As all boat owners would know there is a never ending list of things to do to keep your boat in A1 order and I think that this could be an interesting and informative ongoing topic.

Over the long weekend I was able to instal the two new AGM 110 AH batteries after a weekend long chase of terminal posts and bolts to fit and with my son's help removed the bent stanchion and took it to Viking Marine at Taren Point to be repaired or replicated.

We took some photos of her. My brother flies choppers and was lucky enough to have him come down for a few hours a few days ago. I recently finished painting her so it was perfect timing. It was raining in the morning but turned out to be an absolute ripper WA day! Here's a few of them...

awesome photos

i would put that last one on my wall

wish i knew a chopper pilot lol

was thinking about strapping a camera to a kite

Cleaned her up after a long weekend with the Catalina Lake Macquarie group. 9 plus one ring in sailed up to Newcastle for a couple of enjoyable nights at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club then sailed back on Monday morning to the Lake. Had a terrific weekend of sailing,socialising and meals in restaurants, pubs and clubs. Can recommend The Albion' s Angry Man beer!

Went out sailing Saturday and Monday and flew the kite for the first time since I have had her (3 months). I have'nt raised a kite for 30 years with my Pelican sailing days!

Just got her (Farr 740 sport) a month ago, she had been left under a tarp in a back yard for 2 years! She had no name so I have called her Farr mented, I spent the last 4 weekend making her pretty again. Have replaced most ropes, fitted a wind vane up the mast (not been used yet but already bent by fat magpies!) A big clean as she was covered in red dust (road travel from Port Hedland), removed the old carpet, inventoried the sail wardrobe, fixed a few electric probs, fitted a solar panel, moved the radio aerial to a more convenient location, fitted can holders around (she has been named Farr mented). Fitted a swivell draw bar extention to the trailer to avoid drowning the car at every launch, modified the outboard mouting to suit my 8 HP, tested the metho cook top and prepared a couple of gallons of moulded vine! And hopefully she is ready for Saturday race! Ah yes will fit a new battery.
Did I mention that I am broke now?
But it's all fun, I could have stay home and slave in the back yard looking after her flowers! I escaped!
Will post a few pics next week!

i blew up my 40A xantrex charger

another job!

Yesterday was a beautiful day on Pittwater but all I got done was sponge the rain water out of the bilge, looked at how I can get my dicky starter solenoid out (the bottom bolt for the starter motor is almost inaccessible without lifting the engine a couple of inches so this might be a problem), talked with a mate on what I would like him to do while I'm away and took the boat for a run on the engine around Scotland Island.
On Monday week I'm heading overseas for 3 months so am putting the boat to bed. Then another attempt on Lord Howe Island for the BBQ on the Beach on 19 November.

Scrapped off 30 year old headliner carpet from the cabin roof and wet and dried the inside ready for painting...,I really hate carpet in small boats... Bucketing rain in BNE on the long weekend, but at least it tested the seal on the new window we put in last week...So far no leaks.....

Went crabbing check
Sundown drinks check
Service the double breated berth warmer check

Oiled all the wood bits this morning, now i'll paint the cabin. Should be finished the restoration just in time for school holidays.

Got a call from Viking Marine this afternoon, the stanchion is ready. So with a bit of luck I will pick it up in the morning and have it installed over the weekend.

Ahoy Boatin, still waiting for the 'stanchion/wharf' story.

Sanded for a hour then got on yachthub for three.

Painted inside the cabin (one hour) , its a very small cabin.

"Ahoy Boatin, still waiting for the 'stanchion/wharf' story"

My guess is the score finished : wharf 1, stanchion 0

I speak from experience.....

Hi spongebob I sent you an email. What is the make of your boat and how about a few pix here.

Absolutely correct Fiesta. I will send you the email also but it is pretty mundane really.

Gave our yacht some night time LED bling. All up cost about $40

I could do some real sensitive dancin under that type of lighting.

Today with SWMBO's help I got the repaired stanchion fitted, now waiting on the 3.2 mm lifeline from Whitworths. From Clark rubber got a sheet of rubber about 3 mm thick with adhesive one side. Cut that to fit and after cleaning all he old silicon off the deck applied fresh silicon and bolted her in place. Looks so good I will have to re silicon all the other stanchions.
Before

After

top day out on Pittwater today.up around lion island and back.Had some video but it turned into a 20 minute selfy and no one needs to see that

Went for a race Saturday, love the way she sails, very responsive and excellent acceleration. Coming from a tri I found she can heel quie a lot ! But it is all good. I had only one crew so for the first outing did not dare to fly the kite. Sorry no pics....... was too busy sailing, she is a bit of a handfull for 2 crew. The weather was very good 10 t0 15knt easterly (flat water). I thing I will enjoy her a lot!

Seems I made a beginner mistake on my boat today.

I bought a brand new yamaha outboard about a month ago and it has been in the water for about a month at the marina and on a mooring.

Today i thought i better make a stand for it to keep it out of the water.

Stand made, took outboard out, cleaned it, fresh water flush, scraped all the tiny white barnacles off and the slime and noticed this giant barnacle at the base of the outboard.

Tried prying it off with a screw driver, wouldnt budge. Seemed it had eaten its way into this bolt. So uncrewed the bolt and off came the barnacle. Noticed it had a shiny aluminium like back then realised it wasnt a barnacle but a corroded part.

After half hour of googling discovered it was the sacrificial anode and its supposed to corrode :P

So need a new one of those as i damaged it with the screwdriver.

The way it corroded and pitted and had slime on it made it look like a barnacle lol

HaHa, Add that to the list "Been There, Done That !"

Haven't been here for a while and just found this thread and couldn't resist.

Took the boat out on Sunday for the first time in a while for the local yacht club race. Flew the kite for first time in about 7 or 8 months all worked brilliantly. Achieved the never before (and probably never again) feat of line honours!! Ok, ok so it was largely a non-spinnaker fleet with only 2-3 in the spinnaker division but line honours is line honours.

Top day.

Went to inspect a Hood 23 that was offered on this site. A little bit of work to do, couldnt pass it up. A $50 later and im the proud owner. A very BIG THANK YOU to Kevin and fellow owners... and now i need a mooring.

Select to expand quote

spongeblob said..

Went to inspect a Hood 23 that was offered on this site. A little bit of work to do, couldnt pass it up. A $50 later and im the proud owner. A very BIG THANK YOU to Kevin and fellow owners... and now i need a mooring.

Read an article in one of the recent sailing mags about an old acquaintance from Metung and his buddy who rebuilt a couple of Hood 23's from the water up, trailed them to Sydney and took out honours in the Aust champs. There seems to be life in the Hood 23.

Select to expand quote

spongeblob said..
Went to inspect a Hood 23 that was offered on this site. A little bit of work to do, couldnt pass it up. A $50 later and im the proud owner. A very BIG THANK YOU to Kevin and fellow owners... and now i need a mooring.

Good one sponge! Pictures or it did not happened!

The Hoods seem to be a good old boat. The Holdens of Sydney Harbour ....Took a couple of photos, will post tomorrow. (need a driver for the PC)

Today I was going to instal the new lifelines.

Too bloody cold and too bloody wet !