The boat is currently on the hard at a storage facility, supported by props/stands and covered by tarps. In this report, we shall start the description from inside the hull at the bow and progress to the stern. After, the exterior status will be described from bow to stern. When this was written, all of the interior had been examined and most of the original fittings had been removed, prior to repair or replacement. Most of the original fixtures and trim from the interior have been kept as templates for new build material.    

INTERIOR: bow.

The chain locker had been cleaned and additional plywood bonded to the underside of the deck to strengthen the bowsprit support. A repair to earlier damage at the bowsprit had been done by bonding in a piece of thick G10 to the chain locker roof. We have added fiberglass tabbing to the deck-hull joint inside the locker as part of a planned, full repair of this section.

The front bulkhead has been strengthened by the addition of a second layer of plywood which has been tabbed to the hull and finished in white laminate.

INTERIOR: front cabin.

All the lockers have been removed, the floor support frame cut away and removed and the original water tank removed. All of this has allowed the bilge to be inspected and cleaned. The original water tank was found to be heavily blistered on the inside and with limited access, it was decided to cut it up and remove it from the hull. The hull sides were cleaned and sanded, as was the bilge. Three new layers of fiberglass were added to the bilge after which it was repainted. New floor support rails were bonded to the hull.

 Two new water tanks were fabricated in fiberglass using the original tank as a mold. These were sized to permit access into the cabin through the narrow companionway opening. Both tanks have been lined with a proven water safe epoxy finish and have removable top lids for later servicing. Both tanks have been set back into the bilge and linked via ¾” hose so that they have a capacity almost equal to the original. An outlet fitting and valve is in place on the larger tank and ¾” threaded bushings for fill and vent are in place on the small tank lid. The larger tank lid requires these as well. The tanks have not been tabbed in place to the hull at this time.

INTERIOR: port main bulkhead.

This forms part of the hanging locker and after initial examination, it was found to be in poor condition due to plywood de-lamination at the chain plate and down the hull. Once the original laminate covering had been removed, a repair was made by cutting out a section and fiberglass bonding in a new piece plywood. This was tabbed to the hull on both sides with several layers of 1708 fiberglass and epoxy.

INTERIOR: starboard main bulkheads.

These form the sides of the head and are tied into the mast support post. The head cabinetry has been  stripped out to expose the bulkhead/hull transition and both were found to be suffering from water damage and de-lamination at the chainplate and beyond. Both bulkheads were cut away and removed so that new ones could be fabricated. The hull sides were sanded and cleaned. Since each bulkhead was too large to fit through the companionway, it was decided to use the originals as templates, after which they could be cut in half and taken outside. The new bulkheads were to be cut as two halves offsite then bonded back together inside the cabin. This was successfully carried out on the first bulkhead which was then covered in a laminate finish and tacked back in place. It now waits final setting and tabbing. It was intended to continue with the second bulkhead when work stopped.

INTERIOR: head.

As stated here, the head was stripped out as part of the plan to repair the damaged bulkheads that form its walls. It is still in this condition and it was intended to rebuild it after the new bulkheads and chainplate knees were completed.  

INTERIOR: chainplate knees.

All of the chainplate knees and bulkhead supports were found to be compromised by de-lamination or poor tabbing to the hull. Most of the damage was probably caused by water ingress over the years due to lack of routine sealant maintenance. All the knees were removed and on the port side, new ones were fabricated from double plywood and bonded in place. The same was planned for the starboard side but has yet to be carried out.

INTERIOR: main cabin.

This was stripped of its original berths and lockers when it was seen that they were badly damaged by rot and water. The exposed hull was then sanded and cleaned. 

INTERIOR: main cabin – nav station /quarter berth.

Here, the house batteries were removed, damaged floor support boards removed and the frame cut away to reveal the original access into the stern. There is substantial work that need to be done to repair the rear bulkhead where it had been opened up and patched in the past. The battery storage, drawer unit and chart desk was cut out and removed to reveal the hull and the depth sounder transducer. This area has been part sanded and cleaned.

The original half bulkhead on the starboard side is still in place but it will need repair or replacement as part of the re-fit. The hull at this location has been sanded and cleaned.

INTERIOR: main cabin – galley.

The original sink and countertop has been removed, as have the storage lockers that were above it. There is an icebox in the corner that appears to be in decent shape. No remedial work has been started on the galley. Currently, it is used as a tool bench area. The half bulkhead of the galley front was found to be in poor condition due to plywood de-lamination and this was cut out and a new piece tabbed in place, bonding to both hull and original material. 

The original foot operated water pumps and mounting panel below the galley sink have been removed and the hull area sanded smooth ready for new fittings. Fairing compound and fiberglass mat have been applied in preparation for the later fitting of new seacock backing plates at this location.      

INTERIOR: main cabin – bilge.

As part of the initial examination, the floor (sole plate) was cut out and removed to give access to the bilge and its water tank. The tank has been removed for interior cleaning and re-finishing. The bilge has been sanded, cleaned and recovered with additional layers of fiberglass mat. This new fiberglass layer extends up to the diesel tank. All the bilge in the main cabin has now been repainted. A temporary floor is in place to permit ease of work inside the cabin.

INTERIOR: main cabin – bilge center section.

At the head location, under the mast support post, a section of the bilge ballast was found to be compromised by moisture ingress. The original material was no longer bonded to the hull and bilge so it was decided to replace it. This was cut away and the hull surface sanded after which a new section of ballast mix poured into the void. Several layers of fiberglass mat and epoxy was then used to seal the bilge. Once this was in place, a new support for the base of the mast post was added to transfer load from mast to keel. 

INTERIOR: main cabin – bilge diesel tank.

This has been emptied, cleaned and has new fill & vent fittings added. In addition, a new, larger inspection hatch has been added plus a fuel gauge sender unit. The tank has been temporarily replaced into its bilge location.   

INTERIOR: cabin fittings.

All four bronze portholes and portlights have been removed, cleaned, polished and sealed in bags ready for replacement. The portholes have had their seals replaced. All of these fittings are now in boxes on the fore deck.

INTERIOR: engine and engine bay.

The engine (Yanmar 2QM20) and transmission were removed early in the overhaul process. The engine has gone through a full refit (more details can be found on another entry in this blog). Engine is currently stored in a garage waiting to be started for the first time after the refit.

The engine bay has been de-greased and cleaned. All the original control and ancillary wiring has been removed with the intention of re-wiring the boat afresh. The stern tube area has been cleaned, sanded and new fiberglass added to seal up the keel / bilge at this point. The stuffing box and shaft have been removed.

INTERIOR: stern post.

At the very rear of the stern void, a stainless plate has been added to spread the load of the four bolts that hold the upper rudder hinge to the stern post. This has been sealed with 4200.

INTERIOR: seacocks & though-hulls.    

All of the seacocks were poorly mounted to the hull and most had seized with evidence of past water ingress. All were removed along with their through hulls. This revealed exterior hull damage at some places where the through hull had been overtightened in an effort to seal it and this had crushed the outer skin of glass. All the through hull points were sanded, cleaned and were repaired as needed. Those on the outside of the hull had glass added to build them back up before sanding smooth. On the inside, fairing compound and fiberglass was used to build up a flat face with the intention of fitting backing plates and flange style seacocks.

New seacocks and through hulls were bought and are waiting to be installed.

EXTERIOR: bow.

The original damage to the bowsprit support has been examined and to ascertain the extent of the core damage, a section of the deck fiberglass has been cut away. This revealed that a segment of the plywood core around the bowsprit has compromised by water ingress. The section was cleaned and has been left until it can be addressed. The additional strengthening added to the underside of the chain locker was intended to be part of this overall repair.

The actual bowsprit is made of teak has been cleaned up, sanded and reinforced by bonding a half an inch layer of fiberglass on the side where it meets the deck.

EXTERIOR: main deck.

Test holes at the mast support plate revealed that there is no problem with the core at this location. These holes require filling.

EXTERIOR: hatches.

Both hatches have been removed, cleaned, sanded, primed and painted. Both have had their seals replaced with new material. The acrylic in the main cabin hatch has been removed and needs replacing. The forward cabin hatch acrylic is acceptable and is still bonded in place. Both hatches require re-sealing back to the hull and have been loosely placed back in the interim.

Exterior: cockpit.

No remedial work has been started here. The engine control panel has been removed for overhaul as has the additional instrument cluster that was mounted on the cabin face. The manual bilge pump has been removed along with its hose connection.

EXTERIOR: fittings.

Virtually all the deck fittings have been removed for safekeeping and overhaul. It was intended to re-seal all through deck fittings as part of the main project. The port side scupper fitting has been removed and cleaned ready for replacement. It is now bagged and boxed along with the portlights. The hull seal at the port scupper showed signs of failure and this could have caused past water ingress. Deck cleats and chocks have been removed, cleaned and polished and are now bagged with the port light fittings.

Exterior: hull.

Through hull openings have been sanded and repaired as needed, plus the core opening has been epoxy coated. Sanding has been done in a few patches to ascertain the condition of the hull fiberglass. We believe is the hull is healthy and solid.  

The cutlass bearing (shaft bearing) has been removed from the stern tube and the securing grub screws left in place for a new bearing to be fitted at a later date.     

EXTERIOR: rail.

A section of the edge rail was removed from the starboard quarter to examine the hull/deck joint underneath and to investigate the fixings employed. Once done, this was temporarily replaced with a few screws and not sealed with the intention of restoring all of the rail at a later date.   

EXTERIOR: Bimini and dodger.

Stainless steel structures are in good shape, canvas will need work

EXTERIOR: Sails

Main, stay sail and a Yankee or Genova, (don’t remember what we have), are in good shape but will probably need some care.

EXTERIOR: Rig

Mast and boom are covered right next to the boat. They are in good condition but will probably need some work. Standing rigging will probably have to be replaced. No running rigging.

GENERAL: Electric system

All wires, connections and switches were removed. A new electric system will have to be installed.   

GENERAL: Plumbing

All old pipes and pumps were removed. All new plumbing will have to be done.   

GENERAL: Parts and miscellaneous

We have all kind of parts and materials stored in our garage including but not limited to stainless steel CQR anchor, autopilot, compass, cushions, pumps, etc. Basically, we have all parts and someone will have to just put everything together, the nasty and dirty work has been already done!! 

HERE ARE FEW PICTURES THAT SHOW THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE BOAT: