Lackey Sailing | tim lackey

Tuesday

Starting out, I pared and smoothed away the excess bungs from the new companionway rails.

The owner reported that the depthsounder was non-functional, and replacment was on the work list. To begin, I removed the existing through-hull transducer, then the transducer wiring leading aft to the display unit mounted in the cockpit bulkhead. I removed the obsolete 4″ round display and all related components. 4″ round displays were no longer available on the market, so the replacement would be something else, and would require a cover plate over the larger hole left over from the old unit.

Later in the day, while on phone conference with the owner about the new depthsounder choices, he made the decision to also replace the old knotmeter, so with that decision made I went ahead and removed the old display, wiring, and transducer as required. The owner selected a matching set of new instruments, which I ordered at once.

There were various minor wiring issues that became apparent as I looked over the boat’s electrical system, which was generally in good (original) condition, but there were a few improvements that I thought I could make right off the bat, starting with replacing the terminal ends on the two sets of wires that would connect to the battery, located in a large compartment below the cockpit. I also replaced a black (or maybe dark purple) wire that fed the positive supply to an auxiliary fuse panel on the port side with a red wire to eliminate confusion, and, further along these lines, secured together two white (negative, in this boat’s protocol) wires with a section of black heat-shrink to make it apparent which wires were which going forward. For now, the remaining wiring looked OK, but I’d test out various lighting fixtures and installations in the near future, now that I had the basic supply side in better shape.

The existing VHF antenna cable, which led to deck through the mast step base, was in poor condition where visible, with numerous cuts through the insulation, so I replaced the entire length back to the VHF with a new cable.

The galley sink featured a simple tankage and supply system consisting of a plastic jug in the cockpit locker. There was no connection visible between the tank and the hand faucet, and the owner had mentioned that the old hose was clogged with debris and mold. Although there was a round access hole located just behind the mobile tank–which allowed me to h old in a camera for the photo of the underside of the sink–the locker wasn’t large enough for me to climb into, and I made plans to install a new access port from the cabin so I could change the hose and (if necessary) the faucet to restore the sink to working order.

With new bolts on hand, I reinstalled the chainplates in heavy beds of sealant, forcing the sealant into the gaps around the chainplate as much as I could. I left the excess sealant to cure before attempting to remove it.

With a new plastic access hatch now on hand–black to match the other access ports on the boat–I prepared a cardboard template of the cutout, and would use this next time to open the aft end of the cockpit for access to the scuppers.

The leading edge of the keel had some minor impact damage, so to repair it I sanded away paint and loose material, then filled it with an epoxy fairing mixture.

Meanwhile, I sanded away the paint from around the two through hull openings just forward, to prepare the hull for proper bonding of the new fittings when the time came for installation.

Total time billed on this job today: 7.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
Clouds, 36°. Forecast for the day: cloudy, snow, high around 40

< Back to Precision 23

Monday

The sliding companionway hatch rode inside and beneath slim pieces of teak trim, which, over time, had become brittle and weathered, and were broken and cracked in places, limiting proper function as well as appearance. Replacement was warranted.

To remove the old trim for reproduction, I drilled out the bungs to expose the screw heads, then removed the trim easily from there.

From some teak stock on hand, I milled new trim pieces, more or less duplicating through various saw operations the profile and details of the original trim, which was a sort of inverted, angled L shape. However, hoping to provide a little more strength over the long term, I made the top portion of the profile–the section that overhung the companionway hatch to hold it in place–a bit thicker than original. Afterwards, I cut the trim to the required length, pre-milled counterbores and screw holes for the fasteners, and sanded the pieces smooth, easing the edges as I went.

I intentionally changed the location of the screw holes to provide fresh material for the threads to grip, so I began the installation with a dry fit, in which I predrilled and secured all the fixing screws as needed.

Next, I cleaned up the bonding surface, masked off the exposed edge of the teak trim, and installed the rails permanently with sealant and screws. After removing the excess squeezeout, I removed the masking tape, leaving the clean, bare teak. I bunged the screw holes, completing the job for now.

The owner had asked me to look at the original plywood outboard motor mount and see about somehow refinishing it. This would be possible, though it would never be beautiful, but as I looked at the piece I noticed plenty of splintering, compression, and missing chunks, and on impulse I decided it’d be better, less expensive, and ultimately more attractive and useful to purchase a replacement pad, which were now available in maintenance-free plastic. After confirming the bolt pattern was compatible, I ordered a new pad, and removed the old one to prepare for the new one’s arrival.

Meanwhile, I spent some time coming up with a new scupper plan, and ordering various materials for the job. I planned to remove the existing PVC pipe and elbows at both ends, and replace with new fittings and hose once I’d opened up access at the aft end of the cockpit. I ordered the new access port as well, and would begin this job later, once the pieces were on hand.

The owner reported a problem with chronic chainplate leakage, and indeed evidence of this was cl ear, with water staining on the bulkheads around the chainplates. Similar issues with this sort of through-deck design were common, as everything about the design and the forces involved made sealing a tenuous situation at best, but the leaks were probably more noticeable here because of the highly visible location well inboard and exposed on the bulkhead.

In any event, to address the issue now I removed the chainplates entirely, starting with the deck covers and then the stainless steel plates themselves, which were secured with four bolts through the bulkhead and a heavier support beam across the cabin. The various components were in good condition, and I cleaned them up to prepare for reinstallation, removing old sealant and staining. Though the fixing bolts were in sound condition, I decided to order new ones as a matter of course.

Afterwards, I cleaned up the chainplate slots through the deck, reaming out old sealant and other material to open them up as much as possible and provide a good sealing surface for reinstallation. Then, I sealed the insides of the openings through the deck with a thickened epoxy mixture; while there wasn’t an obvious issue with deck core moisture in these slots that required repair, it was sound practice to seal the openings now, while I had the chance.

Total time billed on this job today: 6.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
21°, clear. Forecast for the day: sunny, high in the 50s

< Back to Salty

Friday

A supply snafu had delayed delivery of the 1″ hose I needed for the engine siphon break system, but now it was on hand, and I gladly finished up the installation. I located the siphon break fitting in the port cockpit locker, secured to a wood block on the hull, as high up as practicable and just aft and outboard of the battery box. I connected the vent/overflow hose, which led aft to the gooseneck at the transom, to the nipple on the top

I also cleaned and polished the cockpit well, completing the deck work.

At this point, the project was complete except for installing the new prop shaft, and finalizing the engine alignment, along with the engine start-up and test run. I anticipated the shaft would be on its way within the next week or so, at which time I’d finish the final tasks.

Total time billed on this job today: 2 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
32°, clouds. Forecast for the day: clouds and sun, 60s

< Back to Precision 23

Thursday

Getting ready to begin the project in earnest, I spent a short time aboard, documenting the initial condition of the boat and looking over the jobs list so I could begin to order any materials and parts required.

The biggest job, as it were, was the cockpit scuppers. The original scuppers used rigid plastic fittings and pipe to connect the cockpit well with the transom outlets, and these fittings had cracked over time, with several apparent attempts to stem the problem with sealant or other repairs apparent. The main issue with this situation was that access was essentially impossible for anyone other than a highly-skilled two year-old, as the molded interior structure and cockpit well prohibited direct access to the space from inside the boat–despite what looks like wide open access from the photos.

The answer to the access problem seemed to be to install a larger access hatch in the vertical section of the cockpit well, replacing the small round one. So creating this access would be the first part of the job, and afterwards hopefully the access would be sufficient to replace the fittings with a new system.

The interior cushions were badly worn and in poor condition, and I’d subcontracted their replacement to my trusted upholsterer. This job was already underway, and I removed the cushions from the boat to make more room for the other parts of the project.

The work list contained myriad and sundry smaller jobs, from rebedding the leaky chainplates to replacing the depthsounder to repairing some teak trim, among other things. I’d cover them all in more detail as the job got underway.

The hull would require some basic restorative work, including replacing the scuffed vinyl-tape bootstripe and painting the bottom.

Total time billed on this job today: .5 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
25°, clear. Forecast for the day: sunny, 70s

< Back to Aquasport

Thursday

Earlier, I’d finished up the fiberglass backing plate for the outboard bracket–sanding, primer, topcoat (the same gray I used on the boottop). Now, with the transom prepared and the backing block ready, I completed the bracket installation, securing it with four bolts, backing plates, and large washers.

< Back to Aquasport

Total time billed on this job today: 1 hour

0600 Weather Observation:
25°, clear. Forecast for the day: sunny, 70s

< Back to Danusia

Thursday

Taking advantage of a beautiful day, I finished up a couple final chores for Danusia, starting with new bottom paint.

When I’d reloaded the anchor chain into the new windlass at the end of the original project earlier in the winter, I’d recommended installing some sort of protective plate over the bow platform between the roller and the windlass, as I feared the chain, when wiggling and wobbling its way up or down, might harm the surface. It would also protect the platform from the anchor shank at rest. At the time, the boat was being moved outdoors and covered, so although I acquired the bronze plate shortly thereafter, I waited till the boat was uncovered to finalize the installation.

I’d ordered a 1/8″ x 3″ x 18″ bronze plate, which I’d determined was a good size for the area in question, and now I held the plate in position so I could mark an angled cut required on one side to match the angle of the teak platform. Down on the bench, I cut off the excess and finished off the cut appropriately. I prepared several countersunk holes for screws.

Installation was straightforward. I started with the plate just aft of two slots in the platform and aligned it as needed, then secured it with bronze screws.

< Back to Danusia

Total time billed on this job today: 2 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
25°, clear. Forecast for the day: sunny, 70s

< Back to Salty

Wednesday

After some morning errands away from the shop, I turned to the mast wiring. While I had the masthead casting off, I checked over the masthead sheaves, which all looked in good condition as far as I could tell, but it looked like there might be one damaged or partially missing, as evidenced by the plastic hub on the aftermost pin (first photo). That pin just slipped into cast slots from above, and was contained by the masthead casting when it was normally in place.

To extend the RTE wiring harness, a 5-conductor cable, I ended up using the same 14/5 cable that I’d run through the boat for this purpose earlier, which meant that wiring connection at the terminal block in the boat would be straightforward same color to same color. This cable was heavier and larger than I wanted, but options were few and far between, at least with any products I’d trust and that were available in less than 1000′ parcels. As least I knew it was quality wire. Somewhere there must be a source for tinned 5-conductor cable in smaller gauge sizes and nominal overall diameters, but I couldn’t find it and after a time further looking was only wasteful.

In the event, I connected the new wire to the existing harness, noting again the color conversions between the two, and for added longevity and strength within the mast, I added a sheath of heat shrink over the entire splice.

I chose to use the existing wires (which had powered a tricolor masthead unit) to pull the new cable down from the top. So I heavily taped the new harness to the old to help it on its way through whatever course it took down the top part of the mast. In addition to the 14/5 cable, I also secured a new VHF cable to pull through the mast and replace the existing.

The wires from the masthead ended up in a length of plastic conduit within the mast when they reached the steaming light location at the spreaders, along with the three-wire harness from this light. The conduit slipped over an extruded lip on the inside of the mast, and therefore was removable as a whole. At the steaming light, I secured a length of messenger line to the existing wires before starting to pull out the entire harness.

From there, it was relatively simple to pull out the conduit and old wires from the bottom. The new harness fed in fairly easily from the top once I got it going, which suggested it had an unimpeded path through the spar.

I left some slack in the masthead wires just below the top of the mast to allow the masthead casting to be removed for sheave access in the future, then resecured the masthead–with RTE and VHF extension attached–back in place before making up the end of the VHF cable as required. After photos, I removed the VHF antenna for safekeeping, but the RTE was now a permanent fixture by virtue of its hardwired and sealed construction.

Since it was straightforward to slip on the wire conduit afterwards, I went ahead and ran in the 14/3 wire for the steaming/deck light combo at the spreaders, and made up the wiring at the new LED fixture before installing the fixture with machine screws. I left some wire slack bundled behind the fixture.

The masthead cable was too large to fit within the internal mast conduit along with the steaming light harness, so to secure it as much as possible I came up with a plan to secure it to the outside of the conduit with cable ties. With the conduit out of the mast, at intervals I drilled holes at the outer edge to accept wire ties, and as I fed the conduit back into the mast and over the steaming light cable, I secured the thick masthead cable loosely in the wire ties–loose because they had to allow the conduit to slide up, while still securing the exterior cable tightly enough. This actually worked better than I’d hoped.

I chose a location on the forward side of the mast for the wire outlet, which would eventually connect (via flexible conduit aka hose) with the deck fitting on the boat. I drilled a hole for the wires to pass through and installed a rail mount base on the outside, which diameter matched that of the deck fitting (and hose). Then I led through the wires.

After reinstalling the mast base casting, I measured generously for the final wire lengths, which had to pass through a length of hose/conduit, then through a path in the boat to the terminal blocks for final connection. Since the terminal blocks were hidden from normal view, and because I wouldn’t be there to make up the wire lengths when the boat was rigged, I left what I thought (and hoped) was more than ample wire length to make up the connections without being ridiculously long. The wires could always be shortened later if necessary, but at least they were ready to be connected as is. I labeled the wires as necessary to match up with their respective connections in the boat.

Total time billed on this job today: 5.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
35°, clear. Forecast for the day: sunny, 50s

< Back to Salty

Tuesday

I spent the morning taking care of myriad smaller tasks, starting with the engine hatch, which I lightly sanded and painted with the finish coat.

I installed a new bulb gasket around the perimeter of the engine hatch.

I cleaned up the original bronze stuffing box, and packed it with two layers of new graphite packing. There simply wasn’t room to thread on the nut if I added a third layer, though I tried several times to make it work. After repacking the box and compressing the packing using an old shaft, I installed the stuffing box in the boat with new hose and clamps.

To support and secure the RTE to the masthead, I installed a standard 1″ antenna base, to which the RTE would thread. I installed it over an existing wire hole in the masthead casting.

To extend the VHF antenna aft, away from the RTE, I installed an aluminum extension, which I bent to match the angle of the masthead casting so the protruding end would remain level. I left the extension oversize at the beginning, but later I determined where to mount the VHF antenna bracket and cut off the excess. The extension could be removed to allow the backstay toggle to be inserted into the mast beneath it, once the masthead casting was back in place.

The topsides featured original gelcoat in good condition for its age, but with some staining, dirt, and oxidation.

It didn’t take much to bring back the shine and clean up the surface with light polish.

The engine exhaust outlet was located fairly high on the transom, above any normal levels of submersion, and this, along with the high cast iron gooseneck just inside the transom, would be as effective as anything against potential backflow into the outlet. The very space available in the boat required certain compromises in the exhaust system design. However, to ward off a following sea in more extreme conditions, the owner elected to add a simple exhaust flap over the outlet, which added a bit of extra protection to the system.

Total time billed on this job today: 6.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
40°, light rain. Forecast for the day: Rain ending, clouds, 50s

< Back to Salty

Monday

To finish up the basics of the Monitor windvane installation, I installed a pair of small cheek blocks on the coaming, locating them near the initial layout marks I’d made, but adjusting as needed to where they made the most sense and the fairest lead to the vane and to the tiller.

The blocks’ positions allowed me to finalize the installation for the two cam cleats on the underside of the tiller. I left the lines long for the owner to fine-tune as he saw fit. Afterwards, I lightly polished the coaming and aft deck to complete the areas I’d not done the last time.

Next on the agenda was the bottom, which required sanding prep before converting to a different type of paint, so I removed the staging for better access and prepared the boat by covering the decks with plastic sheeting to keep dust off and out of the boat. Before beginning further work, I polished the hull right at the waterline so that later I’d not run into the new paint. I’d do the rest of the hull later.

Afterwards, I sanded the bottom to scuff up the surface–the existing was a teflon-based paint that was compatible beneath the new paint the owner chose, but required sanding first. I didn’t attempt to remove the paint, but just scuffed it thoroughly to ensure good adhesion. Once complete, I cleaned up and solvent-washed the bottom.

Next, after masking off I applied two coats of red antifouling paint.

Earlier, I’d determined a requirement for some additional wiring for the mast–I’d need to extend the 5-wire harness for the radar target enhancer (RTE) since the wire provided with the unit was far too short, a shortfall I’d fortunately discovered before it became critical. The owner and I had also discussed VHF antenna placement to avoid interference and physical contact with the RTE, and came up with a plan that would require some additional material as well. So while I waited for the new wire and other material to arrive, I thought I’d see what I was in for with the mast project. I found that both the top and bottom castings of the mast were removable, which greatly helped access within, so that was a plus. Inside the mast, running up at least as high (but possibly not beyond) the steaming/deck light combo at the spreaders, was a plastic conduit containing the old wires.

I’d begin the mast work soon, but for now I just removed the old steaming light, as there was a new replacement on hand.

Total time billed on this job today: 6.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
40°, clouds. Forecast for the day: Mostly cloudy, 50s, showers late

< Back to Precision 23

Saturday

Preparing for the work ahead, a few days earlier I’d removed the winter cover and frame, which gave my upholstery contractor access to the interior so he could prepare a quote and measurement for new cushions that the owner requested. Meanwhile, I removed the mast down to the ground for storage and minor work, and removed the two halyards so I could ship them–and the boat’s lifelines–off to a rigger for replacement. I led messenger lines through the mast as I removed the halyards.