Stupid - hit breakwater stones ...

[Refueler]

OK ... update ....

Last small bits of furniture removed and extent of crack found. Outboard keel to hull joint is fine internally. But inboard keel to hull joint is cracked entire length of keel to hull joint ...

Plan to grind out .... fill with resin / matt rode ..... then glass in L shaped strengthening ... that is hull then over the repaired crack and down into keel space. Partition bulkheads will be renewed where possible once glass work done. Extra glass work then to consolidate partition ply bulkheads which also provide cupboard spaces etc.

 

[Ribtecer]

Wow, good luck with it.

Your commitment to it is to be commend

 

[Refueler]

Wow, good luck with it.

Your commitment to it is to be commend

Boat has already cost me more than its value in previous replacement of sprayhood / canvas items .... wood rubbing strake etc.

This is putting her way over ... BUT what value do you put on something that has looked after you in good and bad times ... is part of your life for so long ?
I cannot just walk away .. she deserves better.

As per plan ... she will be based at home for River use ..... very wide / deep river ... with about 30 - 40kms usable ... small islands to nose up onto ... etc.
She will provide many years of relaxed joy on the river .....

The addition to my fleet - the 38 will stay seaward side of the bridges for Baltic Sea jaunts ...

 

[Wansworth]

It’s interesting that modern Homo sapiens still confer a almost human quality to inanimate objects,we all do it one way or another defying those that would wish to control us that money isn’t everything

 

[Supertramp]

Wow, that's deep. No wonder you have trouble choosing a boat - it's a life partner!

 

[Wansworth]

Wow, that's deep. No wonder you have trouble choosing a boat - it's a life partner!

 

[Refueler]

Wow, that's deep. No wonder you have trouble choosing a boat - it's a life partner!

Boats may be inanimate objects - but they take on a 'persona' ....

The memories of all those years in Solent ... then Baltic ... have left a deep appreciation of how safe and serving the boat has been.

But there's also a practical advantage. My private channel and house is after 3 bridges ..... which means mast down to negotiate ... yes - I have a very good A frame system that has served well. But now with the 38 in the harbour, I no longer need to negotiate the bridges. I only need lower the mast when bringing her ashore ...

At end of day - I can afford it ... so why not ...

 

[Refueler]

OK ... my guys is waiting for all to dry out - have had terrible weather for days on end ....

Inside - the crack ground out and filled with resin / chopped strand .... ready to have matt and resin layered to strengthen.

Exterior has been ground back about 1mm depth overall - to allow joint to be V'd - filled and then cloth / resin applied to finish off.

You will note that there are 'holes' at ends ... these are where the cracks have had major effect and we intend to cut sections out there and remould 'blocks' to fit in and then glass up. Ends tend to be pressure points when keels get knocked.

 

[Refueler]

Glassing up is underway .... had to wait weather as we have had some appalling rain ...

The long crack along the inboard joint of keel has been ground out ... filled with chopped strand / resin .... now its getting serious layers of matt + resin to complete internal. The bright yellow patches you see at ends are where external GRP is missing and is to be ground further - filled with chpped strand etc. Then external will get its matt + resin.

Primary goal at present is to get internal glassed up and keel able to hold itself in position ... yard needs to move boat soon to allow winter storage of boats to commence. She was placed in middle of that area based on our expecting only short time to repair !

Once internal is glassed up - then I can start to install new 'furniture' while guy glasses up outside ...

 

[Baddox]

That looks like it will be a very solid job when finished; if you hit the blocks again you'll crack them not the boat. The view from inside, looking at the keel stub was interesting as it shows what needs doing and how the bits fit together.

 

[Refueler]

Work is slowing as temp drops on odd days ... but we are getting there.

Had a hiccup other day ... GRP guy had a moment of anxiety ... worried his work would not be good enough. I took him aside and we both went to talk with yard in next port that I am very close with. They do repairs of boats and already have advised him on ways here.
We had long chat with GRP guy there ... photos / discussions ... and result was they were sure - my guy is doing a great job ...

Our concern is that marina want to move the boat - so we need to get keel sufficiently stable to allow boat to stand with weight divided between centre-line blocks and her keels.
Reason is that she is sitting smack bang in middle of large boat storage area ... and also that at present all boats weight is on centreline blocks causing slight deformation of hull ... we need to get rid of that deformation for final glassing up and then new bulkheads / furniture installation.

The time frame we have agreed is now to complete in spring ... work now before winter will be to stabilise her for move and split-weight standing ... whenever weather allows - to carry on ... but not to rush the job.

 

[Refueler]

Update and showing the 'lapping in' of the GRP mat etc. :

This is the internal work where matt is being resined over and round the edges ....

Guy is really doing a grand job ... and is insistent on getting not only the resin / matt properly bedded in ... but smooth on outer surface as well to ease the new woodwork planned to fit.

We think already the keel is close to able to carry boats weight ... but we are not pushing our luck. He has more work to do before we ready her to move ... hopefully next week if weather can improve.

 

[PhillM]

I won’t comment on the decision. We all decide and sometimes it doesn’t work. Be there. Done that.

What I would add is that with the level of contact I’d also want to check the rig. There was a lot of forward movement of the rig when the boat collided. Everything from chain plates up had a shock.

 

[Refueler]

I won’t comment on the decision. We all decide and sometimes it doesn’t work. Be there. Done that.

What I would add is that with the level of contact I’d also want to check the rig. There was a lot of forward movement of the rig when the boat collided. Everything from chain plates up had a shock.

Rig is fine ... luckily this is a 1970's boat with little in the way of panels hiding fastenings. Chain plates / deck eyes etc are all relatively easy to check ...

Like many 20 - 28ft boats of that era - grossly over-engineered !!

 

[PhillM]

Rig is fine ... luckily this is a 1970's boat with little in the way of panels hiding fastenings. Chain plates / deck eyes etc are all relatively easy to check ...

Like many 20 - 28ft boats of that era - grossly over-engineered !!

Pleased to hear it

 

[Refueler]

OK internal glass work to restore keel joint is completed ....

Now we wait weather to have boat moved to her winter position ..... where we will then start replacing the woodwork inside ... this will also help stiffen the hull area.
She will still have centreline hull sitting on blocks - but weight divided 50% blocks, 50% to her keels .... so as to allow the hull to regain shape - it has been slightly deformed having all weight on that centre section... only mm's - but enough that can affect rebuilding the 'kitchenette' woodwork.

She will stay there and final external work will be after winter as temperatures are now dropping below 10C average ... gives us time to clean up inside ..

 

[Refueler]

WOW .... just noted the number of views of this thread ..... 6000 !!

 

[justanothersailboat]

It's really interesting to me - and presumably quite a few others! Thanks for sharing how it's all going.

 

[Refueler]

OK ... Superanne has had plenty of time for resin to cure ... and time to move her.

Forgot combination to lock holding ladder !! so she lifts with ladder in place !!

Moment of truth ... keel is solid - no movement at all

Weight is split between keels and hull centre as we still have external work to complete ....

This is the keel ... missing chunk at fwd bottom now filled and just needs glass mat over .... top section of keel and onto hull needs v joint and glass matt to cover that white area ...

Jobs going very well ... but now winter is closing in ... temps are not good for resin work ... she can sit till till spring now ... (that's clear resin so that is why you still see the cracks. We used clear so we could see if any flex / opening up when moving / placing boat on keels .....

The cracks etc. filled / resin / mat ...

VERY happy ....

 

[Porthandbuoy]

@Refueler You're going to have to raise the boot topping with all that extra glass and resin you're putting in!