“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
Quote: Kenneth Grahame‘s classic The Wind in the Willows
It seems I never learn or grow up. We just bought ourselves a new, 40 year old sailboat. Fourty years, many previous owners, and no current boat registration. The first thing to do was a rough assessment of what needs to be fixed and to prioritize the works.
It appears that some superficial maintainance work has been done regularly. Many wooden parts have been painted gray. But it also appears as if not much was done recently on addressing some of the structural problems.
Leaks
When visiting the boat the second time I came early and the caretaker did not have time to clean it up before I came. Entering it was a bit of a shock. The inside was very humid, smelled mouldy and everything looked rotten. It was typhoon season, it had just rained for a week and there were three very obvious places from where water leaks into the cabin:
- The mast boot
- The starboard foresail traveler
- The main sail traveler
- The port traveller seems OK but supposedly some water occasionally leaks in there too.
Update: During the first work visit we identified more leaks: The seals for the windows are partially also broken.
Fixing these leaks is first priority. As long as there is water entering the cabins it does not make sense to do any work inside.
Action: See Page Fixing Leaks
Deck
Lots of things to do here, mostly lower priority items.
- Many places need some paint
- Drainage holes are clogged
- The swimming ladder is detached
- The guard rail wires need some attention, crimping…
- Hatches: One fans is broken, some hatches might need sealing.
- The Whale Gusher manual bilge pump is broken. There is a spare part kit but it is not complete. The pump casing is also pretty much corroded.
See the page Deckworks
Electrical System
The motor circuit seems to be reasonably OK and working. But – the house electric system is totally rotten. The reasons are obviously age, many additions done by the previous owners not always following best practices, and the water intrusion mentioned above.
I have not yet decided to what extend to rip it out and replace. it. It needs testing of the components and the cables (insulation, resistance, visual inspection).
Update: October 15: I have decided to totally rebuilt it. The old system is just garbage.
Action: See Page Boat Electrics Again.. D’oh!
Instrument panels in the cockpit
The original instruments are cannot be used anymore. Currently there are just some big holes where the instruments used to be.
After tested all instruments at home: Most don’t even turn on. The depth gauge and log turn on, but the display is almost not readable anymore. Too long exposure to sunlight.
Update: October 28. Found the old chart plotter in the forward cabin stored under other trash. The screen is totally black and contacts corroded. Trash,..
Action: See Page Boat Electrics Again.. D’oh!
Anchor winch
The anchor winch is currently not working. An essential item. First priority.
The motor was removed and is inside the cabin. The good news, it is running when connected to the battery directly. So it is either the cables or the remote that is in the forward cabin.
See page: Deckworks, Section Windlass
Rig
The running rig needs immediate attention. Several ropes and blocks need to be replaced urgently.
See page Running Rig.
The standing rig seems to be OK.
See page: Standing Rig
Saloon
The saloon has been altered. In the original design there were two raised beds behind the seats. Parts of the raised platforms have been removed, maybe to allow for sail storage if the priority of the previous owners was on racing, not cruising.
Lots of work to be done here. Floor boards rotten at the companion way and at the mast base (because of water leaking through the mast shoe). There is also water leaking at the starboard traveller and at the main sheet traveller. So the boat is very wet inside and smells moldy. See Leaks above. (How can one not fix that urgently?)
The bilge pump is currently not connected. The pump works but the automatic switch does not. There is another used pump in the spare parts and a separate water switch. These need to be tested.
The refrigerator supposedly works but I could not test it yet because the switchboard and the cables are totally rotten.
Action: See Page Home work
Head
The head (bathroom for non sailers) is between the saloon and the forward cabin, There is a door towards the saloon, but non towards the cabin.
The toilet (with electric drain) is broken. Water does not flow. Needs total renovation.
The sink is a mess. According to the manufacturers advertisement it is a molded sink, so supposedly made from fiberglass also. What is in there now is a kitchen grade stainless steel sink, corroded, and the drainage hose broke off when I touched it. Comment of the boat caretaker: “Bought on Lazada.”
The fresh water pump was not running, even when connected directly to the battery.
Plan: Rip out the electrical stuff and the toilet and fit a toilet with manual pump. Probably also have to replace the sink and faucet.
See Page: The Head
Forward cabin
The forward cabin is quite small. It only has sleeping space for one person. There is not much in it so not too many things to check, but it has storage under the bunk and the remote for the windlass is placed here. So when anchoring the forward cabin hatch needs to be opened to pass through the remote control, which is on a long cable.
The forward cabin has an interesting paneling made of wood strips. But maybe a thinner material and white color will make it appear a bit bigger?
October 15: Water standing under the floorboard.
.
Aft cabin
Leak through the traveller. Panels quite rotten. Generally needs cleaning up, repainting. After cables running through the cabin are sorted out.
Motor compartment
This does not look too bad, I save the thorough inspection for later. A new motor was installed in 2008. However, the anodes need to be replaced urgently. For that the boat needs to get out of the water ASAP.
See Page: The Motor
Tender
There is no tender. There is a 16hp Yamaha Enduro outboard motor.
Safety Equipment
Life Jackets
I was very happy when I found three inflatable life jackets on board, after giving all our four old life jackets from Magayon II to her new owners. Unfortunately they were totally rotten, the CO2 cartidge corroded and the plastic dissolving. Out of curiosity I pulled the string that manually inflates the live jacket, it still worked with a bang, but I found myself covered in a cloud of yellow dust. The yellow plastic of the floatation bubble inside had totally dissolved. One of the jackets had Jan-2011 written inside, I guess that means it was tested the last time 14 years ago.
So we need to get some new ones.
Update, October 17. Found a fourth inflatable life jacket in the forward cabin in the lowest compartment. There was also water standing below the floor board in that cabin. The life jacket looked as rotten as the previous three ones. Last service was in 2001. To test it I attached it to a rope and threw it in the water – nothing happened. After retrieving the jacket and opening it – the CO2 tank was totally corroded and the jacket rotten.
Initial Action: Borrow some life jackets from Costa Rica for the 2025 All Souls Regatta. Order now ones in Germany, M. to bring.
Manual bilge pump
The pump has many defects. There is a spare part kit on board but that only contains the diaphragm and the rubbers for the valve.
Joel removed the pump and I took it to Subic for a further assessment.
So basically I have the rubber spare parts (diaphragm and valves) but not the broken bolt. Not sure whether I can get that as a spare parts. Maybe defusing the part and welding a bolt onto it could be an option.