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First sail

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Jan Briede
Navigator

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USA
162 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/16/2011 : 17:50:20

Better late then never, I had my first sail after getting the boat on January 2010. It took be a year and and 9 months to get the boat restored enough for a sail. It was worth the effort, although some days I was not sure if I was on the right path.
Thanks to all of you for the advise and encouragement. I could not have done it without you all.
Jan
<img scr="http://www.flickr.com/photos/9315360@N02/6251611491/in/photostream/" border="0">)
<img scr="http://www.flickr.com/photos/9315360@N02/6251610705/in/photostream/" border="0">

Jan Briede
Beagle
1979 TR #1242 FK
L-Dinette
Yorktown, VA
Blog -- http://vanomad.blogspot.com/

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 10/16/2011 : 18:03:30

Congratulations Jan! You already look relaxed and happy. Fair winds!

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 10/16/2011 : 19:36:14

Way to go Jan! You look like a guy who knows what he's doing... and you're doing it! The C-25 is a special coastal cruiser--not too big, not too small, very manageable, and very forgiving. Congratulations for bringing one back to life. Enjoy!

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 10/16/2011 : 19:57:37

Congratulations Jan!!!

From the little I can see of your new photos compared to the old photo I've seen several times you've done a great job of restoring her.

Hope you have many days of great sailing on her in the future.

Edited by - on

JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 10/16/2011 : 21:39:54

Congratulations!

Edited by - on

michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2011 : 03:29:14

You're looking good, man! Since the water is staring to get colder I would recommend a PFD, especially if you are singlehanding.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2011 : 04:34:51

Adventure... Ain't it a blast! Congratulations. I enjoy working on them, but using them is incredible.

Edited by - on

Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2011 : 06:59:39

Congrats Jan! Do you have some photos from the restoration process?
I always enjoy looking on before/after photos.

Edited by - on

sfsmith
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2011 : 07:48:48

Good job, Jan. I'm jealous -- just hauled out my boat Friday.

Edited by - on

Jan Briede
Navigator

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USA
162 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2011 : 08:05:02

Thanks everyone. The restoration up to this date has been structural, so that I can sail the darn thing while doing the rest over some time (my 3-year plan living off a state-employee's salary), and probably while it is floating.
What I've done was:
0. I first had to buy a new outboard and a (balanced) rudder to get her from her old slip to near where I live.
1. Haul it and clean a bottom that had been neglected for at least 5 years. This included scraping and discovering I had the famous "catalina smile." I had very few blisters to my surprise. I also closed one of the through hulls.
2. Smile repair. This included sistering-in 5 new keel bolts followed by cleaning out the smile and filling it with 3M's 5200. After that I had to do fiberglass repair around the smile. Drying out the wooden soole was the hardest part (longest wait).
3. After all this I put a barrier coat on the boat, followed by anti fouling paint.
4. Finally back in the water (my marina was cheaper then the place where I hauled it).
5. I stepped the mast in April to replace the halyards (and get them back to the cockpit). The halyards were worn and when the mast was down, I found that the sheeves were almost worn all the way through. I also replaced the tell tail and the anchor light. Finally I rewired the mast.
6. When I took the mast down I noticed som cracking of the fiberglass under the mast step. On further investigation the wood under the fiberglass was wet and rotted, so I painstakingly replaced that wood and got it all structurally sound. Finally in September I was able to raise the mast again and after some tuning I was ready to sail.

She still needs a lot of work from rewiring, to replacing the windows, etc. But as a good friend of mine (who works in maintenance at a marina) told me: Enjoy sailing and repair it slowly. The objective is to sail while making a list and prioritizing the work that still needs to be done. Which is why even at the end of the season I needed to get it out and sail her. Yes my wife was wearing a pfd, and I will definitively do that as well. Thanks for the sage advise.

Again, thanks for the support.

Jan

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2011 : 11:15:06

You've been doing some heavy lifting on that old girl! ...and then there's the pretty companionway trim we can just barely see in your photos. Very nice. Next up: Since you like to sit on the coamings, a Forespar extension on the tiller...

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 10/17/2011 11:17:54

Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 10/18/2011 : 00:40:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jan Briede
6. When I took the mast down I noticed some cracking of the fiberglass under the mast step. On further investigation the wood under the fiberglass was wet and rotted, so I painstakingly replaced that wood and got it all structurally sound.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's interesting to me. How did you do that? From the upper side of from the cabin or from inside?
This spring I also removed all thru-deck blocks and installed mast step plate for ordinary blocks. I've figured that the core is wet and water from that was dripping near the chain plates, dark brown water. It lasted whole summer season until it stopped after my fix up. Fiberglass on the cabin is not crack or flexing so I hope its ok.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jan Briede
But as a good friend of mine (who works in maintenance at a marina) told me: Enjoy sailing and repair it slowly.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well.. I disagree. If I will not repair it until its on land I will not fix that problem anymore while the boat is in the water

Edited by - Tomas Kruska on 10/18/2011 00:42:08

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/18/2011 : 04:26:41

<< Well.. I ordered up the wiring harness, deck combo, and anchor light with LED bulb from Catalina Direct. Wish me luck. Should be through by spring.... >>

I said that last year about this time. I just finished the job this month. In the meantime I've sailed and had the most wonderful time on the boat. ( I think I bought the mast plate about 4 years ago. )

not the destination...

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 10/18/2011 : 06:21:18

Jan

Nice job. I have only been working on mine for about three weeks and am getting anxious to get her in the water. Mostly just cosmetic stuff. Refinishing the exterior teak and adding more fiberglass to the anchor locker and sliding hatch was the most time consuming. I still have one more polishing day on the hull to go and a good clean up from all the work. The wife has selected the material for the cushions but that can be done any time. Some little TLC stuff that I thought would take a few minutes ended up talking hours. Luckily I am retired and have the time to spend on her.

Happy sailing

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 10/18/2011 : 07:03:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hewebb
 The wife has selected the material for the cushions...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Around here, the more common term is the Admiral--or in one case, SWMBO. (You can Google it.)

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 10/18/2011 07:05:52

Jan Briede
Navigator

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USA
162 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2011 : 09:31:43

SWMBO is probably one of my favorite books (Sir Ridder Haggard).
You all are so observant noticing I did some varnishing of the trim ... yes I did that in between.
Thomas ... When I took the step off I noticed cracks. I opened the cracks up, in the hope to epoxy them closed. Well I found the wood was wet and rotting. First I drilled a couple of holes hoping that would allow the area to dry. This was to slow. So I literally opened up the raised area on which the mast step was standing on and removed the rotten wood. After a couple of weeks of drying I pored penetrating epoxy in the area to saturate the wood. After that was done, I cut a piece of plywood to the correct size and thickness, soaked it in penetrating epoxy and then put it in the area where I removed the rotten wood. Some more penetrating epoxy and then finally I covered the wood with a couple of layers of glass, followed by a layer of epoxy with fibers in it. The final job was putting gel coat on (which was the worst of all the things I did). I drilled pilot holes which again were filled with penetrating epoxy, I redrilled the holes and filled them with 3M's 5200. I also created a seal of 5200 on which I rested the step (per catalina direct).
Talking with my friend who works in a maintenance shop, he strongly recommends filling all holes on the deck of boats and coating the screws/bolts with some form of sealant (4200) that should keep water out of the core (hopefully).

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2011 : 11:38:14

Jan, a similar approach to holes through the deck has been discussed here many times over the years--I think Leon Sisson, one of our gurus, was the one to teach it to the rest of us...

First, drill a hole at least double the diameter of the bolt you're using. Tape off the bottom of the hole and fill it with epoxy thickened somewhat (not like peanut butter) with glass fibers. Let set, and then re-drill through the epoxy for the size of the bolt.

Another step can enhance the strength of the this approach: After the initial "overdrill", put a bent nail into an electric drill and use it to ream a little of the core out between the upper and lower layers of fiberglass so the laminates will partially cover the epoxy sleeve.

The epoxy will penetrate the surrounding wood core to some degree, and eliminates any chance of moisture that seeps down around the bolt getting into the core. It also forms a "compression sleeve" between the deck hardware and the washer and nut below. Anything you do with sealant alone will not permanently protect the core like this "overdrill/redrill" approach.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 10/19/2011 11:40:14

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2011 : 12:12:50

I used G-Flex recently and it worked out well:
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/g-flex-epoxy/

And I was really happy with it without a filler, for just bolt holes. It is easy to mix (50/50) and kicks in 45 minutes. The other resins have always been difficult to mix in small batches. I'm sure you could also add a filler. Next time I'm going to add a white coloring agent.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2011 : 13:33:53

Sources I've read suggest over-drilling by one size (like 1/16 or 1/8) and remove the core to a greater degree. Drilling too large makes the epoxy more of a somewhat brittle plug with no glass strands to distribute the load. I usually cover the core and the decored fiberglass with unthickened epoxy and finish out with thickened before it kicks.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 10/19/2011 : 18:24:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave5041
 Sources I've read suggest over-drilling by one size (like 1/16 or 1/8) and remove the core to a greater degree. Drilling too large makes the epoxy more of a somewhat brittle plug with no glass strands to distribute the load...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">That would leave something like 1/32" of protection around the hole at the top and bottom if you could re-drill precisely through the center. Drilling 1/2" for a 1/4" bolt means you'll still end up with a less than 1/8" sleeve around the bolt, plus some hardened wood core. All of that will be under the hardware as a compression sleeve--not distributing the load. The de-coring with the bent nail is intended to increase the strength of the compression sleeve while preserving the fiberglass laminations for the lateral strength you're speaking of. If more distribution is needed, a backer is called for whether the hole is over-drilled or not.

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Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2011 : 00:33:52

Dave, more detailed manual is here http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/sealing_the_deck.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2011 : 07:02:05

Yup--that certainly covers it! And in answer to his rhetorical question, I have used a bent nail in a drill--didn't have a Dremel or even know about the flexible bit he describes. You have to hold the drill firmly and attack the wood gently.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2011 : 10:03:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 . . . I have used a bent nail in a drill . . . You have to hold the drill firmly and attack the wood gently . . .
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I tried the bent nail approach on our previous '81 C25. Apparently the deck had zero rot as the nail only bounced-off the core. Think I enlarged the holes by ~25%.

Edited by - OJ on 10/20/2011 10:03:53

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