Pressing On!

I'm pressing on... despite my tiller setback, (more on that story as it develops).

The headliner for the mid-ship and head is up. I still have to do all the trim-work and detailing, but the insulation and main panels are up.

I also scabbed in plywood patches where a couple of V-Berth storage doors were. I did this in order to make a bigger top step for Fuji. I'll detail those tomorrow and finish the step.

Fair seas and God bless!

The A/C is directly above him... He's smart!

My Tiller is Tainted!

We had a large storm push through the area today with 40/50 mph winds and a tornado just south of us. The winds were from the southwest which means the marina was hit hard. The marina where Annie is docked is protected on all sides BUT the south. Some time after the storm I decided to run out to the marina to check on Annie and do a little work. Here's what I found when I got there:

Now, before you classify the storm as a killer storm, I've had some issues with this tiller. I found rotten wood in it before she splashed. I removed the rotten wood and repaired it with an epoxy filler. Little did I know the base of the tiller had been previously repaired and broke at the old repair. The reason... rotten wood! My tiller is tainted! I hope an alternate solution will present itself.

Once the tiller was removed I secured the rudder with a temporary fix and inspected the tiller more closely... I pretty sure it's done!

The rotten wood is clearly seen here.

The only other option is to cut the tiller off at the previous repair and have a shorter tiller... obviously I would have to check for wood rot and see how far it extends when I cut it.

After the tiller tango, I went inside and placed a third step in the V-Berth to give Fuji access to the berth. It worked.

Look closely... he's up in the Fuji cave!

When it was finished, I reviewed the install and decided there is a better way... loose the two doors that are blocked by the third step, epoxy in plywood scabs and make the third step permanent. The closed off area is still accessible and, once painted, it will look natural. When I do this, the boat will be completely pet friendly... I can't steer her but she will be pet friendly!

Fair seas and God bless!

Working on the Bedroom

Well I'm working on the bedroom... for those of you who are not familiar with sailboats, it's actually called the V-Berth and is in the very front of the boat.

The first thing I had to do was add a step. If you've followed this blog for long you know that I am trying to make this boat "Old Dog" friendly. The old dog is not me, (though I probably qualify), but rather my eleven year old buddy, my best friend, my dog Fuji. I've modified the companionway steps to allow him easy ingress and egress, now he needs steps to get up into the V-Berth. I've added one and will probably add one more toward the top that will fold away when not needed.

Now for the headliner... first, the 1x3's that will provide a means to secure the Wainscott vinyl panels, (the old strips have been removed), then, the reflective bubble insulation, then, the panels themselves. Then, the big job...the side planks to the V-Berth.

The previous owner or someone in the past, (and I can't believe it was P&M Worldwide), glassed in ribs to the hull with no rhyme or reason: No equaled or measured spacing, some ribs are half ribs, no mold resistant paint barrier, and the existing wood strips I think are some type of Cedar and not long enough to stretch the length of the berth. IT MUST ALL COME OUT! INCLUDING THE RIBS! Of course, that means removing the glassed-in ribs, (itchy itchy... scratchy scratchy), and new fiberglass work.

But it's got to be done... but I'm saving it for last.

Fair seas and God bless!

AC!

The AC is in, on, and waterproof!

If you're going to live aboard... in South Florida... in the Summer... you probably will need AC. I realize there are some die-hard sailors out there who disagree, but since I already had the carry-on AC, and since my dock electric is a set monthly rate regardless how much electricity I use, and since I'm a wuss when it comes to heat, and since it's MY boat... THE AC IS IN AND ON! (It's also waterproof... it rained this evening and not a drop got in).

The trimwork for the new companionway is finished. The painting is done and a long delayed project is finished, (a door for the galley sink cabinet).

This weekend, I'll finish the trim in the main cabin, then I will begin the headliner for midship and tackle the whole v-berth refit.

Fair seas and God bless!

Full Speed Ahead!

This week I was able to take a few days vacation and man, did I get some work done! The new sole is in, the new water tanks are in and secured, and I invented new companionway stairs that afford my eleven year old buddy, Fuji, the ability to easily enter and exit the boat.

The mat for the cabin sole has been cut to fit... installed, but is not laying down. I'm not really happy with it at this point from an aesthetic point of view, but perhaps it will lay down after a few more days of not being rolled up for weeks.

The water tanks are secure, but not plumbed yet... that's the next major job... maybe... probably... soon...

I tried to modify the companionway ladder a while back to help my old friend Fuji to gain entry and exit but the angle was still too steep for him. Going down was OK, but getting up and out was too hard for him, (being eleven and weighing 108 lbs). This problem had to be solved; he's my best friend!

After hours on the internet searching for something that would work and finding nothing, I decided to just start from scratch. The angle of ascent and descent must extend far beyond a normal companionway ladder to make entry and exit possible for an old dog, (am I talking about my pet or myself... hmmm?). The problem is that such an extension blocks off the Galley. The solution I came up with was a two part entryway. The top two steps are set and the second step slides in when I'm using the Galley and out when Galley access is not required, (the second step is also removable to allow Engine Room access).

The bottom half of the stairs easily move out of the way, allowing access to the Galley and the Engine Room.

I have to do some more trim work and I ran out of indoor/outdoor carpet to provide traction, (back to The Depot), but all in all, the stairs are strong enough for both myself and my best friend and provide both of us easy ingress and egress.

More pics at Annie's Facebook page.

Fair seas and God bless!