Big Ocean Small Boat

Removed Shanti’s diesel tank in order to clean it and replace the emergency fuel cut-off valve. Been meaning to do it forever. In the end, it took 2 hours of bruised knuckles and diesel-y mess.

Moved Shanti from SFYC harbor to Clipper Marina in Sausalito.

So we didn’t lose the mast or keel or anything horrible, but there is a handful of stuff to be repaired/replaced/maintained before sailing starts again. Here’s the the list (ongoing):

• Spinnaker pole car, replace
• Mainsail headboard slug, repair
• Galley sink pump, repair, add new hose
• Diesel shut off valve, replace (finally)
• Tactical compass light, instrument power connections
• Re-rewire mast electrics
• Epoxy repair main stringer

Now that we’re in, I can mention how terrifying the idea of a man overboard on a short-handed ocean race is.

During our initial MOB training in May, Colin the then-neophyte sailor suggested a dedicated GPS near the MOM8 for MOB use. At the time, I poo-pooed the idea a little, but since the TP, I really have been considering it strongly. It’s a great idea.

It also turns out that the big guys (i.e. the V70s and the like) have a single “big red button” dedicated MOB system that logs a GPS position. I’m going to look into getting a low-draw handheld with a dedicated MOB button, hardwiring it to the 12v system and hanging it on the port stern pulpit. The power cable can come up through the obsolete DGPS beacon antenna fitting.

No posts for a while, since I’ve been spending full days at the yard, and trying to get my “day job” done too. A quick post, now that the boat is in the water, with the mast in. Amazing what one day can bring.

I got so much done. The KKMI guys were great, letting me do most of the work myself, but being there (and being experts) when I started to get in the weeds. My dad came down for a week and installed two bilge pumps, an emergency rudder system, and a backup freshwater system. We also got the bottom painted, shaft bearing replaced, the keel/hull joint faired, the SSB installed, and all new standing rigging and lifelines. And he dealt with me in full pre-race frenzy with his usual calm.

When a sailboat is on the hard, it’s just a cramped mobile home. When it’s in the water without a mast, it’s just a slow motorboat. When the rig goes in and the shrouds tuned and the lines run, it absolutely transforms into a something that dreams are made of. I literally teared up with joy when I saw Shanti back in the water, crammed in between a brand new 40′ Beneteau, a brand-new 45′ catamaran, and a 60′ powerboat. She looked ready to levitate up, hoist the chute on her own, and start reeling off the ocean miles. I wouldn’t have traded her for any other boat in the yard.

Still wouldn’t.

Shanti is out of the water, powerwashed, and waiting for the new bottom. I asked Mike Haley, our yard project manager, to go with “1+2″ on the micron extra (one layer and two extra layers on the leading edges), since it’s just as fast, less heavy, and cheaper. Next spring I can consider getting all the built-up paint off and either switching to new paint or starting fresh.

The mast-pull and re-rig estimates came in. The mast r/r was more than I expected, the actual rigging work was less, so it sort of balanced out.

I bought an SSB and tuner today. Rather than pony out for a new ICOM type-certified marine radio/tuner (for upwards of $3K), I bought a lightly used Kenwood TS-50, which is a ham rig that gets good reviews, and weighs 1/3 as much. I also got an SGC 230 tuner, which gets rave reviews (though their radios do not). I also put together an install list to do it “right”.

• Group U1 31AH battery in battery box underneath chart table (also use for nav alternate power)
• 2 way battery switch
• 30 amp DC breaker
• Battery cables (long ground, charger to switch, switch to battery)
• Copper foil for antenna groundplane
• Mini8 coax for radio-to-tuner connection with UHF type PL-259 connectors
• GTO-15 high voltage wire-for-tuner to antenna connection

Just in case I forget, a project actually took less time than I thought it would. Of course, it was a project that wasn’t even on any of my lists. Once you start pricing standing rigging and shipping a 10,000# boat from Hawaii, a new CD player looks like a bargain.

So I replaced the old Sony tape deck with a new Sony CD player. Pulled the old out, stuck the new in, plugged in the wiring harness, done. 15 minutes.

It will probably catch fire in the middle of the pacific.

The boat is going into KKMI on tuesday for about a week on the hard. I’m going to try to do as much as possible myself, because my checkbook is trembling in fear.

• Sand and paint bottom
• Replace propshaft cutlass bearing
• Pull mast and inspect mast and hardware
• Reinforce gooseneck (i.e. throughbolt or backing plate)
• Quote new standing rigging and replace if appropriate
• Install backstay insulators
• Install Orca Green tricolor masthead light
• Install external forward halyard block, rig messenger
• Drain the old diesel, replace shutoff valve, replace w/new diesel
• Fabricate new lifelines

Finally got around to doing a “spring” maintenance on the engine. I ordered the official “A” level maintenence kit from Torrensons, which came in a clever Universal labeled pelican-style case. Of course, somewhere along the way, Shanti’s waterpump was changed to a non-standard Oberdorfer, so I need to replace the impeller/o-ring/gasket on the engine, and the spare in the box. Also, we have a Racor primary filter–I should get a spare and put it in the box. And a small-sized filter strap wrench.

All of the filters were marked ‘05, but the engine hasn’t really been run except for maintenance purposes for that time. The m3-20 is self-bleeding, so that saved me some diesel in the bilge.

From an engine perspective, what we have left to do for the Transpac:

• Replace waterpump impeller
• Replace exchanger zincs
• Strap down the 2 main batteries
• If required, add “3rd” battery (for emergency use). i.e. motorcycle AGM battery from the KLR
• Drain the old diesel, replace shutoff valve, replace w/new diesel

From a big-picture standpoint (i.e. not for the transpac), I’d like to put in a little Heart battery monitor down by the battery switch to keep track of usage.

When I bought the boat from Dave, I had it surveyed in and out of the water by Brendan Schmidt, CMS. He was thorough, and really reassured me that this was the right boat. He did find a list of things that I should repair (of course). These are his “first priority” items:

• Repair 3″ decrapitated engine vent hose
• Secure/Strap batteries
• Replace fuel tank shutoff valve