Spring is always a busy time for us, when we are trying to take advantage of that small window of time in Nova Scotia where it is warm enough to do work on the boat before we launch and go sailing. Because we are going to be away for an extended period of time and the boat will be in the water for an extra seven months, this year is a big year for boat projects.
When Dave retired at the end of March he spent most of his time working on projects to get Romana ready to launch, including applying special bottom paint that will work in the warmer waters we will travel to, installing a new line cutter on the prop shaft (more about that later), installing new instruments, painting and varnishing in the V berth and main cabin, and replacing some cap moldings in the main cabin.
It seemed like every time he came home from the boat he brought more wood for me to varnish, and by the end of April I started to panic a little bit about how much I had to do. By early May, Romana was just about ready to go in the water. We spent a couple of weeks in May on a road trip to Ontario and when we came back Dave spent a frenetic week sorting out our mooring, launching the boat, putting the mooring in and getting the mast up before the end of May.
I finished work on the last day of May and finally had time to help out, so we got the sails on and I got started on the wood work. After the first week I almost wished I was back at work so that I could get a break!
I am still feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of taking off for 10 months on the boat in less than 3 months time. Dave had a 2 month head start on me and has many of his projects finished, most of his projects organized, and all of his projects on 'a list'. I have spent the last two weeks sanding and varnishing like mad, so that we could put the boat interior back together enough to go for a sail, so I have only just got started on my lists, but it seems like there is so much to do.
To give you some context, Romana is a Corbin 39, launched in the early 80s and owner finished.
Having a 30 year old boat is like having a 100 year old house - there is always something that needs to be fixed, replaced or upgraded. We have been working away since we bought her in 2000, but it is kind of like painting a bridge - it never ends - once you finish it seems like it is time to start again. The marine environment, with salt water and lots of sun, is very hard on everything, so
stuff just wears out quickly.
We wanted to do some cosmetic work, like re-finishing some of the floorboards and some interior painting, and woodwork and although Dave has upgraded most of the major 'systems' on the boat there are still a few upgrades we would like to do before we go. By the end of the summer we hope our upgrades will include a shower on deck, a new bimini, a third solar panel, an electric windlass, new spreader lights, new cushions for the aft cabin, two holding tanks (one for each head), a new stove, new showers in each of the heads and more!
One upgrade that is already taken care of is a new rigid bottom inflatable dinghy to replace our old inflatable (not a RIB). Although the new dinghy is slightly smaller so it can't carry quite as much, with the motor it weighs less than the old dinghy did without the motor. This means that we can put
the dinghy on the davits with the motor on it, which saves us from having to mess around getting the motor on the dinghy every time we stop. We've already experienced the benefits of this and it is going to be a boon on our trip south, when our dinghy is the equivalent of our 'car' (if Romana is the equivalent of our 'home').
Another change for us is that this year Romana is at a mooring in Pictou Harbour instead of at the dock in the Heritage Quay Marina. Our mooring is quite close to the marina, so we still use their docks for our dinghy, but this means that logistics of getting to the boat are a bit more complicated. I found this out when I went to the boat yesterday to do some varnishing and there was some wind,
and a bit of a chop on. I must say I was glad I had shorts and sandals on, because I got soaked getting myself and all my gear from the dinghy onto Romana.
Getting the mooring geared up and in the water was another big project that Dave did in May. It sounds like the whole operation went very well until the time came to pick up the mooring for the first time. When Dave started the engine on Romana and put it in gear, a horrible grinding noise came from under the boat. He determined that there was likely a problem caused by the new spur line cutter he had installed, so he borrowed a wet suit from a friend and dove repeatedly to have a look and try to figure out how to fix it. After diving for an hour or so in the cold water he had to give up, so he asked a friend Al to tow him to the mooring.
Although I didn't personally witness this, I wish I had. Al has a 29 foot Beneteau sailboat named Deliverance and Romana is a 39 foot sailboat. Romana weighs about 6 times as much as Deliverance. They rafted the two boats together and set off to pick up the mooring with Dave steering Romana while Deliverance provided the propulsion. After a few unsuccessful tries at picking up the mooring, Dave determined that he needed to add a line with an extra float to make it easier to pick up. He proceeded to get in the dinghy to go and attach the float. Once he was in the dinghy and drifting away, he realized that he didn't have any oars (he had stowed them on Romana the day before to prevent anyone from rowing away in it). So Dave was drifting away and Al had to chase after him with the two boats rafted together. He couldn't steer with Deliverance, so Dave told him to go on Romana and use the engine to come after him. Eventually Dave got the oars, got the float on the mooring and they managed to pick it up. I imagine that anyone watching them was quite entertained!
Dave has been diving two more times to sort out the issue on the prop and has managed to remove the line cutter from the shaft, as well as the anode. The horrible noise is gone, and we are able to drive the boat no problem. Now he just has to figure out what the issue was so that he can get the
line cutter installed again. It is essential to have for travelling through Maine, where lobster traps are everywhere and very close together. Getting a line wrapped around your prop can pull the prop right out of the boat, and then you are on your way to sinking! No matter what the fix is, it will require Dave to do some more diving. The boat factor is in effect - everything is always way more complicated and takes way more time than you think it should.
Although we still have lots of projects to finish (and start), the boat is back together enough to sail, so at least we can enjoy it in between all of the work. Our basement is still full of pieces of wood in some stage of sanding or varnshing, and the kitchen table is covered with bits and pieces of projects, but I am resigned to the fact that that is the way it will be until we take off in September.
When Dave retired at the end of March he spent most of his time working on projects to get Romana ready to launch, including applying special bottom paint that will work in the warmer waters we will travel to, installing a new line cutter on the prop shaft (more about that later), installing new instruments, painting and varnishing in the V berth and main cabin, and replacing some cap moldings in the main cabin.
It seemed like every time he came home from the boat he brought more wood for me to varnish, and by the end of April I started to panic a little bit about how much I had to do. By early May, Romana was just about ready to go in the water. We spent a couple of weeks in May on a road trip to Ontario and when we came back Dave spent a frenetic week sorting out our mooring, launching the boat, putting the mooring in and getting the mast up before the end of May.
I finished work on the last day of May and finally had time to help out, so we got the sails on and I got started on the wood work. After the first week I almost wished I was back at work so that I could get a break!
I am still feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of taking off for 10 months on the boat in less than 3 months time. Dave had a 2 month head start on me and has many of his projects finished, most of his projects organized, and all of his projects on 'a list'. I have spent the last two weeks sanding and varnishing like mad, so that we could put the boat interior back together enough to go for a sail, so I have only just got started on my lists, but it seems like there is so much to do.
To give you some context, Romana is a Corbin 39, launched in the early 80s and owner finished.
Having a 30 year old boat is like having a 100 year old house - there is always something that needs to be fixed, replaced or upgraded. We have been working away since we bought her in 2000, but it is kind of like painting a bridge - it never ends - once you finish it seems like it is time to start again. The marine environment, with salt water and lots of sun, is very hard on everything, so
stuff just wears out quickly.
We wanted to do some cosmetic work, like re-finishing some of the floorboards and some interior painting, and woodwork and although Dave has upgraded most of the major 'systems' on the boat there are still a few upgrades we would like to do before we go. By the end of the summer we hope our upgrades will include a shower on deck, a new bimini, a third solar panel, an electric windlass, new spreader lights, new cushions for the aft cabin, two holding tanks (one for each head), a new stove, new showers in each of the heads and more!
One upgrade that is already taken care of is a new rigid bottom inflatable dinghy to replace our old inflatable (not a RIB). Although the new dinghy is slightly smaller so it can't carry quite as much, with the motor it weighs less than the old dinghy did without the motor. This means that we can put
the dinghy on the davits with the motor on it, which saves us from having to mess around getting the motor on the dinghy every time we stop. We've already experienced the benefits of this and it is going to be a boon on our trip south, when our dinghy is the equivalent of our 'car' (if Romana is the equivalent of our 'home').
Another change for us is that this year Romana is at a mooring in Pictou Harbour instead of at the dock in the Heritage Quay Marina. Our mooring is quite close to the marina, so we still use their docks for our dinghy, but this means that logistics of getting to the boat are a bit more complicated. I found this out when I went to the boat yesterday to do some varnishing and there was some wind,
and a bit of a chop on. I must say I was glad I had shorts and sandals on, because I got soaked getting myself and all my gear from the dinghy onto Romana.
Getting the mooring geared up and in the water was another big project that Dave did in May. It sounds like the whole operation went very well until the time came to pick up the mooring for the first time. When Dave started the engine on Romana and put it in gear, a horrible grinding noise came from under the boat. He determined that there was likely a problem caused by the new spur line cutter he had installed, so he borrowed a wet suit from a friend and dove repeatedly to have a look and try to figure out how to fix it. After diving for an hour or so in the cold water he had to give up, so he asked a friend Al to tow him to the mooring.
Although I didn't personally witness this, I wish I had. Al has a 29 foot Beneteau sailboat named Deliverance and Romana is a 39 foot sailboat. Romana weighs about 6 times as much as Deliverance. They rafted the two boats together and set off to pick up the mooring with Dave steering Romana while Deliverance provided the propulsion. After a few unsuccessful tries at picking up the mooring, Dave determined that he needed to add a line with an extra float to make it easier to pick up. He proceeded to get in the dinghy to go and attach the float. Once he was in the dinghy and drifting away, he realized that he didn't have any oars (he had stowed them on Romana the day before to prevent anyone from rowing away in it). So Dave was drifting away and Al had to chase after him with the two boats rafted together. He couldn't steer with Deliverance, so Dave told him to go on Romana and use the engine to come after him. Eventually Dave got the oars, got the float on the mooring and they managed to pick it up. I imagine that anyone watching them was quite entertained!
Dave has been diving two more times to sort out the issue on the prop and has managed to remove the line cutter from the shaft, as well as the anode. The horrible noise is gone, and we are able to drive the boat no problem. Now he just has to figure out what the issue was so that he can get the
line cutter installed again. It is essential to have for travelling through Maine, where lobster traps are everywhere and very close together. Getting a line wrapped around your prop can pull the prop right out of the boat, and then you are on your way to sinking! No matter what the fix is, it will require Dave to do some more diving. The boat factor is in effect - everything is always way more complicated and takes way more time than you think it should.
Although we still have lots of projects to finish (and start), the boat is back together enough to sail, so at least we can enjoy it in between all of the work. Our basement is still full of pieces of wood in some stage of sanding or varnshing, and the kitchen table is covered with bits and pieces of projects, but I am resigned to the fact that that is the way it will be until we take off in September.