Like most writers, I make notes of ideas and thoughts that occur to me that I want to eventually share with readers.
A half-dozen epiphanies or astute observations on a particular subject provide the core for an article on that subject.
But sometimes good ideas are orphans. This often seems like a wasted resource to me, so I thought that this month I would just do what will have the appearance of an advice column, weighing in on a number of subjects. The objective, as with all of my columns, is to help you increase the ratio of pleasure to dollars spent.
Learn the habit of lists Since this column was spawned by a list, let’s start there. I cannot conceive of maintaining or upgrading a sailboat without a written “roadmap." I keep a notebook handy, and every time I think of some improvement I may want to make or some maintenance item I have forgotten, I list it in the notebook. This is my
master list. From it I make up a
priority list, so that I deal with a broken strand on a shroud before I start making a set of signal flags.
On days I will be working on the boat, I do a daily list, which helps me get to the boat with the necessary tools and supplies. I also keep a running shopping list, noting items I need to buy when I think of them. The organization lists bring to your project will save you time and money.
More old boats die from deck problems than any other reason This is a subject that merits an entire article, but the essence of such an article can be distilled down to a couple of sentences. Deck delamination is epidemic among aging boats and it is due entirely to negligence.A weekend of work sealing core exposed by hardware-mounting holes and making sure that all deck hardware is properly bedded essentially vaccinates your deck against this expensive problem.
Nonskid overlay simplifies deck repair If the sealing/bedding advice comes too late for your boat and you are faced with repairing significant deck delamination, a rubberized nonskid overlay makes the repair much easier, and you get better footing in the bargain. Excellent nonskid overlays are available from
Treadmaster and Vetus. Bonded with epoxy they become part of the deck, and they can hide the most gruesome scars of deck surgery.
Make fiberglass repairs with epoxy Speaking of epoxy, unless you have a more compelling reason for using polyester resin than its cheaper price, use epoxy resin for all of your fiberglass repairs. Epoxy provides a much better secondary bond than polyester, and repair work is all about secondary bond.
Bedded hardware should sit on a gasket of sealant The most common bedding error sailors make is fully tightening the fasteners while the sealant is soft. This squeezes out all of the sealant, leaving a dry joint that will soon leak. The correct way to bed hardware is to assemble the parts and “snug” the fasteners enough to squeeze a bead of sealant out all the way around, then
wait. Give the sealant time to partially cure—around 30 minutes for silicone, 24 hours for polysulfide or polyurethane—and then fully tighten the fasteners. For bolted-on hardware, turn only the nuts to prevent breaking the seal around the shank of the bolt. If the fitting is attached with screws, withdraw them one at a time and ring each with sealant. Reinstall the screws and drive them home evenly. Tightening fasteners
after the sealant cures puts it under compression, greatly extending the life of the seal.
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| "A good practice is to run supply wiring a size larger than the wiring table suggests." |
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Don’t skimp on wiring Rare is the sailor that does not periodically yield to the temptation to add a fan, install a better light, or put a new electronic toy aboard. Wiring sized for one whizmo will be too small for two whizmos. A good practice is to run supply wiring a size larger than the wiring table suggests. That allows you to later connect new appliances with just a terminal strip rather than snaking wire back to the main panel.
Use Type 316 or better rigging wire This tip is particularly important for those boats being outfitted for warm-climate cruising. Type 304 stainless steel wire dies an early and sometimes catastrophic death in the tropics.
Use swaged rigging terminals only at the top It is true that swaged rigging terminals are cheaper than mechanical rigging terminals, and when they are installed properly, they can outlast the wire. But swaged terminals at the lower end of stays and shrouds catch moisture, which inevitably starts corrosion percolating. Rust “grows” inside the fitting, cracking it like a tree root cracks a sidewalk. The fitting loses its grip and shroud failure is the result. Mechanical terminals are more trustworthy at the bottom. At the top, the choice is yours.
Never assemble mechanical rigging terminals dry Stainless threaded into stainless, especially in large thread sizes, will gall if it is not lubricated. That is why stainless steel turnbuckles typically have bronze bodies. Mechanical wire terminals are stainless on stainless, so always,
always lubricate the threads before you assemble the two halves, even when you are just tightening the terminal to form the wire. Use red Loctite to both lubricate and lock the assembly.
When repowering, install a new propeller shaft Your new engine will almost certainly be shorter than the old one. If you attach it to the old shaft, it sits in the back part of the engine compartment. Including a new shaft in the installation allows you to position the new engine as far forward as possible.
You will be rewarded with having moved weight away from the stern, which should improve the motion of the boat in a seaway, and the stuffing box will be more accessible for servicing.
The tank material of choice today is plastic Plastic tanks don’t corrode, they are not attacked by chlorine or other chemicals, and they do not impart a taste to drinking water. If you are replacing or adding tanks, choose plastic if you can, particularly for water and waste, but even for fuel. When selecting a plastic tank, thicker is better.
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| "When used on fiberglass, moisture meters read only the moisture content of the surface." |
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Do not apply a barrier coat based solely on high moisture meter readings Moisture meters are designed to read the moisture content of wood. When used on fiberglass, they read only the moisture content of the surface. Unless the bottom paint has been removed at the test spot, the meter is telling you more about the moisture content of the paint than the hull. Meters tell you little if anything about the interior of the laminate.
Paint resin and fiberglass resin or chemically similar Remember this when you think about using a chemical stripper to remove paint from gelcoat. Even the so-called gelcoat-safe strippers I have used attacked the gelcoat when left on too long.
Be very very careful about reconstructing interior space I’ve been on enough boats to conclude that often what seems like a good idea in one’s head turns out to be a terrible idea when it is implemented. Make layout changes cautiously. If you are determined to make wholesale changes, pay particular attention to the kinetic requirements for standing, sitting, and sleeping. A single inch can make the difference between comfort and misery.
Every sailor should own a sewing machine A decent sewing machine and willingness to give canvaswork a try can save most sailors an enormous amount of money. Besides, canvaswork also happens to be fun, once you get the hang of it—unlike, say, grinding fiberglass or sanding bottom paint.
Think inclusion If cruising is your dream and you want someone to sail with you, include that person early. Decisions about winch power, compass location, galley layout, and interior decor, naming just some that come immediately to mind, require input from everyone you expect to live with these choices.
Keep it simple The unavoidable impression one gets from many of the articles and most of the advertisements found in boating publications is that to extract the most enjoyment from your time on the water, you need a feathering propeller, a watermaker, or the latest electronic wizardry. Ironically, the fun of sailing can be masked or even lost altogether in the pursuit of these items, or in the discontent their absence evokes, or in the maintenance they require. On the water, simpler is better.
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