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Feels like my boat is a meteorite breaking up on re-entry

9K views 67 replies 20 participants last post by  Guyfromthenorth 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm exhausted and never thought I'd say this but godamn I'm close to just calling it. We are close to 6000nm into the trip and running out of time and money. Yes boats are expensive and yes they need constant repairs but good God mine is hitting my breaking point. I feel like every mile we've logged cost a repair and cash. The logistics of finding parts, of figuring out repairs, of doing them (I've done every repair except the actual CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW RUDDER) has almost broken me at this point. The virus that shall not be named has not made this easier. Now I'm trapped in a marina only 500nm from home with deadlines for work and winter closing in tightly and I'm arranging i believe the 7th haulout now to epoxy form a new rudder bearing. I had to move closer to the lift dock as winds will be gusting 25kt tomorrow making leaving the slip near impossible and when i landed at the fuel dock the kids there didn't grab the lines and cleat them other than a single loop causing the wind to push my bow in. I'm yelling at them and my crew to stop it while I literally lept from the helm as i saw everyone just stare at what was going on and bang there goes my bow in-between two pilings into the iron frame edge smasbing a quarter sized area of gel coat out. That just felt like the final straw. It was the most avoidable slow motion crash of all time. I'm tired frustrated and PO'd I guess. How do you live aboards deal with ABOVER AVERAGE repair years? Honestly without exaggerating I've been fixing things on the daily since April. I can't even remember them all but here's a list I have off the cuff and this doesn't include upgrades this is just repairs:

Engine
-fresh water pump
-raw water pump rebuild
-2 water pump belts
-2 alternator belts
-4 fuel washers
-2 alternators
-rewired alternator output cable
-2 raw water impellers and gaskets
-4 engine mounts
-ignition switch
-coolant sensor
-stuffing box and packing
-cutless bearing
-3 prop shaft anodes
-fuel lift pump
-6 crush washers
-valve clearances
-damper plate
-transmission rebuild
-engine alignments (10+)
-tach sensor


Hull
-epoxy kit and glass for minor dings
-anti foul paint
-ENTIRELY NEW RUDDER
-pulled new rudder to adjust washer day after replacing it
-resealed all 4 long port lights
-resealed all opening portlights
-rebedded mast step
-rebedded mast electrical sockets
-rebedded solar vent
-replumbed and wired entirely new auto bilge pump system
-rebedded port side chain plate
-upper rudder bushing replacement
-lower rudder bushing replacement

Rig/Sails
-stitched leech on genny 2x
-stitched luff on genny
-replaced reef tie down line
-new split backstay and turnbuckles

Other
-stove fuel can repairs due to corrosion
-dinghy outboard carb rebuilt 6x
-dinghy outboard replaced
-2x seats rebuild dinghy
-rear and front dinghy entire seat replacement
-new binnacle compass
-stitched entire enclosure/bimini/dodger as seams blew
-rewired entire main panel and runs
-rewired entire solar array
-rewired entire nav station panel
-replumbed entire head and holding tank
 
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#6 ·
Well if I could have predicted what would break I'd be a millionaire, at which point I would have just bought a brand new off the line boat and just complained to the warranty dept.

Edit: I'm not getting sucked into this line of commenting. I said my piece. I'm in my position. This is just the non bikini and mojito side of living aboard.
 
#5 ·
Why not list the upgrades too. Many of them were to fix broken stuff anyways and were work in themselves. Not bragging about doing all this work but anyone thinking of shoving off should know how much may vanish from your budget room.

Upgrade/New
-Ev100 autopilot
-navionics and tablet
-aquamaps and digital explorer charts
-3x 12v fans
-engel freezer
-Pur water filter galley sink
-2x 100w flexible solar new
-1x 100w flexible solar panel replaced
-new solar controller
-2 tarps
-HD sewing maching
-2x group 27 batteries
-handelheld radio
-25ft extra chain rode
-120ft heavy nylon braid rode
-septic pump
-septic tank monitor
-battery monitor
-shore power battery charger
-5x 12v sockets (cigarette lighter style)
-2x wireless charger cradle
-LED lights inside and out
-ssb receiver
-wired new fuse block and switches
-1000w inverter
-ice box foam
-6x 5.3gal diesel jugs
-1x 2gal gas jug
-4x 7gal water jugs
-handlines and lures
-spear
-flush solar connectors
-solar breaker
-inverter remote switch relay
-assym spin
-120v AC (while waiting on rudder)
 
#8 ·
Just out of curiosity, how long have you owned the boat? Are you new to boating? How much of the repeat work (dinghy outboard carb rebuilt 6x) was done by you and how much by "professionals"? What are you trying to accomplish in a year? Trying to help figure out the why's of it, not criticize.
 
#9 ·
Not new to boating and I worked as an aircraft mechanic in a previous career. The dinghy outboard was repeated carb issues. It was the 1st generation honda 2hp and they are known to be a POS. It didn't start to fully fail until the bahamas where I couldn't get a replacement and therefore was kept on life support until we returned to the US. The year was just bahamas and back. It just seems like everything is falling apart by the day since the return started. Pretty exhausted at this point. Other than multiple engine alignments (fault of failing mounts) not much was a repeat fix because I "fudged it". The joke (which became unfunny months ago now) was discussing what broke today and debating on NOT fixing it because once fixed something new would break in its place. I just fixed my alignment after striking a submerged stick on the erie canal with the prop and not 2 days later blew the lowe ruddee bushing for example of the jinxes going on. No the stick did not hit the rudder.
 
#10 ·
Brutal. I think all of us have been there at one point or another. If it's boring you, consider calling it. If it's upsetting you, wait until you have a good day and reassess. Never leave the trail on a bad day, or you may regret it. If you still want to leave it on a good day, you probably won't regret it.

On the other hand, some boats are lemons. Hoping it's just a phase.
 
#11 ·
Thanks Minne. I appreciate that. It's been hard lately. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything but it just feels like every mile I close to home bigger and bigger things breaks. It's like I'm not meant to make it. I'll see how pulling my rudder (solo due to quarantine) goes and fixing the lower bushing. Firefly will most definitely sink if i don't fix it. Even at the fuel dock I can see the GRP rudder tube flexing with the light chop. I'd love to go back to just worrying about storm tactics and navigating and less "wtf is that disastrous clunking sound today".
 
#12 ·
I have a sense of your pain Guy from the North. I had a mini "Guy from the North day" a few years back. It was time to change the impeller, had the spare. I did that, Next day engine would not start, starter motor would not turn. After a half day traced it to a fuse clip buried in the wiring harness next to the transmission. Replaced the 25 cent fuse clip with a 5 dollar fuse holder. Engine started. Next day the return battery cable connected to the engine broke. They say cruising is fixing your boat in erotic (or is it exotic) places?
 
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#13 ·
Don’t give up. Things run In cycles. Undertaking 6,000 nm is far more, probably double what any of the cruisers on this forum travel in a year so I wouldn’t compare, plus theirs in their house. Houses cost money.

I admire what you’ve done and followed you the whole way. You give hope to those who have smaller boats and older boats and don’t have big bucks to throw at this. You have learned many new skills as well as seeing the world in a different way than most can explain.

any peoples Monday morning criticisms should be taken that way. I’m sure you are your worst critic and don’t need others.

look what you’ve done, it’s quite an accomplishment. An experience not defined in its expense. You will recover financially. Your sailing may be a little different, but don’t give up the ship

BRAVO to you quite a feat.
 
#14 ·
Don't give up. Things run In cycles. Undertaking 6,000 nm is far more, probably double what any of the cruisers on this forum travel in a year so I wouldn't compare, plus theirs in their house. Houses cost money.

I admire what you've done and followed you the whole way. You give hope to those who have smaller boats and older boats and don't have big bucks to throw at this. You have learned many new skills as well as seeing the world in a different way than most can explain.

any peoples Monday morning criticisms should be taken that way. I'm sure you are your worst critic and don't need others.

look what you've done, it's quite an accomplishment. An experience not defined in its expense. You will recover financially. Your sailing may be a little different, but don't give up the ship

BRAVO to you quite a feat.
Thanks Chef. I'm not one to need outside reassurance all the time but this made me feel a bit better. I've been in this mode at work before during deployment tours. Exhausted, defeated, and running on fumes. I just need to make every decision count at this point i think. Just got warned that the wall they put me on will flood and spill over into the parking lot with the SW winds forecast for tonight. May have had the gelcoat chipped for nothing lol. Gonna see what I can do for options so I don't land on shore tonight. There will be time for rest later haha.
 
#15 ·
I feel your pain Guy and I too have followed your posts from the beginning before you bought the boat. Hopefully the old cliche that it's always darkest just before the dawn will come true for both of us. I know how it is to get to that point when you ask yourself wtf else can possibly go wrong and then Murphy enlightens you with even more $hit. It's especially tough when you're not in a position to be like Roberto Duran and simply say No Mas. Might have to think outside the box at this point and maybe put getting the boat back to home port less of a priority. Hauling out somewhere and leaving it on the hard till you can sort things out might be the thing to do.
 
#17 ·
Another cruiser and I were sharing some tea and crumpets (really, with nice china cups) and he was telling me a story, kind of like yours. He was sitting in his cockpit one day, on verge of crying when some bloke walks up and says “Gee your living the life, which I could afford a boat like that.” This chap tells me “At that moment it took all my will power to not sell the bloody thing to him for a single dollar.”

He took off that next morning and I haven’t spoken to him since, but I followed his adventures. Two years latter, after getting towed in yet again, he sold the boat for some low figure. Not $1 but not a lot.

So now I have a saying that kind of sums it up:

YOU ARE NOT TRULY A CRUISER UNTIL YOU HAVE SAT IN THE COCKPIT AND CRIED.

And let me tell you, I’m now fully qualified.

Welcome to the club, such as it is.

And here’s wishing you better luck.
 
#18 ·
Thanks guys. It is part of old boat life I suppose. I'm trying to be "cup half full" about it by remembering that all this crap broke AFTER I managed to get to the bahamas. If this had all happened on the way down idk if I would have made it. Budget is blown. Fatigue is in buckets. I've certainly had my begging and pleading moments with the boat in the cockpit. Just gotta make it home. Hopefully the rudder is a simple epoxy bearing and then 500nm of great lakes so I can get home find a place to live and get back to work to take a break from my vacation. Crossing fingers and hoping this trial by fire ends soon for the better.
 
#21 ·
Very sorry to hear Guy. We've all been there though. I can't say I've broken down in tears, but there's been many a day when I've just sat in my cockpit and stared out into nothing, wondering what the hell I'd gotten myself into. I want to say those days are fewer now that I'm over two decades into this boating/cruising thing, but I think it's more that I've become acustomed to the feeling of being overwhelmed at times.

... or maybe I'm just numb :unsure:.

I may have missed this, but have you considered hauling out and leaving the boat where it is for the winter? Added expense I suppose, but you'd have to pay for winter storage somewhere. Port Colburne is not far from home -- at least not by Trans Canada.
 
#25 ·
Very sorry to hear Guy. We've all been there though. I can't say I've broken down in tears, but there's been many a day when I've just sat in my cockpit and stared out into nothing, wondering what the hell I'd gotten myself into. I want to say those days are fewer now that I'm over two decades into this boating/cruising thing, but I think it's more that I've become acustomed to the feeling of being overwhelmed at times.

... or maybe I'm just numb :unsure:.

I may have missed this, but have you considered hauling out and leaving the boat where it is for the winter? Added expense I suppose, but you'd have to pay for winter storage somewhere. Port Colburne is not far from home -- at least not by Trans Canada.
Thanks Mike, i considered 2 options. Storing on land at thjs specific marina won't work as their lot is full and they want me to provide a cradle which is a loooong way from here. I also considered trucking but ye olde cruising kitty would cry at that by now. My guts just want to get this old girl home. This is a once in a lifetime thing for me and I just don't want a forever * attached to it saying I didn't -quite- make it home.

Rudder was out. Collinite wax x3 and 2x hairspray for release agents applied. Butyl dam made. Rudder in. Graphite silica fast cure injected. Clasp hands and pray.
 

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#23 ·
You certainly aren't alone. I've been doing this boating thing, in one form or another, since I was 12. I haven't lived ashore since 1969. And yet there are some days when I just wish I was sitting in a rocker on the porch with no boat chores or repairs to do. I get depressed and can find no worthwhile reason why I am in my 70s and struggling so hard to get things to go right.
And then I think about sitting in that rocker on that porch and wondering what I could do to keep myself occupied. Even pre-covid I couldn't come up with an answer other than wait to die. I don't have a green thumb, I don't have any hobbies other than those associated with boating, and I don't know squat about living ashore.
Sitting in the cockpit, all glum and morose, I'll look around and see how beautiful it is around me. I live in a waterfront home at a fraction of the cost most have to pay for it. My home moves, so I can go virtually anywhere and sleep in my own bed every night. And it comes to me.
Things ain't really all that bad.
 
#24 ·
This is disheartening to read. Anyone who has owned a boat for some time knows that sh*t happens and it costs a lot of blood, sweat and tears and $$ to fix it.

I do know that when there is a failure... it seems to "cascade" and lead to other failures. This is a characteristic/artifact of "complex systems".

I have been out there and lost a circ pump on a Volvo penta in the Caribbean. I was stuck and had to find a USA supplier to ship and then get it through customs and then do the install. The whole thing took a few weeks... so I was unable to use the engine, make hot water, charge batteries and so forth... only 2 small solar panels!

I've done some serious work / upgrade / repairs... almost all alone... one engine gasket job was done by a mechanic in winter storage. Tools and knowledge I did not have. I paid dearly for this. But I did an below decks AP, all electronics.... engine drive refer... Espar heating... complete rewire and battery upgrade.... soda blast and barrier coat... sand blast and fair keel. But all were done over many years... and not when I was in the middle of a journey. I started with a new boat.... so it is a completely different story than an older used boat. You just don't know when the service life of some mission critical component will come to an end. And it always does at the wrong moment.

Seems to me that steering and propulsion are really mission critical for coast... add in sails and rigging for offshore.

Hang in there... The choice of walking away is not a good one.
 
#27 ·
Thanks everyone for your words too. I'll find out in a few hours if my release agents worked and my rudder is not stuck in place forever haha. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. Catching my first mahi while sailing wide open ocean. The crystal waters. The feeling of winning everytime I've managed to figure out a fix while underway that isn't janky. The fatigue gods have been slowly winning but you guys are right. I'm close. Just hold fast.
136733
 

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#35 ·
Windfinder says Wednesday and Friday might be okay, then up to gale force by Friday night and just honkin all week end.

Where you going after Port Dover? Long way to anywhere good on the CDN side.
Figure we just need to make pelee for a safe 360 piece of rock to hide behind and then blast up the river to st clair between storms. I saw some big winds coming in the forecast. Going to have a look tonight and see where they land now. I hate racing TOWARDS a storm especially when there aren't good hiding spots other than your destination.
 
#38 ·
That's great news!

When we sailed through we went into Erieau. Nice marina. Full service. Lots of depth. We also stopped at Colchester. Water was thin for us (6' draft), but we got in. It's small, but right near the mouth of the river. We also anchored off of Pelee for a couple of days. You can get pretty close, but watch out for the ferry route on the west side. It too cuts in pretty close.
 
#41 ·
Perfect I missed that one somehow. I've marked almost every spot that we could use on here. They may not all appear based on zoom but we've got a decent list if this turns into 40nm hops instead of a 48hr sleigh ride like we did when heading down last year.

I tried uploading my charts but it failed. Over my cap and Google Fi is throttling my speed heavily lol
 
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