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Tuesday

The final touch to complete the project was the new cushions, which the contractor completed and installed, first in the interior.  These looked terrific and rounded out the new appearance nicely.

The cockpit cushions were much the same, and, as requested by the owner, included a pair of throwable cushions modeled after the standard Type IV cushions.

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0600 Weather Observation:
42°, cloudy.  Forecast for the day:  mainly cloudy, drizzle and a shower, 50s

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Wednesday

The replacement rigging–both running rigging (halyards) and  standing rigging–was now complete and on hand at the shop, so I spent some time installing it on the mast, stringing the halyards and reconnecting the rigging before securing things for storage and transport.  The only apparent hiccup was that the new boom topping lift was too short–inexplicable since the original, which I’d provided for replication, was clearly and obviously longer.  I contacted the rigger to arrange for him to supply an appropriate replacement, and I’d finish installing it later, once it arrived.

To support the lifelines where they ran outside the cap shrouds, I lashed bronze ferules to the stay at the appropriate height–about 18″ from deck–to match the height of the after stanchions.  Once the mast was stepped, the lifelines could be disconnected at the turnbuckle aft and run through this ferule, with minor adjustments possible in the lashing depending on the real-world situation when all was said and done.

The final project awaiting completion now was the new interior and cockpit cushions, which were on order and had been patterned already, but final completion would likely be a few weeks hence.

Total time billed on this job today:  2 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
30 °, mainly cloudy.  Forecast for the day:  Mostly cloudy, 40s

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Wednesday

The revamped stern light was all set and ready to go, so I finalized the installation, reinstalling the fixture in its original hole at the transom and making up the wiring connections.

While working on the mast earlier, I’d also taken the opportunity to apply maintenance coats of varnish to the tiller, and now it seemed the best place to store it was back in place in the cockpit.

I cleaned and polished the existing hull paint, removing dust and minor grime and improving its appearance, and touched up the paint in a few small areas that had been damaged at one time or another.

At this point, the work list was complete, though I awaited new standing and running rigging (currently underway), as well as new interior and cockpit cushions.  New updates to follow as progress on these final tasks dictates.

Total time billed on this job today:  2 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
34°, clouds and drizzle.  Forecast for the day;  eventual clearing, 40s

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Tuesday

The old boottop was looking pretty old, and I’d noticed while I painted the bottom earlier that it could use a freshening, so I masked it off and, after some basic preparation, applied a fresh coat of white paint. over the existing coatings.

Later, after sanding and cleanup, I applied a second maintenance coat of varnish to the mast and boom.

Total time billed on this job today:  1.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
32°, cloudy.  Forecast for the day:  cloudy, rain showers later.

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Monday

After a substantial shipping delay, I received the new sockets that I’d ordered to repair the existing stern light housing.  The sockets were what I needed, but were just a bit of a loose fit inside the bronze casting of the stern light; the old socket that I’d removed had been a tight friction fit.  To secure the new socket in a firm yet non-permanent way, I wedged it in place with some little sticks to hold it, then filled the bottom part of the housing around the edges of the socket with adhesive sealant,  which would hold the light socket securely once cured.

Next on my agenda was the mast and boom, both of which were varnished spruce and required normal varnish upkeep and maintenance coats.  The spars and existing coatings  were in good condition.  I lightly sanded the existing finish to prepare it, then strung up the spars between some supports so I could varnish  all sides at once as required.  I removed the spreaders and set them up elsewhere for their varnish coats.

With preparations complete, I applied a coat of gloss varnish to the mast, boom, and spreaders.

With most of the work on the boat complete, I took some overall photos of the cabin and decks.

Total time billed on this job today:  3.25 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
32°, cloudy.  Forecast for the day:  rain, sleet, freezing rain, 35.  Spring in Maine.

 

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Some small jobs, completed over various days as time and new arrivals dictated:

1.  I secured the new stove to its sliding shelf with four screws through the bottom of the stove housing.

2.  I repositioned the jack stands and painted the bottom patches beneath.

Total time billed on this job today: 1 hour

 

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Tuesday

As time and circumstances allowed, I continued to pick away at the few remaining small jobs on my list, starting now with the bottom.  After masking off the waterline and final preparations, I applied two coats of antifouling paint to the bottom areas.  I’d return later to finish up the patches beneath the jackstands.

Total time billed on this job today:  2 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
28°, partly cloudy.  Forecast for the day:  sun and clouds, showers, 44°

 

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Friday

To finish up the revamped water system, I installed a length of 1-1/2″ hose to connect the deck fill pipe with the water tank.

At the owner’s request, I purchased a new 2-burner alcohol stove, and now I installed it in the galley.  It fit nicely on the small shelf intended for its storage, held in place with the interior fiddle and some nonslip padding I placed beneath it on the shelf.

After installing a small buss bar for the negative distribution side of the electrical system, I finished up the wiring, connecting all the terminals I’d prepared earlier.

I’d picked up a new deep-cycle battery and some replacement bulbs for the running lights, and now I installed the battery in  a covered box just below the electrical panel.  I made up the final connections and powered up the system to test the various lighting.  All lights tested operational.  I still awaited the proper socket to finish rebuilding the stern light housing, so that light was not yet able to be tested.  Once I’d ensured that the old running lights worked, I went ahead and installed the covers with their colored globes.

The riggers arrived to pick up the standing and running rigging for replacement, and drop off new lifelines to replace the originals in kind.  I installed these now.  The lifelines relied on the mast stays for support and direction at their forward ends, and the old lines had  featured bulky blobs of tape to protect the rigging and lifelines against chafe where they intertwined amidships.    These photos, taken either at my first viewing of the boat in the water before the project, or right at the beginning of the work once the boat was at the shop, show these areas in more detail.

Hoping for a cleaner, more effective solution, I’d asked the riggers to include little bronze ferules, through which the lifelines could pass and which could be lashed to the main shrouds in the proper position when the boat was rigged.  Once the ferule was lashed to the shrouds, the lifeline could easily be removed from the ferule at haulout time (by unthreading one end from the turnbuckle at the aft end) in order to leave the ferule lashed in place on the stay.  I included some marlin lashing line and basic instructions on each side of the boat, ready for when the mast was stepped after delivery.

With this, most of the work list was complete.  Still ahead remained a few odds and ends, including maintenance coats of varnish on the mast and boom, pending completion of new rigging, interior cushions, and cockpit cushions, and other minor and sundry tasks, all of which I’d ensure completion of in short order.

 

Total time billed on this job today:  5.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
0°, clear.  Forecast for the day:  sunny, 30

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Thursday

The main event of the day was to install the deadlights.  For this. one of the only tasks I’d yet to figure out how to do alone, I’d lined up some help.  Before beginning the actual job, I’d prepared ahead by laying out plastic sheeting on the sidedecks for protection, and arranging the required tools, fasteners,  and other supplies at the ready.  I checked the fit of each frame in its opening and cleaned the openings as a final step.

Outside, I applied sealant to the bonding flange and pressed the frame into the opening–on this boat, the openings were a close and accurate fit to the frame with no appreciable sloppiness.  This actually improved the process and made the installation go more smoothly than in many cases.  With my helper holding the frame  tightly in position from the outside, I went in the boat and installed the inner frame, lining up and installing the many screws to get them started before tightening everything securely.

After completing both sides, I cleaned up the excess sealant and removed the masking from the new lenses, completing the installation.

I’d hoped to wrap up work on the electrical and water systems, but the materials I’d been awaiting didn’t arrive till too late in the day, so I’d continue with these final items next time.  In the meantime, I unwrapped the mast and boom, which I’d stored alongside in the shop, so I could begin preparations for maintenance coats of varnish on the spars.  Both were in good condition and wouldn’t require any significant work.

Total time billed on this job today:  2.75 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
21°, partly cloudy.  Forecast for the day:  Sunny, 30

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Wednesday

Missing some packages I’d ordered earlier in the week–delayed, apparently, by the wintry weather the day before–I couldn’t finish up the electrical system as I’d hoped, but with the panel on hand and the new enclosure complete, I proceeded as far as I could, making up the positive connections to the panel and preparing the negative wires for their ultimate connection to a buss bar, which was on order and slightly delayed.  I’d finish up the final connections as soon as the missing part arrived.

Meanwhile, I made some final advance preparations for installing the deadlights next time.

Total time billed on this job today:  2.5 hours

0600 Weather Observation:
30°, partly cloudy, about 16″ new snow and some ice from overnight.  Forecast for the day:  sun and clouds, 32