Couple weeks ago we got our annual USCG Aux inspection, aka a Vessel Safety Check. Easy stuff, but at least I have checked out the bare basics of nav lighting, fire bottles, sound producing device, and etc to get into the mind set for an active season.
It's a good thing that the foredeck light is not required, that bulb quit last year and did not heal itself over the winter.
Trip up the mast is in order. :0
OTOH, "fearless Jim" who moors his spotless E-38 just down the dock has offered go up and change it. Youth and strength are good things to have!
Today was another preventative maintenance day -- the original steering compass went in for a rebuild. Dome is still fairly clear, but the movement is slow and once cleaned/refurbished we can have it swung and a deviation card made for the boat. I confirmed that Ericson put in a high quality brand and model of compass.
Next stop was at the raft repacker. He has done our repacks for almost 20 years (although certainly not every year). Our original '88 Avon is still holding up OK, and passed all inflation tests and inspections a little over a year ago. The packer tells me that we are well in the twilight zone for this raft. If it cannot pass, he will sell me a new one at a good discount since I am an old customer. Of course he said that last time, and our raft passed all tests anyway. So we shall see. He's an honest guy.
Interior varnish of the forward bulkhead is moving foreward. Teaka A & B part is done. Sanded early this week with 80, and then 180. (Ericson put on a good grade of veneer in '88, and it does not "sand through" easily.)
Still waiting for some moisture to go out of some corners where the final washdown must have put extra water into the grain. Humidity is very high this week, with showers off n on.
I finally got about 20 small screw holes in that bulkhead filled with teak plugs, as a part of the refinish project. Turns out that it's true that a "brad point" bit will bore the holes without splintering. A spot of tan-color wood glue on each plug, tap them in, and "Bob's your uncle" or something like that.
I got some Excellent Advice from a moorage neighbor who is a very good cabinet maker in his spare time -- about cutting off the plugs... I used a Japanese flexible pull saw instead of a chisel. You have to hold it very flat so as not to mark up the wood veneer surface. Take slow pull strokes. Wowsers!
This works SO well. The result quickly block-sands smooth with the rest of the surface. While the little teak circles are visible if you look for them, they are a LOT less obnoxious than the old holes were.
Speaking of holes, why oh why did the P.O. have to put a cheesy set of speakers in (corroded out when we bought the boat...) with six (6) screws per speaker?
(sigh)
Oh well, just some more boat therapy.
Cheers,
Loren
