Small Project Update

I've been working on a few smaller projects on the boat since it's been back in the water. Unfortunately, I've been kind of lazy on the photographs for these things, but it's not a huge deal really, unless you really wanted to see my new bilge pump. First, and probably least significantly, but most noticeable, is that I got all the scrubbing done on deck. I should still do the topsides eventually, but they're a pain to scrub while the boat's in the water. To the left you can see the current state of the boat, or the cockpit, at least. It doesn't look too bad, really, but the crazing in the gelcoat is more noticeable in person than it is in the photos. Still though, while it still looks old and worn, at least it doesn't look abandoned and covered in dust.

I also replaced the cam cleats on the main winches (the ones for the jib sheets). The old ones had stopped being springy, and a cam cleat that doesn't spring closed really doesn't work very well. I didn't take pictures of these, either, but they might be visible in one of the other pictures I post if you look closely (and if you really find that interesting). And we also got a port-a-potti for the boat. This was mostly because Jaime didn't want to sail on a boat with no toilet, and I didn't want a boat that Jaime wouldn't sail on. It's there on the left, in all it's sanitary glory. It's reported to work pretty well. It's one of those flushable ones that acts almost like a regular marine head, so it's not really that much different than any other boat toilet, aside from looking more fisher-price-y.

That's most of the real work that's been done on the boat lately. I'm waiting for a roller furler to be delivered, and then I'll need a new jib to go with it, and that will be a pretty nice upgrade, but I have to buy the jib first, and that might be a little while. The boat will be so much easier to take out for quick trips with a roller furling jib. Setting up and taking down the jib before and after each sail probably takes half an hour as it is. I'm sure if I was really good at it, it'd be faster, but I'd rather just reduce it to 30 seconds with the roller furler, and not worry about where to store the jib down below. And, speaking of sailing, the boat's been out on the water, under sail, three times now. The wind has been light all three times, but the boat still sails well, even with the old, abused, neglected sails. I wonder what it'll be like with brand new ones? So, the picture for this paragraph is me hoisting the main to go out for a sail with Jaime.

And one more picture, of me sailing upwind in about one knot of wind. The boat still makes pretty good progress though, even when the wind is so light that you can't feel it on your skin. As soon as you can actually feel a breeze, the boat starts moving along pretty good, with no heeling to speak of. We'll see what happens when the wind's over 10 knots. Up next I should have the new jib and roller furler, or a carburetor tune-up for the engine (that likes to die at idle), or maybe some fiberglass/paintwork, but that will probably wait a while, until I've everything working pretty much the way I like. I've also got to replace all the running rigging, and I need to get a sailcover for the mainsail, so there are plenty of things left to do.

Tyler Karaszewski

Small Project Update

Updates

Offsite

Personal

Projects