Ship Shape & Ready

Sailcraft Boatyard, Oriental, NC
35 01.97 N 076 41.11 W

Well, we worked very hard.  We even had help.  Dave came down from Zebulon twice to help us for a day.  He says he's grateful for the lessons on marine systems maintenance.   We say we're grateful to see Dave (as always), but also for two days slave labor.

We also had help from Daryl, the boatyard mechanic.  He had just the right expertise and just the right tools twice.

So now, the work is done and we're ready to splash.  The only trouble is that Tropical Storm Beryl will be here in the morning.  Not a nice day to be out.  Therefore, we'll sit and do nothing another day.

So, what did we accomplish?

1. Scraped, sanded, and painted the bottom. First time sincer September 2009, she needed it.
   
2. Libby retouched all the scrapes and dock rash we accumulated over the years.  The paint is not a perfect match, but she looks much better.
   
   
3. Removed the shaft log and replaced the cutlass bearing.  Now hopefully, the last remnants of vibrations left from years with our Max Prop will be gone.
   
   
4. Re-installed the bobbin and shaft saver so that the properller spacing in the  aperture is about perfect.
   
   
5. I gave up on the cone-shaped prop nut and zinc.  I retrieved the old prop nut from the Max Prop.  It screws on fine and I have a safety pin in it to prevent it from falling off.  No more worry about that.
   
   
6. I pulled the shaft log and re-bedded it a second time because I wasn't satisfied with the friction we had turning the shaft in neutral.  Now, after the 2nd time, it turns much easier so I did make an improvement.
   
   
7. We installed new boomkin tangs that I had bought from Bud Taplin.  Those are extremely critical parts.  If they break at sea with a strong wind behind you, dismasting will result.  It happened to three W32s in the past three years, so it is a matter of great concern for all Westsailors.
   
   
8. We removed and cleaned the heat exchanger.  I tried and failed last year to get the end cap off.  Daryl from the boatyard was more clever than I.  He showed me how to do it.
   
   
9. We tried to install a new high-rise exhaust header that I bought from Bud Taplin.  Without the high-rise there is a slight chance of having water back up into the engine if the boat is heeled at extreme angles (really extreme).  However we failed, and had to put the original header back in.  The problem is that the new header blocked the space where cooling water leaves the heat exchanger.  I'll need a 90 degree rubber elbow to make a sharp turn.  I'll retry that installation after finding the elbow.
   
   
10. We compounded, waxed and buffed the hull topsides.

Like I said, being in a boat yard makes for very hard work days for us spoiled cruisers.  Now howeve, with the hard work done, we get the satisfaction of sitting back with a cool drink and saying sigh.

Ship shape and ready to splash.