Category: Season 1
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Electrical Installs
I wanted power on the boat for a GPS, chartplotter, VHF radio and also of course to charge the phones. But a big want was for a depth sounder.
So after I managed to get all these item in I statered to build outside panel of sapele to screw it all to (minimising the number of holes I would stick in the locker wall).
I aquired a NASA Target depth and a Garmin 278c plotter and I also had a Garmin Montana 650 that could take charts too. We also invested in a Standard Horizon 890 with DSC and GPS.
A battery box could live in the locker but with all of those devises I thought it best to build an inner covered panel for the fuse board and wiring to be hidden away and it also meant that it could be expanded – I plan to add a small solar top up panel at some stage.
The battery can be quickly unplugged and taken home and the battery and the box it sit is has anderson, 12v cig lighter and USB ports ready too.
The VHF cradle had to sit outside the box and the depth transducer is sheilded directly under the battery
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Galley Box
Using plans derived from Corin Nelson-Smith’s fab video tutorial we built our own galley box.
We used Stokboard instead of plywood, but at the same thickness of 9mm – this is recycled farm plastics and designed for chicken coops and cow sheds. Tough stuff and no maintainence required. We had a sheet as I used it for the locker floor lining.
We also took some height off as we measured the area under the beds where this could live at night and the height of the locker, for underway, and adjusted,
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…and Putting Her Back Together
Teak restoration and more varnishing
Leather work on the gaff jaws
And a big big tent to store her in. As you can see it is very green!
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Packing Away
Winter maintainance underway with sails drying, covers off to Kinver Canopies for new cushions, refurbishment and replacements zips.
The bed issue is sorted by adding two boards to the crew footwell and then two cushions on top making the whole area under the canopy one big bed for Nancy, me and the the dog.
Varnishing the woodwork and adding a battery and instruments in the locker and helm position.
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We NEED To Get Sailing!
The engine fixed and a great lesson from Sirius Marine on how to bleed the tank, carb and drain the system down. It was now time to get sailing but the wind gods were no smiling on us as high settled across the uk for a number of weeks.
The plan was to head to the Norfolk Broads but there wasnt many campsites open after September 30th so Rutland Water it was.
Two days of gentle sailing, anchoring and getting to know the boat. We had the place mostly to ourselves on the week and the dog took to sailing like a dream even finiding her own fun in throwing her tennis ball over the side for us to practice a bit of BOB.
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Stourport Launch
We needed to test getting he on oand off the traler and a see how she handled on the water – we spent hours rigging her up and makeing a list.
Once lauches the river was running too fast and high to venture out under the bridge so we thought a potter around the marina would be good but the engine let us down and failed to run in anyway convincing me to unite her. Luckily next to the site there is Sirius Marine who took the engine in agreeing to strip and clean the carb.
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Sparkelfarts and Odd Times II
Not happy with the boats name, we took the decision to rename her. After much debate we took Nancy’s grandfather’s boats name – the ‘Odd Times’ and carried on the tradtion – it also works a pun ‘Odd Times II’ but it isnt really meant as that. The Ship Registry was dealt with and a new name added to the transom.
We also needed a name for our new dinghy – an Ebay bargin – and Sparklefarts was christened.
There was much more garden rigging and measurements, lists made of work to do.
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What Needs Sorting?
The canvas cover needed some love and the zips and tapes on the cuddy needed a lube up
It also becomae apparent that the width of the bunks was going to be a problem for me as a side sleepers and would need expanding.
The jackstays didnt seem right and the cover had been cut to make the arrangement work – this needed some consideration too.
