Association Forum - What are you doing for your boat today?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

What are you doing for your boat today?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

1981capri
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
175 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/16/2007 : 11:56:12

Since I bought my boat, the first of October, it seems like I have had one project or another going continuously on the boat. Started out with priority things like replacing running rigging and sealing up deck leaks and then moved on to the more cosmetic stuff. There has been several times lately that I have thought I have become a slave to her....BUT the love affair is far from over. The biggest part of the problem is that many days that would be good to work on the her are also the good days to sail and sailing seems to win out over working.(I know that is what she really wants...to feel the wind in her sails). Now that it's been colder and rainy I am finally getting around to some indoor stuff I can do at home. I just finished re-finishing the cabin sole board. That was a two week job, an hour or so a day, sanding and putting on eight coats. Today I am laying out some upholstery fabric to make some new covers for the main cabin cushions. I took a seem ripper to the old cover and took it all apart so we can use it as a pattern. The vinyl back, zipper and foam are still in remarkably good condition so we are just going to make new tops and fronts. We lucked out and the PO had kept the v-berth cushions at home in his garage attic loft so they are in great shape. For those, we are thinking about making something like a fitted sheet that can be taken off and washed. Anyway...enough projects to keep me busy for a while. And I haven't even started re-finishing the little bit of exterior teak I have or re-sealing the windows. That will have to wait for warmer weather.

What are you doing for your boat today?

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2007 : 12:28:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by 1981capri
 
What are you doing for your boat today?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

As I look out at blizzard conditions in my back yard, the answer for that question is easy......

Longing

(insert deep sigh here)

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3460 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2007 : 15:56:36

Friday, I took off a little early from work and went sailing. The weather was in the 40s after lower temps earlier in the week and winter mix storm predicted for this Saturday and Sunday. Well, the bad weather was changed to arrive Saturday night with temps in the mid-30s daytime. Leaves came down late this year and with earlier bad weather, did not have a chance to get the last dump of leaves...off the lawn, so spent early Saturday doing that.

Saturday afternoon still no rain/snow, so took the opportunity to move over 2000 lbs of paver base (45 bags) into the backyard under my deck where I am putting in a patio off the walk-out basement patio door.

Our area did not get hit by snow...it was all rain. This morning, rain was still off and on and believe temps in high 30s. Did final touches at my work bench on a couple of slats/supports for the extended bunk I am building for the Cat 25 port side. Then decided to go down to the marina and try out the supports. Supports and slats done ! Took final dimensions for the mattress and 1/2" layer of Plastazote that will go under the mattress. I have this plastazote left over from some non-related projects. It is a matl similar to what orthotics are made from - It's dense sort of plastic foam matl. During this week or next, I will be cutting up the plastazote and then see how that fits the extended bunk. If satisfied, then I will use same dimensions to order my mattress. I am getting there....may start taking photos of the sub structure during next couple of weeks and will load on my website.

Somewhere...in-between the above boat work....going to rent a paver compacting machine from Home Depot and compact the patio base matl before I get the sand and the stone patio blocks.

Trying to get these projects done during the winter when I sail less often...but will be sailing.

Also...my Quantum sails (Main and 150 Genoa) will be completed around end of December...so there's that as well !

Edited by - OLarryR on 12/16/2007 15:59:45

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2007 : 18:25:55

While not exactly boat related, I spent the afternoon pressure washing some old cedar decking a friend gave me. It's a bunch of 2x12x7' long with an unfortunate number of nails, but they're all gone too. That was tedious work, but I'm relatively sure I got them all. I got to use my handy-dandy metal detector I bought a while back just for jobs like this. I figure I've got roughly 150 board feet of nice old cedar. I've got another 50-60 still in the bed of my truck, but they're all about 5' long or so. Fortunately they've already been cleared of nails, so it's just the pressure washing to be done. I just ran out of light around the same time I was running out of gas.

I'm debating making a platform in the "V" of my trailer for carrying things like coolers, truck boxes, etc. out of the wood. I'm also worried about two things, the weight of it, and it's buoyancy. I need to do some research before I build it, I may decide to make it out of expanded metal instead.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2007 : 19:13:34

I just finished my third season with my present boat, and it has taken until now to get it in the minimal condition that I want it. That includes stripping the bottom to the bare glass, re-barrier coating it, anti-fouling it, getting a symmetrical spinnaker and cruising spinnaker and telescoping pole, and rigging the boat to fly them, repairing the autopilot, repairing the instruments, mounting and hard wiring the GPS, sealing the portlights (they need to be replaced), replacing the mainsail and jib, repairing the roller furler, cleaning and greasing the winches, replacing running rigging, caulking deck hardware, and those are just the big things. It seems that the things that need to be done are never-ending, but there's satisfaction in doing it, and, while you're working so hard, there's the knowledge that it'll all make the boat perform better and be more enjoyable. Next spring, the boat will need a fresh coat of antifouling and the teak needs to be refinished. From that list of jobs, you might think the boat was a project boat to begin with, but it was really in good condition. It just needed a lot of deferred maintenance and upgrades.

While I've been working on my boat, I've been crewing on other peoples' boats, but next year, I'd like to race my own boat, now that she's up to the task.

During the winter, the house gets all my attention.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2007 : 19:22:45

I'm finishing off a really tough job of cleaning leaf stains off the boat because some idiot (me) left the boat uncovered in the driveway for two months. That will not happen again!

Also doing some mods to make cruising easier. Mostly things to improve access to storage and to streamline the setup and take down of the boat when traveling to a cruising destination. I post the projects as I complete them.

This week the Nauti Duck goes out to the club and gets covered up for the season, until early April. I will probably go out a couple of times, crawl under the tarp tent and do a project or two.

I look forward to visiting this forum every day to help get through the off season.

Edited by - on

ilnadi
Captain

Members Avatar

452 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2007 : 11:13:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by 1981capri
 What are you doing for your boat today?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
today? right now?
I am working my tail off to pay for the engine re-build

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1608 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2007 : 12:18:14

What am I doing for my boat?

Sitting and waiting patiently for the lake to thaw. Waiting for my new jib to arrive. Plotting and scheming how to get the best mooring ball. Checking tarps to make sure my baby survives the winter. Rebuilding tiller arm and throttle controls on OB. Test driving a new Kayak in Maui.

Edited by - stampeder on 12/17/2007 12:18:45

cat1951
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2007 : 14:31:26

For my boat?...now? Just went 4 days without electricity at the house and then snow on Saturday.. Not a big deal on the snow especially after 4 days of ice and no power. But enough about me.. I am getting ready to attach a 2 burner butane stove to a wooden cabinet top. I am using the old cutting board top as a pattern. I sure would hate drilling holes in the original. Then it is on to repairing our furler...well not really a repair, but it hangs up when trying to furl the genoa...and it sticks when trying to roll it up. I/we think that the shackle and knot 'may' be hanging up on the furler, but warmer weather is needed before taking the time to check it out.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2007 : 15:20:46

Absolutely nothing! Trying to get caught up with the Christmas gift buying/wrapping. Haven't even been down to the dock after dark to see the latest couple of light strings I put on her last week! And to complicate things even more I have a new girlfriend that's taking up a lot of time. It's also tough to keep the projects going when you're in water all year! Let's see; projectsailingprojectsailingprojectSAILING!

Edited by - on

1981capri
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
175 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2008 : 18:07:21

Just thought I'd post an update on my cushion project. I'm pretty happy with how they came out. I'll post a before and after picture. Also in the after picture you can see the new blue Sunbrella cabin cover/boom tent we made. I posted some pictures of that on the boat in the Capri 25 forum at http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16782

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2008 : 18:43:42

Today I put pink antifreeze into my water tanks. I still have to put anti freeze into my raw water system on the engine. I'm going to tee off the raw water strainer so I can suck up a gallon of pink stuff after using the boat in the winter.

My list looks like Steve Milby's.
I'll buy a new boat when I win the Powerball. Then the list will be shorter, but We will always have a list.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2008 : 23:02:33

Nice work on the cushion cover!

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3460 Posts

Response Posted - 01/04/2008 : 05:54:25

We have a slight warming trend that is supposed to kick in starting tomorrow...temps to rise to high 40s/50F for next several days.

I took my gas tank home the other day and filled it up. Bringing that back tomorrow. Waiting for new sails to arrive...should be in next 2 weeks or so. Have not yet ordered mattress material for new extended bunk...but that is last step in that project.

So...I am now in the in-between starting new projects mode and may devote time instead of getting started on any new projects to just overall cosmetic cleanup - need to give the cockpit area some going over to get that nice shine again. Expect to be sailing at least one day this weekend.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.