Messages

Headed down to Florida next week to get her prepped for sale.  I've recieved a few replies and some requests for more photos, thank you all for your interest, but no offers yet.  She'll be up on e-bay by the end of next week...feel free to drop a line between now and then...

Hi all...sorry it's been so long without a post.  Work has been crazy, and unfortunately it's time for a little lifestyle change.  Althea Hull #387 will be going up for sale...I'm going to post it on e-bay next week, if I don't hear any responses here, figured I'd give you all first shot.  By the way thank you all for your help and advice during all the refit work, I've done, you were an amazing wealth of information. I'm sorry to have to let her go.

Here's the detail information:

Berthed: Merritt Island, Florida (slip would be available for transfer if you choose to take it over, or buyer must have it out by the first of the year)

Condition:  I've just finished refitting all standing rigging with oversized hardware, to include new Chain-Plates, a new over-stearn Backstay Chainplate.  All running rigging is brand new and unsused, NE Ropes gear, color coded.  Winches are brand new and unused Harken self tailing.  Strong back has been reinforced, foredeck recored, mast rewired with new lighting, including a photocell LED Masthead light...the list goes on and on...she is essentially ready to sail, with the exception of some electrical work, and perhaps a hull cleaning.  I'll include tons of original parts and a few new toys I hadn't installed yet. Tons of pictures I'll attach one or two here...if you want more e-mail me.


Asking Price: $3500 (the winches, mast hardware, standing and running rigging were almost that much)

Contact info:

cjackson@aqualine-resources.com

Here's how to do it the easy way...

1.  Provide lots of beer...

2.  Offer it only to really BIG guys....with tools and time....

3.  Don't give them the beer 'til the mast is up!!!

Ebb,
    I found the Oilite Bronze in 1" round stock at a local machine shop who allowed me to purchase a 1 foot piece from him for $20.  If you call around, a machine shop or hot rod shop that does custom bearings may have some scrap pieces around that you can buy.

The prior owner had started on a new aluminum mast step, however did not quite finish it up, or deal with the issue of mounting it to a level surface on the deck.  I didn't want to reuse wood under the mast step, so I decided on creating a solid epoxy base to level out the camber of the deck, where the mast step will reside.

This was accomplished by prepping the surface and building a plastic dam to contain the "peanut butter", then I coated the underside of the aluminum step and inside the dam with PVA and used the step to press the epoxy into the mold.  The finished product came out beautifully...and also sealed the old screw and wire run holes in the process...finished product picture to come, here's one of the mold while the epoxy was curing.

Here's the new Oilite bronze bushing installed in my Main Sheave.  A good friend of mine in the local marina pressed and machined this in exchange for a 12 pack!!  Good trade, eh?!?!

The sheave runs like new now, seems to be fine to accept 5/16" line for a new Halyard, I'm not going back to wire... :rolleyes:

Lots more work to report....Since last I updated The mast refit has been going along smashingly.  The white two part epoxy topcoat has been applied, and fitting replacement and rebuild has begun.  In the phot0s below you can see the newly designed mast head fitting with the OGM Photo-sensor LED Tricolor light, and new windex mounted on top.  This light rocks, at only .08 amp max draw!!!  Also note the new Dweyer shroud tangs...the only tang I've ended up reusing is the Jib Halyard tang, due to its' special curvature, and it seems in decent shape...

Here's a second shot...

While I was waiting for epoxy to set up I finally got to work on the spar paint job.  I ended up using PPG DX series prep products, as well as a PPG two part catalyzed primer, specifically designed for aluminum.  
These are some of the best paint products I've ever used...the DX series prep, involves a phosphoric acid etching solution, then a chromate based surface treatment, which acts as a corrosion inhibitor.  I then used PPG's Omni AU two-part primer, over that which you can see in the photos.  The great thing about all these products is that there is "NO" surface prep required at all!!  Just strip the old pain off the mast and sand it well, then apply the DX-533 acid with a green scrubby pad, let it sit for 30 minutes, wipe with a wet rag, then apply the DX-503 surfacer, let that set for 30 minutes and go straight to the Primer coat, no wet sanding no nothing.  I applied the prime coat with a short nap foam roller and cut in with a brush, looks great.  According to the PPG data the primer needs no prep prior to application of the top coat either!!!  I'll be using a PPG ALK-200 alkalyd catalyzed enamel for the top coat (white).  This stuff is great as well and only cost me $22 for a "GALLON"!!!! The catalyst was another $15.  The grand total for enough gear to prep, prime and paint about 3 masts and booms, costs me right around $100!!!!  

Here's the latest work for the weekend of 2/19/06:

Glassed in new blocking in the lazarette to accept the outboard backstay chain-plate...got a couple more layers of glass to go and then it will be time to look at bulkhead installation in there, possibly with some type of mounting system for my outboard to lay athwartships in a cradle...??


Had a couple of questions about this so, I thought I would specify that this is a temporary set up, to get the chain plates mounted and the rig up.  Unfortunately in my marina generating the amount of airborne contaminates required to tear down the surface in there to raw glass would be frowned upon.  This should serve adequately to get things aligned and initially installed until I can get the boat hauled in a couple of months and tear things in there down to brass tacks.

After chiseling out the last bits, some final griding and a little prep with some 60 grit paper and acetone, I faired out everything with some thickened epoxy...the new backing is waiting to be glassed in, hopefully next weekend for the new "stern mounted", extra heavy, backstay chainplate...  I'll some good detail photos once that is done.

This is after an hour and a half with a sawsall and a grinder...

The refit project for Althea finally began this weekend...didn't get much done, the weather held me up some but, here's a look at where I've begun...more to follow:  

This shot is the start of removing the rotten old knee in the lazarette...

Does anyone have some photos of the upper and lower shroud attachment points at the mast??  Just started digging in to my new rigging installation and I'd like to see what an original set up and/or modifications others have done looks like...

Mike,
    I'm just a major redundancy nut...a lot of years working in the nuclear power field...  My concern is if something gets tangled up, or if a block breaks, locks up or what have you...then I still have the option of working the Halyards from the mast...  A new Harken #6 for the mast costs less than $100, so the safety factor seems like money well spent at that price...