Hard work on the hard stand.

It has been a little over a month since our last post and we considered an update prior to Christmas a good idea.

Whenever a boat is hauled out for maintenance there is almost always more to be done than anticipated and it therefore almost always takes longer and costs more. We have found ourselves to be no exception to this well known, but optimistically overlooked, rule. However, the haul out has gone well and our projects are coming together nicely. This is largely due to the hard working Mexican painting crew we employed to do most of the work. They are not only hard working but honest, generous and considerate.

While Renate was in back home in New Zealand sorting out Renahara, to hand her over to new owners, the 'boys', as we affectionately refer to them, looked after me by sharing their lunch, running me around town for supplies, and inviting me to their homes for supper. Their company and friendship has been much valued by us. Indeed, listening to them cheerfully sing along to their favourite songs on the radio while doing the toxic and tedious work that belongs to boat maintenance brings a lightness of heart as one works. Incidentally, they do this for wages I wouldn't get out of bed for. In return I make them coffee almost daily, lend them tools and safety equipment, and occasionally shout them a couple of beers after work. 
 

A couple of beers after a hot day's work. Pancho, Abrahm, Pepe, myself (nick-named Pancho Martin) and Pancho.

At haul out the hull, as expected, was quite foul due to little or no active anti foul remaining. The travel lift was operated expertly, the hull promptly cleaned and the boat quickly set on stands. Work commenced with the paint crew long-boarding the hull and me removing the rudder for modification.

Substantial fouling made movement from marina berth to Travel Lift sluggish.

Following reports that the boat tacked poorly in strong winds it was decided to modify the rudder to an NACA profile with 12% camber and add end plates; in much the same fashion as our friend Alan has done on Zebedee. This is to give it an hydrodynamic shape and to keep the flow of water over the rudder's surface while steering. This means adding wood to both sides of the rudder then planing and sanding to get the desired shape. It sounds simple, but it was much more work than anticipated. It took me as long to modify the rudder as it did to build the dinghy.

I glued layers of 12mm plywood to the existing rudder. This is where I discovered that, while some attempt had been made to shape the barn door of a rudder, it was asymmetric, which would not have helped it's efficiency. 

The barn door with anti foul ground off.

The first layer of plywood ready to be glued down with the new profile attached to the base of the rudder.

Eventually the added material provided enough bulk to be planed and sanded into shape and it was a pleasure to see a nice hydrofoil begin to appear after much planing and long boarding. The old injuries to my right shoulder and elbow objected to this process towards the end and I was thankful that it was not me who was long-boarding the hull. It is evident that I shall have to age more gracefully.

The grey bearded curmudgeon with the modified rudder sporting end plates.

Looking at the above photo makes me think I look like a good friend from Whangarei who is also a curmudgeon. 

While I beavered away planing and shaping the rudder the paint crew got on with preparing the hull for painting. They primed, filled and sanded over and over again. I began to think they would never be satisfied with the surface preparation. I couldn't even see the imperfections they were unhappy with! 

Painstaking preparation

 
Then, suddenly, they spray painted. It was all over in under an hour and our boat stood gleaming in the sunshine.

The high gloss finish with waterline fixed by laser.

The dinghy got the same treatment too, although the boys were not happy with the preparation done by myself. I told them that if anyone asks I would say they that I painted it myself, which seemed to settle their disquiet.

A very shiny dinghy

Like most boats Taiko's waterline drooped at the bow and the stern. It is common for the curvature of the hull to deceive the eye of the applicator to produce this droop effect. A tangent to the highest point of the existing water line was taken by the laser to get a straight line around the entire hull. It was surprising to see how far off level it was. In addition to the droop at each end the port side was lower than the starboard side.

The drooping waterline at the stern.

 
It hasn't all been boat work, thankfully. Renate arrived from NZ, completing the last leg of her journey by private aircraft. This was organised by Matt, the Commodore of Trans-ocean's LA base. This was a fantastic additional adventure for Renate that allowed her to see much more of the landscape than would have been possible from a commercial flight. The kindness of Matt and his friends Jim, the pilot, Paul and Patty was exceptional. Renate was deposited at the foot of the ladder with her very heavy bags at about 1500hrs. There were no complicated arrangements with motels, rental cars or taxis; it was fantastic.

Matt learning to fly, Renate aft.

The Goats Udder near Guaymas.

A few days ago we were invited to the Marina staff Christmas barbeque. We were the only sailing people to be invited. It was very enjoyable; we were made very welcome and the food was excellent. The piñata event was highly amusing. For readers who have never been to Mexico, a piñata is decorated paper maché ball filled with treats for the kids (small and large ) which is struck in turn by a blind folded striker while it is jigged up and down. Everyone present takes a swing or three until the paper maché gives way to spill its contents on the floor, at which moment the kids rush in like sharks in a feeding frenzy. Basically a lolly scramble in Mexican style.

A good hit, but the Piñata still with holding.

After the barbeque it was back into work clothes for more finishing epoxy work on the rudder. The following day Pepe and Pancho began removing the old anti fouling with open sanders, with no consideration for the environment, the ground off anti foul was simply allowed lie where it fell to blow in the wind; something we would never get away with in NZ. At this juncture we discovered the only poor piece of work done by the previous owner thus far. The ballast keel to dead wood join had been fibre glassed over directly over old ablative anti foul. Of course the fibre glass was letting go; it was fortunately very easy to remove. The boys ground off the uncovered anti foul and re-glassed over sound substrate. New anti foul will go on soon.

Pancho Martin (looking like Don Quixote), Pancho, Renate, and Pepe.

We wish you all a happy holiday season.