When sailing is not up, there is always something to do...

I have tried to go sailing this weekend, but it didn't work out, as planned. The bottom was dirty, due to two week's no scrubbing. So I did that early, on Saturday. But then the crew bailed out. Happens. And then the engine wouldn't work. As usual... I need my electric engine to go as I please. 

So I got time to tick off a few pending tasks. Not many,.... but the thing is not to let things slip out of sight, and of mind. As long as you keep doing things, and keeping the boat in good shape, it is all good. It's not like the list is ever going to end... It won't. Only when the boat is gone. And we don't want that,do we?

 

Engine Maintenance and Sailing again

My electric outboard is in maintenance. Thus, a borrowed 5hp Mercury two-stroke engine is doing the pushing job, in case the wind fails. However, we first had to get the engine started. With our bundled expertise we disassembled and cleaned the carburetor three times, until we had it running. And once it was, we had to keep it running. Thus, we let go the mooring lines, and went for a short spin on the bay. We also got the sails up. But conditions were very feeble, and so we only drifted along slowly, against the tide.  

I really enjoyed and appreciated the hands-on introduction to outboard maintenance. My friend Ashton generously offered tools for the job, and ended staying to do the job with me. Later Marcilio joined us, with adding some more experience with engines, since he has an own fishing boat. But it took Rogerio to disassemble the whole lot again, and then finally making it run.

As all others I was grateful for the wide open, and stable, deck-space for working on the engine. It really made a difference to have even space to move around.

Maintenance 2021

To-Do Lists for boats are never ending. It is a ongoing exercise. I often ask myself whether I should leave the done tasks inside. I like to see some green boxes. It does give some satisfaction. However, in case they are not recurrent tasks, they should be removed after a while.   

Forestay changed and improved

A task which had a long time standing on the maintenance and improvement list can now, finally, be checkmarked. I have changed the forestay. the previous forestay was too short, having the friction ring to give the rig tension and adjustment, was at 150cm height. Of course hindering the hank-on foresail to go down to the deck. Now the lenght is adjusted and the friction ring is on deck level.

 

Billy Idol

Still not sailing

Yes, yes... everybody is getting tired of seeing Arpex sitting on it's mooring. Including myself. However, I took Arpex out of the water end of last year for a refurbishing, and I deliberately took it back to the mooring knowing that the job list of things that needed to be done had not been completed. ... As if it ever will be. ... I decided to finish some tasks while the boat is on the mooring, knowing that it would possibly take a bit longer that way. First because it would be me doing it, with limited available time, and second because somethings are more difficult to do while on the water, without access to shore power, for example. Well, I don't mind. Time spent on the boat, on the water is always a good time. Be it sailing or working on the boat. Now I still need to exchange the front stay, and the fixing and tensioning of shrouds. I also plan to check the sails, give them some maintenance. The engine also needs some maintenance. And for that it needs to be sent to Sao Paulo... With the pandemic going on, not such an easy task. But I will do it eventually.

Space Disco

... Some more pictures

 

Arpex is back.

 

Sideways

 Interesting how perspective works, and lens distortion.

Arpex arriving back at the Sugar Loaf

Bringing Arpex back from the dry dock in Ramos involved motoring around 9 miles against a stiff breeze and a nasty, short chop. I had a borrowed 5hp engine, which pushed me along at 3 knots, without stressing it too much. In flat water it can push Arpex at 6 knots.

It was a lovely sight to see the "Crioula", a Soto 40, training for the Circuito Rio. 

Arpex is back!

After an extensive refit, Arpex is in good shape back on its good mooring.

 

Before and After

It is lovely to see Arpex coming back to a good state of upkeep. Considering the very modest maintenance effort that the boat requires, and has received in the last five years, it even fared well. Afterall, Arpex was left in the water for 5 years and a half. Considerably little had to be done, except for all the priming and painting.

Getting ready for re-launch

Arpex is finally getting ready for re-launch. Looking nice and shiny. Even the inside floorboards have been sanded and coated. 

 

Finishing touches

Still working on the assembly and a solution for the netting. Also some wooden details will get coated next week. This wasn't planed. But a problem with the bottom coat, due to an untimely rain-shower, means that we will have to be on the dry for one more week.

The wooden deck has been disassembled in order to be sanded and to put some coating on the under-carriage.

Unlucky

I am not being very luck with my bottom paint. In general, not only this time. first time, priming mistakes led to the coppercoat falling off. Now I first didn't have enough, despite I had the same quantity as on the first coating. And now a unforseen rainshower... washed it down.

 

Deck painted new

So... now the deck is painted anew. The ant-skid has actually been painted in a sand, cream color, instead of plain white. As original. I find that more pleasing than the plain white color, and light gleaming deck. It is more work, for sure, but well worth it.  

Also the central platform has been painted. Now the main support beams between the hulls have also been primed and painted white. some weak spots in the central platform's wood have been repaired. te engine support pod has been modified, to reduce its draft, and has been coated and painted. 

Paint it Red

Work is ongoing on Arpex. Max, Buchecha, and boys have sanded, primed, painted, and several small repairs have been done. Topsides shine in vibrant red color, and the bottom is covered in CopperCoat. I have painted the Copper protection well above the actual waterline, covering the "wavelet line", thus giving better protection.

The Coppercoat which shines in a lovely color, will later become dark, black with a green tint. We will see how that suits Arpex. I found that preferable to having a waterline painted in different color, above the bottom anti-foul. Before I had a dark green waterline painted.

The rudder has been correctly positioned. It was sticking out about 2cm since the last repair on the rudder.

Also the central platform has been disassembled. Some repairs have been done to the bottom, which had some bad spots. The support beams have all been primed and painted in white now. 

The bowsprit has been sanded, primed and painted. For all the priming job we have used EPA, epoxi prime, and another layer of Galverete on the bottom, to obtain a smoother result.