Cosmetic job on Steel Hartley 32 after successful work last year

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rotrax

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Our Steel Hartley Ella was hauled on Thursday. I pressure washed it, removed the five anodes, cleaned and primed a few hull loose spots and we got two coats of Altex No. 5 antifoul on by Friday lunchtime. Yesterday we took the shine off the white painted hull, I filled a few places where rust was showing previously and where treating the area had left small hollows - the paint thickness must be 1.5mm! Removed a short piece of rubbing strake to deal with a small corroded area underneath and by the end of today we had top coated the Starboard side. Will deal with the Port side tomorrow, including another small area of corrosion under the rubbing strake.

Our mate Errol, builder of several large Steel boats over the last thirty years will move the exhaust outlet to the side instead of it exiting the transom almost at water level where it splashes all over the transom and cockpit when the engine is running. He will cut a hole for our new plotter and weld some fairleads to the foredeck toerail. He will, I hope, weld a plate over the old exhaust hole...................

Once that is done, back in the 'oggin and it will be time to paint and kiwi grip the flush deck - no coachroof on this design - fit the plotter and go sailing.

Errol went to the Marlborough Sounds Thursday, back soon.

He went to see the replica Endevour, and, in fact, might sail back to Wellington in company with it.

We are really pleased with our efforts from last year, the new windows look great, the corrosion around the window apertures was dealt with properly and shows no sign of returning.

A first for us, we started and finished the cruising class Saturday race yesterday from the Start Box for the Evans Bay club. Never been interested in boat racing, but it was good to help out.

When Ella is ready they keep telling us they will find us some experienced crew and take us out racing!

Not sure about that, but we shall see.

At least she will look good!

I'll report further progress as it happens, from WAY down South, bye for now..............................
 
DownWest said:
I assume you consulted Brent before you tackled any of that?
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I beg your pardon!;)

I am seriously affronted. I made it clear several times that Brent's undoubtedly good ideas need to be put in during build - they are certainly not worth carrying out retrospectively on an inexpensive boat.

The areas of corrosion under the teak rubbing strake were cleaned back to bare grey metal, three coats of a zinc rich primer, two coats of epoxy and then white topcoat.

The seriously corroded window apertures were treated the same way this time last year and are fine.

That is the extent of Brent's input, and in truth, its the right way to do it without needle guns or shot/sand blast kit.

Thanks for your interest..................;)
 
I've been doing up some rust spots on my steel lavranos by using a combination of wire brushing to remove any paint over rust. Needle gunning and acid to get back to grey metal.

How did you get back to gray metal.


Who is this Brent Guy.
 
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Rogershaw said:
I've been doing up some rust spots on my steel lavranos by using a combination of wire brushing to remove any paint over rust. Needle gunning and acid to get back to grey metal.

How did you get back to gray metal.


Who is this Brent Guy.
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I have been using an angle grinder fitted with a heavy duty cup type wire brush. This really clears the rust/paint. I did use a punch and hammer to chip heavy flakes away before wire brushing again.

Then 80 grit sandpaper to bring the high spots up bright. The hollows are dealt with by a multi tool with velcro-on triangular sanding pads on a sponge base. This, carefully used, has allowed the whole small area to be bought to grey metal.

Three coats of Zinc rich paint, two of epoxy, rub down, fill with car body filler and sand smooth, primer and two of topcoat.

I borrowed a needle gun last year to do the window apertures, but the compressor I also borrowed has died, so as I only had to do two small areas I did it the harder way.

Last year I used Fertan as a rust converter around the stanchion bases and flush deck skylight.

Did not work.

I will do it as above and see if its as good as what has worked.
 
I do have a small compressor built in on board. Does not have the capacity for continuous running but is OK.

I tried all rust converters and non I used worked due to some rust being left unconverted. This is why I started using several applications of acid first hydrochloric then phosphoric.

Below water I use epoxy tar on deck I use high build epoxy primer.
 
dom said:
Why is a new plotter necessary?

Has the boat not been fully reef/supertanker tested?
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The bargain basement Hartley - it cost $8250 NZ five years ago, about £4,000.00 Stirling, came with a tiny Garmin in black and white plus a fishfinder/depth. Both were under the hard doghouse and were removed for security after sailing. Despite best attempts to keep the connectors dry and clean they corroded when out of use.

The other reason is we wanted one we could see! The chosen one is a Garmin Echomap Plus 90. It will be fitted flush in the starboard side cockpit bulkhead, all wiring internal so it should be more reliable.

The hole is to be cut tomorrow, along with the exhaust outlet and the fairleads.

With any luck we might get splashed Saturday. It has not, in our ownership, hit any reefs, freighters, supertankers or sunken containers, neither has a whale jumped out and fallen onto it. Quite tame really, compared to many steel boat adventures.....................

Watch this space!
 
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A fantastic story this, about how with a bit of hard work and a decent skill base, you have produced a low-cost perfectly functional boat, which provides a lot of fun, and about which you are perfectly realistic.

:encouragement:
 
rotrax said:
It has not, in our ownership, hit any reefs, freighters, supertankers or sunken containers, neither has a whale jumped out and fallen onto it. Quite tame really, compared to many steel boat adventures.....................
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You are completely sure it is a steel boat? I suggest closing the hatches and torching it, just to make sure.
 
newtothis said:
You are completely sure it is a steel boat? I suggest closing the hatches and torching it, just to make sure.
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Yup, pretty sure it is steel. My mate Errol has many skills, but welding steel to GRP, ferro, alloy or timber is not one of them!;)

We started at 9AM, taped the template into place, Errol cut the hole through the 3mm steel with a jigsaw for the plotter. I Zinc primed the edges, another couple of coats and I will epoxy and then topcoat it.

I then removed the exhaust - finding a loose clip which could have flooded the boat - and Errol cut the new outlet hole using his roofers joist drill and a metal hole cutter. I found a thin spot just above the original hole - could see daylight through it, so the area was cleaned of antifoul and paint and the piece cut out for the plotter was found to be almost right to reinforce the area, and fill the original outlet hole. Galvanic corrosion through dissimilar metals and damp is clearly the cause.

So, rounded the corners, Errol welded it in place.

Went to the local chandler and picked up a plastic Vetus type silencer - 85 bucks NZ, about 43 quid. Need a new bit of 42mm exhaust tubing, about 2 metres to make a really sound job of it. It never had a silencer and was REALLY noisy. A couple of bits of domestic plastic waste pipe had been glued together as both a stepdown and right angle elbow. This has been deep sixed and Marelon pieces found to make a better job.

Another early start tomorrow, got to get plenty of primer and epoxy on if pos so we can topcoat Friday, get splashed Saturday.

The replica Endevour is sailing into Wellington Saturday morning, might have a couple of hours off and watch her come in.

BFN, more later.
 
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Well, back in the 'oggin, in our berth at Evans Bay Marina. The new exhaust outlet, new flexible wet rubber pipe and silencer have REALLY worked - very quiet from the exhaust now. Before it sounded like a motorbike on an open exhaust!

She is looking good too. You cannot, it is said, make a silk purse from a sows ear, but we have managed to make something quite good at holding money. A bit over budget, but is not that always the case?

Had a day off today, back on board tomorrow to lube the Furlex, put the sails on, fit the quarter berth boards and panels removed for access to the exhaust and tidy up and paint the inner edge of the bulkhead where the plotter is going. Then I will lower the ceiling boards to pull the plotter cables through and route them to where they need to be.

Then, tackle the heads. The electric pump is always stuck when we return, but I am getting better at fixing it quickly.

When all is ready, a couple of nights away in the Harbour to check out the systems.

And, perhaps, a bit of fishing.............................
 
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