The Incredible Hull

Taking a break from boatwork for the next few months....

2011-11-15T18:43:00.001-08:00

to sort out a few issues. Plan to resume early 2012.

PB200 - Major extravagance....

2011-10-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Sailors can be poor, cheap or both. I am firmly in the last group. It is therefore with much trepidation I dropped 10 boat bucks on an Airmar PB200.

The thought of this lovely piece of technology perched on top of my mast, in the way of lightning, bird poop, UV rays and bridges is enough to cause me sleepless nights.

If you haven't heard about the PB200 Click here.

Its main task will be to drive the autopilot under sail. For that reason alone I think its worth the money.

Mast overhaul....

2011-10-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

When I splashed TIH three years ago, I re rigged the mast but did not overhaul the fittings. I took the opportunity during this hurricane season to pull the mast again and carry out some work. This will include adding 32 mast steps (folding type), overhauling the sheaves and replacing the tangs.

I am still trying to ID the mast manufacturer, all suggestions welcome. Dimensions are 9 7/8" by 6 3/8".

I will install a spinnaker bail on the forward end of the masthead (right hand side of this photo). This is to take a roller furling Code Zero (Facnor FX 2500).

I really, really want to remove the SS bolts that hold the tangs on the mast (masthead and spreader) but they are proving a bear to move. The Kroil releasing fluid is excellent.

Spreader holder. The four rivets on the upper side had corroded away.

Spinnaker boom track.

Masthead sheaves (2 by 5"diameter by 3/4" rope sheave + 1 by 5"diameter by 1/2" wire sheave in the middle. As I don't plan to use wire halyards I may try and swap this sheave out.

Dual backstay connection.

Movable goosneck connection for boom.

New Rocna owners getting their act together...

2011-10-03T09:23:00.001-07:00

Canada Metals

Working on OPBs' (Other peoples boats)...

2011-09-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

So not much time for TIH. I did manage to get the mast pulled. Three years ago (time flies when you etc.) when I splashed TIH the mast was stepped with new rigging and new wiring in the usual boatyard scramble. I had always planned to have a second go at some of the 34yo fittings.

The first part is the very nice fiberglass mast step molded into the hull. For any W42 owner who has not gotten up close and personal with these, this is what you will face.

Mast step which may or may not have an aluminum plate on the bottom. Teak chocks to stop the base of the mast moving around.

Aluminum plate removed.

Chocks removed. They may have been gooped in place at some stage but I'm not sure it was necessary.

Now the fun part. The holes (arrowed) were the original limber (drain) holes which are;

a. Too small
b. Covered by the aluminum
c. Then covered by the chocks.

This resulted in a nice stagnant pool of water covering the base of the mast.

I have now drilled 4 larger holes, enlarged the originals, I will notch the aluminum plate and ensure the chocks do not obstruct the drain holes.

A tale of two anchors.....

2011-09-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

TIH came with two 45lb CQR anchors. One I traded and the second one has hung on the bow for the last three years. These are not my favorite anchors but I know they do have their supporters. My anchor of choice was to be the ROCNA with a possibility of the very similar MANSON as an alternative. ROCNA has recently been in the wars due the use of a lower spec steel after it outsourced production to China, see;

http://www.sail-world.com/multimedia/RocnaRecallAugust20111.pdf

I'm not convinced that the issue is major but ROCNA appears to have made little or no effort to address the situation. As a result I am happy to default to the 60lb MANSON. The Supreme 60 is specked for 45' to 55' Boat Length but the company does recommend moving up a size if you plan to anchor in testing environments. I will only be keeping one anchor on the bow so weight will not be an issue.

My backup anchor will be the CQR 45 (or its replacement) stowed below decks, a Fortress FX-55 partially assembled in the V-Berth and a steel 35lb DANFORTH secured aft as a kedge anchor.

Overbuilt......

2011-09-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the boats critical systems I tend to err on the side of "overbuilt". This is the aluminum platform while holds the steering bracket.

I have been looking for this cartoon for ever....

2011-09-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

and have just stolen it from Mark Corke's site, it neatly sums up my carpentry skills;

Louvred inserts screw up.....

2011-09-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to brighten up the interior if TIH and decided to replace some of the drawer/locker fronts with teak louvered inserts. Well it had to happen. I ordered teak inserts from Thai Teak Marine and between the contact and myself we got our measurements screwed up. The cutout size became the overall size.

I purchased some 1.25" teak trim and placed it around the opening. I now think it actually looks better.

Steering Modification....

2011-08-29T18:09:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe that I've being faffing around with the quadrant section of the steering for almost a year. The initial plan was to bolt an aluminum plate onto the forward quadrant bulkhead and run the pull-pull conduits directly into "L" brackets on it. This sort of copied the original Edson design. I went as far as having the plate made. The attempted installation was a PITA and I hate having to work upside-down.

Now I know that all of you with wire steering systems check and oil the sheave bearings MONTHLY and check and oil the wire ANNUALLY (monthly if its a pull pull system), as per the Edson instruction manual. If I am to do it more that once a decade it cannot involve me hanging upside-down.

On a whim I called the help desk at Edson and talked to a very helpful person who appeared vastly knowledgeable on the subject of steering. I told him that I was following the Edson conversion plan for the Whitby 42 and he promptly told me that that plan didn't really work. In fairness I had conveniently ignored the penciled in "Extra Sheaves here" bit. Basically any 90degree bends in a pull-pull system are not recommended as the wire tries to straighten out the conduit. The conduit is ideal for small vertical/horizontal bends to allow the cable to move in a more or less straight direction. He talked me through some modifications.

To shorten the story I have now purchased two in/out pull-pull sheaves and the larger reversible sheave bracket rudder-stop.

The wooden part is a mock up for an aluminum plate which hold all the components and will be bolted through the fiberglass bulkhead.

No more upside-down steering maintenance for me. For info, the help desk guy I spoke to double jobs as the Edson President, Will Keene.

Arty farty shelving......

2011-08-24T18:06:00.001-07:00

Oak balance shelving is available from the Conran Shop for $973.75

Gerry's clearance priced teak shelving is available at West Marine (now almost sold out) for $100 (all 4 shelves). A lick of varnish and its done.

Secret toy.......

2011-08-16T19:54:00.001-07:00

I bought this device over a year ago, smuggled it on-board and have kept it very quiet ever since. It looked too good to be true and like many of the "must have" items I've bought at boat shows from efficient looking women, destined to be taken ashore in the dead of night and put in a dumpster. But NO. After 12 months of use, it rocks. Its not for the likes of RJ and his fancy smancy CNC table or those poor kids who did shop is school while us rich kids did useful stuff like Latin and Greek. Its for anyone who can not cut a straight line or screw in two screws without getting a blister.

More importantly all the bits fit into the locker on the port side of the saloon.

Check it out here but, while I love it; "caveat emptor" (that's Latin).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FWXODC

Don't get too used to that...sweetie!!!!!!

2011-08-11T16:51:00.001-07:00

Wow, do I know my wife or do I know my wife.

My projects generally break down as follows, 50% planning, 25% looking for my tools, 25% working. The pegboard was an effort to reduce the 25% tool search to 20%. After showing the photo to my wife the first comment was as posted in the title. This is a temporary setup, which will be removed once the boat is operational, :-(.

We got Jimmy Buffett...it's all good...

2011-08-06T07:36:00.001-07:00

Fusion radio with Ipod dock, installed.

With AC controls and Fusion remote control installed.

120V system...finally

2011-08-02T17:59:00.001-07:00

How did I get from this for $80 at the Dania Flea Market;

To this, from Blue Seas at several multiples of boat buck$;

And yet I am well pleased.

And I'm finally rid of the hanging cable farm over my head.

More electrical.....

2011-07-27T18:30:00.001-07:00

Navigation desk nearing completion. The top left hand panel is the complete DC control panel. The Easy View touch screen that shows battery / fuze / charging status and permits touch button control of any of the 30 circuits. The 8 Carling breakers can be assigned to any of the most commonly switched circuits (e.g. Fresh water pump, anchor light etc). The other grey faceplate is the control/indicator for the inverter charger.

The top right panel will house a GPS, bottom left a VHF, bottom right the SSB.

My buddy Nat, a serious electrical guru, has started the shore power 120V install.

Hot weather work.....

2011-07-21T19:09:00.001-07:00

Teak inserts in Nav panel. They will allow cut-out for various instruments. If I change the instrument later I will only have to replace one panel.

Electrical conduit. Top two 120V, bottom12v DC.

Clever idea from my shipmates on Toberua II, If you have to put a facing panel in a locker make it out of perspex. Then you can see the junk stored inside.

Forward heads revisited......

2011-07-19T19:32:00.001-07:00

A loonnggg time ago I had planned to give the forward heads its own holding tank. After much cutting and grinding I realized that this was going to be more trouble that it was worth. While I accept that holding tanks are a necessity I consider them a major PITA. Having two would just double the experience. In any event I need the space for the bow thruster.

As per LAVAC drawings I had not installed an antiphon valve in the waste hose, this was a mistake. The water siphoned back into the bowl and while it did not overflow it did back-flow waste from the hose with the inevitable smell.

Antiphon valve now installed. All hoses/pump etc. surface installed for ease of maintenance. Wife not majorly impressed but she won't be maintaining it AND its the boy heads.

In keeping with the "boy heads" element it will pump directly overboard (where legal) or back to the holding tank in the engine room. As I hate "Y" valves I have copied this system from another W42.

Bow thruster, nice V. need to have?

2011-07-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Well discussion over, $600 for a new Vetus 4HP pretty well sealed the deal.

KiwiGrip - deck paint....

2011-07-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

I have always been interested in this product as a deck paint. But I may also use it as paint for the strips on the cabin sole.

Kiwigrip

To date they only produced white and pastel colors but I just go this e-mail from them;

"My factory is also brewing a "tan" color - something "teak-like" but I would stop way short of calling it dark brown! It'll be a light tan. They are brewing this week for shipment in a week or two. Then 25 sailing days, and 10 days getting thru customs and into our warehouse here in Seattle. This means it should be here end August, early Sept. If your schedule will allow, you may want to give our new "tan" a whirl. - Willy Stiggelbout "

If it looks horrible I can always paint over with a lighter color.

Cabin Sole and saloon deck...advice needed.

2011-07-13T04:28:00.001-07:00

At some stage I will have to face the cabin sole paint project. New W42 owners were give two options for the cabin sole;

1. A full teak and holly sole at extra cost.
2. Drop in floorboards (teak and holly) which fit into the molded inserts in the hull liner.

The second option, which I have, leaves a painted white strip between the floorboards which I think looks a bit weird.

The PO was kind enough to include a complete set of new drop in boards with the boat. These have been languishing in my apartment for some time.

My two questions;

1. Any ideas on how to deal with the fiberglass strips between the boards (paint, what color, teak strip glued on, etc)?

2. What type of varnish for the new floorboards?

Electrical wiring conduits.....

2011-07-07T20:46:00.001-07:00

Might not be everyone's aesthetic choice but the accessibility works for me.

Grand Banks teak table

2011-07-05T17:54:00.001-07:00

If there is any upside to renovating a boat verrrry verrry slowly, its that you get to pick up stuff along the way, usually at a reasonable price. I found this table on Craigslist.

Planned obsolescence????

2011-06-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

Just changed out a water heater for a friend. Looks like it is about 12 years old and appeared to suffer a catastrophic failure of the weld. I am not really complaining about the product. I'm just posting it here for general info.

Great support from Mastervolt (as usual)....

2011-06-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

I know it sounds like I'm a cheerleader for MV and in a way I am. I work in the marine business and am convinced that some companies do NOT get the importance of customer support. With new technology it gets harder and harder to differentiate electronic equipment on features alone. Most electronic "stuff" has more features that most owners will ever use. What really pi$$es a customer off is when, after shelling out $$$K for some device he gets a talking machine and the advice "your call is very important to us"....... actually NO, if it was you would answer the phone. Garmin is well up there for service but Raymarine can be hit or miss.

When it comes to MV, I am fully aware that I am a pimple on the end of their supply chain and yet I get a reply, by return, to any of my inane questions.

The recent questions was about the location of the shunt vis a vie the Distribution 500. One poster suggested that it was on the wrong side. The fact that I was getting reversed readings seemed to support this. A quick e-mail to MV clarified that there was a setting hidden in the Shunt software (click on the reset button under the warning "resetting will void warranty") and click on advances settings (or similar, I'm doing this from memory). There is a "reverse" tick box.

Nav Desk dry fit......

2011-06-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

I had two pieces of 1/4" aluminum water-cut to make a frame for the 120v panel and for the front face of the navigation console. The console has four openings that will hold inserts with cutouts for the various instruments, VHF, GPS etc. This will allow for later customization without having to redo the full panel.

This is the original diagram for the 120V Blue Seas 360 panel. Scott McEniry and his team did a great job. The slight change he recommended was to substitute standard analogue gauges so that he could install a selector switch to take readings of either shore power 1 or 2.

Everything gets dismantled soon and the panels go off to be powder coated matte black.

Storage ideas

2011-06-22T08:26:00.001-07:00

Saloon storage;

Plate storage;

What kind of a muppett installed this.......

2011-06-15T20:59:00.001-07:00

If you own any type of vessel over 16ft and you have not uttered this (or similar) at least once you are a lucky person. Today's simple task was to install the Fusion Super-Woofer in the lower locker on the starboard side of the saloon. I had measured it so I knew it would fit. Four screws into the hull liner and job done.

What I failed to realize was that I would have to install the screws blind as the screw holes were hidden by the sides of the locker. I would have to remove them and then reinstall them every time the fuze blew or I needed to adjust the master volume. Any normal installer would simply have power screwed them in place and let the owner deal with the removal later. Unfortunately, I is the owner.

A trip to West Marine and a bunch of fittings later this backing plate was mounted.

Four hours and two super strong bungees later and the job was done.

And that folks is why boat jobs take four times longer and cost eight times more than the original estimate.

Finish a bloody project.......... please

2011-06-14T19:34:00.001-07:00

The problem with any major boat renovation is the interrelated nature of boat projects. To get at one area involves removing at least one other item to gain access. There is a tendency to leave some projects half completed awaiting the completion of a related one. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. However, I have become thoroughly fed up of tripping over 70 half completed projects. The new policy is to compete one project, however small, a day.

ER Tray with hinges and bolt fitted.

Saloon storage front panel, repaired (almost), sanded, reinstalled and awaiting cetol.

Erie Canal, highly recommended.....

2011-06-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

Off to the Erie Canal......

2011-06-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

Helping to move the same Whitby 42 as last time. This time its just fun.

The Erie Canal Song

Other peoples boats....

2011-05-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Lots of other peoples boats in my life at the moment. No complaints but it means that TIH is sadly neglected. The regular power boat gig on Biscayne Bay continues and the most enjoyable part is that the weekly fuel bill (this week it was $1,350) is not on my credit card.

Got to have some Irish Naval Service flashbacks last week when we thought we saw a kayaker waving a red jacket at us to indicate his position. As we were about to veer off we noticed that it was an upturned boat (18ft whaler type) with one guy in the water and another sitting on top. A quick bit of MOB drill later, the owner got a line to one and I got a line the other and we hauled them on board. They had been in the water 30 minutes and amazingly had managed to locate lifejackets but no sign of flares, handheld VHF, rosary beads etc. I have a very poor opinion of the standards of boating safety in the Miami area and these gentlemen did nothing to change my mind. Due to my lack of linguistic skills we never really got much beyond "Mi bota no mas flota". They were, however, extremely grateful and I suspect getting out of the boat business as they showed to interest in recovering the boat.

The great benefit recovering people from Biscayne bay as opposed to Irish coast it that they generally are much perkier and generally not a horrible blue color.

View of Lower Manhattan.....

2011-05-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

from the Whitby 42, "Toberua II" anchored North of Ellis Island.

Great (motor)sail from Norfolk to NY. Wet and cold trip up the Hudson, now back drying out in Miami.

No boat work...just back from the New Orleans Jazz Fest....

2011-05-09T19:19:00.001-07:00

Fat and wasted...but happy.

Fried Oyster Po-Boy for breakfast. If I stayed any longer I would have to book two seats on the plane back to Miami.

Mastervolt tidy up....

2011-04-25T18:15:00.001-07:00

The iPad as a navigation tool..........

2011-04-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

I love my iPad. I love it so much that I don't want it to have an untimely death. As a planning and research tool it is outstanding. Within cell phone range you can get weather forecasts, book flight tickets and get e-mail for a reasonable fee, which you can cancel and leave dormant at any time (I HATE monthly fees). Must have apps include;

Navionics HD
and
Charts & Tides WITH Active Captain.

If you haven't seen Active Captain you need to. The Charts and Tides app, while not perfect, allows you to download AC onto your iPad for offline use. The content is excellent and getting better all the time. I wonder how long it will be before they (or whoever purchases it) starts charging.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At 3am, when the seas get up and you get hit by a squall your iPad (and laptop) should be safely tucked up asleep in its bunk. In the cockpit should be your trusty Garmin (or whatever) plotter which is bolted on and is somewhat weather proof. You can go to all the effort of encasing the iPad in a plexiglass covered case but that defeats the touch screen benefit of the unit. My iPad will be secured at the chart station and only venture up on fine days or at anchor.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Lovely delivery trip and lessons learned....

2011-04-24T07:48:00.001-07:00

Just back from a great trip helping a lovely family move their Whitby 42 from the Bahamas to Charleston. I take every opportunity to sail on Whitby's as each time I learn something new. The trip was a combination of a few overnight sails / motor and a trip inside the ICW when conditions outside did not look inviting. Lessons learned included;

1. Firming up my views on the use of Ipod's/laptop's versus dedicated GPS plotters in the cockpit.

2. The need to redesign the saloon table for offshore work.

I plan to rejoin the vessel for the offshore leg from Norfolk to NY.

More mastervolt.....

2011-04-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

This is the Digital DC 10X10Amp in the saloon, port side, forward locker. It can control 10 circuits of 10Amps each. It will control all the lights in the V-berth, Ford. heads, forward part of the saloon. It will also control the lights/fans in the galley area and power the refrigerator. It will also control the masthead lights, each light will have its own breaker, which will permit automatic monitoring of the bulb state.

All cables are fed through 1.5in PVC conduit.

Mastervolt system...Kick A$$ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-04-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

This is just a dump of photos taken during a Mastervolt dry run (read-couldn't wait to install the stuff properly). All I can say is WOW.

I will explain each photo as I get a chance and as I learn more;

The main input/output modules. DC Distribution 500 on left and Mastershunt 500 on right.

The main distribution modules Digital DC 10X10Amp (Three, one port forward, one at chart table, one port side engine room.)

I set up 4 sample loads;

1. Hella fan
2. Halogen cabin light
3. A reading light - with DR Led LED.
4. Alpenglow cabin light

You can name the loads and the names show up on the MasterView Easy touch screen. This is your main controller. The darker lines on the right/bottom of each switch box means that the circuit is on, top/left means that it is off. The PC is only for setup and programming.

Each circuit can be controlled in a number of sources, including;
1. Local switch (e.g. on this reading light).
2. By a Cole Hersee/Carling type rocker switch
3. By the MasterView.
4. By the software on the laptop.
5. By sending a cell phone SMS message to a Mastervolt GPRS Module installed on the network. I may pass on this option.

etc.

The green PCB is the Switch Input 4, this can take 4 rocker switches which can be set to control any circuit on any of the Digital DC 10X10Amp units. Lets say you decide to control the spreader lights from from your bunk in the aft cabin. Just install a Switch Input 4 (or Switch Input 3), connect it to the nearest Masterbus unit, set up the software and its done.

The MasterView Easy can display a selection of data. This is the "home page" which displays Amps in/out of the house battery and voltage.

This is the display with a charger in the system (not the MV Combi) just a temp one I use. Interestingly the charging amps show up as a minus.

Would you prefer it in red?

State of the Master Shunt with the charger off.

Software showing a blown fuze on the DC Distribution 500.

Same blown fuse shown on the MasterView Easy - nice.

All lights can be set up as dim-able by just keeping the switch pressed.

Now this switch controls the cabin light.

A few mouse clicks later it controls the reading light.

Initial Mastervolt install....

2011-04-03T20:15:00.001-07:00

Amongst the numerous half finished projects on-board is the DC distribution install. The Mastervolt people have been great in replying to my myriad of questions. So far I love the MV system. The great (and possibly only) benefit of wiring your own boat is that you should know how everything works. The problem is that, despite having read most of the books, there are still gaps in my understanding of electrickery. I will have a qualified grownup check everything before it goes live.

This is the distribution diagram for the system, so far;

One interesting element of the layout is that the house batteries are linked to the Mastershunt 500 via a switch. All the loads, Combi charger, alternator etc. are linked into the DC Distribution 500 and then, via the Mastershunt 500 to the House batteries. If the switch is off the house batteries cannot be charged. I'm not sure if this is an issue or not.

Basic wiring;

Galvanic Isolators v. Isolation Transformers

2011-03-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

OK, I think I know the difference and this article provides a good explanation. The dilemma is that the Charles Isolation Transformers are expensive and heavy. I will require two, >$1K and 150lbs weight;

A compromise option is a galvanic isolator;

I am leaning towards the Isolator-ProS2 Fail Safe 60A at the moment, which can protect both 30A inlets.

Removable sprit mockup...

2011-03-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

I was spending a few days cleaning and tidying the boat (that generally happens when I am trying to work in total chaos, can't find anything and keep falling over half finished projects). In order to kill the monotony I stuck a 2.5" piece of PVC through the bow roller to simulate a removable sprit, and voila;

I will have it manufactured in stainless or aluminum Schedule 80, keeping in mind that 6ft of Sched 80 SS pipe will weigh 50lbs while aluminum will weigh 15lbs - suggestions welcome. I will definitely add a short bobstay and possibly side guys.

Practical Sailor did an article on foil-less furlers this month, well worth a look;

Steering belt and braces......

2011-03-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

The steering install is moving along. You may remember that I am installing an Edson Pull-Pull system. This will require turning blocks on the port side, over the original fuel tank. These lead back via the pull-pull conduits to the quadrant.

You may know by now that my approach to "systems' is that "if its worth doing, it is worth overdoing".

This is the core of the bulkhead that the turning blocks could have been fastened to;

This was probably strong enough in its own right to hold the blocks, it was also well tabbed to the hull and jammed between the deck and the hull liner.

Well now it has two 3/16 aluminum plates bolted through either side and bolted to the liner and the aft bulkhead of the fuel tank space (I have no fuel tank there).

Hopefully the blocks will never come adrift, but if they do I suspect I will have bigger issues to deal with than my steering.

120V AC Panel decision......

2011-03-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

After the usual faffing about trying to decide on the 120V panel, the decision is made-ish. It will be a blue seas 360 panel as follows;

1. The 120v supply will be from the shore power 1 inlet, via the Mastervolt inverter/charger. This has two 120v outlets;

Outlet a. Is a "short break" supply which switches over to the inverter in shore power is lost (or not connected). This will feed the 8 breakers on the left of the panel. Mostly small load appliances, used selectively (?) if on the inverter.
Outlet b. Is the pass through feed to the 4 breakers on the right hand side, via a selector switch. If only shore power 1 is connected the switch will be on the top feed. This will power the water heater and A/C + 2 spare breakers. The MV Combi load shares this supply between the battery charger and the AC load. If I have the luxury of a second shore power (e.g. a split 50 amp) the selector switch will be on the bottom position and feed the 4 breakers directly.

The V and A displays will have selector switch so I can monitor either Shore 1 or Shore 2.

Hope this makes sense!

Reusing old fixtures and fittings...

2011-03-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of working on a "good old boat" is the quality of the wood and general fittings on-board. Spend some time on a new production boat and you will realize that many of the wood panels under bunks, headliners, shelves etc. are designed to the minimum spec.. 1/2" and above marine ply must have been plentiful in the Whitby yard.

I have removed the old chart storage and will be using it as an instrument panel. One of the Saloon chairs will find a new life as the chart chair with the addition of an Attwood Swivl-Eze Adjustable Seat Pedestal.

How big a refrigerator does a sailboat need?

2011-03-10T20:45:00.000-08:00

Certainly not one big enough to hold a 200lb Irishman (unless my wife has plans that I'm not aware of). Yes, that's me in the in the fridge removing the gizmos at the bottom.

The W42 has a very nice fridge/freezer molded into the hull liner. Its BIG. From my direct experience women do not like hanging upside down in a fridge trying to recover the last piece of wilted lettuce. On our last boat I got away with reducing the size of the fridge by about 1/2. I am about to do the same on TIH.

The blue bits are layers of Extruded Polystyrene to fill up the void space. Two fiberglass boxes will then be fitted through the existing openings. The extruded polystyrene resists water absorption but I plan to coat each sheet with polyester just in case. I will drill a drain hole in each compartment to allow any condensation to drain away. The boxes themselves will be sealed and not have drains.

Existing freezer

Existing fridge, 32" deep.

Spill over (under) vent at the bottom, designed to be operated automatically depending on temperature. I'm sure it worked at some stage.

Old compressor (in the engine room where the port fuel tank was on many W42s')

New compressor. (behind stove, keel cooled.)

Windlass decision...

2011-02-28T21:00:00.001-08:00

Regular reader(s) may remember my inherited Simpson Lawrence windlass. Well that has gone to a keen shopper at the Pompano Nautical Flea market. The price was right (i.e. cheap) and it had a "Flee market" guarantee (i.e. I took the money and fled).

I have now narrowed my search for a windlass to the MAXWELL MARINE HRC Series Windlasses, the 12V/120A HRC 10-10, to be precise. I have always liked the Maxwell's and despite the fact that this is a brand new design it looks good. I managed to grab a quick look at the Miami Boat Show.

Image © Maxwell Marine

Any lurkers out the looking for a project Whitby 42?

2011-02-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/boa/2Y229539780.html

It's not my boat.

Refrigeration decision made.....

2011-02-23T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Boat Show is a great opportunity to get final information on major purchases. I had pretty much firmed up of the Frigoboat K50-AEO-with Aeo control and a Keel cooler. And a 200F flat plate evaporator.

After a five minute conversation with Rob Warren of Coastal Climate Control the decision and the deal was made. Both Rob and Gretchen are the kind of suppliers that you love to deal with. Rob answered all my questions and then a few that I hadn't even though about.

The fridge / freezer will be a spill over system.

More later.....

Miami Boat Show...

2011-02-22T05:05:00.000-08:00

Just spent four days at the Boat Show, three days selling electronics for West Marine and one day squandering my own money . Will post more once I have recovered.

Atkins & Hoyle Ltd. Arches...????

2011-02-13T17:44:00.000-08:00

Ignoring the hardtop/bimini section in the lower photo, are these archs too industrial looking? They claim that their arches are about 50% of a welded one (e.g. $5K for Wells).

I want an arch to support my Kato davits, hold a wind generator and possibly a solar panel or two.

Let there be light....

2011-02-12T17:18:00.001-08:00

Three Alpenglow's installed in the main salon. Wow!

(Try and ignore the temporary wiring and the rest of the mess).

Light in Galley area;

Light over chart table;

Night light (red) over chart table.

The chart table light and the forward heads have red LED light in conjunction with the normal white Alpenglows'

MASTERVOLT Mass Combi Inverter/Charger

2011-02-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

Inverter/Charger, 2500W Continuous Capacity, 5000W Surge Capacity, 100A Charger Output, 18.1"L x 12.5"W x 5.6"D, 24.3lb.

Arrived yesterday. Santa had it on back-order. Wow, its a thing of beauty and NOT small.

Dry fit;

I did have the dimensions when I was planning its location, but that's never the same as the real thing. It was originally going in the aft cabin hanging locker, but as its probably the single most expensive electronic/electrical gizmo onboard (read "does not like damp conditions") that idea was quickly knocked on the head. It is now going over the former chart table and will be behind a panel, but well ventilated and dry. If water gets up that high I will have other issues to contend with.

Keeping "Murphy" off the boat.....

2011-02-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has a boat is familiar with Mr. Murphy and his law. I actually believe that he was an optimist because, immediately after "anything that can go wrong will go wrong", something that could not possibly go wrong, will also go wrong.

TIH came with a Flush Mount Water Regulator/inlet already installed;

Now I'm not a big fan of piping water into my boat, even at a reduced 35psi. I did, however, leave the system in place and will use it as a tank fill. Naturally I will "always" switch off the dock water after use and "always, always" when I leave the boat........ yea right. I have now installed this item on the dock to replace my faulty memory.

I simply dial in how many minutes I want the water to be on. Time will tell if it stands up but at $28 from Home Depot its not a major investment.

Sometimes things actually fit.......

2011-02-05T16:14:00.001-08:00

This was the original setup under the workbench. A drawer and a drop down door. With the redesign of the chart table I needed somewhere to put the trash bin.

SSI Trash Access Door No 44214700, with a 21 Qt Rubbermaid® trashcan.

Sometimes things actually fit without major surgery and its always a pleasant surprise.

Bowsprit on a Whitby 42......

2011-01-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

The bowsprit on the Whitby 42 was an optional extra and by all accounts a necessary one. TIH, naturally does not have one. She does, however, have a very serviceable bow roller.

Because I have removed the mizzen I will HAVE to have some means of increasing the J dimension. The bowsprit, as drawn by Ted Brewer, takes the J from 15.5ft to 18.5 ft.

The factory installed bowsprit (as installed on Gaia, seen above) is a thing of beauty but it does beg a few questions;

1. Why do we put heavy anchors on the end of a bowsprit, surely it just adds stress to the rig and increases any tendency to hobbyhorse. I will admit that these forces may be minor.

2. Do we need the working jib that far forward except in winds under 15 kts, because above that I certainly tend to start reefing.

3. I plan to have a cruising chute for light airs. This would require a short sprit under the existing bowsprit design for the tack.

4. Might a removable sprit be a solution;

http://www.newjsi.com/bowsprits.aspx

I am putting these questions up because this is an active discussion on the Whitby Web Site and all ideas are welcome. I have not arrived at a decision as yet and am not in a major rush.

Damn you Pompano Beach Nautical Flea Market...

2011-01-31T15:31:00.000-08:00

I had reconciled myself to an expensive arch on the stern of TIH. This would have included built in dinghy davits. THEN I was lured to Pompano Beach Nautical Flea Market.

$625 lighter I was the proud owner of these Kato Davits;

Now to redesign the arch to include them.

12V DC Calculation.....

2011-01-30T20:51:00.000-08:00

Driving myself nuts with cable size calculation. The main consideration is the possible addition of a bow thruster at some time in the future. It will be powered by a dedicated battery bank in the bow, but I want to install cables to cater for the max amperage possible. With a possible draw of 350Amps from a bow thruster and a total run (there and back) of 40 feet, allowing a 10% drop (as it is an intermittent load, and possibly only for a minute or so) I come up with 2/0 cable. Its possibly overkill but the cost difference is only a buck + change a foot. As I am not building 200 Hunters, I can live with it.

This obeyed ABYC Standards;

"Conductors used for panelboard or switchboard main feeders, bilge blowers, electronic equipment, navigation lights, and other circuits where voltage drop must be kept to a minimum, shall be sized for a voltage drop not to exceed three percent”. (See Table B).

Conductors used for lighting, other than navigation lights, and other circuits where voltage drop is not critical, shall be sized for a voltage drop not to exceed 10 percent.” 11.16.1.2.7. (See Table C).

All input appreciated!!!!

12V DC install started - slowly.....

2011-01-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

MasterShunt 500 and DC Distribution 500 installed outboard of chart table seat (ignore the sad paper mock up of the 120V A/C system) ;

Wiring Plan;

Distribution Unit - Digital DC 10X10Amp (Three, one port forward, one at chart table, one port side engine room.

All controlled by;

And switched (if necessary) by these guys;

I plan to have the system send me a txt message is the anchor light goes out or the bilge pump starts cycling...... that should annoy some purists. I may even give the system its own Facebook page.

Locker finished

2011-01-21T20:07:00.000-08:00

At least now I can get some of the junk out of the way.

No right angles, EVER..........

2011-01-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

The two photos above give a good indication of the complexity of renovating an old boat. Do not expect any right angles, just lots of wrong ones. Those traditional shipwrights knew their trade. Every time I come across a pencil mark or some calculation written on the inside of a locker I am suitably impressed. I know that the Whitby 42 was a "production" boat but it certainly was built by hand and by talented people.

So this is one of those sail thingies....

2011-01-18T20:10:00.001-08:00

Spent Sunday helping a friend set up and fly a new cruising chute on a Beneteau 423. Nice.... 7.7 kts in 12kts of wind. The boss was onboard and she was impressed. Good thing as a Cruising Chute / Code Zero (I'll decide when I have more of a clue what I am talking about) is on my wish/want list. Also good to have Admiral approval as these frequently spend a lot of time in the V-berth as a $3K cushion.

Clever Hook...

2011-01-11T07:39:00.001-08:00

Found this little guy via this blog;

Cool Tools

And bought them on Amazon. Simple and they work. Not sure what the second reviewer was ranting about but even if they did come apart a simple spot of glue would remedy the situation (mine work fine). I know that everything should work perfectly "out of the box" but have we become so helpless that we can't apply simple fixes.

Hand rails....

2011-01-07T17:08:00.001-08:00

The purist amongst you (you know who you are, you sad bunnies) may have noticed that I did not tape off my interior handrails, prior to painting. My plan was to remove them afterward and paint them separately. I was a bit concerned as to how they were attached. I need not have worried as the Canadian work ethic is well in evidence. A nice bolt, up through the lower handrail, through the deck and then through the handrail on the coach roof. Neat and solid. I will be replacing the exterior handrail with a synthetic rail. Possibly from this company;

Brightworks

Half the ceiling finished.....

2011-01-07T12:36:00.001-08:00

I will NOT be showing the mess behind the camera.

A 5ft painter.......

2011-01-04T19:14:00.001-08:00

Which means that my painting is acceptable when viewed from at least 5 ft away. For some reason I had totally forgotten my previous experience with Interlux Brightside and that I had found Pettit Semi gloss more forgiving. Well I have now relearned this the hard way. I found getting the right mix of paint and thinner (333) difficult to achieve and ended up with some areas with roller marks on the ceiling. I will just have to keep the lights dimmed.

Power, Outlet: U-Socket, Dual Socket/ Dual USB, 110V, White, TruePower

2010-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

This looks like an idea worth incorporating on a sailboat;

Santa came through........

2010-12-27T08:25:00.001-08:00

First batch of Mastervolt units arrived. So far so good.

Happy Christmas everyone... Best Christmas song ever..

2010-12-25T05:44:00.000-08:00

The myth of a "dry boat"..........

2010-12-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

No I'm not talking about booze. All boats will have deck leaks from time to time and at some time there will be condensation. The first task is to minimize these leaks and reduce the opportunity for condensation. The second task is to design all lockers etc. to maximize drainage and ventilation. Two simple solutions are lining all lockers with "Dri-Dek" or similar and installing drain (limber) holes.

p.s. I have no connection with Dri-Dek etc.

His and Her storage........

2010-12-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

Picture the scene. Anchored in the Tobago Keys, late evening, you are down below laying on the Port settee (or "Horizontal II" as my wife calls it)., single malt in hand reading a good book. Admiral is banging about making jam or something. She needs to access the drawer under your settee, bookshelf over your head, etc.. Moment ruined!!!!!

On TIH we will have His and Her storage in the Saloon, at the very least. The Port side is mine and the Starboard side is hers. Keep in mind that I have a full Perkins M65 engine as a spare (minus the flywheel and block) I need all the space possible.

Drawers v. drop in storage

2010-12-14T15:50:00.001-08:00

The picture shows the existing drawers on the port side of the saloon. The drawer dimensions are 14" x 13" x 4" = .42 cu ft. Without the drawer the dimensions of the space are 17" x 18" x 9" = 1.59 cu ft. That's a a lot of wasted space. I intend to remove the drawers (using the front as a blank) and access the space from the top.

Finally back on the boat.......

2010-12-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

The boat looks like a bomb hit it. I have about 12 half finished projects on the go. I think I had ADHD when it was called "not paying bloody attention". The problem with boats is that they are "layered". You pull something out and then realize that if you put it back you will have to pull it out again at a later stage to get at something else. At least that's my excuse. I did manage to finish painting the port side of the saloon and got some paint/varnish on the shelving/partitions.

Cruising Friends......

2010-12-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

We caught up with some of our old cruising friend in Salinas on the South Coast of Puerto Rico and were happy to find most of them doing well and the rest were out on bail. This is what passes for entertainment on a slow day in Marianne's (Tradewinds) sail loft.

Boat work.....

2010-11-15T06:40:00.000-08:00

Not much work on TIH at the moment, I'm busy driving a 47ft powerboat (not a bad gig). Took the boat to Fort Lauderdale yesterday for some maintenance. Its always nice to see the big toys in F.L.

I still would prefer to be on the boat pictured below (Whitby42 Zig Zag, anchored off the ICW, looking good).

Storage Plan

2010-11-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

I am convinced that, when it comes to neatness, the world is divided into two types of people, Stackers and Spreaders. I am firmly in the spreader camp. Half of my time is spent looking for stuff. The W42 has LOTS of lockers. As I am tied up with other peoples boats at the moment I spent a few moments numbering the locations (using the standard odd numbers on the Stbd. side, even numbers on the Port side) on the attached plan. Time will tell how that works.

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam;

2010-11-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm actually just back. Amazing two weeks in an amazing country. Go now before there is a Mickey d's on every corner. (Only one KFC in Hanoi, we did not indulge).

Boat is still floating, looks like we might survive hurricane season 2010 (touch wood etc.)

Boat Service Log..........

2010-10-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

The holy grail of most Cruiser /Sailors is the complete maintenance logbook, filled with details of all the systems on board, schedules for overhaul etc. etc.. I have been on very few boats who have achieved this holy grail. Most of us have a few binders containing the original manuals, a few hand written notes and the occasional half finished out of date spreadsheet. The PC should be the ideal solution, but to date I have not found any software to FORCE some sort of discipline on me. Enter "Marine Boat Solutions" . I have just bought the software so its early days yet..but it looks promising. The people at this company seem pretty responsive (I have a small delivery hiccup due to an overactive spam filter) and I look forward to future updates. You can check them out on You Tube and hopefully they will have a demo version out soon.

A Ships Logbook would be a nice addition even if it came out as a separate package.

I have no connection with this company etc.

Back from the Chesapeake......

2010-10-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

Some great sails on my friends Patrick and Lisa's W42 and an excellent rendezvous with other Whitby/Brewer owners. Lots of ideas and a need to get TIH moving soon...

Cutting holes........

2010-10-01T06:22:00.001-07:00

The previous engine control panel was located on the binnacle. I won't have that option. I have spent some time trying to decide where to put the new one. Many boats have the panel low down in the cockpit well. I don't like that for a few reasons (water damage and having to bend down to read etc.).

Nice to cut in and find good adhesion between the outer layer and the balsa core.

Bigger gap between the cabin top and the liner than I expected. Good for running lighting electrical cables etc.

Good fiberglass

Red background is temporary, will eventually be black starboard.

Jack Tar Magazine and the Women of Maritime Calendar

2010-09-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Women of Maritime Calendar

This is a good cause, plus you can never have too many sailing women. Buy a calendar!!!!

Steering mock up.....

2010-09-22T20:56:00.001-07:00

Time to bite the bullet on the steering quadrant setup. I have been flapping around trying to make the system accessible for maintenance etc. but unless I cut a ridiculously large access hatch (the existing one is already pretty big) I am still going to end up working upside down.

I was also trying to ensure that the bed platform (part of the hull liner) and mini bulkhead that all the stuff will be attached to will be strong enough. The original hydraulic ram was just bolted to the underside of the bed platform and I have heard of no cases of failure.

I will install an 5/16 aluminum plate 36" long by 12 high and bolt the various fittings to this. The white/red cardboard in the sad composite photo, above, is the plate.

Getting things bolted down and boxes up....

2010-09-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Soemtimes you just have to finish a project and put the panel back on. Photo of the engine exhaust secured on the port side of the after cabin.

Electrical conduit.....

2010-09-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

I have decided to place PVC conduit along the top of the hull liner to take electrical and other cables. Those are the gray piped on the bottom left of the picture.

Lowes Marine wins again.....

2010-09-19T19:45:00.001-07:00

Dry fit of Lowes; Rev-A-Shelf Medium 2-Tier Chrome Basket installed in the hanging locker, on the starboard forward part of the main salon.

At $85 it works for me.

Campbell Sailer propeller arrives....

2010-09-15T21:18:00.001-07:00

18" X 10". Big and shiny.

Hatch openings - different sizes...

2010-08-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

Interestingly, even though the actual hatches in the saloon and v-berth were exactly the same models the deck openings were different sizes. I trimmed off about .5 all round the V-berth opening.

Some fairing up, sanding and sealant tomorrow.

The one hour boat project.....

2010-08-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

We all know about those, "it'll just take an hour or so" and three days later the boat is torn apart. I have been stewing over the deck hatches since I bought the boat (two year now). I had discounted the Hood hatches and considered refurbishing the Atkins Hoyle ones. I later discounted AH based on cost and future availability of parts. I then bought a Lewmar size 60 Ocean hatch with a flange base. I still deferred the job as I dreaded tackling the goop that held the old hatch to the deck.

While waiting for the paint to dry in the saloon and to escape the fumes I decided to give the hatches another go. More poking at the sealant and a brief attack with the Fein cutting blade proved inconclusive. I decided to try a small chisel as a wedge, with no great expectations. A few half hearted sucking sounds (from the silicon, not me) the damn thing popped off. 30 mins later the second hatch was off.

The Lewmar 60 fitted right in to the Saloon opening. The V-Berth opening will need about a .5 inch increase all round. Bloody boats.

Saloon starboard storage

2010-08-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

There are a variety of storage layouts on the W42's/Brewer42's. Mine is as shown below. I will be leaving the lower part as is, but the top consists of, two book shelves on the left, the famous bar and drop down table in the center and a drawer, pull hatch, drawer on the right.

(photo borrowed from the web, if its your and you want it removed, e-mail me)

My issues/plans are as follows;

1. As I am messy and my wife is a neat-nick the library will have to have a louvered door.

2. The original bar only had space for 18 bottles (the boat was obviously not aimed at the Irish market). This area will be converted to shelving with possibly a flat screen TV in front.

3. I tend to jam stuff in drawers causing them to jam and not open. This area will be shelved will also have a louvered door. This is what I would like to end up with, except that I would prefer one door instead to the double opening (easier to clip open / lock at sea.;

(photo borrowed from the web, if its your and you want it removed, e-mail me)

While everything was ripped out I took the opportunity to do some painting.

Engine running.....

2010-08-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Cooling down......

2010-08-25T20:34:00.001-07:00

Believe me, 90 deg is cooler than it was. It later got down to an invigorating 86 deg and this is without any ducting installed. Should have done this in March.

Located under chart table.

Very good Air Con info here.

Fuel is flowing.....

2010-08-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

Something that has not happened on-board TIH for over 17 years.

I love paper charts and will not sail without them....

2010-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

However, I don't really like chart tables. They tend to get cluttered with "stuff"; laptops, radios books etc. and then you can't lift the lid, which is the main purpose of a chart table.

I also love the idea that Beth and Evan Starzinger have about using a "rally" type chair when underway. This requires me to remove the existing chart table on TIH. I will flip it vertically and use it as a bulkhead to hold GPS, instruments etc. The instruments will be cut into/mounted on the existing lid.

Chair idea.

Engine installation almost completed.....

2010-08-23T17:26:00.001-07:00

Dry riser solution, finally.

Water lift.

Shooting aft from the engine room door.

Exhaust hose.

Anti syphon.

Transmission access, not too horrible.

Hose run down port side of hull, to exit at stern. I will secure it in place to give a gentle downward slope.

Fresh water from deck....test

2010-08-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

While waiting for the torrential downpour to stop so that I could finish installing the last NFM port I took the opportunity to test the water output form the deck drain diverter valve. One drain filled a 5gal bucket in 40 seconds. Admittedly it was a typical Miami summer downpour but that's a whopping 100 gals in less that 7 minutes if I have both deck drains switched to water catching.

Water Tanks tops removed....

2010-08-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

What can I say, I was always good at breaking things.

Bloody Air Conditioning...........

2010-08-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Marine Air Con is contrary to all my principles of sensible cruising (Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach). Then again so is heat stroke and divorce. So I see an AC unit in my immediate future. OD and I have have some conversation on the subject so I may as well post my thoughts here.

1. If I have to have a built in AC, I only want to deal with one.
2. It must produce sufficient BTU to cool the boat on a HOT day, in a hot place.
3. Its primary task is to cool the saloon and galley but if I can duct some air to the aft cabin I will.
4. I am prepared to carry a small window unit which can be used in the after hatch to cool the aft cabin if I cannot use the main a/c. (e.g. On the hard, when the main system in down).

This Site has a formula that seems to agree with the the opinion of my fellow boaters in Miami. (This does not mean that they are all not wrong).

Area of saloon and galley (12ft x 12ft x 6.5ft x Factor 12.31) gives 11.5K btu. If you add the V-Berth and have any hope of getting some cool air to the aft cabin you are looking at a 16K unit.

At the moment I am looking at the;

Dometic Turbo vector series 16K unit

Sea Chest installed.....

2010-08-06T18:54:00.001-07:00

The sea chest is installed with fractions of an inch to spare. Almost looks like it was planned. The handle of the emergence shut of valve (upper left) will normally be removed but secured nearby. If and when the sea-chest leaks and causes reduced cooling water flow to the engine it can be use to isolate the supply.

Water Tanks revisited....

2010-08-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

The Whitby 42's water tanks consisted of a hull liner under the deck in the saloon, with a riveted and gooped in place aluminum lid placed on top. There were two tanks, port and starboard. Naturally these tanks, after 30 years have some issues. They leak around the rivets and in some places in the hull liner. TIH tanks had also developed some interesting aluminum corrosion blooms.

For some reason I thought today, when it was 95 degrees below decks (with the Mickie Mouse air conditioner running full blast) would be a good day to tackle the starboard tank.

First use the existing inspection hatches to remove as much of the top lid as possible. A Sawzall works well for this. With a little effort you can remove all of the center of the lid from the forward edge to the after one. The next problem was removing both riveted edges.

Having seen what Bob Cambell did to the center fuel tank with a few come-a-longs I decided to revert to using mechanical advantage. A few cranks of the 1 Ton hoist and the sides popped right out.

This is the cleaned out liner. The two raised pieces are the chocks for the baffles which can be ground off as necessary. The approx dimensions 46" long X 20" wide X 12" deep which should give me approx 50 gallon capacity per tank (two tanks). This will leave me a 22" long space forward of the tanks for pumps etc. I may use two smaller tanks per side for ease of installation.

I may also add another 30gall tank behind the settee on the port side for more water storage and as ballast as the boat has a slight starboard list.

Raw water system

2010-08-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

This is the main seawater strainer, which feeds the engine and the sea chest . The top of the strainer is above the waterline and can be cleaned out without shutting off the thru-hull.

Initially I was going feed the engine cooling water from the sea chest but after hearing of various issues (thanks Patrick) I chickened out and took a "T" off the main intake directly to the engine. A valve after the "T will allow me to isolate the sea chest in the event of a leak in any of its hoses, therefore permitting the engine to remain operational.