The folks at Stanley's yard splashed Flyer (again) yesterday, and so far she is--reportedly--not taking on any water. The last time they fixed the keel they also said that it was not taking on water, so I asked John Post to go over and check it out before I board my plane for Providence tomorrow morning.
The one good thing about the delay is that Sweeney has recuperated and is able to join us for the voyage south. I'm still hoping for a Saturday departure.
There is now another name in contention: Palimpsest.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Rocky Horror Picture Show (Without the horrifying bits) - The Debut
Another fitful night, but no new names to report. That rock thing still has my nickers in a knot.
Spoke to Sue at Stanley's Yard yesterday. She couldn't say for sure if the boat was in the water but said that either she or Steve would call me back. But they haven't. I'm trying to not take it personally. I'm booked on Southwest Air for this coming Thursday (5/20), and it would be really neat if we could actually depart on the 22nd.
Now, sit back and enjoy the show (but feel free to do the time warp--again--as you do so)
Flyer in Stanley's Yacht Yard, Barrington RI: Our first on-the-water encounter.
Spoke to Sue at Stanley's Yard yesterday. She couldn't say for sure if the boat was in the water but said that either she or Steve would call me back. But they haven't. I'm trying to not take it personally. I'm booked on Southwest Air for this coming Thursday (5/20), and it would be really neat if we could actually depart on the 22nd.
Now, sit back and enjoy the show (but feel free to do the time warp--again--as you do so)
Flyer in Stanley's Yacht Yard, Barrington RI: Our first on-the-water encounter.
Given no boom, it appears that she sails well with just the back stay adjusters.
Main salon. Check out those chain plates. And that's a newly-painted mast.
Double stainless steel sinks with a view of the nav table.
The head. Right where I'd put it. And look...there's a pot to pee in too!
Electric panel. Note that the Radar switch actually runs the Refrigerator.
And that would be the inverter control panel.
V-berth with Tina's new custom cushion covers. There are two hanging lockers in there.
Cockpit is a bit small, but very nicely "decked out"
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Rock Bottom Post Part 'em Depression Naming Rights
It's almost 3:00AM and my jaw hurts from grinding my teeth. Can't sleep 'cause I'm worried about my baby. (Enter twang of country music in the background.) Either that, or I didn't have enough to eat for dinner, which sometimes causes the same symptoms. In either case I've been unable to think of much else besides getting the boat fixed and underway post-parting of the keel and parting the boat from Post.
Unconfirmed reports claim that the keel has been rebedded and the seam is soon to be glassed.
BoatUS sent a surveyor up to inspect the damage. He reported that there are "three areas that indicated possible damages that should be further checked out by sanding and grinding (if necessary), etc....
· One area located approx. 6” port side with the second area located approx. 6” starboard side of the vessels centerline. These areas are located near the after end of the sump.
· The third area is located along the radiussed corner in the sump (where the sump turns from vertical to the horizontal along the bottom) about midway between the leading and trailing edge."
The yard has been advised.
Meanwhile the pursuit of a name continues. The list of candidates fall into the following themes:
· Tattoo You blog post theme, brought to you by John Post and the Rolling Stones: Bigger Bang, Hot Rocks, Black and Blue, Emotional Rescue, Aftermath, and of course, Get Your Ya Ya's Out!
· The aftermath of my encounter with the Edson steering wheel nut: Edson, Shiner, and, as sister Elle suggested, Bruiser
· The grounding, brought to you by Jeff Munson: Dr. Shoals, Soundings, or "The Navigator was relieved for Cause" (which, he adds "might be too long to fit on the stern")
· This morning's musings: Shalemate, Post-Part'em, Rock Bottom.
But my latest candidate, which has floated to the top of the list, is Touchstone.
The next opportunity to herd all the Johns together for the delivery is the weekend of May 22nd. I'll go up a couple days earlier to ensure that the boat is sea-worthy, install the fresh water pump (with its new upper housing/switch bits), bilge pump and float switch, and various switches and circuit breakers on the electric panel. Then there's provisioning, filling of fuel jugs, etc. etc.
Right now I'm thinking that I should find something to eat so that I can go back to sleep.
Good night moon.
Unconfirmed reports claim that the keel has been rebedded and the seam is soon to be glassed.
BoatUS sent a surveyor up to inspect the damage. He reported that there are "three areas that indicated possible damages that should be further checked out by sanding and grinding (if necessary), etc....
· One area located approx. 6” port side with the second area located approx. 6” starboard side of the vessels centerline. These areas are located near the after end of the sump.
· The third area is located along the radiussed corner in the sump (where the sump turns from vertical to the horizontal along the bottom) about midway between the leading and trailing edge."
The yard has been advised.
Meanwhile the pursuit of a name continues. The list of candidates fall into the following themes:
· Tattoo You blog post theme, brought to you by John Post and the Rolling Stones: Bigger Bang, Hot Rocks, Black and Blue, Emotional Rescue, Aftermath, and of course, Get Your Ya Ya's Out!
· The aftermath of my encounter with the Edson steering wheel nut: Edson, Shiner, and, as sister Elle suggested, Bruiser
· The grounding, brought to you by Jeff Munson: Dr. Shoals, Soundings, or "The Navigator was relieved for Cause" (which, he adds "might be too long to fit on the stern")
· This morning's musings: Shalemate, Post-Part'em, Rock Bottom.
But my latest candidate, which has floated to the top of the list, is Touchstone.
The next opportunity to herd all the Johns together for the delivery is the weekend of May 22nd. I'll go up a couple days earlier to ensure that the boat is sea-worthy, install the fresh water pump (with its new upper housing/switch bits), bilge pump and float switch, and various switches and circuit breakers on the electric panel. Then there's provisioning, filling of fuel jugs, etc. etc.
Right now I'm thinking that I should find something to eat so that I can go back to sleep.
Good night moon.
Monday, May 3, 2010
About to Keel Over
Steve Trehue called with an update: he hauled the boat, loosened the keel bolts, packed them in 5200 and float-tested the boat again. That seemed to take care of the forward bolt leaks, but only served to send the leak to the aft keel bolts. Remember, you can neither create nor destroy matter. However, it is a good idea to try to keep liquid matter from weeping up through keel bolts.
He suggested that we haul again and this time drop the keel to find the source of the problem. He also suggested that I file an insurance claim. I'm going to send him a suggestion box for his birthday.
It may take the rest of the week to complete the job and test the new repair. He hopes to have me in the water by the weekend and will keep me posted along the way.
I'd keel over for sure at this point if not for the fact that Flyer is such an awesome boat. (Can't wait till you get to sail her!)
He suggested that we haul again and this time drop the keel to find the source of the problem. He also suggested that I file an insurance claim. I'm going to send him a suggestion box for his birthday.
It may take the rest of the week to complete the job and test the new repair. He hopes to have me in the water by the weekend and will keep me posted along the way.
I'd keel over for sure at this point if not for the fact that Flyer is such an awesome boat. (Can't wait till you get to sail her!)
On the Hard. On the Mend? Hard to Say.
Just spoke to Steve Trehue. He is certain that the structural integrity of the boat is solid and that the problem is "a nuisance problem." He doesn't think that any damage was caused to the bolts at all. The plan now is to haul and seal the bolts with 5200. Then he'll do a water test and go from there.
He promised to call with an update later this afternoon. To make me feel better, he did tell me that the weather is not favorable for the next 36 hours up there. Um...not sure that helped much!
He promised to call with an update later this afternoon. To make me feel better, he did tell me that the weather is not favorable for the next 36 hours up there. Um...not sure that helped much!
That Sinking Feeling
Generally speaking, it's best to keep the water you float in outside the boat. So when I went back to RI to sail Flyer down to Annapolis, I was a bit disconcerted to find a half inch of water in the bilge. I sponged out the bilge till there was absolutely nothing but fiberglass, wires, and shiny keel bolts. In the morning I was half way through my shower on shore (generally speaking, it's best to keep the water you shower in inside the shower stall) when I remembered the bilge. I almost called Yanik, who was making coffee as I left for my shower, to check the bilge, but I held out till my return.
Then I checked the bilge. The boat was not sinking, but my heart was. There was a half inch of water in the bilge. Despite the dread, I dipped a finger in the water and did the telling taste test. It was salty. I coerced Yanik into confirming my diagnosis.
After coffee and a breakfast bar I went up to the yard to consult with Steve Trehue (the yard owner). He assured me that there could be no leak along the keel seam because they ground down around the seam and sealed it with fiberglass and epoxy. He suggested that it may be residual and/or rain water, and that I should dry it out completely (again) and monitor it.
Meanwhile, we readied the boat for sea. Yanik checked electric systems and established navigation systems, fixed the fresh water pump, and did a billion other things (not the least of which was discovering that the burners on the stove worked and did not require new thermocouples). John Post came by just in time to help to send me to the top of the mast (again) to right the wind anemometer cup & vane direction sensor that for some reason had been attached upside-down. While up there, I fixed the anchor light just by cleaning the rust off the contacts. Not that we'd be anchoring at sea, mind you, but it seemed the right thing to do given I was already dangling in my harness.
What goes up must come down. Following my descent from the mast head, I stuck my head in the bilge and once again found water. Did the taste test again. Sure enough, it was salty. I made the difficult trip up to the yard to talk it over with Steve. He couldn't believe that there could be a leak but sent Phil (the repairman) to try to find the source. Before long he determined that water was coming in through the keel bolts. Not only that, but to test the nature of the leak, they'd have to haul the boat and drop the keel. I consulted with Steve yet again, who thought he could have us on the hard, repaired, and ready to go on Tuesday.
Meanwhile Sweeney had stopped by for a visit. Still suffering from diverticulitis, he was not able to sail down to Annapolis with us. Worse (for him, I think), he was unable to help me drown my sorrows in drink after the two Johns and I conferred and decided to scrap the delivery. Yanik couldn't afford to waste time hanging around for repairs, the nature of which was still speculative. One more trip to the yard to confirm things with Steve, but by then the yard had closed for the weekend.
Then I checked the bilge. The boat was not sinking, but my heart was. There was a half inch of water in the bilge. Despite the dread, I dipped a finger in the water and did the telling taste test. It was salty. I coerced Yanik into confirming my diagnosis.
After coffee and a breakfast bar I went up to the yard to consult with Steve Trehue (the yard owner). He assured me that there could be no leak along the keel seam because they ground down around the seam and sealed it with fiberglass and epoxy. He suggested that it may be residual and/or rain water, and that I should dry it out completely (again) and monitor it.
Meanwhile, we readied the boat for sea. Yanik checked electric systems and established navigation systems, fixed the fresh water pump, and did a billion other things (not the least of which was discovering that the burners on the stove worked and did not require new thermocouples). John Post came by just in time to help to send me to the top of the mast (again) to right the wind anemometer cup & vane direction sensor that for some reason had been attached upside-down. While up there, I fixed the anchor light just by cleaning the rust off the contacts. Not that we'd be anchoring at sea, mind you, but it seemed the right thing to do given I was already dangling in my harness.
What goes up must come down. Following my descent from the mast head, I stuck my head in the bilge and once again found water. Did the taste test again. Sure enough, it was salty. I made the difficult trip up to the yard to talk it over with Steve. He couldn't believe that there could be a leak but sent Phil (the repairman) to try to find the source. Before long he determined that water was coming in through the keel bolts. Not only that, but to test the nature of the leak, they'd have to haul the boat and drop the keel. I consulted with Steve yet again, who thought he could have us on the hard, repaired, and ready to go on Tuesday.
Meanwhile Sweeney had stopped by for a visit. Still suffering from diverticulitis, he was not able to sail down to Annapolis with us. Worse (for him, I think), he was unable to help me drown my sorrows in drink after the two Johns and I conferred and decided to scrap the delivery. Yanik couldn't afford to waste time hanging around for repairs, the nature of which was still speculative. One more trip to the yard to confirm things with Steve, but by then the yard had closed for the weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)