Rover

Chainplates installed

11 November 2013 | Port Townsend Boat Haven
Eric
Here’s a picture of the backstay chainplate installed.

It was the most difficult one to install because it’s at the very aft end of the boat, and with a canoe stern the space on the inside gets very small. Crammed into that very small space is the air-conditioning compressor, the steering quadrant, the autopilot ram, the amplifier for the shortwave radio and a couple of thruhulls for the cockpit and propane locker drains. To tighten the nuts on the inside, I had to climb into the compartment and work blind, embracing the a/c compressor, while Linda tended the bolt heads on the outside and dealt with the rapidly hardening bedding compound (caulking under the chain plate and bolt heads). I felt like a cross between a contortionist (fitting in a tiny space) and an otter (working by feel).

The other six chainplates went in pretty quickly, and the woodwork has been reassembled around them. A woodworking project is in the future, but right now we’re focused on doing what’s necessary to get the boat safely back in the water.

Most of the hoses have been removed and replaced and we tackled a big one this week. It’s 12 feet long and snakes from the automatic bilge pump to a throughhull. It was a two day project, and the space I had to work on the throughhull was even tighter than the backstay chainplate. I could get either of my hands plus my head inside the cabinet under the sink in the head, or both hands but not both hands and my head. I did manage to finally get my whole upper body in, but then my headlamp fell off and it was too dark to see what I was working on, and I thought we might have to call the fire department to get me back out. In the end it worked out and the hose is run, but both Linda and I have bruises from the project.

We gave away the wind generator and the mast and mounting hardware for it, “free to a good home”. We’ve got a solar array that should provide more reliable power, and I didn’t like an extra mass up high and aft. The good news is that we gave it to “The Velvet Sky” and got to meet some fellow cruisers. They also sold their house and are making a transition to life aboard their boat. They’re about two months ahead of us in the process, living in the water at Boat Haven with their three-year-old son. They said life gets way easier when you move off the hard and into the water, and we’re looking forward to it.
Comments
Vessel Name: Rover
Vessel Make/Model: Valiant 42
Hailing Port: Seattle. WA
Crew: Eric and Linda
About:
We're making a big change to a cruising lifestyle. Eric retired in 2012 after 32 years in R&D (mostly) at HP. Previous passions included flying and bicycling. Linda will retire in 2013 from Oregon State University. She's been active in Zonta, was a Scoutmaster, and is a champion baker. [...]
Extra: Linda was barrel master and Eric participated in the Jackson Street Vintners; a group of friends that made wine from 2000 to 2013
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