Picking up steam - chainplates refinished

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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.