Trip 73/74 - Friday Evening - Saturday - May 15/16th
The Lake City Marina is a splendid operation. One where our "Government" has provided money to the city and with help from the Army Core of Engineers has provided more than a few jobs and an excellent facility. The Harbormaster, Mark, is splendid. Always compassionate to those of us trying to enjoy The Waters of Lake Pepin.
This year, I was under the totally mistaken presumption, Memorial Day was a week later. The Marina asks all vessels be off the lots the Friday before. "Plenty of time" I said. Wednesday, I looked at the real calendar and realized I lost a week of prep time.
Nutz!
So, I got in gear and made stuff happen.
Here is my version of how to prep for thruhulls, seacocks, and boat lettering.
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Sometimes a true Fine Art Photographer "lives" with a print for a while. Places the print on matboard and puts it on a shelf somewhere.
We have lived with the name of our boat being "Island Sunset" for almost a year now. It is a good name but lacked some sizzle. Marcia thought of a new one. Since The Boate has never been "Officially" named - with lettering on the hull, I thought "Why not change it".
Marcia's new name ...
"Empty Pockets"
I laughed when she said that.
I liked it.
A refinement being ...
HMS Empty Pockets
SS Empty Pockets
Miss Empty Pockets
Now, we will live with that and see where the refinements go.
Remember this? I kept it to cut some covers from. Now, I need some discs for the seacock mounting.
The pix tell the story.
Not only were the pieces of -really- various thicknesses, none were flat. And I was surprised to see how not flat they were.
Fibreglas comes in woven and random weaves. This is thicker cloth used to build up the thickness quickly. Used between woven matting. I will make our new cooler from it.
When using a saber saw to cut fibreglas, the usual (expensive) blades for wood and metal? A waste of money and time. I got the blade used for cutting ceramic (and fibreglas) and it lasts more than three inches into the cut and is like using a hot knife through soft butter.
I switched to wood for the mounting blocks.
I use this rug for the stones and grit from the parking lot.
"I know who you are, but you'll have to wipe your feet."
(Capt. Richard Brown of the schooner America to Prince Albert of England, 1851)
The three angels, have added something to keep me safer. I use it all the time when on the ladder.
IN a Hallberg-Rassy brochure, some workman are illustrated. Here is one fellow working on the keel. The gas mask (Respirator - L/L) is First Class.
Now, my mother Jonnette thinks I am a fast learner. So, after all the junk I have inhaled for a lifetime grinding, sawing, cutting, sanding - whatever, I thought why not get one too.
(Photo courtesy Hallberg-Rassy)
I did.
Now, I can grind and throw the grit right into my face and not care.
Wonderful it is. Made by 3M.
Use a folded rug about 12 layers thick for someplace to kneel. I use it all over.
Spacer for the instruments.
Where the new Galley Seacock will be located.
I drew the dotted lines to indicate the border of the grinding to get down to glas, not the surface gelcoat.
Yes, tonight's Instrument of Relief.
Looking good. I marked where the hole should be.
The hull is not -too- thick here. I thought it should be twice as much.
This separates the "Men" from the "Boys". Imagine all that exists between you and a raging storm and 40 foot waves sloshing you all about at sea being this thick.
Just think of it.
No wonder truly seaworthy vessels cost so much.
A 46' Catalina is under $400k. The same in a Hallberg-Rassy? Over one million. You do get what you pay for.
As usual, holes drilled do not line up. I need to grind this one into submission.
Done. Need the space for the thru-hull clearance.
I relieved the bottom to conform to the irregularities in the hull surface.
I have lacquer thinner in this spray bottle. It is so useful. Now, I clean the epoxy goo from the brush and can use one many times before it is time to throw it away.
I epoxied the spacers for waterproofing, just in case -I- have a -Leak-.
Saturday morning at Lake City.
This is an ideal image of a beautiful Spring Day in Minnesota. For those from Lome Linde? it is in the low fifties and the wind is peaking at over thirty knots. That is over 35mph.
What is a "Knot" as used for measuring the speed of any vessel?
A long time ago in a far away place, a sailor would throw a specially shaped piece of wood with a small line attached over the rail and while it dragged further and further away, he would count the evenly spaced knots on a small line that slipped through his hands. Another sailor would time the whole thing with an hourglass. That became the speed as measured in "Knots".
Not to denigrate those from Lome Linde, but Ben Franklin had not flew his kite quite yet. They did not have a Best Buy yet. There was no electricity. There were no electronic anythings.
"Beautiful Spring Day - Minnesota - May 15th, 2009"
The Marina moved Empty Pockets to the edge of the lot.
Here is the style and size of lettering we have in mind.
I brought the water and holding tanks to know how to mount the seacock.
Epoxied and taped so the mounts do not slide downhill.
Up and down a ladder, it works alot easier with a bucket.
The taped, and trimmed versions. This works really great and keeps the gooey caulk off the gelcoat. Much easier to clean up it is.
Used a Dremel Moto-Tool to refresh the surface of the old sensor holes.
I bought two old sensors from Signet and used them as plugs.
The spacers, altho even to the hull, were not perpendicular to the thing that mounted to them. I used shims to take up the slack and will redo them when at the slip.
Seacock for the Galley. I used filler in the epoxy and made it to Ketchup Consistency so it simply did not run down the hull before it cured. Is is a fine sand like powder.
As the engine is not in yet, I had to get the prop shaft sealed up with the new seal. The bellows is compressed 1/2-3/4" by the stainless collar - held by set screws. I ensured that would not "slip" by tossing on a zinc collar.
These collars are "sacrificial". ie: They will dissolve from stray electrical currents from the boat to the water, instead of the shaft. This is especially a problem in salt water.
Before cleanup.
After. Ready for bottom paint.
"Empty Pockets - 2:00am - Time To Go Home"
I had it scheduled to go in the water the next day, Saturday morning. That morning was really cold and the flags were wildly flapping straight out. The Harbormaster and myself agreed, sans engine, it might be best to wait til Monday to launch Miss Empty Pockets. We did.
This is a Shore Power Receptacle. Very well made. Water Tight-Proof. It uses a Twist-Lok type of plugin.
I gave this alot of thought. Where to place them. Yes, one for each side to make it easier to connect up when moored at a slip on the other side.
I also put tabs on the seacock mounts - just for an added layer of security.
I did some housecleaning before I left. Sunday, I will vacuum it up and prep it for the water on Monday morning.
Yes, we are this high on deck, on the cradle. Purchased new for Marcia in Dec 1998, 204,000 miles, running great.
Looking good.
So many have marveled at the (original) yellow gelcoat condition. All I did was buff it with polishing compound and wax it with a heavy coat of genuine Carnauba wax. Btw, this wax is one that stands the test of time. Want an excellent finish for furniture? Carnauba wax has been used for centuries on fine furniture. I will probably never use some form of HiTech silicone/plastic/polyglop anything on Miss Empty Pockets.
The Signature Foto. Soon, a rebuilt head will be here. What is in the bag? Use your wildest imagination.
I stopped at my oldest son's home and here is the 21'er he hauled back from Canada. Whenever I see how new-looking it is and all the shiny surfaces and no dings/nicks, I realize how sad ours really looks. But, soon, it will be as good as it can be.
Later ...
ps: I use the plastic bags from the stores for garbage bags. Work great. Just hang them by the companionway. The Signature Foto bag is full of them.