More cardboard

     I started off today with the icebox.  I sanded down the second coat of fairing and got the cover to almost fit.  It is going to need a bit more sanding on the lid and just a couple touch up spots with the epoxy, but it is getting close.  I ran out of latex gloves so I decided to move on to another project for now.

   

     I moved up to the head area to start with.  I cut out and installed the side supports for the two shelves I positioned earlier.  I think they will need a support in the back as well, but those will need to be epoxied in place.  The no glove situation strikes again!  These will be easier to position properly once the shelf is installed anyway, so no biggie.  Next came the seemingly never ending cardboard templates.  It is hard to believe how time consuming it is getting them cut out for the shelves.  The words straight and even just don't apply to this boat.  I brought some plywood with me to cut these out, but I under estimated how big they would end up and didn't have big enough pieces.  It seems that will have to wait for another day.

   


     I decided how I am going to do the hanging locker today and started working on that as well.  The back part was originally storage shelves and I am going to keep those, with a bit of a remodel.  They used to be walled off with access holes but I am going to leave them open with a large fiddle on the front of each shelf to keep stuff from sliding out.  I am planning on using some of the scrap teak I pulled off earlier to make these.  I found appropriate pieces in my pile, I just need to cut them down to size, sand the nasty purple and green paint off, and varnish them before installing.  It looks good in my head; hopefully it will turn out the way I envision it.  I cleaned up the old shelf supports and cut out more cardboard to fit.  Thankfully this side was much easier because I still have the old ones that don't fit very well to work off of.

     The part closest to the head is where the clothes hanger used to be that I want to change up a bit.  The bottom of it angles pretty steeply making it hard to use.  This is also a good spot for the depth/fish finder to be installed and I would rather not be banging this around with other stuff.  The solution was to make a box of sorts in the bottom.  This leaves me room for the depth finder and a little bit of storage I will figure out later as well as a flat area.  It almost looks like a seat across from where the toilet will be.  The plan is to leave this open but have eye hooks up both sides.  This will allow me to stretch some bungee material across and leave a large storage area for the unused sails.  I installed the cleats to support the "bench" and cut out template for the top of it as well.  It seems I forgot to get a picture of this.  I'll be sure to take one once I get the wood cut out and installed.

     Looks like I am going to need more plywood.

Last couple of days

     So I have been lax in my posting, but I have been making progress at the boat.  No long days, but just picking away,

     I have sanded down the first coat of filling epoxy on the icebox entrance and have put down a second.  I'm pretty sure this will do it, and once it is sanded smooth I will paint it to match the inside. Still not sure if I want to paint the cover or leave it the way it is.

     I have also been picking away at the head and hanging locker areas.  In the hanging locker I made some cardboard templates for the shelves that will be towards the back.  I have also been thinking about changes to the front.  It was supposed to have a bar for hanging jackets and such, but I'm not sure I'm going to do that.  It would be nice, but this isn't going to be a boat I'm living on, just using for day trips and maybe an occasional overnighter.  I'm thinking about making it into a storage area for the unused sails and sail bags, but I haven't figured out how to do it yet.  Anyone have any suggestions?

     In the head I finished removing stuff I didn't get around to finishing earlier.  I also decided to put a couple of shelves back where the holding tank used to be rather than wasting the space.  If I put in another holding tank it is going to be in the V berth so this opened up quite a bit of space.  To trim it out I will use a nice teak frame that used to be back here that was painted a garish purple color.  Who would do that?  I sanded it down today using 60 grit just to get the majority of the old paint off. I will be going over this with progressively finer grits before varnishing it.  The before and after pictures are below.

Another day

     I spent a couple of hours at the boat today playing with the electrical system and the icebox.  I got the colored lights on both sides and the white one on the stern working, but struck out on the mast light.  The two sides had corroded connectors on the bulbs and the stern light just didn't have a bulb. Pretty easy fixes there.  

     The mast has two light on it, one up top that looks like an all around red/green/white light and another light further down the mast which points down and I believe to be the spreader light.  There are two wires coming out at the base of the mast, one a 3 conductor and the other a 2 conductor.  I'm pretty sure the three is for the top one.  If I'm guessing right, one is a ground, one is power for the red/green, and the other is for the white (to be used as an anchor light).  Earlier I wired from the 3 conductor through a connection by the base of the mast and back to the panel.  I was hoping to be able to figure out what wire is what through trial and error.  The first try led to sparks shooting all over.  Not what I had expected.

     It turns out that the wires I used in the connector going through the boat was too big.  Because of this the screws holding the wire in the pins stuck out too much and were making contact with the outer casing.  After fixing this problem it seemed I was back to where I started a couple of hours earlier.  This time when I tried different combinations of wires I got nothing.  Either the bulbs up top are burned out or it isn't even hooked up.  Neither would surprise me.  Now I'm going to figure out how to use the bosuns chair left with the boat and see if I can get up top to check it out.

     The two conductor still needs to be run through the boat and back to the panel, but I am in no hurry with this one.  The one on top would allow me to be out of the slip at night, and with the days ending so early this time of year that would be helpful.  There has been more than one time that I have been hurrying for the marina right around sundown. 

     I also did a little work on the icebox trying to finish it off.  The part where the lid fits in place was still just roughed in and while it worked, it left a lot to be desired.  I filled in around the foam with some 1/4" plywood and used some epoxy mixed with filler to smooth it out.  After it dries I will sand it down and more than likely have to do at least a second coat before painting it white to match the inside.

     When I left I was met with a car that wouldn't start because of a dead battery.  It has sounded like it was getting harder to start lately but I was hoping it was just my imagination.  Apparently not.  Thankfully the marina is close to home so I just walked.  It will be easier to deal with once the wife gets home from work.  Tomorrow I will bring the battery to a shop to get tested.  It is only about 2 years old, so I am thinking it isn't the problem.  Might be time for an alternator replacement boys and girls.  As much as that sucks, the car does have 130K + miles on it and I have gotten off very easy so far on repairs.  Other than routine maintenance, the only thing I have had to do was replace an O2 sensor and a clutch.  Hopefully this isn't the beginning of the end for the mustang.  I was hoping to get another couple of years out of it.

 

Thoughts

     I spent some time out at the boat yesterday, but didn't get much actual work done.  Most of it was spent sitting and staring at the head area and engine box.  I did replace my light that didn't work with a (I thought) new one of the same type I found, but that one doesn't work either.

     Staring at the head was actually productive even if I didn't get anything built.  I was trying to figure out how/where to build shelves.  This is complicated by the fact that I am going to need multiple hoses running through everything and the stuff is far from flexible or forgiving.  I may end up trying to make most of it out of solid PVC with "buffers" for movement being made with the sanitation hose.  I'm going to need to research this and see how plausible it is.  I also need to come up with a new holding tank before doing a whole lot.

     On to the engine box.  I am currently using an outboard to get me in and out of the marina, but have always had a desire to put an inboard back in.  Cost made me think this would never happen, or at least not happen for years to come.  I tried to build the engine box big enough to eventually put one in.  It turns out eventually might be a lot closer than I imagined.

      Not having any idea what I am doing with this boat, I often turn to The Plastic Classic Forum for answers and ideas.  One day I half joked to a guy trying to sell an Atomic 4 (the original engine type) in Kentucky that I would come and pick it up if he couldn't sell it.  Well, the other day he sent me a message saying it was mine if I could come get it.  Holy crap!  I immediately began trying to figure out how I could get it.  I was comparing shipping costs vs. renting a truck (the Mustang just wouldn't cut it) and driving out to get it.  Neither was looking very good money wise.  Putting this on hold for the weekend, I flew up to Michigan for a cousin's wedding.  Congratulations "L" & "J".

     While I was there i found out my brother is driving down to Cincinnati this coming weekend.  Quickly pulling up a map we found out this is only two hours away from where the engine is.  He agreed to go pick it up for me when we talked about it if he can get a hitch hooked up to his car using our other brother's small little trailer.  I don't want to celebrate prematurely, but it looks like it is going to work.

     Thank you "M" and  Surveyor, this is appreciated more than you know.  I guess I know what my winter project is now.

Sailing

     Spent a couple hours out on the bay doing some sailing with the Mrs yesterday.  While we still have a long ways to go before I would consider us good sailors, we are definitely making progress.  No pictures because we forgot the camera, but it was wonderful.

Engine repair 2

     So it turns out I didn't have the pieces put back together properly.  There are way too many pieces that fit in way too many places.  It took me a couple of hours but it is finally back together and working properly.  I should really look for a manual for this thing, it would have made my job so much easier.

     It is pretty dreary out right now but I am heading out to the marina now to plug away for a little bit.  Not sure what is on the agenda for today, but I'm sure I can figure something out.

Engine repair

     So it is the middle of the night and I am awake standing watch because the station alerting is down.  While this is going to completely ruin my day tomorrow it did allow for some time to work on the engine (glad I brought the pieces with me).  I bought a new pull cord earlier today and took everything apart and have gotten it back together, hopefully correctly.  I won't know for sure until I try to reinstall it and give it a shot.  Hopefully that happens sometime tomorrow, after my very long nap.  Wish me luck.

Almost sail

     Beautiful weather today so the wife and I decided to go for a sail.  After getting everything ready to go I pulled the cord to start the engine and it came apart in my hand.  Lovely.  After taking it apart I figured out I had no idea what I was doing so I threw it all in a bag and moved on to plan B.

     We went and got a couple of kayaks from the marina and went for a wonderful trip.  Blue herons, turtles, deer, and a bald eagle were the sights for the day.  Plus we didn't get shot at this time.  Bonus!

     After wearing ourselves out we went and had a well deserved appetizer and a beer (or three) at our favorite local watering hole.  Cheers!

Sailing

     Yesterday I had the joy of going sailing for a couple of hours.  My boss' kid is a sailing instructor, and it wasn't a difficult task to get him to do a little work on the side.  I had a great time, and more importantly, learned a lot.  Sadly I forgot to bring the camera.

     I also primed most of the starboard interior.  I didn't get around the windows done because I haven't sanded there yet, but the rest is done.  What a difference.