Spike TV....Looking for a story line.

While working on the bowsprit two guys walked up to me and asked if they could take pictures and film while they asked me some questions. They explained that they are with a production company for Spike TV looking to a story line about living at a marina. Well I don't live there but they asked questions about what I was doing, how did I learn to work on boats, etc. They also asked what my plans for the boat was.....well I explained about the "50 month plan".  Don't we all have a plan to sail away? They asked about why this boat. Oh that was easy. I love my Westsail and quickly went on to brag about the quality of the boat and it's toughness. The "crew" then asked if they could go aboard. Deena had just finished sanding the engine room and the boat was a mess as it gets when we work on multiple projects. Just the camera man went below and asked Deena a lot of questions and how it was to live on the boat. She explained we didn't and answered a ton of other questions concerning the boat, other people etc.

So we were offered a 3 month contract for them to film us. Can you believe they offered to pay us $20,000 a month...each!!

The picture above is the crew interviewing Barbara, the marina owner.


 By the way I lied no contract, no offer...I made that part up!  But the rest is true! I don't think we were...ahh...mmmm.....shady enough if you know what I mean. I guess we have to keep our jobs dang it!

The napping place or the bowsprit platform

The napping place.....we'll get to that later.
The bowsprit has been on for a few weeks but the platform was still being worked on. Meaning I had to finish putting on 3 coats of cetol light then two coats of cetol clear. It seemed to take forever. I could only do one side at a time, the top or the bottom. I guess I could have hung the platform like I hung the bowsprit when I painted it. For whatever reason I didn't so it took a loooong time finish. This is my first attempt with cetol so lets say there are a few oops in it. I call it my 10 foot cetol job. If you look at it from 10 feet it looks great! But hey I am planning on sailing this boat so as long as she is protected I'm good. No marina queen here!

Above is the platform resting on the polished bowsprit pulpit. You can see where I am putting butyl tape on the edge that will be against the bowsprit.

Here you can see the butyl tape being squeezed out as I tighted up the nuts on the allthread. I learned that I have to make sure the bolts go through the holes after I complete the finish. It sure makes it easier to install at the boat if I know the bolts will go through.

Oh I like the look of the platform against the white bowsprit! To heck with stainless steel.There is something to be said for the look of wood be it painted or stained.

 

Ok here is the napping place!

 

V-Berth Paint, Boomkin Inspection and Start of Engine Removal

Today at the boat Deena and I were both busy. Deena sanded down the v-berth platform and part of the hull to prep it for paint. She then vacuumed it down then wiped it down twice to make sure all the dust was removed. She also put a second coat on the chain locker bulkhead.

   

 

 

 

 

We are using exterior satin semi gloss enamel Behr Premium Plus Ultra Paint and Primer on the wood and the hull. We will not use it in the bilge area, but everywhere else. The paint really makes a big difference in how it looks!

 

Now that we are done with the bowsprit, except for the platform I am moving on to the boomkin. I use a dental pick to probe the wood of the boomkin. I did find some soft spots so just to be sure I will replace the boomkins The underside of the boomkin had no protection at all. Of all the mast failures I have read about the boomkin failing was fairly common. Keep in mind that the boomkin is 37 years old so I will sleep better if I replace it! I will be replacing the tangs, wire and turnbuckles.

 

 

Engine Replacement

I have to replace the engine and if you look back in the blog you will see that I bought a 40HP Yanmar. Today I started to remove everything out of the engine room in preparation to remove the old Volvo MD11C. Below are some pictures of the engine room before I started to remove everything. I did already remove the wet muffler, 6 gallon water heater and a few of the hoses.

 

 

All in all I think the engine room is fairly "clean" as far as not a lot of wiring and miscellaneous junk in it.

I was able to remove the engine mounting bolts to the engine bed, the fresh water pump and all of it's hoses. I looked at the port side fuel tank and it seems to be in good shape. But again it is 37 years old so I will replace it and install a starboard side tank too.