Finally, the day has come

[haiqu]

After that Del was kind enough to take us for a run down the Parramatta River to inspect a Samson C-Baron 56'er that's for sale. The concensus was that a chunk had probably broken off the keel because she was listing badly to port. I think this one's a gonner.

Nice to see Taryn again too, and the day went without mishaps if you neglect to mention Del's case of tummy problems early in the day. All good, thanks Del.

[pete_winning]

Haven't you been busy? If you can sort your steering out you'll be able to take her for a run and get some sail up.

My trip is back on track after meeting up with Travisty at Lizard Island. We've covered a touch over 200 Nm since I jumped aboard and even had all her canvas up for a while the other day. First time I'd played with a stay sail which was fun. The highlight has definitely been waking up at 0330 and getting in the couple of bourse of night sailing under the stars.

The other great highlight has been the people along the way, both this crew and other cruisers / fisho's / locals. I'm having a ball and it sounds like you are too.

Pete.

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by pete_winning

Haven't you been busy? If you can sort your steering out you'll be able to take her for a run and get some sail up.

Fixing the steering is a doddle now that the darned outboard is out of my way. There's a hand-carved "tiller" under the hatch and I'll just need to fashion some sort of attachment to the pivot. I don't plan to raise any sails this visit, maybe when I come back in October.

Glad to hear things are going better up there. Say hi to Lex for me.

Rob

[haiqu]

Just got back from taking the VW Transporter van to Caltex Lane Cove West for a repair to the gear selector. Evidently it's a bitch of a job, and made more complex by fitment of the LPG conversion right in the way of access to the repair. I was quoted $400 in labour alone and they can't start on it until Wednesday. FML. But it needs to be done right now or I don't get to Qld.

[haiqu]

Finally started on probably the hardest job on the superstructure, the roof repair. Took off the boom slider (pic 1) which was a task in itself because of rusted fixing bolts, then cut out the bad section (pic 2) and finally cut an inset outside of that (pic 3) so that the repair is stepped and less likely to leak.

I was going to use two 6mm pieces but the van isn't available and I do have 4mm ply, so will be using three thicknesses of that instead. Lots of glue, brass nails and polyester resin to go, and I still have to rebuild the support beams which have rotted out on the port side ends.

[Auzzee]

That's a major job and I don't envy you. The main sheet traveller is critical in all aspects of sailing when you have the mainsail set. The track itself may need to be able to support several tons of pressure applied at 90 degrees to the track depending on the size of your mainsail and the displacement of your boat.

The manner of fixing is vital. First you need to be sure the coachhouse roof is up to the job, and that the structural beams holding the roof down are sufficiently strong to overcome both the direct lifting force of the sail and boom, as well as having the lateral strength to overcome any distorting force placed on the structure when the mainsheet car is outboard, away from the middle of the track.

The forces applied to the structure and to the stoppers at each end of the track can be enormous. If you sail without a preventer the force of an accidental gybe is awesome and unless the structure is very solid indeed, significant damage can easily occur.

The time when the most danger threatens is more closely approached as the wind speed increases, and sea conditions deteriorate. If you are unsure of any part of the structure to which the traveller is attached, it may be worthwhile to add a reinforced steel padeye through the deck, and move the mainsheet along the boom to a point slightly aft of the padeye, which can then double as a mainsheet attachment, something which could be prudent unless you are going to replace all the structural timbers and joints in the coachhouse roof. Sailing thus, with a fixed attachment, would necessitate rigging both a preventer and a vang as a matter of course.. especially if sailing downwind, but it may be preferable to an unplanned morph from sedan to open topped convertible.

It's great to see you progressing so quickly. Your dedication is an inspiration.
Cheers.

[haiqu]

Good analysis, and the very reason I waited so long to tackle it. Anything that looks the slightest bit dodgy is going into the bin here, it's the one area that warrants a proper repair.

The traveller was well held down to one of the roof beams by innumerable screws, both wood and machine types, but if the beam itself is rotten it could - as you have mentioned - rip right off under rough conditions.

Surprisingly these beams aren't laminated like the ones throughout the rest of the boat, instead being a single carved piece. I'll be making a stepped join on these also, adding new jarrah ends and dowelling them on. Pretty sure that should hold her.

If I were disassembling the whole roof I'd probably get fancier and make dovetails, or just replace the beams totally. In my assessment of the situation it doesn't warrant that sort of effort though, which is just as well because then I'd prefer to be in a properly equipped workshop rather than swinging on a mooring.

[haiqu]

Turns out those beams were laminated after all Auzzee. The timber was so rotten that I missed the striations of the glue. Since they vary in width between 42mm and 48mm I've bought a 2.1 metre strip of 12mm x 66mm Meranti and will be making a joint that interleaves with the existing beams. Difficult to do in mid-air but I just have to make it work. Also brought back some 9mm and 12mm ply for the skin.

This situation is made more difficult by the fact that the original strips used for the beams were 3/8" (or around 9.6mm) thick, which is no longer a stock size now that everything's gone metric. Excrement occurs, old son.

Got the van back today, $407 which is a ripoff but the guy didn't want to do the job and I didn't want to drive around in hilly Sydney with no reverse, first or second gears any longer for fear of ruining the clutch. At least he did it right, the gear change feels better than ever.

[Auzzee]

One thing learned from extended periods of time spent in SE Asia and (to a slightly lesser extent in Mexico). $407 buys you a whole lot more than a repair on a van. I love both Australia and Japan, but I seriously wonder if I will ever be happy to pay western prices again.

Accommodation and breakfast in a 3 star = coffee and cake in Starbucks. Major engine service = 2 hours pay for someone salting chips in Macca's in Oz etc etc etc.

But I miss the cricket and the footy.......

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

But I miss the cricket and the footy.......

Bogan. Anyhow, there's always Auntie on HF.

[Tim1945]

Hi Rob ...good to hear that you are still working away at your boat chores ...you sure have taken on a challenge there I wish all the sucess in the world ...good to also hear that you are back on the road in good shape with your truck ...Take care mate dont fall out of the dinghy Please keep me informed of your progress Cheers Tim

[haiqu]

Tim, mate! Biggest problem I have with the dinghy is all this rain, I spent half an hour this morning bailing the bludger out again. I'm off north at the end of the week, looks like the roof won't be finished before I go, too much work and too little time. :-(

[Auzzee]

Whack a drainhole through the bottom, Mate!

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

Whack a drainhole through the bottom, Mate!

Heh. I didn't come down with the last shower. That would allow the fish in.

[Auzzee]

I didn't t'ink of dat.
Then make it a big 'ole, so the big one's can chase the little ones in....everybody wins!

[haiqu]

For where I went from here, see this thread:

http://www.cruiserlog.com/forums/f29...tory-7594.html

[haiqu]

Just a small note on the Sydney thread, since this directly relates to Keppelena.

It seems NSW Maritime are at it again. I've received a letter from them saying that "a recent inspection reveals substantial marine growth" and that this could be cause to cancel my mooring licence. Wow, these guys sure like to wave a big stick around.

Never mind that no-one in the marine industry in Sydney will answer emails when requesting a quote for cleaning or haulouts. In fact it took me 18 weeks to finally get a mooring service done, most of which was waiting for one company that just didn't arrive after it was booked.

I did what I could with a scraper attached to a broomstick before leaving, but the marine life in Sydney grows very quickly. Sure hope they can wait until I get back there. I do know of a diver who does this sort of work but, as usual, he didn't get back to me before leaving.

In the long run the solution is to move Keppelena to Queensland. No whining bureaucracy, no mooring fees and relatively few barnacles. But I'll need to fit the diesel before that can happen.

[Auzzee]

I wonder if it would be worthwhile to contact local dive clubs. Surely there are keen divers who would be happy to earn a quid over the weekend.

As summer approaches and the water warms, a clean, non antifouled bottom, will need to be serviced every few weeks to prevent marine growth. I once left my dinghy in the water for three weeks and was astounded to see the life which had attached when I took it out of the water. It was festooned with enough barnacles and weedy bits to feed a family of hippies for a month.

[Oldsquizzy]

I have found that the wax used on surfboards seems to stop growth on prop and rudder whilst sitting in marina.

[haiqu]

I've now received a second letter asking to "show cause" why my private mooring shouldn't be terminated. In this letter they dredge up the previous letter of Nov 2012 as if it wasn't dealt with. I did contact the author by phone, telling her that:

1. The missing rego label had been affixed several days before the notice was issued, so they must have missed it
2. Significant repairs were "in progress" and so the issue of saeaworthiness was temporary.

Since that time I've spent 4 1/2 months and over $10k in materials alone to improve the yacht. At no time was this first letter followed up, and there was no requirement to report progress to my knowledge, so I assumed that was the end of the matter. Now suddenly I'm being served with two strikes, simply because they forgot to note the call.

There is no basis for the requirement to keep the hull free of marine growth in the legislation, it merely appears on their website. It isn't even in the handout listing their lease conditions. This is petty bureacracy at its worst.