Vacationer Maintenance

[Konrad]

As stated in my previous post, the Vacay is in need of some attention.  Not a lot, but some.

After years in dry storage, I feel that I'm on the cusp of that threshold where you either get on the maintenance in a serious way, or you let the boat go and it slowly degrades. 

I'm choosing to not let the boat go.

Saturday morning I got on top of the areas where the glass has separated.  This is primarily at the bow, on the underside of the sprit.  Also found one spot at the top of the transom, a few inches long.  It's not anything wrong with the construction or the design.  Wood just moves over the years sometimes, and that's what this is.  So I used the random orbit sander with 80 grit and brought some places down to bare wood. 

I also attacked a handful of those nagging little spots that you never quite got as good as you wanted when you first built the boat.  Little craftsmanship things that only you, the builder, see.  But they bug you.  So that was Saturday.  Today (Sunday) I mixed up some west systems and thickened it with silica and used auto body squeegees to fair the repaired areas.  I'm only focusing on the outside hull for now.  There are some areas in the cockpit that also need some attention, but I'm saving that for cooler weather.

I should probably take some before and after photos, because I have a few quarts of Interlux on the way from Jamestown, and it'll be covered up by the end of this week.  Also going to pick up some wood flour in Omaha tomorrow when I'm passing through for work, to fill some gaps in some brightwork.  Small gaps have appeared, about 1/16". 

I absolutely must get a good quality tarp this week.

More soon.

[Frank Hagan]

Wood flour ... I found that maple wood flour mixes up to a dark, walnut color, while pine wood flour is a "honey oak" color.  A lot of color variation there.

Maintenance is never quite as exciting as a new build, but sailing is still sailing, and how you get from standing in the garage and looking at the boat to sitting in the cockpit is with maintenance!

[Konrad]

Here are some photos.

Now before you wince and turn away, understand a few things...

1.  The boat is 9 years old, and has been rode hard and put away wet more than once.  (remember, this was before kids, back when we could drink and be really nuts) 

2.  The boat needed some maintenance even before I put it in dry storage 3 years ago.

3.  Three years of bing out-of-sight, out-of-mind made things worse.

But I'm putting these up because it makes me feel "accountable" to set things right. 

Essentially I'm facing three categories:  Checking where I originally ran out of fiberglass.  Wood movement over time.  And craftsmanship issues from the original construction.

It's a motivator so that I can show you "after" photos soon.

[Craig]

The Saralee has sat outside under a tarp for 8 years now and I have had some of these same problems over the years.  The shear rails are a never ending delamination. The dryness here has accelerated some of the delamination on the decks as the wood is moving under the glass and breaking the bonds along lines of weakness or poor technique. (glass sanded too thin).  The little bulk works are beginning to check pretty badly and are split at a couple scupper holes.  As some know the keel is completely gone from the foundering at Roosevelt.  I can see by the number and places of failed surface integrity that her days are numbered due to water intrusion. She already has a new stem and a large portion of fore deck replaced due to rot.  I am approaching the point where a new build is the better choice.  She should have one more go round in her though.  Good luck with the rebuild.  She doesn

[Konrad]

I could get it whipped into shape in no time if one of you's would watch the squids for me once in a while...

;D

[adla]

Konrad - 

It doesn't look too bad really...it is a wooden boat. Morgaine is in a constant state of disrepair. I think it helps to show pictures of what kinds of things people can expect after 9 years. These boats require quite a bit of maintenance especially if you use them a lot or even let them sit. Or worse you build fast just to get on the water....but that is the best part really. 

It is funny that you call the kids "squids" - my older brother calls me and my sister that as a rule. We've always been squids to him...whatever that means  ;D

Your Vacationer is like a fixture in my gallery of Stevenson boats...

Craig - I can't help but think about how Morgaine came down so hard on your rubrail she cracked it...sorry about that. I agree with you though...Saralee has a lot of life left in her. She is worth the repair.

a.

[Konrad]

Thanks, Adla, that's a nice thing for you to say about my boat.

Update: 

1.  I got a decent tarp fabricated out of two (since you can't really buy ONE that fits a Vacationer respectably).  No more rainwater in the sole, and no more morning dew all over the boat.

2.  I have completed applying slightly-thickened epoxy to all outer areas that needed attention.

3.  Tonight I sanded all starboard side epoxy repair areas with 180 on the r.o. sander.

This weekend I'll get the port side and transom repair areas sanded.

Then I'll get serious about the cabin and cockpit repair areas, including brightwork.

Honestly, it's all going quite well and not taking as much time and effort as I'd feared it might.

Having sub-90 deg weather sure helps, which is a rare August here in flyover country.

Between two quarts of Interlux, 10-mil tarps, and miscellaneous odds and ends like boxes of sanding disks and masks and such, I'm into it for about $130.00.

I may have some "after" photos in another week. 

That would be nice. 

[Konrad]

TIME FOR A PROGRESS PHOTO, YAY..!!

Ok, here's what I'm showing you...  I took this image this evening (Tues).  This is the starboard side rubrail, about midway back in the cockpit side, looking towards the bow.  These 1/16" gaps have developed radomly here and there along the top edge of the boat.  So I've been applying west systems epoxy thickened with colloidal silica.  It's hard to really see what I'm pointing out, but the gaps were unsightly and now it's filled and as smooth as my 3 yr old's butt. 

Tonight I completed sanding down the epoxy so that it's smooth and flush and ready for re-staining and varnish.  In a few days I'll take the tarp off again and sand down the port side.  (Epoxy is done on that side too)