Saturday, January 20, 2007

Boat Survey 2


I actually did this survey shortly after I got her home, but this is the first chance I'be had to put it online.

With the Lockley now in the yard and 24/7 access I am able to fully survey the boat and figure out what needs to happen to her between now and spring. Overall, the boat is in amazing shape and won't take too much to get her ready.

The stays were a mess of metal spaghetti when we went to move the boat. All were kinked badly. In addition, one of the spreaders (which the shrouds were threaded through) was broken at the point were it attached to the mast via a clevis pin. On closer inspection the chainplate on the port side is bent inward. I am thinking that something either struck the rigging or the boat was rigged improperly, causing the broken spreader and bend chainplate.
Fortunately, the damage was isolated to those 2 areas (mast is straight and there's no cracking in the fiberglass in that area. Since I have never done any metal work and the fact that I don't want to get beamed on the head by a falling mast, I took the stays and spreaders to Strictly Sail. They will fabricate a new spreader and will also make new stays for the boat.


The trailer still needs some work. The bunks do not support the boat properly (in fact, before leaving Georgetown I noticed a small stress crack in the gelcoat about where the bunk hits it). The bunks are carpet 2x4"s set upright and held on via a bracket an U-bolts (the boat sits on the 2" part, creating "pressure points"). I will be replacing these in one of two ways: using the same method only orient the boards so the boat sits on the 4" part or use a contoured board similar to the technique used by Shorty Pen. In addition, the bunks wil be raised to accomodate the centerboard. Speaking of the centerboard, it will be sanded and painted to ready her for the water.

As well as the bunks, the trailer will also receive new tires and rims (how the hell did we get to Covington on these?!?!), winch, safety chains, coupler and finally a new coat of paint. The wires will also be properly fed into the trailer tongue.


Finally, a good bath and LOTS of black streak remover! (Chris gave me a bottle of this stuff, and it's a must-have). The blog will probably not be updated in a while as we wait for winter to take its leave. Come warmer weather there will be lots of stuff to share so come back then!

-Joe Out

PS- I just won a 1.2 HP outboard on ebay! Aside from needing a little bit of paint it seems to work fine!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Happy New Year!!!



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!


What better place to sit and welcome in 2007... in the cockpit of my boat! With the warmer days we have been experiencing I have done an extended survey of her condition. I will upload pictures and tell you what I found.

My buddy Chris and I went to the Cincinnati Travel Sport and Boat Show last weekend to see some of the new stuff coming out on the water this year. While I was there I met up with some folks from the Cowan Lake Sailing Association. It looks like Cowan lake may end up being the "berth place" of our Surprise. Plus it gives us a chance to socialize with local sailors.

Looks like winter is coming this week (highs in the 30s, lows in the teens) so I will be spending some time indoors working on my other project: a new bathroom! But sailing won't be far from my mind! Nothing like a little Jimmy Buffett on the old iPod to take away the winter blues!