2020 Maintenance

Pardon me (again) for the administivia. I like to keep this information at my fingertips as I am constantly referring to it and would hate to ruin a good trip with having to work on the boat in some far off port.

Yanmar 3GM30F - 1849 hours - 01/01/2020

• Jan - Oil + Filter + Racor Filter
• Mar - Clean deck + tightened all hose clamps on engine
• Apr - Gelcoat applied to all non-skid 
  + Water tanks cleaned, flushed + both water filters replaced.
• May - New stove top + propane tank + pressure gauge + regulator + solenoid + supply line + teak cleaned and stained + blower replaced.
• Jun - Honda outboard maintenance: oil, gear oil (manual) +
  Friday Divers (Johnny 360-908-5414) scraped prop, checked zinks currently at 80% + new Magma BBQ (manual) + batteries (2 - 85Ahr) secondary bank located next to mast step + keel bolt maintenence inspection, derust/cleaning/Lanocoat + bilge paint (Rustoleum) on base plate + new bilge pump float switch
• Jul - New Jabsco marine head pump assembly
• Aug - New LED anchor light
• Oct - New Whale Gusher manual bilge pump
• Dec - Engine oil + Oil filter + Tranny oil + Racor filter

To do list:

• Gelcoat deck
• Seal forward toe rail drain holes.
• Add 1/4" aluminum backing plates to toe rails.
• Refrigeration

2019 maintenance &raquo

2018 and earlier maintenance records &raquo

Fall Bounty

Sometimes you just get lucky!

Fall is when the salmon come in. Maybe it's the time when I finally slow down and put the rod out and see what's biting.

An extended crab season was an unexpected bonus this year.

And sometime you have to toss a few back.

SIGHT. SMELL. SOUND.
Salmon have three sense mechanisms they use to find their prey. They are sight, smell and lateral line response (sound). If you are trolling and your lure passes within a few feet of a salmon and he sees it, you will probably catch him. The problem is the ocean and most bodies of water salmon can't see more than a few feet. This gets worse as you go deeper. If you are relying on sight alone you probably won't bring home many salmon.

The second is smell. Salmon have an extremely sharp sense of smell. But that doesn't help unless you get the bail right in front of him.

The third sensing mechanism is the one you want working for you. Down a salmon's side and on his head and back there are tiny hair like projections called cupula. Each of of these has a nerve cell at the end. These cells are used to pick up vibrations in the water. This is the mechanism that you want to take advantage of. If your lure is putting out erratic vibrations twenty or thirty feet from a salmon you can pull him in like a magnet. He will follow the vibration like a radar beam and attack your bait.

Lures like a Crocodile, or the Apex put out an erratic powerful vibration that will get you salmon. A trolled cut plug gets you the same vibrations.

When you put a bait or lure in the water, you should carefully check its action. You want to convey that their buddies are attacking baitfish. Boat speed, depth and current are critical.

Gelcoat Repair

How to Apply Gelcoat and Make a 47 Year Old Boat Look 'New'

I've been thinking about what to do with my worn out decks for years. High wear areas have also worn smooth the thin layer of gelcoat in the smooth areas. Chips and cracks have become home to a tenacious type of mold that only comes off with a wire brush. Wire brushing is effective but doesn't solve the problem, and allows the growth to return after a few short months.

BEFORE and AFTER
   
Left: High traffic areas in the cockpit showing a bit too much 'love'. Right: New gelcoat on port non-skid, old on starboard.

The debate has always been to paint like most folks (and then re-paint every couple years) or try to gelcoat the worn areas. Gelcoat, despite its polyester base and nasty smell seems like the best choice. Gelcoat with its quick dry time and ability to mix small quantities is perfect for me when I only have a couple hours to work. Only time will tell if it's the right choice.

After much research and internal debate the solutions I've chosen is to purchase and apply the gelcoat using two very different techniques; using waxed gelcoat for the non-skid and unwaxed gelcoat for the smooth parts.

AFTER
   
Using a chip brush a light coat gives a finish that doesn't compromise the non-skid and will (hopefully!) last for another 40 years. Bottom photo shows the purple PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) that is used on the unwaxed gelcoat to create the air barrier to speed up drying. It's applied with the Preval sprayer and removed with a wet rag after the gellcoat has dried, about 3-4 hours.

NON-SKID
The waxed gelcoat allows me to brush on two thin layers without having to tape off any areas. A wire brushing using a wire wheel on a drill removes the dirt and oxidation from the surface. An acetone wipe with a clean white cotton t-shirt removes the dust. A second wire brushing between coats ensures good adhesion and provides excellent opacity and thickness without adversely affecting the grip of the non-skid. Clean up with MEK 5 to 10%. Color: Greystone. Quantity: 5qts.

       

DECK
I first removed the propane locker hatch, cleaned it, and took it down to Fiberlay so they could match the gelcoat color. Because the deck is in pretty good shape, I had them only mix one quart or unwaxed. This should allow me to thin the gelcoat (5% best but no more than 10%) with MEK, and apply 2-3 coats. I can also easily feather between different areas I'm working and patch sections if I need to rebed deck fittings.

Prep by sanding with 80-100 grit sandpaper and wiping with acetone.
Option 1) Apply gelcoat in one Preval sprayer. Then coat with polyvinyl alcohol in a separate Preval sprayer.
Option 2) Brush 90° and then come back another 90° with a fully loaded brush.

MIX
4oz gelcoat to .04oz monomer catalyst (14 drops per ounce)
Thin with methylethylketone (MEK) up to 10%
Use Acetone to clean up

FINISH
Take down the orange peel with 240 grit wet sandpaper.
Wet sand with 800 grit
Buff with 3M 05954
Wax with Collinite Heavy Duty Paste Fleetwax

NOTES
Temp 50deg or warmer ... let dry overnight
Temp 80deg ... will dry much faster
Thinning seems to add to dry time, significantly

MORE ON SANDING PREP
The heavier fast-cut grits (40/80/100) are used to feather sand and ground out a routed area prior to filling. Also, they are used for the first sanding of gouges, dock dings, scratches, and blisters. When sanding areas that have been filled with putty I suggest using 40 or 80 grit sandpaper, depending on how large the repair is. Once the fill area is level or contoured to the desired shape, sand with 100 grit paper to remove the course scratches from 40 or 80 grit. You should also feather the surrounding area of the gelcoat repair with 220/330. At this point, the repair is ready to prep and spray/brush with gel coat. When sanding flat areas use a rubber block.

FIBERLAY
http://www.fiberlay.com
6608 S 211th St #105
Kent, WA 98032
(206) 782-0660

MORE INFO
How to apply gelcoat

Be Careful Anchoring in Deer Harbor

Warning to those anchoring in Deer Harbor, Orcas Island

There is an unmarked, submerged, derelict sailboat in 45' of water, 100 ft from the opposite shore of the marina. The coordinates are:
North 48deg 37.136’
West 123deg 00.401’

UPDATE 08/2020: Deer Harbor Marina and residents have now has added 7-8 new bouys in the bay, as seen on Google Maps. Two of them now flank the derelict vessel making it all but impossible to set your anchor in it's hull and rigging.

I found this the hard way...

After fueling up at the Deer Harbor fuel dock we motored over to the West side of the harbor and dropped the anchor in 45’ of water approximately 100’ from shore. We let out approximately 140 feet of chain and set the anchor normally. The anchor, a Lewmar 35# Delta, appeared to set normally with a solid bite.

We have anchored in this harbor many times but not in this exact spot. The bottom is sand and mud throughout the harbor and we have never had any issues of any kind.

The next day we decided to travel to another island. We motored forward using the windless to pull up the anchor chain vertical so that the boats bow was directly over the anchor. We then cleated off the chain and eased the boat forward expecting the anchor to lift out of the mud. The chain did not budge.

We then eased the boat forward a second time giving a little more throttle. Again, the anchor held fast as we heard a pop as the forward bolt snapped on the anchor roller. The chain then pulled the anchor roller horizontally clockwise, so that it rotated almost 45 degrees from its normal position away from the forestay. As the anchor roller rotated, it also tore the starboard navigation light off the toe rail and splintered the teak toe rail. The chain then jumped off the anchor roller and onto the base of the bow pulpit and onto a locking device I use to hold the anchor shank so it doesn’t bounce underway. The bow pulpit then bent with the load of the chain and anchor.

With my anchor roller now unusable we then tried to pull the anchor up from different angles by hand. No luck.

I called the Deer Harbor Marina and asked them if they knew of any problems on my side of the Harbor. They said yes, there is an unmarked sailboat in this area that catches anchors. They told me that someone had posted a warning map with GPS coordinates in their laundry room. I suggested that this should be posted at the fuel dock before folks have moored. They gave names for several divers and I left messages with them all.

I got a call back from a diver in an hour. We agreed on a fee and soon ferried him out to my boat using my dingy. He said he was not aware of any obstruction in this area. He dropped down and within 10 minutes had my anchor free. He said I had lodged the anchor into the side of a fiberglass sailboat. It took a fair amount of effort to dislodge the anchor. He then climbed back in the dingy and I pulled the anchor in by hand. We then motored back to the fuel dock where he unloaded his gear and was paid.

I updated the information in the Deer Harbor laundry room with my new coordinates above. I have also submitted this information to the Waggoner Cruising Guide where they then posted this location and a warning.

The damage

The repair is complete!

New anchor roller, 1/2" stainless plate under the roller and headstay, navigation lights and pulpit. Thanks you Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop for the excellent work.

Water Filtration

It's important to clean your water tanks every year!

The Peregrine has 1 aluminum water tank on port, and 1 rotomolded tank on starboard. Both hold approximately 20 gallons apiece and are located under the settees.

Filtration is done in two stages. The first stage is for both faucets and are filtered by a 5 Micron Pentek C2 Carbon-Impregnated Cellulose Filter Cartridge. American Plumber WGC478, Fits W385-PR.

Second stage is for pure drinking water. This is done at the galley sink with a separate 50 Micron New Wave Enviro 10 Stage Plus Water Filter Replacement. This is an under sink unit, the same we use at home. Water is dispensed separately, right next to the galley faucet. We use this for drinking and cooking. The filters are not cheap, about $50 apiece on sale but you can be guaranteed to remove all the nasties; arsenic, copper, lead and mercury. Removes phosphate and sulphate anions. Removes chlorine, chlorine taste and odor, pesticides, herbicides.

Flush and disinfect the tanks using the procedure below.

• Turn the water pump on and open all taps to drain all of the water out of the storage tanks.
• Measure 1 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon (of the tank capacity). Pour it inside the tank and immediately add fresh water to the tank until it's full.
• Turn on the water pump and let the bleach water run through all taps for two minutes.
• Turn the taps and the water pump off and let the bleach water sit in the tank for 24 hours. When the tank is sterilized, turn the water pump on and drain the water tank by opening all taps.
• Fill the water tank with fresh water and drain all water again. Repeat this procedure until the water no longer contains an odor of bleach.

Too much bleach?
If your water still has the scent or taste of bleach, use Vitimin C or ascorbic acid to neutralize the bleach. It's a safe and effective method for removing chlorine and chloramine, commonly used in fish tanks and other water systems. It's a newer chemical method that doesn't significantly lower dissolved oxygen or harm aquatic life.

How Ascorbic Acid Neutralizes Bleach:

• Ascorbic acid, in its various forms (ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate), reacts with the bleach (chlorine) to break down the compound.
• The reaction produces water and chlorine, which are then considered to be neutralized.
• Ascorbic acid is a natural option and can be added to water to neutralize bleach quickly.

Important Considerations:

• Ascorbic acid is mildly acidic and can lower the pH of treated water in large doses.
• Sodium ascorbate is neutral and doesn't affect the pH.
• While ascorbic acid is generally safe, it's important to note that the reaction can also produce chlorine gas in some cases.

There is a standard sanitizing procedure for recreational vehicles (ANSI A119.2 section 10.8) that works just as well for boats. We’ve added a few details, but the bones of it come straight from the code and have been reviewed and accepted by the U.S. Public Health Service.

• Turn off the hot water heater until finished.
• Remove any carbon canisters or micron rated filters. Remove any faucet aerator screens. Wire mesh pump protection strainers should stay in place. The plumbing will very likely slough off a layer of bacteria during later flushing steps.
• Clean and remove the vent screen and flush the vent hose.
• Use either following methods to determine the amount of common household bleach needed to sanitize the tank.
• Multiply gallons of tank capacity by 0.13; the result is the ounces of bleach needed to sanitize the tank. This is 1/8 cup of plain bleach (no fragrance) per 10 gallons.
• Multiply liters of tank capacity by 1.0; the result is the milliliters of bleach needed to sanitize the tank.
• Mix the proper amount of bleach within a 1-gallon container of water. This will provide better mixing and reduce spot corrosion of aluminum tanks.
• Pour the solution (water/bleach) into the tank and fill the tank with potable water.
• If possible, allow some solution to escape though the vent. (If the vent is exterior, prevent any spillage into local waters.) This will sanitize the vent line.
• Open all faucets (hot and cold) allowing the water to run until all air is purged and the distinct odor of chlorine is detected. Leave the pressure pump on.
• The standard solution must have four hours of contact time to disinfect completely. Doubling the solution concentration reduces the contact time to one hour.
When the contact time is completed, drain the tank. Refill with potable water and purge the plumbing of all sanitizing solution.
• Repeat until bleach is no longer detectable.
• If the smell of bleach persists after two refill and drain cycles, add a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide per 20 gallons and mix. The peroxide will oxidize the hypochlorite to chloride (salt) and oxygen, neutralizing the bleach. Any excess peroxide will be harmless to drink and will have no taste. Peroxides are common ingredients in commercially available water freshening preparations like those we tested. Don’t use vinegar, which can ferment, undoing all of your hard work.
• Replace all filters and the vent screen.
• Note for aluminum tanks: Some sailors are afraid of using bleach in aluminum tanks for fear of rapid corrosion. This shouldn’t be a concern for infrequent cleaning when the recommended dosage and time is observed. As an alternative, we found PuriClean to be an effective sanitizer, and it was non-corrosive toward aluminum.

Happy wife, happy life.

Practical Sailor has a good article about Decontaminating a Tainted Water Tank

Steering Cables, Rudder Post Seal and Emergency Tiller

Steering Cables

General work notes as I prepare for the next round of maintenance

I make it a ritual every spring to crawl, no, stuff, myself into the starboard cockpit locker and inspect and grease the steering cables and the sheaves that lead up to the binnacle. Grease also got applied to the shaft outside the binnacle, and inside by removing the compass.

I also need to replace the sheave pins and align and tightened as needed.

Staying centered. I should be able to adjust the eyebolts on the quadrant on the rudder post to center the wheel. There should be double nuts on the eyebolts to lock them in place on the quadrant. If the steering gets misaligned then I will need to loosen both eyebolts until the control cables are loose enough to remove the compass from the binnacle and move the bicycle chain a couple of teeth on the sprocket which is inside the binnacle on the shaft to the steering wheel. Then readjust the eyebolts and check the rudder and wheel alignment. Don't put the compass back on until you have it the way you like it. Tension on the cables should be snug but not too tight.

One of the most insidious places to look for problems is to loosen the cables at the quadrant eyebolts, then remove the pins holding the sheaves at the bottom of the pedestal (yes, from that cramped position inside the cockpit locker) - it is very likely that the pins have started wearing through. This loosens the cables (a sure sign of wear) and increases the wear rate because there is no longer a full support on the center of the sheave. It probably takes ten years before there is significant wear in light day sailing, but if you carry a chute in heavy weather for one long offshore passage (2000 miles) you could get the same wear in two weeks.

Rudder Post Seal

I made an initial attempt to disassemble the packing gland held together by four bronze bolts but was thwarted in my efforts when I could remove only one of the bolts due to the restricted vertical clearance created by the location of the steering quadrant immediately above the packing gland.

I then enlisted the services of the Boat Yard and working with one of their mechanics, with me lying under the stern seats, we disassembled the steering quadrant, which provided full and easy access the packing gland. From that point it was simply a matter of removing the four bolts, sliding the top ring upward, removing and replacing the old packing in both the top and bottom rings using a pick tool, remembering to cut the packing at a 45deg to get a maximum overlapping seal, and completing the reassembly. The whole job took about an hour and a half excluding the time to obtain the packing material, the exact dimensions of which I regret to say I do not recall. The significant point in the process was the necessity of the removal of the steering quadrant. I don't know if this would be required in all I-36's but if the clearance to remove the bolts isn't there, then it probably probably requires the removal of the pedestal.

Emergency Tiller

Digging deep under the anchor locker a few years back, I discovered a beautify emergency tiller all wrapped in carpet. It was in perfect shape, still varnished like new. All the fittings are stainless steel. I hope I never need to use it but it's nice to know it's there needed.

2019 Haulout - Edmonds

3 days on the hard at Port of Edmonds

The goals for the haul out this year were to apply new bottom paint, inspect the steering, sea cocks and drive shaft.

My surveyor cousin Jeff Kutz came over to check out the Peregrine. He said there is about 1/16in play in the cutless bearing and 1/18in play in the rudder. Yes, these issues are concerns and in the next 2-3 haul outs I will replace both the cutless bearing and steering cables.

I first ground out the 'smile line' where I get some rust wearing between the hull/keel join. This is a section about 2" v 18" that I applied 4 layers of fiberglass. I then faired =Marine Tex over the deeper chipping and applied two coats of bottom paint (WM/Pettit CPP Ablative Antifouling Paint) applied new prop paint (Fisheries/LPS Cold Galvanize). I also touched up the bootstrap (Fisheries/Interlux Brightside), and cleaned the topsides (WM/Starbright Hull Cleaner with oxalic acid and ethylene glycol n-butyl ether) plus a little MEK. I was also able to buff the starboard topside (3M 05954 super duty rubbing compound) but ran out of time to work the port side which I can get to from the dock.

The zincs were fine, which is a surprise when I hear other tenants in Kingston having to replace theirs more frequently. My slip D-36, seems to be less prone to galvanic corrosion for some lucky reason. Apparently the further away you are from the gas dock the better. I added two more zincs for good measure.

Back in the water, I had the pleasure of launching in the middle of the Edmonds Family Day event Sailing over in 7-10 knots of wind I was not able to go faster than 5.1 knots. But on the return to Kingston run, I was able to run at 6.4knots under power and against a slowly flooding tide.