Following her Atlantic adventures, Arctic Smoke has been out of commission and still is and will be until at least this time next year. The poor old girl is in need of a lot of TLC!
Today, after which I estimate must be the equivalent of 15 days hard scraping and sanding since early January, I finally finished perhaps the worst job any boat owner has to face - scraping off the old anti-fouling! It's actually the second time I've done that in 6 years. I bought AS at the end of 2011 and between then and 2013 I did the usual annual job of sanding off the old loose stuff and then anti-fouled over the remains of the previous coat. In 2013 I stripped the bottom back to the epoxy coat. That was relatively painless - it came off quite easily! I then applied a copper based anti-fouling at considerable expense. The following year when I had her hauled out she very badly fouled and the copper around the hull anode had leached out. I fired off a letter of complaint to the manufactures and they sent me another consignment. After getting all the growth off and sanding down I repainted another coat. This worked better - not great but acceptable. Before pushing off in the spring of 2015 I patched up the suspect bits. When I hauled her out again in Gran Canaria in 2016 she was badly fouled again. I patched the bottom up with normal cheap ablating anti-fouling before pushing off for Cape Verde. By the time we got to the Caribbean she was clearly fouling quite badly once again and I was over the side almost every week to keep the growth at bay. It's surprising how cold you get after 30 minutes or so even in those warm waters!
Back in the UK after hauling her out, it was clear that the copper anti-fouling was not working effectively - indeed the cheap stuff applied in Gran Canaria was more effective.
Since we got back in August last year the furthest AS has travelled was from the marina berth to the lift out crane - twice - a voyage of perhaps 500 meters. The first of these two voyages was to get her bottom pressure washed so with the intention of making her fit for local sailing over the summer. However, on the way over I noticed the water pump was leaking and so on our return to the berth I took it off. Off it remained for many weeks. Family life, job hunting and goodness knows what got in the way of any more boating activities. Eventually in the late summer I got it repaired and re-installed it, but spare weekends and good favourable Autumn weather never coincided and the poor old girl sat in her berth rather neglected until 5th of January when I got her lifted out once more - this time in preparation for a long programme of maintenance. I have a very, very long list.......
| Timing | Job | Status |
| Before re-launch | Chainplate attachments - check | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Fuel tank - drain/clean | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Re-paint deck with non-slip | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Engine refurb/replace | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Keel bolts check/replace | Done |
| Before re-launch | Propeller shaft & cuttless bearing | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Stern gland | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Rudder shaft/bearings check/replace | Done |
| Before re-launch | Remove rudder stand-pipe & grease bearing | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Osmosis? | Done |
| Before re-launch | Remove old copper anti-foul | 99% |
| Before re-launch | Paint bottom with Epoxy treatment | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Antifoul | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Clean/polish gel coat | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Windless – seized-up | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Finish off saloon windows properly | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Re-fit windows in heads (Starboard one now leaks) | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb cabin sole | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb cabin woodwork | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Remove locker doors and take home | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Remove sliding doors and take home | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb locker doors | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb sliding doors (tracks & wood) | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb galley work surfaces | Not started |
| Before re-launch | New cabin table (Tony) | Not started |
| Before re-launch | New upholstery | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Renovate/replace cooker | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Various chips in gelcoat in cockpit area | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Chips in gelcoat around stern | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Gelcoat behind tiller | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Mast Boot | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Lightening conductor ground to keel | Not started |
| Before re-launch | HF Ground to keel | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Rudder stock fitting | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Repair tiller (Awlood varnis) | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Overhaul Angus | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Annode replace | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Rudder heal bolts | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Smaller prop (Rob) 20 | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb Front bulkhead in anchor locker | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Nav light wiring | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Hatches remove and re-fit bed on a soft mastic | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Stanchions sleeve with thin rubber. Re bed fittings | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Windows - rake then bead with Arbomast sealant from marine scene. Try cutting off tape around window frame with sharp knife first. | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Mast section in Bilge acf50 after clean and dry out | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Keel rake out and sikaflex 291i Clean up fully. No need to replace keel bolts. Then fair keel to hull. | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Fuel lines | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Replace noise insulation with foil backed engine insulation from ASAP | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Replace Gas pipe and hose- armoured and re-site to bottom of cooker | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Hatch runners sister | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Refurb cockpit sole | Not started |
| Before re-launch | Anchor locker bulkhead | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Replace Batteries | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Stern light | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Deck light | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Winches refurb | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Fresh water system/tap | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Radar reflector (falling off) | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Spray Hood - repair | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Cockpit chairs (like Chris) | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Longer spinnaker pole | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Repair/replace Dinghy | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Anchor shackle | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Gooseneck nylon washer | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Replace fire extinguisher and relocate to | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Fire hole in companion steps | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Fire extinguisher in engine bay | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Name on life bouy | Not started |
| Before local sailing | Boom end fitting change position | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Weld cracked Pullpit leg | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Anchor roller (plastic)/Stowage | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Electrics - various re-furb | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Mast/rigging check | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Wash boards & companion way hatch runners/security (rough weather) | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Imrove Solar panel mountings | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Re-mount various antenna | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Cabin heater | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Granny Bars? | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Single Line reefing? | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Trysail? | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Fit Angus remote control | Not started |
| Before significant passage | Check mast partners | Not started |
| TBC | Toerail? | Not started |
| TBC | Other deck fittings | Not started |
| TBC | Extra Winches | Not started |
| TBC | Gantry for panels & antennas etc /cum bimini | Not started |
| TBC | Upgrade instruments | Not started |
| TBC | Convert to cutter | Not started |
| TBC | Fit cleats amidships | Not started |
| TBC | Make Dodgers? | Not started |
| TBC | Fit Dodgers? | Not started |
| TBC | Radar? | Not started |
| TBC | Tow charger and/or wind generator? | Not started |
| TBC | Cup-holders in cockpit | Not started |
| TBC | Cockpit table – re-design – get new one made | Not started |
| TBC | Fit HF Radio | Not started |
| TBC | Rigid spray-hood with water capture system (see photos from boat show 2018) | Not started |
| TBC | Starboard side deck two areas - drill and inject epoxy cap starboard shroud and stanchion aft of it | Not started |
So now at the end of May, one job on that list is almost finished. Things should speed up now especially as it looks like I will be working part-time over the summer. But there is as you can see, an awful lot still to do. And I've got two, 2 week holidays to fit in!
