Winter Projects 2009
I had many fun upgrade projects planned for the winter 2009 maintenance season. Unfortunately after coming home with some significant water on the deck from the Cat Harbor cruise I found two serious deck leaks (the genoa sheet turning blocks) and several minor ones. After pulling several deck fittings and inspecting a few more I found that the reattachment of hardware to the deck after the teak decks were removed and replaced with non-skid was definitely not up to expectations. Specifically, a very small amount of sealant was used, the original backing plates appear to have been lost, and finally silicone sealant was used as the sealant. The combination results in having to pull up every fitting on the deck this winter to end up with no deck leaks. Additionally, a significant amount of corrosion and potential crevice corrosion has been evident on the fasteners which is a concern on the high load deck fittings. So far nothing has been dangerous, just early indications that the deck hardware needs rebedded. One of the questions is what proportion of the fittings have core exposed which will require sealing up, some of those will require carving out damaged balsa wood. Thus, the current priority list is running as follows:

1) Rebed all of the fittings through the deck, repair any damage caused by water intrusion into the deck or below decks (starting with aft stateroom)
    Aft Stateroom
     1A) Genoa Sheet Turning Blocks (100% Complete)
                was a known significant leak on port side
     1B) Aft most running backstay attachments (100% Complete)
     1C) Traveler (100% Complete)
     1D) Traveler Winches ( 25% Complete)
     1E) Aft Stateroom Stansion Rebedding Project (100% Complete)
               Potentally come back and provide better load spreading on all of the stansion bases due to complex surface on underside of deck
     1F) Aft attachment points for jack lines (100% complete)
     1G) Hinges and Latches for deck lockers - Looks like access is relatively easy from the aft stateroom. The latches appear to have lost much of their crome plating, it would be nice to find a plating shop to redo them or purchase new fittings, whichever is easier
     1H) Rebed three vent fittings - Looks like tricky access from aft stateroom but achieveable, note that vent fittings appear to have lost much of their crome plating, it would be nice to find a plating shop to redo them or purchase new fittings, whichever is easier

   Aft Head
      1?) Port Intermediate Running Backstay Attachment
      1?) 3 Port Primary Winches - need to determine if there is room to upgrade the aft winch to electric for use on staysail furler line, this one is upgradable
                 Dec 6, pulled aft winch on port side, deck is cored, overdrilled hole to 1/2", filled with epoxy. Minor damage to deck surface under winch with prybar filled gouge under winch with white gelcoat significant cleanup job for winch. Unless I am mistaken there is not room under the winch for an electric drive motor. Will determine if there is room when the drive motor for the Starboard side shows up.
                  Dec 19, 2009 - ground out hole through deck for electric drive of 66 series winch and then applied a layer of fiberglass, the quality of the deck core material is amazing, 1" thick mahogany plywood, about 8 layers, marine grade! Almost to pretty to cover up!!!
                  April 2010 - Installed two aft genoa winches. Both have aluminum backing plates.
                                      Forward genoa winch needs new backing plate to replace original steel backing plate with aluminum.
                                      Traveler winch needs new backing plate to replace original steel backing plate with aluminum
      1?) Air actuated pressure switch for port electric winch
      1?) 3 cleats
                 Dec 6, pulled all three cleats, deck is not cored under any of the three. Need to make good backing plates and decide if I should replace the cleats or send out for clear coat anodise
                 April 2010 - Need to decide if I am going to use the new stainless cleats from Oyster which they are using on the new yachts. The bases are different and will require some paint touch up unfortunately.
                 July 2010 - Decided to go with the new cleats from Oyster, just need to decide on the appropriate sizes. At this point I need to develop the capability to acceptabily touch up the decks from scratches and nicks anyway
      1?) Two shorepower plugs
                 These are both in marginal condition (at least the internal contacts. I expect to replace both and all of the shore power plugs

   Galley
      1?) Starboard Intermediate Running Backstay Attachment
      1?) 3 Starboard Primary Winches - need to determine if there is room to upgrade the aft winch to electric for use on the staysail furler line, this one is upgradable
                Appears that there is sufficient room for an electric winch upgrade on this side which would be used primarly for roller furling headsail
                Pulled all three winches 2009/12/20!
                Dec 19, 2009 - ground out hole through deck for electric drive of 66 series winch and then applied a layer of fiberglass, the quality of the deck core material is amazing, 1" thick mahogany plywood, about 8 layers, marine grade! Almost to pretty to cover up!!!
                  March, 2010 - Determined that while there appears to be room for the electric motor upgrade on the starboard side aft winch and that the aft winches are capable of  being upgraded, right at the moment Lewmar is changing designs to the new "EVO" series. With that information I will wait on upgrading those two winches until the question of if the motor drives, electronics, and mechanical hardware is the same between the winches built between 1992 - 2010 and the new ones which will be made soon. Since the only need for the upgrade is to make rolling up the big genoa easier I am going to get one of the plugs for a battery operated right angle drill.
                  April 2010  / May 2010 - Port and Starboard primary electric winches were re-installed with new seals and well greased. The port side has a slightly different sound when running free, took apart both port and starboard winchs again to ensure that everything was rebuilt correctly. The difference is slight but noticiable. Perhaps I will make a sound recording of each to preserve the noise for future reference.
      1?) Air actuated pressure switch for starboard electric winch
      1?) 3 cleats
                 Dec 6, pulled all three cleats, deck is not cored under any of the three, pulling forward most resulted in small scratch in the paint which will require touch up. Like the port side, need to determine if they will be replaced or sent out for clear coat. All 6 cleats are identical.

   Salon
     1K) Mast boot installation (100% complete) [known leaks, rebedded 10 out of 13 of the bolts, still have one small leak!], ran a small bead of 5200 around the base of the plate to the deck, this has stopped the leak
     1L) Bridge Deck Instrument Cluster [known leaks]
     1M) Dodger tie downs [known leaks]
     1N) Coach roof fittings
     1O) Main Salon Portlights (100% Complete) [leaks appear completely repaired!]
                Started work on Starboard aft Portlight 2009/12/20, pulled all of the bolts, was able to get back frame off without damage using a flat punch to drive the barrel nuts out from the front. Reinstalled new screws from the front using polysulfide and individual washers and nuts from the back to allow running water over the hatch looking for the leak. It is unclear at this point exactly how the water is getting in. Getting the frame out of the deck would be tricky, the glass can't come out of the frame until removed from the hull, thus, any flexure of the frame will break the window. Hopefully won't have to remove this one from the deck
                Started work on the Starboard opening saloon Portlight 2009/12/20, rebedded all of the bolts and noticed that at the top of the fram the hinges had distorted the frame causing an entry point for water. Applied standard polysulfide to seal gap at surface while researching long-term fix. Alternatives include drilling out the rivits and then threwbolting the hinge to get the frame back flat or filling the gap with liquid life calc, or finally pulling the frame and either repairing the hatch or replacing it if the item is available.
                Extracting The Windows
                Fresh Varnish Around  Saloon Windows
                Rebedding the Saloon windows 
     1?) Forward Running Backstay Attachments
                Starboard Side forward running backstay attachment (100% Complete) has been rebedded with polysulfide and only needs re-tensioning. Re-Tensioning completed late April 2010

     1?) New fuel fill (100% Complete)
     1?) Fuel fill hose (100% Complete) (all plastic looks like 1.5" water hose) needs replaced, replaced with USCG and CE certified fuel hose. Need approximately 64" minimum of hose, purchased 6 feet (72" just to be sure)
            Fuel hose has been replaced, two large bolt hose clamps used for the bottom end to be sure there are no leaks and we get nice clamping, need to replace deck fill before finishing project
               Attwood makes a very nice 2" deck fill which necks down to 1.5" for the fuel hose, I need to make sure there is enough depth under the deck to have clearance prior to purchase.
               Decided to go with the standard 1.5 inch stainless steel fitting from Bluewater which is sold by West Marine locally.

   Forward Head
       1?) After much agonizing I have finally decided on a toilet which will fit cleanly in the forward head compartment. I ordered a Raritan Marine Elegance 24V head with the new seafresh option. This allows running the head off of fresh or salt water at the push of a button! It is also described as "non-boater guest friendly" due to a completely programmable electronic control system. The preferred (but not required) path is for the waste to flow down hill the entire way to the holding tank. Due to lower use from fresh water I am going to look at plumbing both heads into the main holding tank under the saloon floor. If I re-install the forward holding tank a significant portion of the lines will have raw sewage standing in them, not a desireable thing.
              The plan is to plumb the toilet directly to the holding tank with 1" hose to a fitting on the center top of the holding tank. If I put a loop of hose above the tank level in the raised area behind the settee in the forward cabin I can have a continuous gradual slope down to the toilet itself comming up from underneith. This should avoid any more standing water than a vented loop going straight up would have. The use of 1" hose has the potential to be more easily plugged but will be more completely flushed out with each flush using less water. I will ensure that the entire run is compatable with 1.5" hose and the fittings on the top of the tank can accomodate the larger line if I find it necessary.
   Forward Bunk Cabin

   Forward V-Berth
        1? (100% Complete) 5 coats of gloss varnish and two coats of rubbed effect varnish, the forward bulkhead especially had oil or something down in the grain which made getting rid of the fish eyes rather difficult.

   Forward Chain Locker
     1?) Windlass - Drive train (not motor) has failed due to corrosion and needs rebuilt, may or may not be salvagable. Need to pull this and get it sent out prior to next spring.

   General fasteners
     1P) Toerail fasteners (120 out of 210 fasteners completed) [some evidence of leaking observed]
                      Note that there are several (perhaps 10 or 12) of the total toerail fasteners which are self tapping and go into bulkheads or the tops of foam filled stringers. These will continue to be self tapping AND will be slotted screws rather than the phillips head  bolts used for the rest of the toerail to indicate in the future that these screws do not have a backing plate behind them. These are all single screws and great care is being taken with the throughbolts on either side of these. It appears that some form of "mastic" was used to install the toerail which is still pliable, however, has a strong oder when there is stagnent water present. A small number of these bolts (1 in 4 or 5) show evidence of minor leakage as evidenced by light corrosion on the nut or tip of bolt inside the boat. A very few show minor telltail signs of a minor leakage onto the fiberglass just under the bolts. In each case the water was contained and evaporated rather than getting into wood. Most of the fasteners are tight and the nuts can be backed off without holding the bolt from above but a limited number (not always the leaking ones) spin freely requring a second person to remove the nut. In the original installation a 1" finder washer and a nut were used, after installation the nut and washer were coated with gelcoat as a "locking compound".
           The replacement bolts are 6mm x 35mm x ?pitch, a 1.25" diameter 1/4" hole thick fender washer, a 6mm fender washer (about 1/2" diameter), a 6mm lock washer, and a 6mm nut. The original bolts are removed (not more than 4 or 5 in a row due to the flexed toerail), a 90 degree countersink used to clean up any corrosion in the aluminum toerail, a tapered reamer is used to clean out the hole, the aluminum countersink is treated with alodine, allowed to set for 30 - 45 minutes then wiped with fresh water to remove any residual salts from the chemical prep process, gorilla tape (heavy duct tape) is placed on the backside of the hole and the hole is filled from the top with white 3M 5200. The entire treads and countersnk of the bolt are then coated with 3M 5200 and slowly pressed into the hole until it bottoms on the gorilla tape. From the inside the tape is removed and the bolt allowed to drop down, the large fender washer has one side coated with 3M 5200 and pressed against the back side of the deck lightly (it will hang in place for a couple of minutes, the uncoated 6mm fender washer and lock washer quickly follow and generally will stick to the bolt long enough to get the nut on the bolt. After the group of 4-5 bolts all have washers and nuts lightly installed I then tighten the nuts to just beyond finger tight (compress the lock washer just enough to hold the bolt in place if you try to turn the nut with your fingers without a wrench). I then set the orientation of the head of the bolt so that one line of the head is lined up with the run of the toerail (patially for asthetics and to know if I accidentally move the bolt when I perform final tensioning later. The head of the bolt is cleaned up with careful wiping on deck without the use of solvents. The nut and washers are also cleaned up sufficiently to avoid later drips. This is then allowed to partially cure for 1.5 to 5 days and then with a second person holding the head of the bolt carefully (use a good screwdriver and a wrench on it) the nut is fully tensioned. If the person on deck can call out the first indication of back tension and then the strong tension of the final torque that is helpful. This is normally about 1.5 to 3 turns of the nut if everything goes together correctly. The goal is to put the sealant under pressure and with the core still wet force sealant out into any remaining voids. Note that over the next couple of hours the sealant may ooze onto the deck or from under the washer/bolt on the inside so pay attention to avoid cured 3M 5200 on the teak interior in several places.
                      Aft Cabin Toerail Bolts Replaced - All are complete at this point
                      Saloon Toerail Bolts Replaced - All but the nav station bolts are complete
                      Forward cabin Toerail Bolts Replaced - Note that three bolts just aft of the rib half way up the v-berth on the stbd side showed some moisture. Additionally there was minor moisture penetration into the top of the rib which was dryed out and several small holes left temporarily into the foam core (brown foam) of the rib to allow continued drying. Eventually I will come back and fill the void with either thickened epoxy or expanding foam depending on compatability with the existing foam. Then the self tapping screw from the deck side will be drilled out, filled with epoxy and the screw inserted with mold release to form a good seal, then back out the screw while the epoxy is green and re-install with 3M5200 to ensure a permanant seal.

     1Q) Genoa Tracks
                These go from the aft head into the salon and from the galley into the salon

     1Y) May have to replace all of the small hatches to avoid leaks [no leaks currently]
                Assuming that new lewmar ocean series hatches will fit into the same cutout new hatches are probably the right answer to avoid long term leaks
     1Z) renew all of the seals for the deck hatches (may send out all of the hatches for new lenses and seals professionally) [known leaks on most hatches]
                It appears that the modern Lewmar hatches have the same base pattern (not the same bolt pattern) rebuilding the existing hatches is at least 70% of the cost of new hatches

2) Get both heads fully functional
     2A) Forward head use Raritan Marine Elegance fresh water toilet - Ordered - Received - Bolted down and fits nicely. Working on new tank.
                Planning to use a new semi-custom Ronco tank and two gulper waste pumps on independent pickup tubes and independent seacocks (both exist) to make sure I can always pump over the side. Note that the head will not be able to pump directly over the side but rather will be plumbed directly into the holding tank using 1" line for the 6 foot run. This will leave the direct overboard seacock available for a backup holding tank discharge pump.
     2B) Either connect forward head to main holding tank or install replacement forward holding tank under v-berth with associated plumbing - Determined to use two holding tanks as was done previously
     2C) Install Groco Model K toilet in master head
                 Install Head (100% Complete)
                 Replace waste hose ( 20% Complete)
                 Replace exhaust vented loop (100% Complete)
                 Plumb head intake to fresh water (  0% Complete) [either seperate small tank, connect to sink drain, dedicated device for this purpose exists, may go that way.]  Currently planning on a custom plastic tank from Ronco which will allow adding the holding tank chemicals to the fresh intake water which can be filled with a valve.
3) Get both showers fully functional
     3A) Forward shower should easily use Whale Gulper based automatic sump, the priority being having the forward head to be extremely user friendly even if it requires some additional cleaning.
     3B) Aft head may not have sufficient drop to allow use of a sump, may have to use a Whale Gulper directly like LB^2 perhaps add a system to automatically come on when the shower is running
4) Install new propane system
    4A) Weld part back on stove
5) Sink drains in heads and galley
     5A) Galley sink sump or two independent gulpers with some form of automatic or adjustable speed control
     5B) Forward head sink could drain into same sump as forward shower perhaps
     5C) Aft head sink may need independent sump system or an automatic control for a Whale Gulper
                Currently replaced aft pump with identical pump, found that the hose was cracked and had been "repaired" using electrical tape and a hose clamp! This explains the water from time to time under the floor in the aft head. Now that it is consistently dry I have placed a chemical based dehumidifier under the floor to be sure that it gets completely dry.
Projects which are currently on the back burner...
     AC system upgrades
     Electronics upgrades (Nav station flat panels, computers, NMEA 2000 instruments, etc)
     Davit Support Structure
     New Autopilot Tiller Arm
     Rebuild Rudder Stops
     2nd Autopilot installation
     Insulated backstay antenna installation
     Name on back of boat
     Clean Lazarette
     Install deck shower (w/warm water)
     Dripless Packing for propeller shaft
     New studs for zinc anode
     Grease steering system
     Replace washer/dryer with 60cycle version which is not rusted
     Upgrade fixtures in heads/galley
     Replace lenses in deck hatches
     Curtian systems in both heads
     Headliner upgrade throughout boat
     Replace all lighting fixtures with LED fixtures
     Upgrade countertops in galley & Heads (Granet? Corian? Avocite?)
     Digital controls for fridge and freezer (computer monitorable and preferably controllable)
     Aft stateroom TV/Computer screen - Eventually most likely a OLED screen only because there are no high quality 26 - 30" displays available, 32" Samsung led backlight display (6500 series) will just fit! Cost is about $1100
     Main cabin TV - Currently Samsung 40" LED backlite 7000 series ~$1600, new series 40 inch display has thinner besel and should be released in May 2010, expect price to be about $2000
     moveable foot switch to make furling the mainsail easier - makes a one person operation with friction pin
     friction pin for outhaul line when furling - makes a one person operation with foot switch
     
Some projects happen as a part of other projects. For example, working on the genoa sheet turning block on the port side resulted in having to take the air conditioning ductwork in the locker apart, that lead to haveing to take the cabinetry for the drawers out to get to the ductwork, then I noticed the extreme flow restriction in the vent and had to redesign that system. In the end that locker's rework took several weekends but the upgrade is very nice. Hopefully many of the deck fittings will go better. As noted previously, at this point the focus has to be getting the boat's deck completely tight before starting significant upgrade projects. It is a wonderful excuse to carefully clean out lockers, touch up the gelcoat, and in general get the boat to a known state.