Rainy day progress

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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.