Replaced Thru-Hulls and Seacocks-Down the rabbit hole

I hauled Aeolus out last week to do bottom paint and replace all my below the waterline thru-hulls as well as install proper seacocks and backing blocks. My bottom paint lasted two seasons and was finally tired. I recoated with West Marine PCA Gold and expect another couple years. Slime appears on it over time, but it has appeared on every paint I have ever used here in the NW, including Trinidad SR. Anyway, bottom paint is straightforward and not the topic of this post.

No, the topic here is the big kahuna of cutting big holes in the boat and filling them in. I'll try to put some order to this process as it was pretty epic.

Gulf 32 Thru-Hulls and original equipment
When we bought Aeolus she still had plastic gate valves screwed directly onto the thru-hulls with only a 2"X2" and 1/4" backing square and the nut that comes with the thru-hull. Dreadful. I replaced the plastic gate valves with Marelon ball valves back in 2007 even though I knew the mating of bronze and Marelon was less than ideal, because it beat the hell out of what had been. Although none of them leaked, I had reason to doubt the condition of the meager backing blocks and the status of the bronze itself, and I was of course anxious to get proper flanges installed and redo the whole works. I put this project off from my last haul out because I had a lot going on and I think I was a bit intimidated by the scope of what would be involved. My concerns about the thru-hulls, and project, turned out to be justified. The photo below shows the sink drain thru hull before being worked on.

Turns out that all thru-hulls on a Gulf 32, and I presume on all Capital Yachts boats like Newports, are glassed in flush head fittings. That's right, glassed in, flush head. I'm sure these were used on Gulf's simply because they were used on the faster Newport boats and they had them laying around the shop. However, this installation method is unusual, and means that they are impossible to replace without major surgery on the boat. Most every other boat in the boat yard, especially cruising boats, will have mushroom head thru hulls. If that had been the case on Aeolus, I would have been able to do the whole job in two easy days, no problem. Instead, I had to tackle a major deconstruction and reconstruction project for four full days of 12 or more hours each.

Spectacular weekend of fun

Over the next few days I will have a number of posts relating to a recent flurry of boat activity, and I will start today with a quick recap of a spectacular weekend of sailing last weekend. We left Bainbridge on Friday and made the long journey up to San Juan Island. It takes a good 5 hours of travel time all told, and though much of that is on ferries, it is still a bit long. Nevertheless, the closer we get to Friday Harbor the happier we become and the night aboard Aeolus was splendid.

In the morning we gathered up one of Elliott's close friends from the island and headed straight over to Spencer Spit on Lopez Island. There was no wind, so we had to motor, but it was still great.

Peregrines, Sea Lions, and the Windrope boys

The boys and I did wander and play for a few days last week, on land and sea, and had all sorts of fun that is funny. We went to Stuart Island first, and hiked out to the lighthouse as we have numerous times before. The skunk cabbage was starting to bloom and it is quite a sight. The rope swing on the way up to the school was in fine shape and Owen had the biggest swing of all since he is smaller and I can lift him higher.

Reid Harbor was deserted but for us, and we saw only one person on the entire island. People stay away by the millions...and wallow in the urban decrepitude! So alone, we watched as the resident Peregrine Falcon swooped and intimidated all the birds around. We witnessed a big bull sea lion hanging out right off Turn Point below us. It was majestic. There is a grassy bluff up above the lighthouse a ways that is certainly one of the prettiest places in the whole NW. It is off the trail a bit, and looks out over everything with the most picturesque duo of a doug fir and madrone right at the point nestled together. It is a pinch me spot.

Good times, trip, on the horizon

Soon to head off for a good long trip with the boys where we will play away many days in the islands again. Poor Amy has to work. Head to Stuart, hike and climb around, head into BC and over to Portland Island, and who knows where else? Five easy days, sailing on a breeze, lots of good food and wild, deep time. Time to think. Time to play. Time to sit next to each other and not say a word while watching eagles soar. Ah, just the anticipation of it fills me with joy.

We have such an intimate connection with the Salish Sea and her many islands, and I am just so grateful for every single day I am able to explore a bit more. Our sons have little clue that what they do with us to explore nature is so unusual and unique, and that is fine with us. They'll follow their own path eventually, like this one or not. But come on, look at this beautiful boy and imagine he doesn't get this into his bones?

Love your machines, and they will love you back

I went to Aeolus to perform the sort of maintenance that must be done but that people avoid doing. Growing up, my father would let me use his tools to tear apart lawn mowers and fix my bike and do all sorts of crazy things. Looking back on that, I see how much I learned about basic mechanical principles, and most importantly, the reciprocal relationship between machines and their owners.

I know people who treat their machines as though they are autonomous creatures, capable of their own preservation. Don't lift a finger to maintain them, and then get upset when they fail them at inopportune times. Sailing books and blogs are filled with stories of sailors having misfortune related to a routine maintenance item not being addressed.

To indoctrinate my boys, I have taken to saying to them that you must "Love your machines and they will love you back". A simple mantra, easy to understand. Really, it is just a subset of the larger truth that Auden said so well that we must "Love one another or die". But sticking to machines, they do so much and ask so little. Especially a diesel engine.

Well, I just spent about 24 hours hanging upside down in the bilge giving lots of love to my diesel on Aeolus. Changed the oil, changed the filter, and changed the Oberdorfer impeller on the water pump. Cleaned this, cleaned that, checked this, checked that. Really, I was just giving her a good rub down and making sure she is ready for another season.

Snowy trip to Jones, cozy times on Aeolus

We took a trip to Jones Island this weekend when absolutely everyone else seemed to be cuddled up inside in front of a fire. The weather has been snowy and very cold (for the Salish Sea) and yet we knew how much fun there is to have on Aeolus in any conditions.

A strong south wind pushed us north on Saturday morning, and we tucked into the north cove to have the entire island, once again, all to ourselves. It was about 31 degrees and sleeting.

We hiked around the west side, seeing amazing sights you just don't see in July. There was exquisite hoar frost that fascinated us for a long time, and ice along the shore rocks that was just amazing. We had a fire back at the north cove and enjoyed that for several hours. Caveman TV.

The night on Aeolus was warm and cozy. The Force 10 kerosene heater keeps it right around 65 degrees, which is plenty given the outside temperature. I was reminded of a Frost poem about a winter storm being properly defied by a window. Outside it was cold and nasty, inside it was snug and happy. People read books, and played cards, and ate good food. What's not to love about that?

The trip back to Friday Harbor on Sunday was uneventful. We motored both ways this trip as the weather made sailing unpleasant. The pilothouse is such a blessing! Warm and safe.

A winter trip in about the worst conditions the Salish Sea ever gets, and still we had a fantastic and adventurous and wondrous time. We know we must be freaks of some sort, given how people stay home by the millions, but it feels right as rain to us.

The good ship Aeolus carried us to yet another island adventure we couldn't have otherwise.

Bainbridge Island to Friday Harbor to close 2010

Leaving Bainbridge

Some trips are special for their destinations, some for their people, and others for their season. This trip was spectacular for all three. Choosing to delay this trip a few days yielded the most perfect and generally benign conditions anyone could expect to close out December. Where a few days prior it was stormy with 40 knot winds, we had winds below 20 knots and blue skies all day.

Elliott, who just turned 10, was first mate for me on this trip to take Aeolus back up to Friday Harbor where she will be based from now on. Any dad has a complex relationship with his son, and mine no more than any other I suppose. This trip turned out to be a perfect escape from some of the tensions of my day to day life with Elliott and a blessed bit of happy ease.