Just like Humpty Dumpty, we're slowly putting Nirvana back together again. Wait, I think Humpty Dumpty couldn't be put back together again ... even with all the King's Men! We're hoping Nirvana isn't as difficult as Humpty ... especially when we get to those clutches, blocks and all those little pieces. How good is our memory? Hope we took good pictures before we took all the hardware off!
As shown in the picture above, Nirvana now has her bow sprit back on. This was not an easy task, but not as difficult as the stern pushpit! The pushpit sat in our little living room for a couple of weeks until we had time to re-bed it with 4200.
Re-bedding the stern pushpit was a difficult job! Imagine trying to get bolts on the bottom of the pushpit, which is at the top of a skinny little "wall" that makes up the stern. There's nothing like working on a boat!
The stanchions weren't as difficult as the pushpit, but with the high temps (and adding backing plates) we broke this project into two mornings.
Before re-bedding, I cleaned the stainless pieces with Never Dull. We've used this product for many years on our motorcycles so why not Nirvana?
Our stainless isn't new, but have you checked into the prices of these parts?! We're happy to use what we've got, especially since we had to buy a few stainless latches .. over $20 bucks for one latch! We'll also use the lifelines that we already had,which are in good shape. We're in no hurry to put these back on until we're finished with the other deck installations and projects.
We have other projects also in the works, including trying to come up with a solution for our companionway hatch cover that doesn't slide so well. Luckily, Ken has a contractor's mind and came up with a fix that we hope solves the problem. We're not quite done with this project yet, so more details coming soon.
As time allows, we'll finish the hatch and re-bed the winches, handrails, blocks, etc. on Nirvana's deck. We're also planning on tackling the plumbing soon ... the hose to our water tank is disgusting!
Ken and I are getting excited about finally putting Nirvana back together again, and we can't wait to take her motoring on the lake. Ken's been running the engine while in our slip, and he's been replacing a few hoses and doing minor engine maintenance as well. With hurricane season in full force we'll probably wait until November to put the sails & canvas back on Nirvana, as well as new halyards. Any suggestions on where to get the halyards online for a good price?
We've been searching the internet for parts & spares, and researching our cruising needs on Nirvana. We're looking into ideas for solar panels (we're thinking 300 watts with a Honda generator), storage on the boat, and for a primary anchor set-up with a windlass. With a small anchor locker & a 30 ft. boat weighing only 10,000 lbs, weight on the bow (and everywhere for that matter) is a concern. Some folks suggest 50 ft of chain, and others say at least 100 ft. of chain ... with 200 ft. of line. How do we fit 100 ft. of chain in our anchor locker?! Do we really need that much to sail to the Bahamas? Yeah, we may need more going further South but we could deal with it then, right? Maybe we'll start with a compromise ... and 80 ft. of chain.
As we start getting closer to becoming liveaboards, we get closer to shutting down our businesses. Ken's starting to go through his tools & storage shed ... and it's gettin' real! It's hard enough to walk away from an office (my real estate), but try adding getting rid of years of tools and parts from your construction business! Ken's been mentally preparing for this a long time, and I gotta say he's doing pretty well with the whole thing. It's scary for us to make such a drastic change in life, but the adventures we've been dreaming of can't be ignored. Staying put seems pretty boring now that the seed has been planted ... it's time to let it grow!
Hasta luego ... until then. Mid-Life Cruising!
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4 comments:
You guys have been getting a lot of work done! I know what you mean about chain on a small boat. There's only so much room in the anchor locker and you have to think about too much weight up on the bow.
In the Bahamas (and most places!) you will be anchoring in shallow water, so 50 feet of chain would be acceptable. In fact, it will make life a little easier because you generally won't need a snubber since you'll have some rope out. Putting out 100 feet of chain in 7 feet of water is not just overkill but actually kind of rude if the anchorage is at all crowded. Just be sure the rode is free and clear of coral (for the sake of the rode and the coral!) or man-made debris. Our chain once sawed through a 55 gallon barrel--had it been rope, we would have been on the beach.
I think I read you guys are planning on going more south. If staying in the Bahamas I agree 50 is enough. But going south I would suggest 100ft and 100ft three strand minimum. One thing I found useful is having a "light weight" secondary set up. I used quarter inch chain, only about 10-20ft and a light weight Danforth knock off about 5-7lbs I bought used for ten bucks (wire brush and Rustoleum). I kept it on the stern rail to deploy from the cockpit. I planned to use it off the stern or side to keep the boat into the waves when the wind (rolling side to side all night is misery on earth) wanted to do otherwise, but I found we often used it in protected anchorages in settled weather. It worked like a charm and was much easier to use than the 45lb CQR and 3/8chain. One other thing that really came in handy, I bought bicycle reflectors made of plastic and put them on a number of places on the boat. If you get caught out on a dark cloudy night it sure helps you to find your boat. Helps others to see your boat too. You just have to remember to keep a strong flashlight in the dink. Another thing is I would not get a anchor windless for your boat. It is not that hard to hand in for that little weight. If wind makes it hard just work together, one on the steering/throttle and one pulling in the rode. Ken and Deb
Thanks for the tips! We need advice, as we don't know how we'll fit 100 ft of rope PLUS chain?! We'd love to save money on a windlass. We're looking at a Mantus anchor .. oversized of course! I guess it will depend on what size/weight we get. Maybe we can compromise and get a manual windlass!
So, past Bahamas 100 ft of rope and 50 ft of chain? Geez, we need more room!
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