Progress slowed over the "break" between semesters. Living in two cities 600 miles apart complicates progress on an outdoor project like a boat rebuild. It also seemed like every time I could spare a day, the weather was awful. What have I been doing instead? My garage is much better organized with every bit in its place, and there are a lot of bits. Some of those bits were actually moved to St. Louis by mistake. The study is full of sails, rolls of fiberglass, a sewing machine and fabrics, cushions, lines, sheets, varnished stuff like hatches and dorades, expensive paints, electronics, etc.

The companionway hatch is varnished, as is the propane locker cover. The toerails and coamings also have two new coats of varnish.

The old stainless chainplate supports have been cut out, and the composites will all be in by tomorrow (70 degrees and clear predicted!). In the photo, the upper is tacked in place before seriously glassing it to the hull. Grinding off the old paint inside a tiny closet was a joy. A moon suit, full face respirator, and big exhaust fan really helped, though.

A bit more progress. The starboard chainplates are sort of in. The gap between them and the deck was filled with silica-thickened epoxy. I added one layer of heavy E-glass tabbing to the upper surface of the deck. The first coat of fairing compound is on. Below decks the chainplates are tabbed to the hull. A great deal more attachment will occur this weekend, I hope. More of the white paint must be ground away before this extensive tabbing is undertaken. The original stainless angle will thread through two bulkheads and be attached to each chainplate to add further reinforcement. Remnants of the old DC distribution panel are visible. The old wiring is labeled and pulled aside awaiting the eventual installation of a new panel.

The starboard upper chainplate is bogged in, and some of the below decks tabbing is in. The lowers on starboard will go in soon. No more leaks, and these things are enormously strong. Based on the thickness and composition of the laminate that ended up being 70 percent S2- and 30 percent E-glass, each has a tensile strength of at least 60,000 pounds. The original stainless chainplates were rated at 40,000 pounds. I must now make certain to attach them well to the hull below decks. More about that soon.

I am almost finished adding two more coats of varnish to the teak. This summer was brutal. Time to get set for winter.

Speaking of winter, I brought the engine to operating temperature, and then ran a marine winterizing solution through the raw water intake until it blew out the transom. There will be no emergency freeze issues here, especially as I spend so much time away from Yankee at our other home in St. Louis.

The new main hatch is coming along. The opening is almost faired and ready for paint.

Back to work

After remodeling our second home in Webster Groves
(St. Louis) this summer, I am finally back at work on Yankee most weekends. She is about ready to paint
following lots of filling and sanding. The topsides are down to 220. Finishing to 320 or 400 is recommended by the paint manufacturer, so I shall do this. The longboard has been a real help fairing small irregularities that I missed the first time around with the Hurricane Ike repairs. I cannot wait to see the blue Imron MS600 topsides.

The deck is getting more and more gray with System Three primer. I quite like their primer.

The chainplates are complete. I am astonished how much S-2 and E glass cloth and epoxy I used. The photo is of the end of one of the lowers. A little more trimming and grinding is required before they are inserted through the deck. Slots for the Colligo chainplate distributors must also be cut. The chainplates will be bonded to the hull in a most serious fashion. More about this project after some painting takes place.

The chainplates will be complete by this weekend. I had not realized just how long it takes to cut more than one hundred slices of fiberglass. The S glass is particularly hard on scissors. And hands. I am laminating only three layers at a time. The epoxy kicks too fast in this hundred degree heat.

The photo is of the four lowers hanging between rounds of lamination. The uppers are much wider as they fill the entire space to the hull.

Work will grind to a halt for the month of July. Other commitments.

The new fuel tank is in, a Moeller 31 gallon. It is attached on both ends with their aluminum clips. Straps will also be added. All of the water and fuel hoses are in place. The engine fired right up, and then died. I had not gotten all of the air out of the line. After accomplishing that, she ran like a top. The thermostat opened right at 90 degrees C. Temperature remained just fine. The water lift muffler worked great. All good.

I should have the chainplates ready to go in within a couple of weeks. The delay is due to the fact that I must be in St. Louis this week with my spouse who accepted an offer for a faculty position. As you can imagine, all sorts of plans have now gone into plan B or C. We will build a house there probably over next summer, rent something for now. I will remain here in this house, and finish up the boat. Upon moving to St. Louis in the spring I will commute to my university here for three days each week, 32 weeks per year. There is every possibility that the boat will make half of the Great Loop rather than riding on a truck to Lake Michigan.

I am finally back in town for a while. Field work in the desert hit 113 degrees. Fun.

The first project is to construct the chainplates. Materials include marine ply with a layup of 12 oz. biaxial E-glass and 8.9 oz. S-glass. Chainplates for the uppers have 0.75" OD x 0.12" wall T-316 seamless stainless tube with stainless clevis pins (at the ends of the tubes in the photo), and the lowers have 0.875" OD x 0.12" wall T-316 seamless stainless tube. These should be beasts, and they will never leak. Components are from McMaster-Carr, Online Metals, and Fiberglass Supply.

I calculate a conservative, bare minimum tensile strength of 60,000. More about this project as it progresses.

Other new stuff arriving includes a fuel tank and various deck bits. These great Marelon deck chocks will provide a home for the spinnaker pole, and they will be a toe-saver.