A clean bottom at last!

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

I wasn't kidding was I?

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!