A long time since my last blog. I have had acute sciatica and although it doesnt affect my ability to write I just couldnt be bothered.
Theo is still out of the water. This is the biggest maintenance period she has had in the 10 years since we bought her. On the engine side she has had the injectors changed. The timing chain and tappets have been adjusted. The nut link belts on the alternator and jabsco pumps have been renewed. Some of the salt water coolent pipe work has also been renewed. The manafold clamps, bolts and gaskets have been renewed. The engine room has been chipped, primed and painted where it needed attention. The old batteries have been replaced. The fuel tank breather pipes have also been renewed. The exhaust shroud has been completely rebuilt. All the navigation light brackets have been cut off and replaced . The old radar bracket has been cut off and a new bracket has been put on higher up and the radar re-attached. The fluxgate compass lead has been removed and re-routed. The old hi-ab has been removed from behind the wheel house along with the back A frame. New brackets have been made and the new Palfinger hi-ab has been situated at the stern. All the hydraulic pipes have been re-routed to the stern. The stuffing in the stuffing box has been changed (this stops the water coming into the shaft). The hold has been chipped and painted, some of the cement work at the edges has been removed to check for corrosion, all was fine and the areas were re-cemented. The hull has been high pessure washed and painted with four coats of paint. First with aluminium primer, then black intertuf primer, followed by two different coats of anti fouling. The nearly none existent zinc anodes have been replaced. The prop has been checked to see if it needed straightening and we were advised that if we hadnt noticed any new vibtartion then we should leave it alone. We actually wonder if perhaps it has always been slightly bent. The bulwarks have been sandblasted with the newly purchased sand blaster then primed and painted twice. The main deck, fore deck and wheelhouse roof have been chipped and needled and primed and painted. All the starboard side scuppers have been replaced.
Jobs left to do. Replace the port side scuppers, put the radio and areial back in. Drain and clean the fuel tanks, change engine oil and filters. One more coat of paint on the main deck, one more coat on the inner bulwarks and wheel house and front eyebrows. As you can see it has been a big job and for the last week we have been employing a third person to help with the painting. Hopefully she will be back in the water next week and away back to the islands.
Lastly for today King Dick. Christopher was tightening a hydraulic pipe yesterday with a large spanner (a king dick) when it slipped off the nut. He had so much pressure on it that it came up and he smacked himself in the nose. It hit really hard and he saw stars and decided he should climb out of the hold in case he ended up in a heap on the floor. When he came home I actually thought his nose was broken because it looked crooked but it looks okay today. The swelling has now gone down and he is left with a slight black eye.
Theo is still out of the water. This is the biggest maintenance period she has had in the 10 years since we bought her. On the engine side she has had the injectors changed. The timing chain and tappets have been adjusted. The nut link belts on the alternator and jabsco pumps have been renewed. Some of the salt water coolent pipe work has also been renewed. The manafold clamps, bolts and gaskets have been renewed. The engine room has been chipped, primed and painted where it needed attention. The old batteries have been replaced. The fuel tank breather pipes have also been renewed. The exhaust shroud has been completely rebuilt. All the navigation light brackets have been cut off and replaced . The old radar bracket has been cut off and a new bracket has been put on higher up and the radar re-attached. The fluxgate compass lead has been removed and re-routed. The old hi-ab has been removed from behind the wheel house along with the back A frame. New brackets have been made and the new Palfinger hi-ab has been situated at the stern. All the hydraulic pipes have been re-routed to the stern. The stuffing in the stuffing box has been changed (this stops the water coming into the shaft). The hold has been chipped and painted, some of the cement work at the edges has been removed to check for corrosion, all was fine and the areas were re-cemented. The hull has been high pessure washed and painted with four coats of paint. First with aluminium primer, then black intertuf primer, followed by two different coats of anti fouling. The nearly none existent zinc anodes have been replaced. The prop has been checked to see if it needed straightening and we were advised that if we hadnt noticed any new vibtartion then we should leave it alone. We actually wonder if perhaps it has always been slightly bent. The bulwarks have been sandblasted with the newly purchased sand blaster then primed and painted twice. The main deck, fore deck and wheelhouse roof have been chipped and needled and primed and painted. All the starboard side scuppers have been replaced.
Jobs left to do. Replace the port side scuppers, put the radio and areial back in. Drain and clean the fuel tanks, change engine oil and filters. One more coat of paint on the main deck, one more coat on the inner bulwarks and wheel house and front eyebrows. As you can see it has been a big job and for the last week we have been employing a third person to help with the painting. Hopefully she will be back in the water next week and away back to the islands.
Lastly for today King Dick. Christopher was tightening a hydraulic pipe yesterday with a large spanner (a king dick) when it slipped off the nut. He had so much pressure on it that it came up and he smacked himself in the nose. It hit really hard and he saw stars and decided he should climb out of the hold in case he ended up in a heap on the floor. When he came home I actually thought his nose was broken because it looked crooked but it looks okay today. The swelling has now gone down and he is left with a slight black eye.
