Well we had a great summer. We actually got Windover sailing again and sail she did!. She surpassed our expectations as a comfortable cruising platform. When we launched her last May we had plans to finish off all the little jobs that remained. Unfortunately the temptation to sail distracted us all summer and much of the work we had planned to do never got done. Now that the season is over we can focus on these little details again.
We will tackle her interior woodwork this winter. Years of neglect have left quite a mess inside. Last spring we re-bedded most of her fastenings and discovered why she was so wet inside. The silicone used by the last person who removed the fasteners had failed years before and streaks of dirt pointed to the entry points in the deck where water had been coming into the cabin. Surprisingly, the survey found no water in the laminate of the deck. Someone must have taken the time to epoxy the holes to keep water out of the core. There are still a few bits to bed down before spring. We have suspected all summer that the eyebrows along the cabin sides are leaking. Removing these will involve drilling out lots of teak plugs and fighting with corroded screws. This job will take forever. Once removed the eyebrows will be refinished and re-bedded with new stainless fasteners.
We will hook up the water heater before spring. At some point the heater had been removed. The coolant lines were routed back into the engine and the water lines were cut and refastened to take the old heater out of the loop. Now I cannot figure out how to hook it back up. We will have to remove the floors to get a good look at the piping below. While the floors are removed we will be replacing them. The teak and holly veneer has become stained and de-laminated in places. We may be able to save the aft panel, but the forward one is too far gone. The really big job will be the rot in the starboard bulkhead. It has been dry all summer so we will be cutting it in half and will replace the lower half with new marine ply. It is not a structural bulkhead so we can just replace half of it and trim at the joint. Matching the stain should be simple. Hopefully by next spring her scars will be mended and she will be 100% restored.
It is depressing to see her sitting on the hard again, wrapped in her winter blanket. The temperature is dropping daily and I have to get her winterized. I suppose I have been putting this off because I would have to admit my time on the water is over for 2014 and I have a lot of work to look forward to. The old Keeble cover we refurbished for her creates a snug cocoon to work in but it is dark and uninviting, not the cheery bright space we enjoyed all summer. This is a sad time for all sailors. Nothing but waiting and work to look forward to for the next six months.
Water, a friend to Windover all summer, is now her enemy. The freezing and thawing of water is what destroys a boat. Water in the deck, hull, keel and rudder, water in the tanks and engine, the water heater and pumps. All water must be removed to preserve her for another season.
Today is the first day of work on board since she was hauled out. Tomorrow the forecast is for snow. I have waited long enough, perhaps too long. Time to tuck her in for the winter.........Chris
~/)~
We will tackle her interior woodwork this winter. Years of neglect have left quite a mess inside. Last spring we re-bedded most of her fastenings and discovered why she was so wet inside. The silicone used by the last person who removed the fasteners had failed years before and streaks of dirt pointed to the entry points in the deck where water had been coming into the cabin. Surprisingly, the survey found no water in the laminate of the deck. Someone must have taken the time to epoxy the holes to keep water out of the core. There are still a few bits to bed down before spring. We have suspected all summer that the eyebrows along the cabin sides are leaking. Removing these will involve drilling out lots of teak plugs and fighting with corroded screws. This job will take forever. Once removed the eyebrows will be refinished and re-bedded with new stainless fasteners.
We will hook up the water heater before spring. At some point the heater had been removed. The coolant lines were routed back into the engine and the water lines were cut and refastened to take the old heater out of the loop. Now I cannot figure out how to hook it back up. We will have to remove the floors to get a good look at the piping below. While the floors are removed we will be replacing them. The teak and holly veneer has become stained and de-laminated in places. We may be able to save the aft panel, but the forward one is too far gone. The really big job will be the rot in the starboard bulkhead. It has been dry all summer so we will be cutting it in half and will replace the lower half with new marine ply. It is not a structural bulkhead so we can just replace half of it and trim at the joint. Matching the stain should be simple. Hopefully by next spring her scars will be mended and she will be 100% restored.
It is depressing to see her sitting on the hard again, wrapped in her winter blanket. The temperature is dropping daily and I have to get her winterized. I suppose I have been putting this off because I would have to admit my time on the water is over for 2014 and I have a lot of work to look forward to. The old Keeble cover we refurbished for her creates a snug cocoon to work in but it is dark and uninviting, not the cheery bright space we enjoyed all summer. This is a sad time for all sailors. Nothing but waiting and work to look forward to for the next six months.
Water, a friend to Windover all summer, is now her enemy. The freezing and thawing of water is what destroys a boat. Water in the deck, hull, keel and rudder, water in the tanks and engine, the water heater and pumps. All water must be removed to preserve her for another season.
Today is the first day of work on board since she was hauled out. Tomorrow the forecast is for snow. I have waited long enough, perhaps too long. Time to tuck her in for the winter.........Chris
~/)~