Serious boat projects

May of 2018 we kept ourselves quite busy doing many boat projects. First order of business was to replace our old badly rusting chain. First we anchored on our spare anchor and rode. Then we pulled all of the rusty chain out of the bow locker onto an old shower curtain to try and collect some of the rust particles falling off.

300 feet of chain is a big pile on the foredeck.

You can see by how the chain is chipping apart, that it is no longer good enough to trust with our boat and our lives.

Another photo of how bad the chain really was.

We found these markings on the part that was not as rusted as the rest to determine that it was high tensile 3/8's inch.

After borrowing a test piece of 10mm chain from the chandlery, we tested it in our gypsy (part that holds the chain on the windlass) to make sure it would sit properly and not “jump” out of the sockets. Happily, it seemed to work, so we bought 100 meters (330 ft) of new Lofrans galvanized chain. Here Mike is measuring it and marking it on the driveway in front of the shop.

We also put on a new shackle and swivel behind the anchor. This photo was taken before we put security “mouse” wire on the pin (red) to keep it from ever coming untwisted from the shackle (connects swivel to anchor). The shackle that connects the chain to the swivel was also “moused”. This is done with tiny SS wire which bends (mouse wire). We know of more than one boat who has not done this “mousing” and found their anchor decided to depart from their chain. Safety first!!

We took our old chain and added it to the many piles behind the shop where it all will eventually be recycled.

Here you can see the new anchor chain fitting nicely on the gypsy and all the ugly mess that the old chain was making of our deck.

Next job was to try and clean off those rust stains. The best product we have found for this is called Bar Keeper's Friend. Shake it on and scrub with brush and water.

And wha la! Pretty amazing stuff. Looks like we won't have to repaint right away after all! Yipppie!

We had not realized until we cleaned the anchor deck how the rust had stained down the whole side deck as well. You can really see the difference here!

Next big project was removing our old generator. After Mike and Adrian (our mechanic) had rebuilt the thing 3 times in 2017, including all new crank shaft and bearings, the check book cried UNCLE and we decided to invest in a new generator and quit throwing good money after bad. Adrian got the sound shield box off and prepared it for removal.

We used a block and tackle from the boom to hoist it out of the cockpit locker and set it down. It took all three of us!

From a distance, I guess, it did not look too bad.

But upon closer inspection, we found wear on the gear teeth inside the block.

Bad corrosion going on inside as well.

And the main culprit, the crank shaft and bearing where each time after rebuilds it would last about 10 hours and then blow all the oil out. You can see some of the oil residue where it leaked.

And luckily most of the oil was contained in the tray below it. Now the real cleaning process begins!

These parts were salvaged and recycled to the metal guy. The rest we sadly threw next to the dumpster. But we did notice someone had taken it by the next day. Hope someone can use it for something. Now we have to prepare the space for our new one when it arrives by ship from England. A Beta 4.5kw.

The next project for Shelly was replacing the cockpit cushion covers. My good friend Debra on Cosatal Drifter offered to teach me how to sew and use her SailRite sewing machine. Here I am pinning up some material I cut up on her salon dining table.

Measure twice (or 3 times!) and then cut. Look at that concentration! Haha!

Using the SailRite machine.

Testing the thread and stitch size.

Getting farther along.

And bam, just like that the first cushion is ready. We used a non skid breathable material on the bottoms.

The last one finally done. I used some big old towels which matched the canvas color of the boat. The terry cloth is harder to work with, but it does feel nicer on the bum. Thanks for all the help Deb!!

Mike smiles at my progress. The old darker blue is still on the forward one.

We had some left overs of the non skid material, so we cut and placed them where we step on them all the time, which is what wore out the old ones.

When you want to sit and not have a non skid sticky butt, we just roll them up and have a seat. Hope we get another 5 years out of these like we did from the last ones!