Here's a list of what we did, complete with pictures!
1) Removed the diesel tank cover (now that the engine is out, we can do this and figured that we should check out the status of our fuel tank while we can access it). This required hours of me chipping and sanding away at layers upon layers of epoxy. So much for that manicure I got last week.
2) We pumped out ALL the fuel in the fuel tank. We also got a good look inside - which was surprisingly, pretty clean! (We cleaned it thouroughly after - hooray for Simple Green!)
A little sludge, but not as bad as we thought!
3) Scott removed the steering pedestal. Because we're going with cable and chain, as opposed to hydraulic, we will need a brand new one. We think this one will look nice in the entry way of some lucky homeowner...anyone? Anyone?
(Guess who got to chip away at all the nasty 35 year old gunk that helped secure it to the deck? Yep. Yours truly!)
Steering pedestal anyone?
4) We (okay, Scott) removed the AC 110V wiring which, on our boat, was done with basic home wiring, NOT appropriate for a boat! Buh bye! The jury is still out as to whether we will have 110V at all - since the US is the only place we'll be able to use it...and the US is not where we're staying, so...
Look ma! No more AC 110V!
5) We removed the final (very stubborn) backing plate for our last sea-cock in the head. Again, lots of chipping with a hammer and a chisle. I have mastered this fine art.
6) Scott removed all the icky 35 year old foam insulation from the entire engine compartment (apparently the old stuff would be a breeding ground for all sorts of nasty microorganisms once we get in humid, salty climates), we are going to replace it with this snazzy, shiny, modern stuff!
Hi! I'm pretty, shiny and NEW!
7) We removed all our old instruments and wiring - ready for our snappy new ones which we are in the process of selecting. (In this photo, they are still there - imagine empty holes where ALL those panels once were). We also discovered upon removal that our engine panel - the one 2nd from the left in the photo - was melted in some spots which is very bad. Good riddance!
Bye bye oldies! You had a good run.
8) Oh - and how could I forget!?! We UNCOVERED OUR BOAT from that awful white shrink wrapping that made working on her a pain in the booty (no ventillation, always having to hunch over to move forward, never seeing the light of day, did I mention no ventilation?) I swear I heard her sigh as we ripped it all off.
Free at last! Free at last! God Almighty I'm free at last!
All in all - we had a very productive weekend. As Scott likes to say, "We gotta get it all out before we put it all in" - so we're making headway. If I've learned one thing about Scott throughout this process - it's that he REALLY, REALLY enjoys ripping stuff apart.
Next Thursday, our boat is going to be shipped to Retner Marine who will be installing our new engine and new steering system. This is a HUGE project and while we'd love to do it all ourselves, we simply do not have the time if we plan on getting out of dodge by September. So, while it's going to cost us a little (okay, a lot) more - it will buy us more time....as well as the peace of mind that it is going to be done right. Fingers crossed.
Lots of love!
PS. A *HUGE* thank you to Uncle Bob who REALLY helped us more than he knows! You're the best Bobby!
Pumping out fuel is fun!
5 comments:
Sea cock in the head removal with a hammer and chisle? Yikes! Sounds medieval... Kinda like the Medieval Torture Devise Museum we went to at the ripe age of 13.
Hi! Found your boat blog a very interesting reading, nice to see you seem to be taking good care of a boat built not far from where I am at. :-)
Incidentially, I read the part about you opening up the fuel tank and I remembered something I had read on these hull-integrated diesel tanks that the Rasmus 35 has in an article in a Swedish magazine that I thought may be of interest to you.
If the tank ever leaks (and as I understood it they will enventually), the diesel will leak into the hull itself (into the GRP). That is not good for the hull, and pretty much impossible to get rid of.
You may want to consider putting a stainless steel liner inside the tank, or possibly re-locating the tank to avoid future problems, now that you have access to the tank.
Cheers, and good luck with your boat!
Otto in Gothenburg, Sweden
Ya'll are really working hard. It will definitely be worth it. At least that's what we're telling ourselves while sanding the bottom of our sailboat! Have a great day.
I'm happy to have found another blog where the people are enthusiastic with large plans for cruising. I'm looking forward to following your progress over the coming months and can't wait to see you two underway and on your adventure.
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