We’ve been in the Miami/ Fort Lauderdale area for the past few months working obsessively on the boat, getting her ready to go cruising. We’ve been working so hard, we haven’t taken the time to update this blog for a very long time. We send our apologies to those who have been checking regularly and waiting to hear from us.
The first night we spent on the boat, it rained heavily. To our dismay, there was water dripping (and in some places streaming) inside the boat. Our first boat repair projects were to fix the leaks which involved rebedding almost all of the deck hardware. We also added backing plates, where they were lacking to add structural integrity. Repairing the leaks also involved treating a few areas were the plywood deck had begun to rot. We now have a dry boat and the few rotten areas of wood have been repaired.
Our next large project was to install a toe rail along the edge of the deck. The toe rail provides structural support to the hull to deck joint, as well as providing an edge to catch someone’s foot or a kitty cat (preventing them from falling overboard) if they should happen to slip. We purchased two 34 foot long sections of aluminum toe rail from a consignment store up in Fort Lauderdale. The first challenge was transporting the sections of toe rail to our boat in Miami. We borrowed a friend’s 16 foot long van, strapped the 34 foot long pieces of toe rail onto the top, tied three orange life vests onto the ends (as flags) and drove through the crazy Miami traffic to our boat. The next challenge was the installation, which proved to be quite a difficult project, as we soon discovered that the trim on the boat (which was cored with wood) was completely rotten in some places with some areas having large voids. We treated the rotten wood with Dr. Rot and filled in the voids with epoxy. We ended up using almost 1-1/2 gallons of epoxy! While we were fixing the deck trim, a beautiful dove landed on top of Sue’s head and nibbled at her hair. The dove allowed us to pet her and hold her, and stayed with us all afternoon. After filling all of the voids with epoxy, we now had a solid deck trim into which we could drill to install the toe rail. Using the lines from our rigging, we surprisingly had no trouble bending the toe rail into place. We also added a beefier rub rail to the side of the boat to protect the edges of the deck from bumping up against docks, etc.
The dove landing sitting on Sue's shoulder
The Love Dove
Installing the Toe Rail
We also made numerous other improvements to the boat, such as rerigging some of the halyards and sheets (lines for the sails), rewiring the cabin lights, cleaning the forward water tank, removing two leaking water bladders that were in the aft water tanks and replacing them with water jugs. We wanted much better anchor gear, since we are planning to live “on the hook”. We purchased a 15kg Rocna anchor, mounted it onto the bow with a new bow roller, installed a new deck pipe fitting for the chain to feed through the deck into the chain locker and divided the chain locker. The boat came with 3 other anchors and we were given a few anchors from a friend. We now have 9 anchors aboard. We figure it never hurts. If the wind really starts to howl, we have no qualms with throwing them all overboard.
The largest project of all however was repowering. The boat came with a 1985 36hp Volvo MD3B marine diesel engine. The engine was in need of a major rebuild. We decided to replace it with a brand new (never been used) 2006 28hp Beta Marine diesel engine, which we purchased on Ebay. We found a boat yard in Fort Lauderdale where we decided to haul out for the engine installation and for some other repairs to the hull. The day before we left for the boatyard, we opened up the engine compartment to check the engine. We discovered that during our last sailing excursion on Biscayne Bay, the alternator had managed to tear loose and fly off the engine, ripping the alternator belt and breaking the metal fittings that hold it to the engine. Not having time, nor wanting the headache of doing a proper fix, since we were about to replace the engine, we decided to strap the alternator onto the engine with wire and replace the belt with a spare that we had aboard. Our cranking battery designated for starting the engine was completely dead, so we had been starting the engine off the house batteries (designated for the electronics and lights). We would have to try to use as little energy as possible and hope that our crude fix for the alternator would be able to charge the batteries enough to get us where we were going. We would definitely need our engine to navigate through the tight waterways to and from the Atlantic Ocean. We headed to the boat yard the following morning on September 23rd. Because of one bridge that is too low for our mast, we were unable to head north up the Intracoastal Waterway, which meant heading out onto the Atlantic Ocean instead. We first had to motor south down the Intracoastal Waterway to Government Cut, where we were able to cut out onto the Atlantic Ocean. The sailing on the Atlantic was wonderful and provided an excellent relief from all of the work that we had been doing. The wind was coming straight out of the East at 10 knots allowing us to sail at a beam reach the entire way to Port Everglades, and the entrance to Fort Lauderdale from the Atlantic. We spent one sleepless night anchored in a narrow waterway in the Fort Lauderdale area just outside the main channel. In the morning we turned on the Volvo and motored down the New River to the boat yard. The New River is a very narrow waterway with several low drawbridges. Fortunately, the bridge tenders who open the bridges were very responsive and opened the bridges quickly. It would not have been fun to try and back up or turn around in the river. One of the last bridges that we had to go under, required that we pass under it at low tide. The bridge clearance at low tide (when we passed under) was a hair over 54 feet. Our mast height (including the VHF antennae) is 54 feet. The next bridge was a draw bridge that requires 24 hours advanced notice for an opening. We had called them the day before we left. After passing through this draw bridge, we were looking on the left for the sign for the boat yard. There was another bridge a short distance away. Not seeing the sign for the boatyard, we figured that the boatyard might be past the next bridge. Unfortunately, since the bridge was “under construction” according to our chart from 2003, the chart did not show a clearance. As we approached the bridge, Sue was on the bow looking ahead for the minimum clearance sign. When we were only about 100 feet from the bridge, Sue was able to spot the clearance sign hidden behind a motor yacht. It read, “45 feet”. If you recall, our mast clearance is 54 feet (49 feet if you do not include the antennae). If we passed under the bridge, we would most certainly be demasted! Sue yelled to Graham to back up and turn around. Seeing as the current from the river and the 10-15 knot winds were pushing us directly into the bridge and that the river was only about 50 feet wide between the expensive motor yachts docked on either side (our boat being 34 feet long), backing up or turning around was not an encouraging prospect. With Graham at the helm and Sue kicking her feet on the expensive motor yachts trying to fend them off, we somehow miraculously were able to turn around, our aft stay coming within 15 feet of the bridge. When we turned around we saw the sign for the boat yard temporarily get blown up into the air, just enough so that we could make it out. There were two pilings in front of the boat yard. We were unsure if we could pull in between them because we did not know how deep the water was that close to shore. We decided to pull up alongside the pilings rather than pull in between them. It turns out that this was a wise option, as we later measured the depth with a stick and discovered that it was definitely too shallow. The parallel parking nature of the situation combined with the wind and current being against us, made Sue diving into the water with the lines the most appealing option. Fortunately, it was a Sunday and there was no one at the boatyard to witness our dramatic entry.
Graham, hard at work at the helm, sailing up to Fort Lauderdale
The following day, we began removing the Volvo. While removing it, we discovered that one of the mounts (that secures the engine to the boat) was completely broken in half. The engine had essentially been standing on three feet instead of four. Perhaps this was the reason why our engine managed to shake off the alternator? Disassembling the engine was no small project. It took us about 4 days to remove it. It barely fit through our narrow companionway entrance. We hired someone with a crane to help us pull it out of the boat. Next we put the new engine inside the boat and began the installation process. We hired a consultant to guide us through the installation process. He would come by the boat periodically and tell us what we needed to do next and then loan us the necessary tools. Other than his guidance, we installed the whole thing by ourselves. It was one of the most stressful and overwhelming experiences we have ever been through. Getting the engine to fit into the engine compartment was no small task. We had to extend the forward fiberglass beds (that the engine sits on) back using fiberglass cloth, matte and polyester resin. We had to then grind away part of the aft beds coating every square inch in the cabin with fiberglass dust ( as well as much of our lungs). Then we built up all four of the beds with white oak, all of which required custome fitting, and fiberglassed them in. The installation also meant putting in a new shaft, buying a new propeller, getting all new hoses including a new wet exhaust system with a high rise elbow to the top of the lazarette with a shut off valve for protection in extremely heavy seas, cleaning and painting the engine compartment, draining the fuel tank and cleaning the sludge sediment off the bottom, rewiring the starter cable and battery selector switches, restuffing the stuffing box, installing a new cutlass bearing and various other odds and ends. After 3 and a half weeks we put the boat back into the water and bolted the engine in place. It was time for the final alignment of the engine with the propeller shaft. Amazingly we discovered that we had bolted the engine down in exactly the correct spot and no further adjustments were needed. Now the question we had been wondering for the past few weeks...would she run? She runs great. Despite all of the difficulty of putting in the new engine, we are happy that we chose to repower. In addition to having a brand new engine, we learned tons about diesel engines, fiberglass work, etc. While the boat was on the hard, we also had some fiberglass work done on the hull and we painted the bottom of her hull. Also while we were in the yard, we got to see our friends, Dale and Regan, and had a visit from Graham’s mom. It was wonderful to see them; however, we were sorry that we didn’t have more free time while they were here. Hopefully they will come visit us again in a more relaxing environment in some beautiful place.
Out with the old
In with the new
Stephan (Luke Skywalker) battles his father (Darth Vader)
Leti and Erica
Erica finishes her dance performance
Lucas (the Arriba Man) in his Halloween costume
After leaving the boat yard, we took the boat back to Miami. The trip out the New River and out to the Atlantic was uneventful. Unfortunately the wind was coming directly from the south, so to avoid a long overnight sail on the Atlantic, we decided to motor back to Miami. We spent the next few days relaxing and doing absolutely nothing in Biscayne Bay. It felt great to be a vegetable after working everyday, 10+ hours a day for 3 and ½ weeks straight. It also felt wonderful to be at the end of our boat refitting process. There will always be boat maintenance, but we were finally done with the initial start-up phase. It was finally time to go get the cats, sell the car and get out of Miami.
Just as we were about to drive to Alabama to get the cats, we learned of the approaching tropical storm Noel that was heading straight for Miami. We decided that it would be best if Graham stayed in Miami with the boat, and Sue drove up to Alabama alone. Unfortunately the whole trip was quite rushed, and Sue had very little time to spend with her family. Having the cats back however has been absolutely wonderful. The first night the cats (especially Kate) had a hard time and were pretty nervous that their new home was bobbing around. However, the cats have settled in quite quickly. We were surprised that Kate was the one who adapted to the boat first. She absolutely loves it! Since both Kate and Squeak are indoor cats, being allowed outside on deck is a new and thrilling experience for them. Very soon after moving onboard, Kate was jumping up on top of the boom, running around the deck, rubbing her checks on Graham and Sue and all of the rigging and purring away madly. She hasn’t been so frisky since she was a kitten. She even somehow managed to be the alpha cat for awhile. (She eats first when given tuna juice and makes Squeak wait). Squeak also enjoys the boat, but has settled in more gradually. He prefers to stay inside and cuddle with us in the V-berth.
Kate and Squeak settling in
Captain Kate, climbing the boom
After getting the cats, we sold the car and headed down to Marathon in the Florida Keys. We spent three days sailing down. It was excellent sailing with a steady 15 knot wind at our backs most of the way, except as we headed westward towards Marathon, we sailed at a beam reach. Chandrika absolutely flew. We sailed her from 6 to 7-1/2 knots most of the way and at times were even surfing on top of the following swells. It was a blast. Being in Marathon has also been wonderful. The people here are extremely friendly and welcoming, and it is nice to be around so many cruisers. We plan to stay in Marathon for a couple weeks while we wait for a few things in the mail. We will be spending Thanksgiving here. There will be a Thanksgiving dinner at the marina for all of the liveaboards. It will hopefully ease the blow of not being with our families for Thanksgiving.
We have decided to sail to Isla Mujeres off the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. We will most likely depart sometime in early December (depending on weather and our packages in the mail). From there we will work our way southward along the eastern coast of Central America.
November 17, 2007
