on to assembling the wind generator blades.

Rain is forecast to continue for the next 36 to 48 hours. Looks like tomorrow's efforts will be limited to interior projects.

Arts and Crafts day on C'est la Vie - part 1

2011-10-09T09:49:00.000-04:00

With all the standing rigging down the time is right to tick off a long time resident of the projects list - rebuild the chain plate deck fittings. I'm unsure of the technical name for these things, but they serve to keep water from intruding into the cabin where the chain plates pass through the deck. They perform this task in two ways. First, they are raised so thin sheets of water running across the deck will pass round the structure. Secondly they have a recessed reservoir that when filled with caulk and compressed by a metal top plate forms a water tight seal around the metal chain plate. C'est la Vie has four such fittings on her deck. The aft fittings are doubles and accommodate the cap and aft lower shrouds.

Visible in the image above is a green outline of what I envision the for the shape of the finished product. The forward fitting is a single chain plate that serves the lower, forward shroud.

In the images above the metal fittings are the chain plates. The yellow modeling clay is filling the reservoir and extends above the height that I plan to build up the new fittings. Surrounding the modeling clay are the eroding remnants of the original fittings.

At the the stage of the process pictured above, I have drilled out and refilled with epoxy the four screw holes used to tighten down the metal top plate. With these holes filled the next step was to create a mold for the new deck fitting. Modeling clay works well as a mold for epoxy, but how to create nice round ends and straight sides? I searched around the boat for a something that looked to be the appropriate radius.

Can't use the can, but the lid will do nicely.

I cut the plastic lid in half vertically for use as a guide, and then molded the clay around the lid.

Once the round ends were complete, I used a straight edge and a box cutter blade to clean up the sides of the mold.

Repeat this process on each of the four fittings and it is time to pour the epoxy. I used West System epoxy thickened to a consistency somewhere between honey and ketchup with high density filler.

Allow epoxy to fully set... see part 2

Arts and Crafts day on C'est la Vie - part 2

2011-10-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Epoxy cured, chain plate removed, and modeling clay removed; I sand down the new fittings with 80 grit sandpaper and a Dremel tool.

The battery powered Dremel with a rough sanding drum saved a great deal of time and effort when addressing the interior edges of the reservoir. Initial sanding complete it is time to add the fillets (rounded edges) and remedy any gaps in the initial round of epoxy.

I refilled the reservoirs with model clay and re-taped the surrounding area before mixing up another round of epoxy. This time around I used a fairing filler to thicken the epoxy to a consistency similar to petroleum jelly. The fairing fillers are easier to sand down and this application is more about cosmetics than structure.

No clay molds on this application. The epoxy was added to the fitting using a stir stick and a 3" spreader. Before the epoxy fully set, I used a razor blade to cut through the skin across the top of the area filled with modeling clay. Once cured I removed the clay and tested the height of the new fitting by inserting the chain plate and attaching the turnbuckles. It is a very important test the fitting before continuing on to painting. I found that I had raised both forward fittings too much. The forward fittings did not allow enough clearance for the shoulders of the turnbuckle. I removed to excess material from the top of the fitting, approx 3/32", using an orbital sander armed with 80 grit paper. The aft fittings did not require any material removal.

Another round of sanding with 80 grit paper followed by a round with 120 grit paper preceeded the application of primer.

What is hidden in your mast?

2011-10-08T20:55:00.000-04:00

The newly fabricated compression post arrived late last week. The 3 1/2" stainless steel pipe capped with a 1/2" thick stainless steel plate certainly appears stout.

We were surprised by small diameter, approximately 1", tubing that is meant to pass all our mast wiring through the plate an into the boat. Only 1"? The wiring for all the lights on the mast consisted of seven 12 guage wires housed in a 3/4" section of flexible conduit. Add to this the oversized VHF coaxial cable plus the new NMEA cable and we realized replacing the old electrical wiring in the mast is the only option.

Thanks to the efforts of the previous owner all of the wiring in the mast runs through a 2" section of PVC. The PVC pipe is riveted to the mast. Running the wiring through the pipe eliminates wires slapping the inside of the mast, reduces the risk of wires chafing, and greatly eases the addition of new wiring.

Anne and I converted all the mast head, steaming, and deck lights to LED a couple a years ago. The low draw of the LED bulbs allows us to reduce the gauge of the wire running up the mast. We decided to run separate sections of 16 gauge, 3 strand wire. One wire to the mast head lights and a separate wire to the steaming/deck lights at mid mast. Fortunately Barbour's Marine Supply in Beaufort had a 100' spool of 3 strand, 16 gauge boat wire. By lunchtime we had made our assessment and had all the supplies in hand.

Since fishing wire or rope through the mast is always a two person job, I elected to move on this project while Bud was visiting. We disconnected all the wiring and attached messenger lines to the wires at the masthead and midway up the mast. Pulling out the existing wire and messengers should be easy, remember the PVC pipe that serves as a conduit through the mast? Bud took station at the base of the mast and pulled the wire with such force that the mast began to slide across the saw horses. What? We did not wish to damage the new NMEA cable or the VHF coax with our struggle to purge the old wiring. We attached additional messenger lines to the NMEA and the VHF cables. With a little difficulty midway through the mast were retrieved the NMEA cable. The large VHF cable gave more struggle than the NMEA the wire, but finally pulled through the masthead. Now with no additional wiring left in the mast to damage we returned to the bundle of electrical wires.

I grasp the spreader mounts to keep the mast in place. Bud heaved on the wires. After a brief game of tug-o-war the wires released. With ease the remaining seven wire bundle, towing two messenger lines, slipped free of the base of the mast. And to what should our wondering eyes behold?

A woven wire Chinese finger trap of a device used in industrial settings to pull wire. This definitely explains why we struggled to pull additional cables through the PVC conduit. Now we are home free!

But, wait - where is the masthead messenger line?
You tied it off right?
I thought you tied it off!
Well you were working up there!
&%#@!
@*&%, break out the fish tape.

"If there is a will there is a way", and we were successful in re-threading the new wire through the masthead. The other wires all had messenger lines in place and installed easily. By days end we had rewired and tested a new mast head tricolor/anchor light, the steaming light, and the deck light. We also tapped the attachment screws for the Garmin wind indicator on the mast head, re-installed the NMEA cable, and re-installed the VHF coax cable. Thanks for your assistance Bud.

Here is an image of the current state of the masthead.

The hole in the mast with two lager rivets on either side is the attachment point for the removable inner stay. In the background is our growing pile of salvageable metal. This pile now includes the lower mast section; the boom; and, the latest addition, 350 feet of 12ga braided copper wire.

Final steps on the step?

2011-10-05T20:01:00.000-04:00

Sunday, Oct 4, Anne had the day off work and joined me on the boat to apply the final 2 layers of mat on the new mast step.

After laying up the cloth on the step we turned our energies toward the wind generator post. We pulled new coaxial cable for the AM/FM antenna. The existing wire was loosing it's insulation due to UV exposre. We installed a Davis Mega Light that we will use as a second, lower anchor light. The mega light has a built in photo eye that automatically cycles the light on at night an off in the day. Immediately upon purchasing the light we ordered an LED bulb for the unit from Sailor's Solutions. We cut the cigarette light plug off the end of the Mega Light and plan to wire the light directly to a switch on our electrical panel. The combination of a Davis Mega light $45 and a LED bulb $20 gives us a unit equivalent to what Lopo Light, Orca Light, or Allied Signal would sell for $300+ dollars. We will provide a report out on the endurance of the light in the future.

I returned to C'est la Vie solo today, October 5. Before opening ports or hatches, I suited up, grabbed the grinder, and ground level the mast step.

While in full fiberglass grinding mode I also ground out an area of deck on the port side that looked as if it was allowing water intrusion. It discovered a wooden plug in what must have been the original waste pump out fitting. I also used the disc sander to prep the area around the windlass and the chain plates for some epoxy repairs. By the time the dust settled, I had nine different spots on deck that were prepped for fiberglass repairs or filling. The projects ranged from filling screw holes to repairing the deck to fairing the mast step.

Here is a shot of the faired, smooth, and level mast step just before climbing down the ladder and calling it a day.

A new counter top the centerpiece of our head rebuild

2011-10-03T21:28:00.000-04:00

After of morning of running about town to purchase boat supplies (see our last blog entry - The Day the Resin Died), I got late start on C'est la Vie projects. Despite the delinquent start, I made great progress and completed all the plumbing below the counter top. Now two of our ongoing projects conflict. The access to the chain plates (metal work that joins the mast rigging to the hull of the boat) is obscured on the port side by the upper head plumbing. Since we still have work to do on the deck fittings for the chain plates unfettered access to the below deck hardware is important.

I could not resist the urge to install the center piece of our efforts to refinish the head. Using both liquid nails and #10 wood screws with fender washers, the new counter top went into place easily.

We never used the sink in the head -the water pump has been broken for at least two years and we keep the sink drain closed to prevent flooding when heeled to port. Thus we removed the sink and incorporated the cut out into a hatch to provide better access to the lower plumbing and storage below.

With the afternoon waning I carried the momentum through and installed the doors on the lower lockers before calling it a day.

If anyone is interested in a more detailed pictorial of the creation of the countertop check out our photo album: Refinishing the Head - Summer 2011

the day the resin died

2011-10-02T20:54:00.000-04:00

Sunday morning Anne and I headed out to the boatyard eager to apply the final 5 coats of fiberglass mat to the deck mast step. Anne jumped directly into prepping the mast step for the new epoxy - wash down the area, dry the area, sand the area, wipe down area with acetone, tape off the area around the step, spread out drop cloths on deck, and align all the materials and tools. While Anne progressed thru the preparation, I focus on installing the locker doors in the vee berth area.

When Anne called the all ready, I joined her on deck. 25 layers of mat into the construction of the new deck step we have developed a system for the application. Anne mixes the two part West Systems epoxy. The epoxy containers have hand pumps so measuring out the correct ratio is simply a matter of counting out equal numbers of pumps. For this project we use 4 pumps of resin and 4 pumps of hardener. Once the epoxy is mixed together Anne pours the mixture over the precut dry fiberglass mat. Anne purchased a large turkey basting pan that fits our mat sections perfectly so we use this vessel for saturating the mat. The mat transforms from white to translucent when it fully saturates with the epoxy. The process now becomes a two person job. One of us holds the cloth in the pan while the other uses a plastic squeegee to remove surplus epoxy from the cloth. I then apply the saturated mat to the mast step. Once the mat is in place I work out all the bubbles and wrinkles to ensure a solid buildup. Meanwhile Anne begins mixing up the next round of epoxy. As the epoxy cures is gives off heat, an exothermic reaction. A massing too many layers on a sunny day can generate enough heat to compromising the strength of the assembly or even ignite a fire. Dependent on conditions we are limited to applying 4 to 7 layers at during a session. Since the entire process is sticky hands on work (we do wear gloves), there are no clean hands to take pictures.

Back to Sunday morning, we are two layers into our final round of 5 layers and the epoxy resin pump rudely belches air. Anne tries again and gets a mixture of air and resin. Damn! I knew we were getting low, but we are out? In the middle of our final layup? I finish working layer two onto the wet mast step and then make hasty lap through our section of the yard in an attempt to "borrow" some resin. No luck. Anne continues to use the epoxy remaining in the pan and her last mixture to wet out layer three. By the time I return to C'est la Vie empty handed Anne has successfully wetted out the next layer of mat. I apply the mat while Anne rigs a cardboard box as a sunshade in an effort to slow the curing. We deglove and jump in the car. Our mad dash to the Beaufort Ace Hardware is on. We need to return with new resin before our currently layup cures beyond the point of being tacky. Otherwise we must wait for the layup to fully cure and then go through the entire prepation process again.

We did not even question weather Ace would carry West epoxy. This is a coastal town with heavy commercial and recreational boat traffic. Quick survey of the glue isle - no. Quick survey of the paint section - no. Quick search for anyone wearing a red Ace Hardware vest - yes. Bad news - our local Ace Hardware does not carry West Systems products. Closest alternative? West Marine Morehead City. Our next course of action? Head home and enjoy a turkey sandwich over a game of Spite and Malice.

After being defeated, again, in Spite and Malice, I return to C'est la Vie in the afternoon. I clean up the remnants of our morning epoxy session and then make good progress on plumbing the head.

Definitely a two person job

2011-10-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

Notice anything different in the image above? Well yes, Anne is holding up the severed lower 6 feet of C'est la Vie's mast. But is that really all that unusual? How about that fleece jacket Anne is wearing? That's right autumn temps are finally here in the OBX.

Backed by temps in the low 50's, armed with a fish tape and some p-cord on loan from Omar Sails, Anne and I confidently stepped up to the task of threading messenger lines from the top of the mast to the proper exit holes near deck level on the mast.

Being a boat project this task consumed much more time than originally budgeted. We learned that compression tubes, PVC conduit, internal sleeves, and bolt studs are infinitely attractive to the end of the fish tape than the proper exit hole on the mast.

By nearly noon we successfully threaded the final halyard messenger and had moved on to the electrical wiring in the mast. We removed some old, unused co-axial cable to make room for a NMEA 2000 line that will transmit data from our new Garmin GWS 10 Wind Sensor stationed atop the mast to the display in our cockpit. As expected it is easier to remove old wires that to pull new. Anne's smaller hands saved the day by enabling her to reach blindly into the top of the mast and thread wires to the proper exit.

Stepping back is not an option now

2011-10-01T06:08:00.000-04:00

Friday afternoon, Paul from Omar Sails came out and cut the mast just above the damaged area. Now we are fully committed to deck stepping the mast.

While working on site, Paul, also located and cut the exit holes for the internal halyards. I was surprised to discover that standard woodworking bits and blades were used on the mast. He simply used a jig saw with a 10 tooth per inch wood cutting blade for making the cuts on the mast.

Once Paul departed I used a dremel tool with a cut off wheel to reach inside the mast and carefully cut the PVC pipe that serves as a conduit for the electrical lines running inside the mast. Now it is up to Anne and I to thread through the length of the mast the small diameter messenger lines. The messenger lines will be used to pull the new halyards through the mast and out the proper exit hole.

Better weather allows progress both inside and out

2011-09-30T19:42:00.000-04:00

Clear skies have finally returned to the area. Anne and I were finally able to build the deck mast step up to 25 layers. Once the epoxy cured, I ground out the high spots and discovered that we will need to add more mat to ensure the mast is not reduced in height when we complete this conversion.

We cut 5 more layers of mat and plan to add those to the step over the weekend.

Meanwhile below decks a bit of sanding plus a few coats paint and the holes filled in the port, forward bulkhead are now gone...

Once the paint dried we drilled the new, lower hole to allow a 1 1/2" diameter line to pass between the holding tank and the pumpout fittings.

Filling and Drilling Holes in my Head

2011-09-29T18:10:00.000-04:00

When I began route hoses to the new, 50% larger holding tank, my hope of utilizing the existing holes in the forward bulkhead evaporated. The line in (deposit) hose lines up well with the hole in the upper, left of the image above. The line out (withdraw) hose will require a new hole 15" below the upper hole. I could not bring myself to drill anew without first filling in the existing holes. In the image above, the four holes filled are filled with epoxy thickened by mixed it with chopped up fiberglass mat.

Once the plugs in the holes cured, I used epoxy thickened with west systems 405 filler (brown) to fair out the surface of each side of the bulkhead. While the fairing remained wet, I applied a layer of mat to each side of the bulkhead. The mat will bond the repairs to the entire bulkhead and hopefully return some measure of strength lost when each hole is drilled.

Tomorrow we will return to C'est la Vie a drill a couple new holes.

Of course this process took place in the freshly painted vee berth and head lockers. Once this repair has cured and the new hole is drilled we will need to break out the primer and paint - again.

Rain, rain, rain

2011-09-28T20:36:00.000-04:00

Heavy, daily rains have retarded progress on repairs. For the last 6 days we have waited to add to the 18 layers of mat in place on the base for the new on deck mast step.

We estimate the base will require 25 layers of mat to bring the layup level with the existing lip. Once the two are level we will then fair out the new base. The new compression post will drop down through the hole and rest on the original mast step. A half inch stainless steel plate caps the new compression post. This plate will rest flush on the base seen above. If all this is confusing, then stay tuned. With the forecast improving we should begin to pick up some speed on this project.

Down below I am beginning to re-install the plumbing and electrical ripped out of the vee berth and head to facilitate painting the lockers. Today I completed rewiring the AC outlets and lights in both the head and the vee berth.

Tomorrow I hope to make progress on the plumbing.

Nothing left but to re-install the refinished windlass

2011-09-24T20:35:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a great deal of assistance from friends and family our Sea Tiger 555 windlass is completely restored.
Bud assisted me with removing the windlass. Here is the starting point...

I struggled to disassemble the windlass so a local friend took the windlass the his workplace, a local Naval Yard. The assembled windlass returned it looking like this...

I then transported the windlass to my family's home and with more help from Bud we stripped down the windlass into its component parts. Degreasing and inspecting the mechanism we relaized one spring was missing, a couple bolts were nearly stripped, and all the o-rings required replacing.

I located SL Spares, a UK based vendor that supplies replacement parts, via the internet. The new parts arrived as ordered from the UK in under 2 weeks. Bud took on reassembling, priming, and applying the finish paint. The Lovett's are in town visiting for a day and delivered the windlass.

All that remains is adding some additional grease and bolting the windlass back to the deck.

More images and comments on this project can be found in our photo album: Refinish Windlass - 2011

Thanks for all the help to everyone that pitched in on this project.

Projects preempting posts

2011-09-23T14:19:00.000-04:00

Daily showers here in Beaufort, NC have not prevented long hours of boat projects from preempting blog posts. By the time I finally come to rest at the end of the day all energy for updating the blog has gone into laying up the mast step or refinishing the trim in the vee berth or completing the new counter top for the head or...

This morning's rain shower only allowed me to apply three layers of mat to the new mast step so after securely tarping over the curing epoxy and cleaning up around the cabin I drove home for lunch. Over lunch I checked in on the C'est la Vie blog and realized that the last update was on Sept 17th.

While the blog has not received daily updates, I have continued to add images and captions to the web albums chronicling the evolution of to our two primary projects underway. If you are looking for more detail on our progress please check out these albums...

Rigging Repairs and Modifications - 2011 - We are currently fairing out our modifications to the interior / original mast step; building up layers of mat, 18 layers of 25 layers complete, on what will be the base of our deck mast step; and waiting on the machine shop to weld up our compression post assembly.

Refinishing the head - 2011 Most of the headway on this project in the last couple days has focused on refinishing the wood trim in the head and vee berth area. We have also made progress on the new counter top and will hopefully be applying the final coats of bristol finish to it this afternoon.

Rainy day progress

2011-09-17T21:51:00.000-04:00

The 70% chance of rain materialized as a day of incessant drizzle. The drizzle worked in my favor as it kept temps cooler yet allowed me to leave C'est la Vie's leeward ports open. An autumn like breeze ventilated the cabin. Under these conditions and I applied the final coat of paint to the head lockers and began build up the mast step with fiberglass.

The fresh paint in the lockers now highlights the need to refinish the wood trim and replace the dingy lid on the head. I'm unsure if time will allow us to complete either of these tasks before we need to began our trip back to Florida.

While the paint dried in the head, I changed venues and begin to build up the old mast step. The compression post we plan to add below decks will require a level surface on which to mount. The current step slopes aft. We will use sections of mat left over from the cloth cut for creating the new mast step on deck to build up the old, interior mast step. Initially I laid out the dry mat on the step to figure out the best pattern for the cloth. I then numbered the sections as they were removed from the step. Before applying the new cloth, I used thickened epoxy and a syringe to fill old bolt holes and irregularities in the step.

Applying the 12 pieces of fiberglass mat went smoothly, but I was a bit disappointed by how little this work did to reduce the slope on the step. I will definitely be adding more cloth once this application cures. By tomorrow I will be able to set a level on the area to get an accurate assessment of how much remains.

Note the fresh coats of paint along the walls of the mast channel in the image above. This area was painted in conjunction with the head lockers.

The rain is forecast to end by tomorrow morning with cooler temps remaining in the area. Hopefully tomorrow, Anne and I can team up to begin fabricating the new mast step on deck.

making 'head'way

2011-09-16T21:33:00.000-04:00

The majority of my energy over the past couple days has gone into tasks associated with refinishing the head. I have poured more effort into this project since I realized the chain plates must be re-installed prior to re-stepping the mast. Since the port side chain plates are in the head I need to at least finish painting the lockers so the chain plates can be installed.

I did manage to complete two coats of Kilz 2 primer and one top coat of an exterior, oilbased semi-gloss. Darkness caught up with me prior to completing the second top coat. I continue to underestimate the time, effort, and quantity of paint it takes to recoat lockers. Painting small enclosed spaces - lockers- is a different beast that large enclosed spaces - rooms in a house.

Thanks to a great deal of assistance from Tipper, the counter top for the head is progressing quickly.

Above are four sections of Sapele that we are laminating into a single piece. Once the glue is dry we will sand down the face. Once finished it should be difficult to see any joints.

Our weekend forecast is calling for rain. Knowing that the weather will limit me to inside projects, I purchased all the hoses, clamps, and fittings necessary to re-plumb the head. Rain or shine we have boat projects at the ready.

still plugging away at boat projects

2011-09-14T22:54:00.000-04:00

I've kept plenty busy with boat projects over the past couple days, but none of my progress has made good fodder for blog posts or generated images of amazing progress. I continue to add images of my progress on a daily basis to the Rigging Repairs and Modifications -2011 and the Head Refinishing - 2011 photo albums.

In the past couple days sanding has occupied more of my time than any other project. The lockers in the head are ready for primer and paint.

I believe that Anne is going to take on the brush work. Hopefully by Friday afternoon I will be able to post images of freshly painted head lockers.

We plan to resurface the counter in wood. I purchased approx 10 board feet of Sapele for the counter top and a couple of other side projects. A local friend is allowing me to use his wood shop to fabricate the counter top. We do not plan to install a sink in the head. After issues with salt water back flowing through the head sink drain when heeled to port, we keep the sea cock closed. We use the galley sink instead. Thus for the the past couple years the head sink has remained unused.

I began cutting cloth for the new mast step this afternoon. This is going to take more time & cloth than I initially anticipated.

A day for templates

2011-09-11T22:24:00.002-04:00

Completing the painting and shelf for the vee berth lockers allowed me to create some work space. The open waist high surface of the forward berth proved useful for laying out templates for other projects.

A cardbord template for an aesthetic piece of trim that also displays our documentation number along the main bulkhead...

A butcher paper template for the new counter top in the the head...

And a cardboard template for the multiple layers of fiberglass mat that will be used to create the new mast step.

Vee berth lockers are painted!

2011-09-10T20:41:00.000-04:00

Spent most of my boat time today priming and painting the lockers below the vee berth.

The space on the port side (left) will house the holding tank (waste water storage) and the area on the starboard (right) is storage for seldom used items.

Above is the lockers after 1 coat of primer and 2 top coats. The metal tank visible in this image is our fresh water storage.

Between coats of paint I worked to harvest the track for the mainsail outhaul from the old boom. After 45 years the machine screws were seized. I tried penetrating oil, heat, and an impact driver all to no avail. I was successfull in removing the track, but had to resort to creative measures...

Working full time on boat projects

2011-09-09T21:30:00.000-04:00

Today was my first day of full time work on boat projects. From now until C'est la Vie returns to the water, I have cleared my schedule. I plan to devote the majority of my time to completing the myriad of projects and repairs that have accumulated since our haul out in June.

Since Paul from Omar Sails was in the yard, I spent the morning on the rigging. We discussed various options for the modifications... placement of the new 3" Harken narrow body halyard sheaves; replacement of the upper and lower stays; addition of a inner stay tang; repairs to the spreaders, etc. We made a plan for the division of labor.

Below is the official before image of C'est la Vie's mast head.

I spend a chunk of the morning removing all the hardware from the mast head. This area will undergo significant changes before we restep the mast. Here is a link to the album dedicated to all our rigging repairs & modifications ... Rigging Repairs & Modifications - Summer 2011.

The afternoon was devoted to completing the brackets to support the new, larger holding tank.

I cut notches in the sides of the opening to allow the new tank to squeeze into the space. Fitting the aft brace (pictured on left above) was the next task to fall. Finally I used thickend epoxy followed up by some cloth mat to secure the bracing to the hull. By tomorrow afternoon, I hope to apply two coats of primer to both the vee berth lockers. Here is a link to the album dedicated to our efforts to refinish C'est la Vie's head... Refinishing the Head - summer 2011

Halfway back and making progress on the windlass repairs

2011-09-06T19:48:00.000-04:00

Immediately after cleaning up from Irene, I traveled to Asheville to drop off the NCOBS mini bus and attend a 3 day Wilderness First Responder Re-certification class at Landmark Learning based in Sylva, NC. My WFR certification will be current for another two years.

Anne drove up to Asheville on Labor Day to shuttle me back to the OBX. We are spending a couple nights at my parents house on our return trip. I brought the windlass along so that I could recruit Bud in assisting me with tearing down the workings of the windlass.

We were able to deconstruct the windlass. The gears and shafts had mild pitting and corrosion so Bud cleaned these up with the wire wheel on the bench grinder and we used a degreaser to clean up the other components.

The windlass is missing a spring that likely broke sometime in the past and was tossed out among gobs of old, foul grease. Thank to the forums on SailNet I found a source for Seatiger 555 windlass parts in the UK - SL-Spares. I also ordered new seals and a stripping pin.

My plan is to use zinc chromate as a primer on the cast aluminum windlass body. Other than some taping to protect bushings, the body is ready from primer. The spray zinc chromate I purchased at West Marine requires humidity less than 65% when applying. With tropical depression Lee passing through the area, I doubt the humidity dropped below 90% today. Tomorrow will hopefully provide the conditions necessary to apply the primer.

Hurricane Irene's visit

2011-08-29T08:08:00.003-04:00

Hurricane Irene made landfill at Cape Lookout, NC. The Cape is approximately 8 miles from our house in Straits and 15 miles from Bock Marine. Both locations passed through the eye of the storm. Fortunately we were all spared from any significant damage.

Despite continuing tropical storm force winds Anne and I were able to drive over and check on C'est la Vie afternoon on Saturday. The image included was captured during the waning hours of Irene's effects in our area.
Cell service has remained up the entire time, but we are going into day three w/out electricity. We stockpiled plenty of food, water, and ice prior to the landfall. The Honda generator off the boat has kept the phones charged in addition to providing wonderful amenities - running fans, the coffee maker, the projector for movies, etc.

Since the storm we have focused on clean up efforts. Hopefully we can complete the clean up today and return to refinishing the vee berth lockers.

Here comes Irene

2011-08-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

I spent the morning on Thursday, August 25, prepping C'est la Vie for Irene's visit. Since she is already on the hard at Bock Marine, most of my effort went into sealing hatches, double checking jack stands, securing loose stays & shrouds to the mast, and generally removing clutter from around the boat. Now it is all up to her to successfully ride out the storm.

The yard at Bock was filling fast on Thursday. The majority of the haul-outs were commercial and research vessels.

Thursday afternoon was devoted to assisting Dennis Chadwick, owner of the house that NCOBS rents for the summer, with removing trees that may threaten the house during the storm.

It was not until this morning, Friday, that Anne and I began to pack up for a possible evacuation. Stalling our final decision to stay or go, we began by packing the remaining NCOBS equipment in the mini bus. By noon we had completed loading the bus. All the while co-workers, friends, and family called to inquire about our plans for the storm. During our lunch break we checked the forecasts and were pleased to learn that Irene was picking up forward speed. This is good news for two reasons.... First, forward speed typically retards a hurricanes ability to strengthen. The current forecast is for Irene to make landfall as a Category 2 storm. Second increased forward momentum means we will spend less time exposed to all the hazards associated with the storm - winds, rains, surge, etc. Based on the noon reports and support from our neighbors here in Straits, NC. We are now planning to remain in the house during the storm.

We have moved the vehicles into the front yard away from the large pines and sycamores that ring the property. We have 25 gallons of potable water, 20 gallons of non-potable water (flushing & bathing), 12 beers, 10 pounds of ice, 7+ days of food, 5 gallons of gasoline, 3 canisters of fuel for the MSR stove, 2 pounds of coffee, and 1 Honda generator. I am bit worried about the beer supply.

We are expecting to loose power and communications between midnight and dawn tomorrow. We will post our status here, on facebook, and on Google+ once our phone and/or internet returns.

Now it is time to pop some corn and snuggle up with Anne for a movie.

Prepping for Irene or sanding louvers

2011-08-24T07:22:00.000-04:00

I ponder the question often... which is my favorite pastime prepping for Hurricane Irene or sanding louvers?

Really what is not to love. All the media hype and instant access to computer models updated hourly

create a stress the is difficult to define yet very present in myself and everyone locally. I find focusing on tasks that do not relate to storm preparations nearly impossible, but I'm uncertain how far to take the preparations. No sense creating additional work if Irene actually stays at sea, but don't want to be caught with my pants down if she knocks on our door.

In preparation, Trish Haitz and I removed C'est la Vie's hard bimini, checked all pads under the jack stands, checked the chains on the jack stands, loaded up the boom, and connected to shore power to charge up the house bank so the bilge pump has plenty of juice. I plan to head back out to C'est la Vie at least once more before this weekend to finish up the storm prep.

But not to be outdone by my love living in the sights of a hurricane is sanding louvers...

Did someone invent these things simply to challenge those of us who are beginning to feel successful with brightwork? I have progressed along from lazurette hatches to companion way trim to counter fiddles with small radius curves, but now I encounter louvers. How does one successfully sand a louver? Once I get around to applying the Bristol Finish how do I get into the narrow slits without creating runs on the opposite side?

It has been 15 minutes, better go check Weather Underground Tropical Weather site.

Picking up steam - chainplates refinished

2011-08-18T22:32:00.000-04:00

The final course of the Outward Bound OBX season ends this weekend. By this time next week I will be able to devote my energies towards boat repairs full time. With today's progress on the chainplates it feels like many of the repair projects are moving along and beginning to pick up some steam. Below is a pictorial progression of refinishing the chainplates...

Above is the worst of the damage discovered. We made repairs to the deck fittings and stopped the leaks a couple years ago, but we never removed and refinished the forward chainplates. Despite the rust in the initial image. The chainplates have plenty of metal remaining. Rather than replacing the plates we had them sandblasted to remove all the rust.

The above image is post sand blasting with primer.

And here they are as of 19:00 this evening after 3 coats of paint.

Taking up a notch in repairs - take two

2011-08-17T21:27:00.014-04:00

Thanks to the people out there that took the time to email me about our plan for repairing the damage to C'est la Vie's mast in my August 10th post. After digesting the additional perspectives I went to speak with Randy at Handcock & Grandsons. Randy felt confident that welding a sleeve on the exterior of the mast at the wear point and along the base is a viable solution. He requested a template of the mast so that he can fabricate the sleeve in his shop. The sleeve will be cut into two halves. The halves will be welded onto the mast. I went out this afternoon and created a cardboard template.

The base of the mast is cut on an angle so the job was a bit more complicated that simply placing the cardboard on the mast and drawing an outline. I outlined the sides and radius at the bow; then cut this section of the template away. This allowed me to bring the template into a plane perpendicular with the mast section. I then outlined the stern radius. The damage - or what I've heard a few folks refer to as "aluminum rot" - along the base is evident in the image above. This area will also receive an external sleeve.

I plan to clean up and refinish the existing mast step. Below are two images of the portion of the mast step that fits inside the mast.

interior progress

2011-08-16T21:05:00.002-04:00

A frontal passage over the weekend finally ushered in some dry and dare I call 83 degrees - cooler weather. Thus creating much improved conditions for applying Bristol Finish to some of the interior trim that we have removed in our efforts to paint lockers and replace head plumbing. Fortunately we already have the 12X12 screen tent up the the backyard. This provides a shady and gnat free area for finishing the wood.

We are so impressed with the ease of application, the quality results, and the endurance in the tropical sun of the Bristol Finish that we have decided to use it on interior applications. In the past we have used a Minwax Helmsman polyurethane for the interior wood. After four years much of the interior wood we refinished is in need of a fresh coat. Why not bring the Bristol Finish inside if for no other reason than we only need to carry one type of wood finish for future touch ups.

I have also recently discovered the plastic pyramid paint stands. After catching another cruiser using them in the boat yard, I found them at Lowe's. These widgets are amazing!

Plugging away on my multitude of projects

2011-08-10T17:30:00.000-04:00

I spent the morning working to fabricate supports for the new, larger holding tank that will fit in the space below the vee berth in the left of the image above. Center in the image above is a cardboard template of the shelf that I plan to install below the vee berth on the starboard (right) side below the vee berth. The shelf will be a much more effective use of space than the current drawer.

NCOBS work is keeping me busy and limiting my time for projects. That said I've got to make hay while the sun is shining.

Taking it up a notch in the realm of repairs

2011-08-03T19:30:00.024-04:00

Confession time - No project I have ever contemplated or undertaken on C'est la Vie has induced the level of intrepidation I face standing upon the starting line of modifying the rig on C'est la Vie.

Are the nebulous physics of the job creating such hesitation. Really, how does one comprehend 35,000 pounds of pressure - the calculated maximum force placed on the mast step? What is the best method of addressing the damage to the mast? Replace, repair, modify? Will our solution compromise C'est la Vie's performance or our safety?

Is the hesitation born of a sensation that I am manipulating the heart and soul of C'est la Vie. I had not considered this notion until I removed the mast step. Staring down at the nub of epoxy exposed by removing the step, I was overcome by a sense that C'est la Vie was now in a fragile state, like a TV scene in which a wounded hero lies motionless in a bed with the heart monitor beeping away. Fade to heart monitor slowing down.

After collecting too many options, searching for a used mast, and pricing a new rig - ouch; we have decided to cut C'est la Vie's mast at deck level; fill the existing hole in the deck; create mast step on deck; and add a compression post below decks.

To this end I removed the mast step this morning. I believe that our step is original to the boat and that it was removed and refurbished in the 1990's.

Removing the step was not difficult. I was surprised to discover it is actually two separate pieces. The oval section that largely rests inside the mast and a baseplate that also supports the centerboard pulley. The baseplate is on the left in the image below. An outline of the oval section can clearly be seen on the surface.

The nub of epoxy that links the mast to the keel is to the right. Fortunately the step components are in good condition, and we should be able to reuse the baseplate below decks as the base for the compression post. The oval insert will be incorporated above decks as part of the new mast step step.

Due to work obligations through August 23rd. My progress will continue to be limited. My confession to you all at the onset of this post and my efforts today on removing the step served as the push forward necessary to build momentum for the project. As with all the previous, significant projects on C'est la Vie, we created a photo album to record the process... Rigging repairs and modifications - Summer 2011

fade to the heart monitor... beep, beep, beep.

starting to put some things back together

2011-07-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

Thus far it has felt as if we have only initiated projects, found unexpected repairs, and taken things apart. Perhaps we are now turning a corner? Today I completed installing all the refinished parts of the starboard salon lockers.

In conjunction with this effort I installed the new Airmar B112 depth sounder transducer that Gemeco replaced under warranty. In the past, Gemeco's customer service and timely turnaround on orders has always impressed me. This is the first time that I have had to work their warranty department. I continue to be impressed with their service. Last fall my father and I installed the B112 transducer. Here is a link to the photo album from the project - Replace Depth Sounder 2010

The sounder and our starter battery are located under the aft section of the starboard salon seats (pictured in lower right of images above.) Here is what the locker looked like nearing the completion of the installation last fall...

Here is an image of the same area after painting the lockers and seats...

Once we move all the tools, spare parts, etc. from the vee-berth back into these refinished lockers. We can then start refinishing the lockers below the vee-berth.

more than a little help from a friend

2011-07-19T18:35:00.000-04:00

We owe a huge thanks to a local friend that returned our ready to be primed windlass today. He who cannot be named works as a military contractor in a facility that services some of the US Navy's vessels. I went to him for advice in disassembling the windlass. Over time and countless soakings of salt water many of the stainless steel fasteners seized to the cast aluminum body. Together we were unable to make progress. So our windlass took a field trip to a military machine shop where our tax dollars provided all the fancy tools and experience to resurrect our windlass. Below is a before image of the windlass.

Back to the lockers...

2011-07-15T12:52:00.000-04:00

After a couple days of discouraging discoveries, it is refreshing to make progress on one of our less troublesome projects.

I completed prepping the starboard salon lockers (above) and was able to apply a coat of primer on the area (below)

Hopefully tomorrow I can return and apply the top coat.

Thanks to everyone that has replied with suggestions on the mast repairs/replacement. We are in the process of collecting information on our options...

Waiting for Sparcraft-US to return with a quote for a new rig
Using the internet and message boards to seek for an appropriate used mast

Once we have a clear picture of the options for replacing the mast, then we plan to investigate local options for repairing the mast. Based on input from multiple sources cutting the mast at the damaged area and inserting an interior sleeve is the best option for repair.

We are still collecting ideas and seeking information on replacement options - SV C'est la Vie

Thanks for your comments and support.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

2011-07-14T13:55:00.002-04:00

This morning I began to remove the chain plates to facilitate painting both the internal lockers and the decks. At first I was amazed at the amount some of the nuts had loosened over the 4 years since I last removed and re-bedded the chain plates. I was able to loosen a couple by hand despite the presence of a lock washer. Guess I need to add this check to a list of annual projects.

Below is an image of the damage discovered when the portside, forward chain plate was removed.

The chip of metal in my hand simply fell away when I removed the bolts.

Four years ago, I refinished the aft chain plates. On C'est la Vie the aft plates are larger and attach to both an upper shroud and a lower shroud. The forward, smaller plates only attach to a lower shroud. Impressed by the craftsmanship and the cost of the repairs Lindow Marine Services provided when repairing the bobstay. We now plan to have 4 new chainplates made up in stainless steel.

We anticipated discovering some hidden repairs when we stepped the mast, but the surprises continue to surface. I continue to dwell on the glass half full perspective - at least we are discovering all these required repairs while on the hard rather that via a rig failure at sea.

Discovering damage to the mast... what now?

2011-07-13T13:06:00.001-04:00

Pulling the mast was always in the plan for this summer. Discovering wear/chafe at the point the mast passes through the deck was not in the plan.

The damage is on both the port and starboard sides of the mast. In the worst areas the erosion is at least 1/16" to 1/8" deep. The discovery of the damage pained me. We are now exploring 3 options: repair, replace with used mast, replace with new mast.

If anyone out there is willing to share there insights into repair options, then we are eager to hear from you. I can provide some additional detailed images if it would be helpful.

If anyone out there knows of a used / salvaged mast for a 34 Morgan, then please contact us.

WE can be reached via this blog or via email SV - C'est la Vie

I have already requested a quote on a replacement mast & boom from Sparcraft. We pulled the mast to address issues with spreader attachment; convert to internal halyards; add the hardware for a removable inner stay; and repair the main outhaul. If we opt for a new mast, then cost of these repairs modifications will be incorporated into a new rig, but we are still afraid of the anticipated price. Hopefully Sparcraft will pleasantly surprize us. They are based in Charlotte, NC. According to their website, they own and operate their own delivery truck. Proximity may save us some $$.

install one metal pole and remove another

2011-07-07T23:07:00.000-04:00

Today we reached a milestone in our summer 2011 projects list. Prior to today we have simply removed pieces & parts from C'est la Vie in our attempt to complete projects. Well today I re-installed the repaired bobstay.

Check one repair off the list!

For better or worse moments after installing the bobstay we removed an even larger and more complex metal pole from the boat. This is only the second time in 6 years of owning C'est la Vie that we have stepped the mast.

We plan to add a roller furling genoa and a removable inner stay for our storm and working jibs. Doing this will require that we modify some of the hardware at the top of the mast. Also we believe that painting the decks will be easier without having to work around the mast and stays.

Progress?

finished up refinishing the kayak hull

2011-07-06T22:23:00.001-04:00

Moving the kayak inside for the application of topcoats has allowed me to consistently progress forward despite unfavorable conditions. How does the kayak enter the house?

The image above was taken after the application of the 2nd topcoat. The image below is the finished product.

Now it is time to go paddle.

inspired by progress on the lockers in the head

2011-07-05T22:38:00.000-04:00

The initial TSP scrub and cleaning of the head lockers inspired me to expand the project on to some of the salon lockers. So today I disassembled the cleaned the starboard lockers in the salon.

Once the rinse cycle on the hull was complete, I took all the hatchs, seat backs, and miscellaneous pieces stripped from the lockers home for sanding and painting.

I do not have enough workspace to tackle all the pieces at once so it will take a couple rounds of sanding, priming, and painting to finish up.

Being interior pieces, I've elected to save some money by going with primers and paints purchased at your standard big box hardware store.

meanwhile back on C'est la Vie

2011-07-03T22:36:00.000-04:00

I was able to put in a couple hours of work at the boat this morning. My efforts went into prepping the head and vee berth lockers for painting. I rely heavily on on Don Casey's, This Old Boat for guidance on boat projects. Don suggests painting lockers as a method of perfecting painting techniques prior to moving on to more visible areas of the boat. The first step in his outlines is to scrub the fiberglass surfaces with a TSP solution. TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) is effective at removing mildew and greasy residues from hard surfaces. Here is a series of before ==> during ==> after images from the locker the houses C'est la Vie's holding tank.

Before - The holding tank rests on the bare wooden shelf and is held in position by the grey bands. I am going to attempt to fit in a larger tank. New tank or not - I plan to remove the wood shelf and create a more finished and substantial mount.

During - The TSP is packaged as a granular powder that must be mixed with water. I scrubbed the hull with the TSP solution, right bucket; then used a sponge to wipe the area down with fresh water, left bucket. I continued to rinse with clean water until the fresh water remained clear after my wipe down. This took several cycles. I also used the shop vac to suck up water that pooled in any areas. Some water worked its way to the bilge. At the end of my cleaning session I used a water hose to rinse the bilge.

After - still have some sanding to do, but the TSP did a great job of removing mildew and dirt.

Tired of waiting on Mother Nature...

2011-07-03T14:07:00.002-04:00

I've given up on waiting for the ideal morning to move forward on applying the topcoats to the Arctic Hawk and moved the project indoors.

The conditions are ideal, but the process is not without it's complications. First due to the length of the kayak it must enter the house through the window seen behind me in the image above. Also, all human inhabitants must flee the house for 4+ hours after painting is completed. This makes for some interesting scheduling.

It is gratifying to be making forward progress and be able to predict a completion date for later this week.
Below is an image of the hull after the application of the 1st coat of Brightsides.

more time with the birds

2011-07-01T13:09:00.000-04:00

Today we banded pelicans on New Dump Island off of Atlantic, NC in Core Sound.

The concept is the same - pick up the juvenile birds before they mature into flight and place a metal band on their right leg. Since pelicans are much larger and less agile than the terns we do not use an impoundment, but rather use groups of people to hem in groups of birds. Once a group is surrounded we wade into the crowd and pick on the birds by the beak.

We banded approximately 250 pelicans. Anne and our friend Becky joined the team of volunteers today.

If you would like to see additional images from either day of banding here is a link to my picasa web album - Banding Birds in the OBX 2011.

today's time for boat projects went to the birds

2011-06-30T18:55:00.000-04:00

I spent the day today banding Royal and Sandwich Terns at the north end of Core Sound on Wainwright Island. We have participated in this project in the past and are always eager for the opportunity.

Aluminum bands are attached to the juvenile birds before they are able to fly. The process involves setting up an impoundment pen and herding in the young birds into the pen.

Next, groups of less and 200 birds are then herded into a smaller pen where the species are separated. Once identified the appropriate band is attached to the birds right leg.

Today 12 volunteers banded 3000 Royal Terns and 400 Sandwich Terns. Each band has a unique number. If you ever find a dead or injured bird with a band on it's leg, then please record the number and report it via www.reportband.gov.

More images from the day are available via my picasa web album - banding birds in the OBX 2011. Tomorrow we will be banding pelicans!

juggling boat projects

2011-06-27T22:26:00.000-04:00

How many boat projects is too many?

At dawn I, applied the final coat of primer to the starboard side of the kayak hull. Then Bud and I headed out the the boat yard to remove the windlass. On the way back from the boat yard we stopped in the machine shop to check on the bobstay repairs. The repair is moving along and should be complete by the end of the week.

Once back and the house, Bud and I began to disassemble the windlass. The removing the aluminum cover plate on the bottom of the windlass exposed a foul mass of fatigued grease that ranged in color from eft red to toffee tan to aged banana brown. Salt water corrosion had breached the plate in a couple spots so Bud volunteered to take the 1/8" aluminum cover home to Mooresville and fabricate a new one.

Lunch time internet research yielded exploded diagrams of the windlass assembly and an supplier in England that sells spare parts for the windlass. Hopefully no replacement parts will be required. A couple of the bolts refused to part ways with the windlass body. Rather that force any fasteners I am attempting to encourage the bolts with afternoon applications of vinegar and an overnight soak in penetrating oil... remember replacement parts must be shipped from England don't want to force anything.

Reaching an impasse with the windlass, I turned my attention back the the head plumbing. I did not have the time to remove all the valves and fittings from the hoses or the holding tank on Saturday. So I brought the old hoses, fittings, and tank home to deal with them at a later date. 24 hours of curing in the backyard and the need to deal with cleaning the salvageable parts of our toilet plumbing would no longer be ignored.

A couple hours of removing hoses and scrubbing crevasses yielded the assortment of plumbing hardware pictured above. The majority of the fittings removed from the plumbing are serviceable. All the old hose is retired.

As mid-afternoon thunderstorms begin to rumble, I return my attention to the kayak hull. Baked in the coastal sun throughout the day, the morning's coat of primer now beckoned. A session with some 220 grit sandpaper and the hull is ready for tomorrow's application of primer.

So tomorrow's projects will start at dawn with the application of the final coat of primer on the port side of the kayak hull.

add another project to the list

2011-06-27T12:36:00.002-04:00

Part of painting the decks is stripping off deck fittings that will prove difficult to work around. One such deck fitting is the Sea Tiger 555 windlass. The windlass is a mechanical winch that assists us in hauling and generally managing the anchor rodes. Here is an image of the windlass rigged with two rodes as we prepared for Hurricane Earl last summer.

We are very pleased with the windlass and she works well, but judging by the peeling paint some maintenance is due. The Lovetts were in town to celebrate Anne's birthday so I recruited Bud to assist with removing the windlass from C'est la Vie's bow.

Extricating the windlass progressed smoothly. The only surprise was the existence the second hole in the deck, likely the original hawse hole for the anchor rode. We will properly glass in a patch prior to progressing with painting the decks. Since the hole is covered by the windlass, I'm not too worried about the cosmetics, but structurally I'm not fond of having two large holes in the the foredeck that are less the an inch apart.

My plan is to refinish the cast aluminum windlass body. This process will likely involve sandblasting. In preparation for sandblasting the inner gears/mechanism will need to be removed. Here is an image of the port side of the windlass.

Being a creature of habit I have created a web album to record the progress of this project - Refinishing the Windlass

Stripped and dirty - the start of a new project.

2011-06-25T21:34:00.001-04:00

Here is the pile of plumbing, valves, and hardware I stripped out of C'est la Vie's head today. Weeks after purchasing C'est la Vie in December 2005, we replaced the holding tank and some of the plumbing hoses. Now we are stripping down the head and doing a complete rebuild. Below is an image of the naked & dirty head.

Due to lack of use and issues with back flooding through the drain while heeled under sail we removed the plumbing from the sink years ago. The plan is to cover the old sink and faucet openings with a new counter.

We like the Lavac Toilet and plan to keep it. The holding tank is forward of the head, under the port side of the vee berth. As part of the process we removed the tank. The current tank is only 10 gallons. I hope to find a larger tank, but due to space restrictions I think our options will be limited.

Next step is to repaint the inside of the lockers and hull. I'll continue to post updates of progress on this project. I also added a link to a new photo album dedicated to this project - Refinishing the Head.

fortunate discoveries of undesirable repairs

2011-06-16T15:23:00.005-04:00

While polishing C'est la Vie's stainless steel bowsprit I discovered a hairline crack along the lower fork of the rod bobstay. Perhaps a picture is worth more than a thousand words

The bobstay is the strut that spans between the leading edge of the bowsprit and the hull of the boat. In the image above I have replaced the bobstay with a hank of yellow rope. The bowsprit is not designed to bear the loads exerted by the forestay. The bobstay transfers the majority of the rigs loads into the hull of C'est la vie. If the bobstay were to fail while sailing there is a good chance of the entire rig failing and falling to the deck. So we are pleased to have found the crack while on the hard. We are dismayed at the addition to the project list, and even less pleased about the added expense of repairing the stay.

Here is a closeup of the crack... in the image included I am pointing at the tiny crack.

After collecting a couple assessments of the damage and corresponding repair, I dropped the stay off at a local machine shop. the plan is to remove the forked end of the stay and replace it with a new section of stainless rod. The machinist will likely use a section of a stainless drive shaft to make the repair.

Now we wait two weeks until the stay repair is completed. Until the bobstay is replaced we will need to keep the mast in place so that the forestay can support the weight of the bowsprit.

In the mean time, I have stripped off the mainsail and boom. We plan to replace the slides on the mainsail/mast with a Strong Track system . Due to damage along the luff of the main sail we knew we would need to replace the upper two slides. We have heard great reviews of the Strong Track so with the mast down and other work being done on the sails and rig it seemed like the right time to upgrade.

We did not realize the internal outhaul on the boom is seized. I've relocated the boom to the backyard where daily doses of vinegar can be applied to the various boom orifices in hopes of freeing the outhaul. If over time this does not prove effective the next step will be to attempt to remove the forward end of the boom in hopes of accessing the out haul system. Personally, I'm skeptical but hopeful the vinegar works.

Diversions from boat projects

2011-06-14T20:14:00.001-04:00

Despite my best intentions of launching directly into boat projects plenty of diversions have kept me away from C'est la Vie.

The first full weekend in June, Anne and I drove to Western North Carolina to attend the North Carolina Outward Bound School's All Staff Training. The annual event is the one time of year when the school attempts to gather its entire staff at one location. The three day "training" does include some professional development, but it more resembles a giant pep rally for the start of the busy summer season for NCOBS We enjoy the time to celebrate our successes, honor our peers, and catch up with distant friends.

Returning to the OBX on Wednesday night and a full day of office work on Thursday did not allow for any boat time before my parents came down for a visit on Friday.

Saturday June 11, the nearby community of Pine Knoll Shores hosted its fourth Annual Kayak for the Warriors Race. The fundraising event benefits programs for wounded service men and women and their families.

This is the first time I have participated in an official kayak race and must have benefited from beginners luck. In the image above I'm out to an early lead. Over the 5K course I was able to hang on to the lead and finish 1st overall.

My intentions for participating in the race were not entirely philanthropic. NCOBS is now offering courses specifically desgined for veterans returning from recent conflicts. Theses "Veterans Courses" are free for any US Military Vets. NCOBS greatest hurtle with the courses thus far is connecting with participants. I made a couple contacts at the event that hopefully will lead to future enrollments.

The next day the Lovett's were eager to hit the water. We launched their dinghy, a Chesapeake Light Craft Passage Maker, at Marshallberg Harbor. They motored the dinghy and I paddled a kayak across Core Sound to Codds Creek along the South Core Banks.

The skinny water and low tide made the Codds Creek egress a bit tricky, but the day long journey went smoothly.

So here I am at the ides of June. The Lovett's have continued on to their boat in Wilmington, NC and Anne is back to work in Beaufort. Time to refocus on C'est la Vie projects.

Summer projects - where to start?

2011-06-03T23:57:00.001-04:00

I've come to realize that boat yards are dirty places. With inevitable steel cutter on your port side griding out some rust and the fiberglass cruiser to your starboard sanding on bottom paint, your dear vessel is destine to be covered in foul dust. So my practice is to throughly wax all painted surfaces and polish all metal as soon as the keel settles onto the blocks. With a fresh coat of wax most of the dust will disappear after a simple fresh water rinse.

Painting the deck and topsides is one of our summer projects so the last thing I want on those surfaces is a fresh coat of wax. This cut down surface area needing attention. I have knocked out waxing the hull and polishing the steel in the last couple days.

Now I'm turning my attention projects that will require outside contractors / labor. Starting from the bottom up, I removed the rudder shoe this afternoon so that the bushing that keeps the rudder fitting snugly in the shoe can be replaced. In the image included I am pointing to the bushing.

The "play" created by wear on this high density plastic bushing can be felt in the tiller. As the bushing continues to wear the play can be heard in the hull in rough seas. We last replaced this bushing in summer 2006. So it looks like a 5 year life span. Last time I only had the shop make one bushing. This time around I'm going to have the shop make a few of the bushings.

Fortunately, I've never had difficulty removing the shoe which on C'est la Vie is held in place by four 1/4 inch bronze machine screws. The screws pass through a solid fiberglass section of the keel and into threads on the opposite side of the shoe. The screws are set in opposition with two heads on each side. It is important to snugly block out the rudder so that when the shoe is removed the full weight of the rudder assembly is not hanging from the fittings above. The image to the right is of the hull with the shoe removed. Moving left to right (forward to aft) are the four pilot holes for the bronze screws, the rudder stock, and the wood used to block up the rudder.

My plan is to take the shoe into the machine shop along with a measurement of the diameter of the rudder stock (1" on C'est la Vie) and have them machine the new bushing plus a couple spares.

Back at Bock - a pleasant homecoming.

2011-06-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

After a 3 year absence from Bock Marine we returned for a summer haul out. Kenny, Dale, and Randy all remember us from our previous summers. Is it a good thing or a bad thing that the staff remember a particular boat/crew? The re-acquaintances made us feel very welcome. We have always had great service at Bock and recommend it to others. Our only complaint in the past was the dingy bathrooms and lounge area. No more, well maybe a week more. The yard has a brand new lounge / bathroom building that will hopefully receive it's final inspection this week.

Everything went smoothly with the hauling and blocking. Here is an image of C'est la Vie's waterfront property for the summer.

She is looking out over the ICW along Core Creek. The highway 101 bridge is visible in the distance on the right.

Once the dust settled around the blocks and jack stands, I cleaned the boat. Paul from Omar Sailmakers came by to measure the rigging for our new genny and furling system. We also discussed adding a Strong Track to the mainsail. Projects, Projects.

What happens when you leave the hook down for 30 days in Taylors Creek?

2011-05-31T20:58:00.000-04:00

Barnacles happen.

Anne and I knew it would take awhile to clean the the two, 80' sections of rode that hold C'est la Vie to the two anchors dutifully clinging to the bottom of Taylor's Creek. We underestimated the task at hand.

Step one - Jeff jumps overboard with a scrub brush and scrubs off the furry and slimy stuff while Anne uses the windlass to haul up the rode.

Step two - Jeff uses a flat bladed screw driver to pick the barnacles off each link one by one as the rode is feed back into the water.

Step three - Repeat steps one and two on second rode.

Well after 5 hours of scrubbing, hauling, scrapping, releasing, and re-hauling rodes we finally get underway to Bock Marine.

We had planned to haul out in the afternoon. Our 16:15 arrival is too late in the day to start a haulout so we tie up to the dock and will return in the morning.

Day paddle over to Codd's Creek

2011-05-29T09:26:00.001-04:00

C'est la Vie remains on the hook in Taylor's Creek. Our plan is to haul her next week and begin to attack our list of summer projects.

Anne is working in Beaufort at both Tierra Fina and Handscapes Gallery. Handscapes is also displaying and selling Anne's jewelry - Ag Lovett Designs. Anne has hit the ground with her feet running.

Since arriving in Beaufort, on April 30, yesterday was the first day we both had and entire day off together. After a leisurely morning of breakfast and Scrabble, yes Anne won. We loaded up a tandem kayak and paddled over to Codds Creek on South Core Banks.

We launched from Marshallberg, NC and fought a strong headwind for the 2.5NM crossing to South Core Banks. This is our first visit to Codds Creek in three years. The dock along the sound side is missing some lower steps, but the landing and approach to the beach remains unchanged.

Arriving on the ocean side, I was pleased to find the picnic shelter still standing. I believe this is the last remaining shelter. I enjoyed a swim in the ocean while Anne soaked up sun on the beach.

A week on the water Cape Lookout Seashore to Ocracoke

2011-05-18T09:24:00.000-04:00

May 12 - 17, I instructed the Outward Bound Sea Kayak Staff Training along the Cape Lookout National Seashore. Nine instructors participated in the training designed to reintroduce our staff to the course area after a three year hiatus. The courses offered by NCOBS are 7 to 14 days long and typically start south at Shackleford Banks and travel northward alone the Core Banks. The 14 day courses have the option of crossing to Ocracoke and take the ferry back to Cedar Island. On the training, we only had 6 days to review the area so we launched from Sea Level, NC; crossed Core Sound to South Core Banks; paddled northward to Ocracoke; and caught the ferry back to the mainland.

These islands are strips of sand exposed to the open ocean. Inlets and shorelines are constantly changing with hurricanes and northeasters capable of causing dramatic, nearly instant geographic alteration.

Since my last visit to the area the two Drum Inlets have closed. Opheila Inlet is now the only inlet between Cape Lookout and Portsmouth. Here is a link to a website that tracks the changes to the inlets of the Core Banks since 2005.

Thanks to all the staff that participated in the training. I enjoyed our week exploring the 'Banks.

Yum

2011-05-01T19:47:00.002-04:00

Probably the best pizza I have ever made. This was a great meal. We had to postpone the salad, to much champagne !

Anne

Goodness from my galley!

2011-05-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

I'm making pizzas from scratch tonight!

Anne

Updates and revisions

2011-05-01T17:55:00.002-04:00

Those of you that receive email updates or subscribe to our blog maybe wondering about all the past dated posted that appeared today. Well I took advantage of the coffee shop's open WiFi to fill in some missing posts, add some additional images, correct some errors, and generally clean up from all the posts made from our "smart" phones.

All the images and the majority of the posts during our spring travels have come directly from our phones. I realize this has changed the nature of our posts - less text and more images.

Thanks for following along on our northward migration. The frequency and nature of our post will be changing over the next week as we transition back in life down east along the NC coast.

Jeff

"Gosh, my life is so hard."

2011-05-01T11:36:00.002-04:00

Anne and I are relaxing on anchor in Beaufort's Taylors Creek anchorage. We were able to get our preferred spot at the west end of the creek near a beach on Carrot Island and directly across from the Maritime Museum's wooden boat shop.

The weather here is sublime for lounging, reading, scrabble, and any manner of lazy day activities aboard.
Don't expect this to last. I need to focus my energies on reopening NCOBS OBX program as the staff training starts on May 12.

Jeff

Sub one hour to Beaufort

2011-04-30T15:44:00.002-04:00

We anchored last night in Swansboro, NC and have spent the morning motorsailing north in the ICW through Bogue Sound. We just passed under the Atlantic Beach Bridge and currently have the Morehead City Port off our port side.

Rounding the marks and turning east we encountered a inbound commercial vessel with two tugs assisting.

Sub one hour and we will be dropping the hook in Taylor's Creek... we are back in Beaufort!

Jeff

Sharing the ICW with gun boats

2011-04-29T16:05:00.002-04:00

We are motorsailing north bound in the ICW along Camp Lejune. The military is engaging in live fire exercises so we were delayed at the Onslow Beach Bridge for an hour.

While waiting at the bridge a frantic call to the Coast Guard from MV Bobcat came through. Bobcat stated they were off shore and bullets are raining down upon him. The call went out to check fire and a navy patrol boat made contact with a shaken crew that had managed to slip into the restricted area.
We resumed our travels when the bridge opened at 15:00. Less than a mile from the bridge we passed 4 of the gun boats in the image.

We are now nearly clear of Lejune and plan to anchor in Swansboro. If all goes well we will arrive in Beaufort, NC by midday tomorrow.

Jeff

visiting friends and family in Wilmington, NC.

2011-04-28T22:47:00.001-04:00

We moved a short distance northward this morning into a slip at Anchors Bend Marina (if you follow the link don't believe the hype. The marina is closer to the pit of nautical living than the pinnacle.) None-the-less it is great to be tied up along side Ella's new sailboat.

C'est la Vie looks tiny next to the 48 foot SV-Ohana. Ella and her father Larry were on hand to assist us with docking. While in Wilmington we were able to catch up with Ella - visit her recently completed house, check out the new boat, and the relocated Ella Vickers Collection business office.

We spent a stormy afternoon with the Lovett's aboard MV Sunshine on the 28th.

Fortunately all the severe thunderstorms remained to the west of our location.

Time for some shut eye

2011-04-26T13:33:00.004-04:00

The Wrightsville Beach anchorage in Motts Channel is within a nautical mile of Masonboro Inlet. So shortly after clearing the Inlet we had the hook down and were ready for a nap after our overnight crossing from Winyah Bay.

Anne

Vanishing cookies

2011-04-26T10:04:00.000-04:00

I made these bar cookies a few days ago and some how all but 3 have disappeared.

They were a great treat while on watch in the middle of the night. So easy-I used the recipe on the sweetened condensed milk can. Graham cracker crumb crust with melted butter, then spread on the canned milk, press in chocolate and butterscotch chips, shredded coconut and chopped pecans. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. The hardest thing was waiting till they cooled in the pan!

Cheers-anne

Thank you... to SV Odysseus

2011-04-26T09:52:00.002-04:00

Last night during our overnight off of South Carolina there was a thunderstorm off our bow. Geeze there was no mention from NOAA nor on the satilite weather consulted prior to leaving Winyah Bay. So, we had a choice run 20 miles into shore and run against the tide of the Cape Fear River or keep going uncertain of where the storm with lightning was heading. Jeff got on the radio and said our name and where we were located and asked if anyone had any information on the storm. Sure enough another sailboat, Odysseus, that was 12 NM ahead of us radioed back that the storm was off their bow and moving north at 6 to 10 knots. Good! We were heading east.

By dawn we were east of Frying Pan Shoals and on a northerly course 30NM out from Masonboro Inlet. Storm cells were clearly visible to our east over the Atlantic Ocean.

Our new course placed us on a light air run in 6 foot seas....not an easy or pleasant point of sail.

Currently we are out of range of thunderstormes and 6 miles from the inlet. SV - Odysseus, the boat that helped us is just off our bow. Somehow we caught up to them!

Anne

close hauled towards Frying Pan Shoals

2011-04-25T16:17:00.003-04:00

Once clear of the Winyah Bay Channel, Anne and I reviewed the forecast, tide predictions, and current conditions. All the while C'est la Vie was sailing close hauled so perfectly balanced that we did not need to touch the helm for nearly one hour. She seemed to already know that we would make the decision to sail around Frying Pan Shoals and then enter the NC coast at Masonboro Inlet. This will allow us to avoid entering the Cape Fear River Inlet in the dark and then fighting tide upriver at night. If the conditions remain as forecasted we should pass east of the shoals dark-thirty tomorrow morning and arrive in Wrightsville Beach by midday.

Jeff

Fighting the tide out Winyah Bay

2011-04-25T13:51:00.002-04:00

After a goodnight's sleep and a lazy morning we are currently (pun intended) fighting tide as we attempt to exit Winyah Bay and jump back into the Atlantic for an overnight crossing.

We plan to assess conditions on the outside prior to picking an inlet along the NC coast. Our likely points of land fall will be either Cape Fear River or Masonboro Inlet. Either way we hope to be in back in North Carolina by tomorrow afternoon.

Close encounters of the large vessel kind

2011-04-24T09:24:00.001-04:00

We are now safely awaiting the opening of the Ben Sawyer Bridge in the ICW just north of Charleston.

The harbor channel was very busy this morning. We were passed by two outbound container ships and one inbound container ship over took us just as we entered the jetties.

We did mange to hit 7 knots surfing its bow wave as the vessel passed within a few hundred meters of our position.

Dawn breaks and we are nearing the Charleston Harbor Channel

2011-04-24T06:27:00.003-04:00

Despite fickle winds that would tease us with a couple hours of find sailing only to vanish and force our return to motoring, the overnight passage from Brunswick to Charleston passed uneventfully.

Around Tybee Roads was fell in with a group of four other sailing vessels that departed Fernandina Beach and were planning to enter Winyah Bay. Our heading were similar enough that we were within a couple nautical miles of each other most of the night. SV - Kismet (sp) was the most talkative of the bunch. Hopefully we will get the chance to meet up further along our travels.

The vessel visible in the morning haze above is in the channel 3NM ahead. Our plan is to enter Charleston Harbor and then turn immediately north into the ICW. We need to take on fuel and water before pushing on northward.

jeff

Close encounters of the aquatic kind

2011-04-23T14:00:00.000-04:00

While running off shore on the 23rd we enjoyed multiple close encounters with dolphins. Anne delighted in cheering the playful dolphins antics while she perched on the bowsprit.

Throughout the afternoon we passed through schools (flocks) of Hog Nose Rays flying just below the surface. The groups would adopt a vee or diamond pattern much like migrating birds.

Do rays migrate? More images of our day' encounters are available via the link to our Spring 2011 - FL to NC photo album on the right side of the viewing pane on the blog or via this link - Spring 2011 - FL to NC Album

Crazy looking tide line 8NM off shore.

2011-04-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

Approximately one hour after turning northeast out of Brunswick Bar Channel we encountered this stark line between crystal-clear ocean water and silt laden water drawn off shore by ebbing tides.

Jeff

Another attempt to run offshore

2011-04-23T07:08:00.002-04:00

We anchored off the northern end of Jekyll Island last night to position ourselves to ride the last hour of the ebbing tide out the Brunswick Bar and back into the Atlantic Ocean.

We are attempting again to make an offshore passage up to Charleston or beyond. The forecasts have no mention of thunderstorms until Tuesday.

The image included is looking northeast across the channel to the St. Simon's Lighthouse.

Fair winds!

Jeff

More goodness from my oven

2011-04-22T11:04:00.002-04:00

These are my cinnamon buns.

Not as good as Jeff's dad Bud's Buns but still tasty after being seasick all day yesterday.

Anne