Stanchion Repair

The port side stanchion, closest to the cockpit, was very loose when I purchased the boat.  When I would wash down the deck it would leak right into the cabin at an uncomfortable rate.

I was so nervous about the process of fixing the problem.  This was my first boat, I wasnt sure how I felt about drilling and working with epoxy, but once I removed the bolts to the stanchion I quickly realized how my involvement was only going to help the situation.  I had studied for about a week or two on the best methods for sealing/bedding deck hardware.  I use the drill, bore, epoxy, redrill, countersink, butyl tape method.  It works incredible, Ive done it many more times which will be covered at a later time.

Removed the stanchion

 I drilled out the holes to a larger size, then routed out UNDER the fiberglass, a very important step.

Filled with epoxy and let it sit for a week, then I redrilled the proper sized holes for the screws to get through.  I countersunk the screw holes so I could fill it with flexible sealant, making this thing waterproof.

New blocks all around

Im a pretty fit guy, Im 30 and work out nearly every day, whether its the gym or surfing.  When I first raised the sails it was so physically taxing that I would get nausea, not the best first impression of a new purchase.

Running up on deck I saw the block sheaves were completely destroyed.  Those particular blocks are no longer produced by Ronstan as they suck.  There is no way to change the sheaves, and no way to remove the block from the baseplate.   Its all one big dumb unit.

This is a good shot of the sheave deterioration.   

This was the case for both the main and jib halyards.  I want to later use the existing baseplate location for other lines such as downhaul, topping lift, etc, so instead I drilled holes into the mast baseplate and connected blocks there.
Jib halyard, notice the baseplate hole.

 Main halyard block, I ended up drilling another hole in the baseplate making that block lower to the deck, as in the picture above of the jib halyard block.

Jib halyard block, next to the old, deteriorated jib halyard block

While Ronstan did piss me off here, this last summer has proven a bit of a design revolution for the company, and I loved the sexy styling of the new Orbit line.  I went with this series all around to test the company.  If this equipment doesnt hold up, I'll move to Harken to give them a shot.   

My whole set up needed work.  As seen below, the downhaul overlaped the boom vang, running interference when the boom moves to the port side.  For continuity, I added another block for the downhaul and removed all existing blocks.  This set up is clean, and very hard to go wrong. 

For the jib sheet blocks, I went with a slightly different model because it has a very sexy half moon shape missing from the middle.  When it comes to typical boring block design, these have to be the sexiest.  The jib blocks are from the same series as the previously mentioned blocks, meaning they are of the same weight limit but have a slightly different/sexier design.

The jib sheet blocks also connect to the cars in a different fashion than the halyard blocks, using the new Dyneema material.  This new technology is incredibly strong, so much that it is being used for standing rigging on those vessels which can afford it.  One nice aspect to the set up is the blocks stand up themselves because of the Dyneema connection.  I like the look.

The old blocks/cars which came with the boat have held up very well, I have kept them on the boat so I have now have two sets of blocks/cars on both port and starboard.

Such a sexy half moon look to them.  

New outboard

When I purchased the boat there was a 9hp Johnson outboard which was in 3 pieces in, kept in the quarterberth.  How it was every placed back there, I dont know, but it was a massive pain in the ass to get out.  Purchasing the boat in July in Southern California and removing a 100 lb engine from the breathless quarterberth was one of my better ideas, but once out it was quickly evident nothing was reparable.  The craigslist stars aligned and a newly repaired Tohatsu was found online for a great price.  The guy flipped all kinds of engines, so he discounted the price of the new outboard by taking my old broken engine.

The new outboard was impeccable, freshly overhauled, and ready to be strapped aboard.

After 6 months of use, the propeller went bad.  The propeller on a Tohatsu (and many other brands I have discovered) does not directly connect to the drive shaft.  There is a vulcanized rubber bushing inside of the propeller which fits over the drive shaft.  In my case, when the rubber gave out, I wouldnt have any power under water, but in the swells, when the prop would come out it would spin and spit water everywhere.  This is confusing, even more so when the sun is going down at Catalina Island (20 miles off the LA coast) and you are trying to make your way into Two Harbors for the evening, as was my experience.  Harbor Patrol at Two Harbors are some of the greatest people on the Island.  Once secured, my neighbor on the mooring ball quickly identified the vulcanized rubber problem, but how the hell do you get a new prop to an island?  And even if you could, how would know what you need?  Its not like internet is walking around the streets of Two Harbors, a village with a population of 298 souls (2000 Census).  Outboards are carefully engineered making an the incorrect propeller decision catastrophic to the engine dynamics.

For some strange reason, there exists a certified Tohatsu dealer at Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island, 20 miles south of Two Harbors.  I believe a separate blog could be written about the bus ride between the two villages on this island.  Precarious cliffs, switchback roads, an airport bus transfer, airport beer, a school bus from the 50's racing over washboard gravel roads making an internal racket so loud your vocal cords can not possibly compete, wild buffalo, beautiful San Nicolas Island views, and remote/exotic camping locations.

Point of all this, I got a new prop and it works great.