Wed 5 May, HHN day 22: Finally finish spreaders rebuild project. Also complete the mast head project. Tasks are getting ticked and Captain is happy!
After some calls and admin in the early morning, I cycle back down to East Coast Marine Rigging in the rain. Another good day, weather wise, to be inside Stephen’s workshop. I just have the 2 lower spreaders to rebuild today, but it still takes me right through till 3pm to finish them. Same sequence as yesterday, only the lower spreads are bigger and also have the deck light fitting to be riveted too. Plus the 2 pullies for flags/pennants.
In all, I used about 250 rivets to rebuild the 6 pieces. From taking spreaders off the mast, the struggle to dismantle them, thoroughly cleaning the corrosion and then rebuilding, it has been quite a task and I’m very glad it’s finished. I’m also very chuffed with how they look. Pretty close to new I would say.
I ask Stephen to bill me something for the use of his workshop, but he refuses. We negotiate and end with a deal that I come back and try to fix their GoPro camera in exchange for the workshop time. A win-win I would say, certainly for me anyway 😊.
I then have a bit of a rush to tidy up and get everything back to Cloudy Bay while I still have Ray’s pickup available.
During the day I get a call from Scott, at Authority Marine Propulsion. Good news, he has managed to dismantle our Aquadrive. The bearing seems fine but seals need replacing. What a relief to hear that. I was almost counting on having to buy a new one. He is such a nice guy and like Stephen, very customer focused. And speedy. Says it will be all finished by Friday.
I’m thinking now that I may send my CV joint to him for service too, as he seems to be very experienced with these drive trains. I think I will, because that will mean everything from the engine down to the tip of the propeller will have been renewed or rebuilt professionally (CV, Aquadrive, PSS shaft seal, cutlass bearing and Gori propeller).
And, of course, not to mention the bilge beautification! Cloudy will certainly be like a new boat in this area. Oh… and the rig too…. and the sails… and the deck gear…. and the vents… and … and .. and. We will certainly be well setup for several years in more remote parts of the world. Because once we leave Panama, there is only the country of the Kiwis and Saarth-Africa where we might get repairs done before we return back to the USA, sometime next century. (Editor note: last 3 words to check if Oana is reading the blog).
After a well-deserved cup of tea, I do the one last thing to the spreaders rebuild. Add the polished stainless end fittings. This should be a super simple job, but I remember that I have not yet cleaned out the Loctite from the threads. After a few minutes struggling to get the bolts in, I go to plan-B and bring out an M8 tap to clean them out. Then the bolts go in like a dream, along with new red-Loctite.
I’d love to put the spreaders back on the mast right now, even if it’s just to admire them back in their rightful place. But tempting as it is, I take them up to the aft deck where they will remain until the fall, when we put the rig back up. That way, the mast can stay with its protective cover on.
During the day I received red Loctite which I’d been waiting for to complete the mast head project. I just needed to Loctite-in the new studs to mount the Pacific antenna before I could finally put the new top plate on. There will be no more rain cascading through our mast top… and no more cowboy mounting of stainless fittings direct on the aluminum. If we even so much as sniff corrosion in the next 5 years, I swear I’ll have a hissy-fit!
It was perfect timing to do the spreaders inside a cool workshop. Today was like a tropical day. Hot and humid and rain showers. The coming 10 days looks like much more pleasant temperature to be in and around the boat.
Tomorrow, the outhaul piston will be dismantled and seals changed… hopefully all in one day. Let us see if my recent winning streak continues.