Arpex Maintenance Log July 2018

I am organizing my work tasks on Arpex, including improvements and corrective and preventive maintenance. I plan to make regular reports on this, in order to make it more visible for myself. And I am happy to share it with others, who might take an interest in how much work a self build wooden boat requires to keep it going along time.

Bumpy Ride

Short Afternoon Sail

After discussing the trampolins and a potential light weight foresail with my sailmaker, I decided to go out for a short sail. The bottom was a bit fouled and the wind light. So,... the sailing was so, so... but it is ever worth it anyhow. The video brings a compilation f the images of the day.

Maintenance tasks

On the past Saturday I managed to work on several different items of my new maintenance To Do List. 

The new little table has been cut, coated and installed. And it proves to be really comfortable to use. A good addition.

I also cleaned and laminated the open gash, which had been caused by an unidentified collision on the stern of the ama.

I really enjoy any day on the boat. Be it sailing, or be it working hard to improve the useability and safety of the boat. So,... please forgive my repetitive posting of different views.

Trampolin or deck nettings

I have been tinkering around the trampolines which I want to have installed on the bow and stern sections of the deck. Considerable effort has gone into making a test, a template, with a cheap fabric. It was a good idea, since while doing the test, I realised that any efforts to design and build an included section of the tramplin which should harbor the anchor, chain and rode, are quite wasted.

What happened during the test, was that I realised, that in at least 80% of outings, I never use the anchor. I also realised that the closer to the main hull and center point of the boat the weight of the anchor tackle is located, the better for sailing performance and maneuverability.

So, while I saw the anchor there, I thought "why don't I keep it inside the cabin?" Afterall, when stored under the main cabin sole, it will be readily at hand, in the blink of an eye. It would be safe there, and ideally located. And if I need to use it, I can deploy it at the stern of at the bow in equal agility.

So instead of producing a trampoline with more complex structure, I will produce a simple and handy bag, in which to keep the anchor tackle. It will be ready to place on the tramp, or under the cabin sole.

Developments

Recently, I have posted my thoughts about a review of Arpex'es performance, as experienced in the last 4 years of use. The thoughts around that, have made me take joy in the prospects of several little development ideas, which will bring Arpex to develop more of its potential, and actually implement ideas which are part of the concept from the beginning.

The development projects can be listed as follows:

1 - Sailing Performance
   - Optimize tack point for jib sheet
   - Purchase Large Code-0 type sail
   - Adjust length of reefing lines
   - Implement in-haul for jib sheet
   - Add more cleats to deck (for spinnaker halyard and "amantilho")
   - Adjust height of boom

2 - Creature Comforts and Liveability
   - Check electrical wiring and reestablish all functions
   - Reinstall stern bilge pump
   - Install new kitchen table
   - Purchase camping cooker (gas)
   - Improve grill arrangement
   - Purchase cutlery
   - Improve general organization (introduce nets and cupboards and tupperware containers
   - Create cupboards and nets for organized storage
   - Select required tools and determine fixed locations for them (marked on bulkhead)
   - Finish bed extension structure for double bunk capability
   - Finish templates/tests for trampolines (bow)
   - Finish templates/tests for trampolines (stern)
   - Purchase trampolines
   - Develop deck tend
   - Purchase foldable deck table

3 - Maintenance 
   - Corrective
      - Recoat engine sledge
      - Recoat wooden deck fittings
      - Replace boom-wang rope
      - Install guardrail for dingy
      - Repair backside of main entrance hatch
      - Sand and paint boat bottom with antifouling
      - Repair paintjob
   - and Preventive
      - Develop maintenance checklists, calendar and cost log (routine)
      - Develop Boat-Log for regular performance records and KPIs
      - Develop regular reports

Improvements to Arpex

 After well using Arpex, and discovering its lovely characteristics, I am giving some attention to improvements. These have been actually planned since the beginning. But,... you know, I was eager to get sailing, and decided, that the finer adjustments to liveability and usability cou follow at a later stage. Also, decisions regarding the investment in time and money, would be equipped with better knowledge from actual use.

This strategy has paid out, in my eyes, at least. Arpex is all I ever thought it would be. And it can be much more.

Improving cabin comfort and organization can now be put in practice. Arpex should offer modest camping overnight comforts.Part of that is a small area, where to develop food and beverage. This is what I am producing now.

The anchor will be mounted on a short, almost mid boat mounted bowsprit,.... the chain and rode will be now placed more centrally, and close to the main hull. This will have positive impact on maneuverability and general performance. The use of the anchor will also be facilitated. But,... frankly,... and just between you and me,... Due to the rare use of the anchor, I am considering to  store the anchor inside the cabin. The weight could be placed ideally. Access would still be quick and unobstructed. I could launch it quickly in any direction. Well,... I will see. Important, is that the to be built trampolin will prove a great addition. I have sewed together a real life template, and testing model, using a cheap fabric.

Maintenance day

 Yesterday Arpex had a maintenance day.

First the mooring needed to be checked and the mooring buoy needed to be replaced. The diver, Marivaldo, checked the chain, bridles and the rope, and cleaned off all the barnacles. The rope felt really as if it was way too short. But it turned out, that the heavy barnacle grows was just weighting down on it. So, once all cleaned, and new buoy installed, the arrangement was ok again. Actually the new buoy works much better than the old one, and mooring will become easier now.

I started work producing a template for the netting. And also to try out the arrangement for the new anchor position. But besides this, also another few jobs are stacking up, so that the to do list is becoming longer and longer. Let's take a look:

Preliminary To Do List:
- Repair navigation light and top light
- Repair rear bilge pump
- Shorten reefing lines
- Exchange boom-wang rope
- Sand and recoat wooden external parts
- Sand and recoat outboard support
- Finish and paint the new anchor support
- Paint entrance step
- Sand and repaint seat locker hatch
- Repair backside of entrance hatch
- Install bunk grating support
- Develop and produce portable-cooker support

Dingy:

Time for a review

It has been a while since I have plans for producing a review of Arpex'es use, performance, wear and tear, and document it on video. I will start doing this in the next few weeks. Ideally I would also have finished the production of the trampolins, and new position for the anchor by then.

Yesterday I managed to advance on the production of a template for the tramp for the smaller part. I am still looking into producing the larger portion. 

I actually need to produce a to do list....