2.23.2011

Launch...part one

February 2, 2011, launch day...

6am:
The sky is covered by swiftly blowing clouds and one star is visible through the blanket.  It’s supposed to be high tide, but the water isn’t in our favor. 

The travel lift is positioned and we’re about to drop Vitte in the water for the first time in over 10 years.  I have an irrational fear that she’s just going to sink straight to the bottom, but since we’re only working with ~7ft of water it won’t be too catastrophic.

Apparently this fear is shared by many sailors pre-launch.  Allison said she and Chris (good friends) were crossing their fingers before launching their boat, Sittori, but everything was fine and they cruised for several years before moving back on the hard.

So I have hope and faith that, even though she weighs 12 tons, she’s going to float and be the prettiest boat in the water.


6am prep

6am workshop

A good policy for those who don't respect another man's tools

Getting strapped in

A too low tide

Getting ready to move

en route



3pm:
Hovering over the water of the launching dock Vitte is perched like a pregnant whale. 

Ransom watches nearby, eagle eyed, like a father to be in a delivery room. 

I was more nervous than the day of our wedding or during my thesis defense.


Heading to the water

closer

In position



Slowly the travel lift lowered the boat closer and closer to the water until at last she was touching.

Vitte’s first dip in over 10 years.

Once in the water sea cocks were checked, fittings tightened, and the engine was turned over.


lower...

...lower

First taste

skinny dip

Almost floating


"She floats!" (Is what I yelled once I saw her buoyancy)


Soon we were ready to move to a nearby slip and see how she would do afloat.

With Father and son at the helm, we slowly made our first voyage to slip number 17.

Ransom at the wheel, father Curt nearby giving guidance, wisdom, and confidence for the first run

en route to slip 17

Safe and sound

I think she likes it   ^_^


Our first home


Once Vitte was in the water, I was eager to see how the head worked.  With instructions from Ransom, I began pumping water in…until we realized we forgot to caulk the fittings and water began to leak out.  We quickly grabbed the shop vac and towels and sucked and sopped up any water that escaped into the boat.

We were worried, but tried to calm ourselves and left the boat for dinner.  After eating we returned to the boat to make sure everything was ok…however, we found more water under the floorboards and assumed we had not gotten all the water up from the head leaking. 

The following morning we returned to the boat for work and found even MORE water under the floor!  We began pulling up floor hatches and tried to trace the leak.  It quickly became obvious that the water was not trickling from the head…so where was it coming from?

We looked at the table and the floor beneath it and decided to try to remove the large panels supporting the table.  Immediately we saw that the transducer (the thingy that tells you what the water depth is) on the starboard side was the culprit. 

*sigh*

The only course of action was to pull the boat out of the water and fix or replace the transducer.

Our glory was short lived…

We motored back to the launch slip and positioned Vitte into the straps of the travel lift and pulled her out of the water once again.

Thankfully Ransom’s father, Curt, graciously purchased a new transducer for us and we quickly pulled out the old and installed the new. 

Old transducer hole

Floor panel we discovered was removable


Transducer hole (ballpoint pen for scale)


Geeky side note: the old transducer was embedded in faring blocks made of wood.  Faring blocks account for the angle of the hull so the transducer is vertically positioned and can get an accurate depth reading.  When we launched the boat the wood blocks swelled and the bottom paint cracked, allowing water to seep in.  The boat was in the water for a full day before we pulled her out again and in that time the wood swelled, algae infiltrated, and the leaking subsided…a bit.

Faring block containing the transducer that was on the exterior of the hull.
(Note the cracked paint)

Exterior faring block.  This side was attached to the hull.
(Note the rust and deterioration)

Also, the interior faring block had a LOT of caulk around it and it appeared that this area had been problematic for some time. 

Although it was annoying to launch and pull out almost immediately, we learned new things about the boat and ourselves.  Overall it was a positive experience even though a lot of stress led us there.


2.08.2011

A Walk in the Park

The last day in January we showed up for work, but the Cut's Edge guys were getting ready to apply the non-skid to the deck; so we decided to have a free day and go for a nature walk in Emerson Point Park.

It was a much needed break after a hard month of work  ^_^


















Looks like a moose, doesn't it!


The happy alligator







January

Sorry about the delay in getting a new blog posted, we have been super busy!  So instead of giving a week by week breakdown of January, we decided to condense it all into one post surmising the month.


Lots has happened since January, and I need to get working right away on February so far, so without further adieu, here are January's projects:






EXTERIOR:
  • Rerouted scupper drains
  • Attached boom
  • Guys prepped and painted hull
All sanded and ready for a fresh paint job



Port side painted




  • We were on board for a torrential downpour, but it was super cozy inside (a good sign), and it was a perfect opportunity to observe and note leaks for caulking.
    • Caulked forward hatch until it was water tight

First rainy day on the boat

  • Sanded deck for paint and non-skid 
Sanded deck (forward)


Sanded deck (aft)...we decided not to paint the cockpit right away, we'll do that ourselves later


Nice fresh paint  ^_^


It's hard to see, but the yellowish tint is the nonskid...basically sand + paint


Close up of the freshly painted hull.  People keep asking what the color is, we are calling it Caribbean Blue, but I may start calling it Caribleu


All painted and ready for the dance


She's a real boat!!!


ENGINE (and engine room):
  • Got new outboard for dingy
Suzuki 4 stroke, 6 horse power
  • Chafe proofed engine room
  • Hooked up steering, throttle, and shifter
  • Ran engine for FIRST TIME!!!


New engine, all hooked up and ready to run


Yum

  • Attached zincs and prop, bent cotter pins on engine and prop
People keep walking by and asking, "you think those zincs are big enough?"

  • Built, fortified, painted and installed muffler platform
Another brilliantly engineered piece by Ransom

  • Attached engine hosing
Tubes and hoses and wires, oh my!

  • Installed exhaust system
You should have seen the old exhaust system (wish I got a good pic), it was disgusting!

  • Installed manual bilge pump
All it needs is the tubes!



INTERIOR:
  • Jim (#4) delivered new v-berth mattress
  • Installed new battery switch
  • Hooked up cabin lights, navigation equipment, and aft cabin to electrical panel
  • Built and installed nav station shelving
  • Installed radar monitor and VHF radio
Nice and compact


  • Started hooking up head
I think there is gong to be a serious learning curve for me