Hmmm...the list keeps getting longer

[Mas]

Well had a punch list before no Mas was to be rigged and splashed and it just got longer. I'm sure more folks find that same spring phenomenon of going to your boat with a list of to do's and leaving with a longer list.

This last trip was just such a batch of three days.
Day 1: new decals, new port gaskets, take off tarp and install LED bulbs

result: port gaskets from Hutchins simply will not fit. spend 4 hours on two and basically they will not suffice as too suspect after having to pound them in place. the other four will be returned and new bulk gaskets ordered that allow better conforming qualities to the less than perfect cast bronze ports she has.

Add: everything that had been planned, plus return gaskets and order new type.

Day 2: rig boat

results: PeterG came by to help, had planned to rig but had to leave tarp in place as port gaskets could not be replaced. We did find the bilge in No Mas, that has been bone dry for her entire life, full of water to the motor mounts. Now remember, she's on the hard, cabin covered with a canvas tarp to protect leaky ports. Never expected that! Had removed batteries for winter thus electric bilge pump was inoperable. Look for bilge pump handle which had been moved from it's usual location, find it pump.....nothing. Look for obstructions, nothing. Found instead that the up-take hose has fallen against the engine drive shaft where the rotating shaft had worn away the entire side of the hose, duct tape to rescue, water mostly pumped out.

Add: new hose to list. Add find water leak source. Add bring back batteries to verify electric pump even works as the bilge has NEVER had water in it before.

Day 3:Replace all lights with LED bulbs after confirming fixtures function since mast is still down and didn't happen on Day 1.

Result: noticed rudder housing paint flaking off in large chunks. (PO had painted over the factory finish on the cast aluminum housing and it was failing and the material as it warmed and expanded after winter really showed the progress of this slow failure) the yard where she is kept was going to spray a boat with white awl grip next day and could hit my housing for little effort if it was ready. That meant strip all old paint and finish, which i did not have the right tools and materials to do, so that it could be acid etched, primer coated, then shot with awl grip. Took it to Atlantic Material Fabricators just down the road, (think bridge, barge, ship parts for construction) with my little rudder housing and asked if they could possibly sand blast it on short (like right then) notice. Well fortune smiled, the president of the company was there, they had just brought their sand blasting rig back from work on a barge and were moving it to a bridge project next day. 30 minutes (20 of which was set up) and $30 later housing almost too pretty to paint! Never got to the LED's

Virtually nothing on the list i came with got done, many new items now exist as well, but had a chance to hook up with PeterG again, met the owner of a large company that took the time for a small task, soaked up the gorgeous weather, ate oysters, fish taco's, lamb and clam stew, craft draft every night, ran into a childhood friend of my son who now manages the Rappahanock Oyster folks farm on their Chincoteague Island location, found out about a great St. Paddy's Day celebration, hmmm...now where is that list anyway!

[Bob23]

Overall, the last paragraph translates to me that you had a successful day! Strange about the leak on a covered boat. My guess is that it's coming from outside the boat...I'd almost bet on it!
  If I do indeed take Koinonia for her first swim, the list has dwindled to: Bottom paint, wax, maybe a teak touchup, find that blasted leak that allowed some water into my bilge...and then go sailing! This spring like weather is too much for me to bear. And I'd love to be the first sailboat out on the bay this spring.
Bob23

[BruceW]

Well had a punch list before no Mas was to be rigged and splashed and it just got longer. I'm sure more folks find that same spring phenomenon of going to your boat with a list of to do's and leaving with a longer list.

This last trip was just such a batch of three days.
Day 1: new decals, new port gaskets, take off tarp and install LED bulbs

result: port gaskets from Hutchins simply will not fit. spend 4 hours on two and basically they will not suffice as too suspect after having to pound them in place. the other four will be returned and new bulk gaskets ordered that allow better conforming qualities to the less than perfect cast bronze ports she has.

Add: everything that had been planned, plus return gaskets and order new type.

Day 2: rig boat

results: PeterG came by to help, had planned to rig but had to leave tarp in place as port gaskets could not be replaced. We did find the bilge in No Mas, that has been bone dry for her entire life, full of water to the motor mounts. Now remember, she's on the hard, cabin covered with a canvas tarp to protect leaky ports. Never expected that! Had removed batteries for winter thus electric bilge pump was inoperable. Look for bilge pump handle which had been moved from it's usual location, find it pump.....nothing. Look for obstructions, nothing. Found instead that the up-take hose has fallen against the engine drive shaft where the rotating shaft had worn away the entire side of the hose, duct tape to rescue, water mostly pumped out.

Add: new hose to list. Add find water leak source. Add bring back batteries to verify electric pump even works as the bilge has NEVER had water in it before.

Day 3:Replace all lights with LED bulbs after confirming fixtures function since mast is still down and didn't happen on Day 1.

Result: noticed rudder housing paint flaking off in large chunks. (PO had painted over the factory finish on the cast aluminum housing and it was failing and the material as it warmed and expanded after winter really showed the progress of this slow failure) the yard where she is kept was going to spray a boat with white awl grip next day and could hit my housing for little effort if it was ready. That meant strip all old paint and finish, which i did not have the right tools and materials to do, so that it could be acid etched, primer coated, then shot with awl grip. Took it to Atlantic Material Fabricators just down the road, (think bridge, barge, ship parts for construction) with my little rudder housing and asked if they could possibly sand blast it on short (like right then) notice. Well fortune smiled, the president of the company was there, they had just brought their sand blasting rig back from work on a barge and were moving it to a bridge project next day. 30 minutes (20 of which was set up) and $30 later housing almost too pretty to paint! Never got to the LED's

Virtually nothing on the list i came with got done, many new items now exist as well, but had a chance to hook up with PeterG again, met the owner of a large company that took the time for a small task, soaked up the gorgeous weather, ate oysters, fish taco's, lamb and clam stew, craft draft every night, ran into a childhood friend of my son who now manages the Rappahanock Oyster folks farm on their Chincoteague Island location, found out about a great St. Paddy's Day celebration, hmmm...now where is that list anyway!

Well, dang, that sounds like you are living in interesting times. I see you know about Chincoteague. I went up there with friends about 25 years ago for an oyster festival, had a great time. Do they still have that? Would that be a good place to bring a  boat and sail around? I probably wouldn't bring the CP 23 (since I don't have a road-ready trailer) but I could bring my Windrider.

[HeaveToo]

Your list sounds like mine...fix one thing, find two more things to fix.

I did the rudder housing project.  I wire brushed it and spray painted over it with black paint.  I am not worried about having to repaint every few years but this was actually pretty easy.  I also added bushings into my rudder.  If you haven't done this, I highly recommend this upgrade because my rudder moves so smoothly now!

I finally have to adapters to put the terminals on my RG-8X coax cable so I can finally finish my VHF upgrade.  Everything else is done.

I repaired my bulkhead and stopped a leak were my instruments are located.  This worked out great and looks good.

When I replaced my faucet I had to drill a new hole.  I have two holes to cover up.  I plan to cover one hole up by making it larger and then putting a cup holder in it.  Inside the cup holder I plan to put a liquid soap holder.  I still am not 100% sure how I will cover up the second, smaller hole. 

While working on those things my mirror fell, it was cheap and just up there with two sided tape.  I got the brilliant idea of putting a small cabinet there to cover the back of my depth finder and also give me a little storage.  I will let you know how that goes! I have to fabricate the whole thing.

I still have to wire in the base of my mast to finish rewiring my mast.

I still have to do my exterior woodwork

I still have to paint my dinghy.

I still have to power wash the boat and touch up the bottom paint.  I also want to wax the boat.

I still have to clean the interior and clean the interior woodwork. 

Yesterday I got my repaired main sail from the sail maker.  It is only a temporary repair and in the near future I will replace my main sail. 

I need to make a sleeve for my tiller pilot to keep it dry in bad weather.


The list goes on and grows.  I splash in a few weeks, around April 15.  I am hoping to get most of this done so I can go for a nice little sail to shake the boat down.

I am looking forward to seeing you all again soon on the Chesapeake. 

[NateD]

Strange about the leak on a covered boat. My guess is that it's coming from outside the boat...I'd almost bet on it!

Maybe not from outside the boat? Possibly a water tank or fitting leak if it wasn't emptied before winter? If you removed the batteries, then I'm guessing you probably emptied the water tank(s) as well, but I thought I would through it out there. Another interior possibility is holding tank leak...but you didn't mention a smell.

[Mas]

The amount of water has to be from the outside. The flexible water bladders were mostly emptied and winterized. Some water always remains but not this much!

Wondering if the cockpit filled up and spilled in throughout the lockers. Forgot to check the scuppers to see if clogged but weren't to start the season. We did get an incredible downpour one day that was more rain than i have ever seen at once. The tarp does send some water into the cockpit that would have run outside of the coamings normally but not a huge amount. Still a puzzle. Definitely not the holding tank! Thats an easy leak to identify.

Everything was bone dry from anchor locker to the engine compartment.

[Mas]

Overall, the last paragraph translates to me that you had a successful day! Strange about the leak on a covered boat. My guess is that it's coming from outside the boat...I'd almost bet on it!
  If I do indeed take Koinonia for her first swim, the list has dwindled to: Bottom paint, wax, maybe a teak touchup, find that blasted leak that allowed some water into my bilge...and then go sailing! This spring like weather is too much for me to bear. And I'd love to be the first sailboat out on the bay this spring.
Bob23

Hey Bob, just now processed that you were tracking down a source for water in Koinoia's bilge. Isn't or wasn't she under a full winter cover? Still pondering how No Mas got enough water to fill up the bilge to bottom of motor mounts when on the hard and under a tarp over cabin area. Would have thought a full canvas cover would have kept your boat bone dry!

[Bob23]

  It would have...if I hadn't been too lazy to not install it last fall! First time she was stored naked over the winter. But, then I wouldn't have known I had a small leak. Think I found the source but I'll find out for sure in the next couple of days.
 
Bob23

[HeaveToo]

I had about a gallon of water in my bilge.  I am guessing that it came in through the area where I repaired the bulkhead.  I am hoping that is all it is.

[Mas]

Lotta water in bilges in our area this spring! Must have been a confluence of meteorological events. We sure were surpassed. We did get an auspicious rain and weather right after it being uber cold. So thinking maybe lots of water in less than perfect seals with heavy rain, wind right after lots of cold and ice. Thinkin about that cover again!

[Bob23]

I must confess: I snuck down to both of your boats and poured that water in!!!!!
Bob23

[Mas]

ok, that explains our boats...but what about yours? Heave, do you need to tell us anything?! 

[HeaveToo]

I hope that he didn't notice that the water was yellow.

[Mas]

  It would have...if I hadn't been too lazy to not install it last fall! First time she was stored naked over the winter. But, then I wouldn't have known I had a small leak. Think I found the source but I'll find out for sure in the next couple of days.
 
Bob23

Hey Bob, where was your leak located? Probably gunna wait till No Mas is splashed to track down any potential leak. She's a long haul from a hose bib and it takes two to track it down. Been hard to get "two" sets of eyes available. Still wondering if it was the cockpit filling up and spilling into the lockers. Heading back down to boat this coming week and will spend a little time pursing the clogged scupper scenario. With no sign of leak along the hull/deck joints, fittings, hatches, tarp over cabin, dry from anchor well up to the engine compartment, sitting on her trailer with a tilt to the stern for drainage, it is a puzzle. Last thing I expected. She has been in the water 24/7, 365 for the past 5 years (out once for bottom painting) and not a drop in the bilge. Well a few drops from the stuffing box. The only thing that has changed is the temperature as this ain't Mobile, Alabama and her being out of the water. Boats do subtly shift when not in the water. It's why many marine mechanics will not do the final drive shaft hook ups after a re-engine job until the boat has been returned to the water.

Heave, not sure how much your bulkhead area was leaking but even with constant 24/7 water pressure on a line from a geo-thermal hot water line at home it takes a few days to fill the bucket under a valve which is dripping a little (another one of those gotta deal with it eventually tasks!). The small bucket holds a gallon or so. Rain is not 24/7.

[HeaveToo]

Well, the bulkhead leaked for months when it was wet.  Snow sat up against it for a while, and I didn't really check my bilge at the end of the season either.  I normally have a dry bilge.

The bulkhead leaked bad enough that I had a cushion soaked through.  It had been there long enough to cause one hell of a mildew bloom.

That area had been leaking last year and I had a temporary fix with cetoling the old wood piece.  That didn't last long and it was soaking wet when I removed the old piece.  The new repair should be good for a while.