rudderless

The List

I’m quite sure the list will never end. As the old saying goes, once you “finish” your boat, it’s time to sell it. I feel like we’re only getting started with “Betty” (her nickname- proper name, “Rubicon”). But looking back over the past four years, it’s a bit startling to see how far we’ve come.

Just a few of the big things we’ve (and by we, I mean 95% John) done, in no particular order:
-sandblasted hull and re-painted four dozen layers of zinc, epoxy, and polyurethane
-new bottom paint
-repaired rudder
-replaced all running and standing rigging
-welded new exterior chainplates
-cut off all stanchions and rubrail
-replaced bow roller
-new Samson post
-relocated cockpit drains, new thru-hulls and stainless pipe
-relocated bilge pump thru-hulls (a deceptively enormous bit of work)
-new bilge pump
-new AC/shorepower wiring
-new DC wiring
-new head and holding tank, new vent
-new flanges and valves on intake/discharge thru-hulls
-cut out rust and rewelded openings for ports in main cabin
-rebedded deck hardware and boom gallows
-removed old wooden hatch trim and turtle
-fabricated, installed, sealed all new wood around hatch
-new covers for cockpit lockers
-all new plumbing for freshwater system, new pickups for tank
-new sheaves for mast
-new rollerfurling
-modified/repaired headsails
-new boom
-recovered all cushions in salon, new cockpit cushions
-an infinite number of hours of chipping, grinding, priming, painting rust spots

our big purchases:
-new VHF and remote mic
-cutting torch and tanks
-grinder (nothing but rave reviews for the Makita grinder we own. it’s a workhorse)
-new AC and DC panels
-new batteries and charger
-2 Honda generators and kit to combine their power
-portable welder (saved the day!!)
-2 anchors
-new inflatable dinghy and motor
-halyards
-rigging (holy wire, Batman!)
-tons of wood
-plastic for ports
-gasket material (holy rubber, Batman!)
-zincs
-paint paint paint
-tools tools tools
-hose clamps by the dozen
-head and holding tank
-tens of dozens of grinding discs, box after box of sandpaper
-at least a million foam brushes
-two enormous shipments of paint
-Corroseal, corroseal, corroseal
-stainless steel by the truckful
-fabric, zippers, foam
-French press for coffee

Our big projects for the next month are the engine and the propane system, along with securing the rig and working out any bugs with the sailing system. I am in the process of replacing all of the overhead and piecing together trim that is scattered across the boat. Note to self, when a boat was built with a custom interior, expect that nothing fits together logically. Things that appear the same size are mere illusions. Everything has its one particular spot and no other.

Just as we have our one particular boat. Perfect for us. Ready for us.
Our new home.

ps- I found the old post from 9/2005, when we bought Betty. And had no children. And had no idea of what we were getting ourselves into.