Reenie K

The centerboard pocket has a wooden cap on the top. I wish I had taken a picture of it before our work. What little varnish that was felt was peeling badly and the wood was gray from weather and age.

A few hours of sanding by the crew and me resulted in this:

It was fun working with Brian tonight and I forgot how much I enjoy working with wood.

So far, we've completed the following things on the "Honey-Do" list:

* Taken the sails in for repair
* Found out we needed to replace the standing rigging
* Found out we need to replace the running rigging
* Re-wired the trailer
* Added a hitch to my car and wired it
* Redesigned the rudder assembly cause the original one is at the bottom of Lake Hopatcong!
* Re-wired the boat for running lights, anchor lights, a bilge pump and an electric trolling motor
* Cleaned her! (see pic of the clean boat and grubby crew!)
* Made a nuisance of myself at two marinas and 3 online boat suppliers
* Learned how to do eye splices using a Fid and using up a lot of patience
* Refinished the wood on board
* Added jib fairlead blocks (does this sound like gibberish to you? Welcome to the world of sailing!)
* Removed old nasty delaminated plywood because someone did not use marine grade plywood all around the cockpit!

* Fill all the holes left by removing delamintated plywood
* Paint the hull and deck
* Add 2 portholes and design screens
* Cut the mast and install a mast hinge
* Buy life jackets, flares, a horn and other safety equipment
* Make a chart locker
* Re-Christen her (here's the procedure)
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/rename.htm
* Reinstall the new rudder
* Take a boating course (the last one I took was in 1964 or 1965)
* Mount batteries, add wiring for the anchor light and cabin light
* Engineer a cockpit tent for camping
* Install new bearings on the trailer
* Mount a flagpole and flag
* Take her out for the shakedown cruise

I'll post pictures as we get things finished up. Our target date to launch is now late April!

Well, the glacier stopped - about 2 miles north of here.

It's colder than a titch's wit!

There's not much I can do with the Reenie K right now, which is driving me a little crazy. All of the things that need to be done are outside things and it's cold enough that I'll stick to the tools.

Saturday is another run to the marina day. I'm gonna pick up more line to make up some of the running rigging that needs to be re-done. By the end of the cold snap, I'll be pretty good at making eye splices.

It sounds like I have a lot of time before April, but I can only work one day a week on her, and I'm on call every third week, so there isn't a lot of time really.

Maybe I can bring parts in to thaw them out to work on?

Well, progress of a sort.

We got the sails back! Whoo Hoooo! We also have the standing rigging back. The stays and shrouds were upgraded by one size.
Egger Sail Loft in Sayreville, NJ was the place I took the sails. He knows what he's about and was very patient with me.

We also made several trips to Home Depot, a boating supply place and an electronics store for hardware, stuff and wiring materials.

Today the crew and I cut a new hatch cover for a storage area at the stern (picture to follow when I finish it), then had to re-cut it. Oh well.

So we are making progress, if not in leaps and bounds then in gasps and staggers.....

The sun is now over the yardarm, and the smoking lamp is lit. Time for me to draw the daily ration of grog or rum or whatever the hell sailors drink...

God there's a lot of crap that goes with owning a boat!
Flares, fire extinguisher, horn yadda yadda yadda!

The crew and I managed to get something done tonight though. We reassembled the centerboard pocket cap (the dark wood piece shown in an earlier picture). After hours of on-line checking and several trips to boatyards, I found a couple of cleats that fit and look decent. We even added a lifeline cleat so if Bri goes for an unexpected swim, he's attached to the sailboat. (Yeah, I'm making a lifeline for me too)

We also finished a custom made hatch cover for a small storage compartment in the stern! Looks good. I'll post a picture later (it was dark when we finished). Every night we do something with the boat. I get home and we cook dinner and plan the evening's tasks. Then we spend a couple of hours working together.

Here's the new hatch cover:

I've forgotten how much I like working with wood. There is something very satisfying about shaping and sanding wood, making it fit properly and then making it look good. The cost savings help too

Tomorrow we start making oak porthole covers with screens. We are going to camp on the Reenie K this summer for at least one night. And after a day in the sun, we'll need all the ventilation we can get! One of these days, I have to figure out how to make a tent for the cockpit. Oh, well, that's a task for another day...

We got the new mast hinge set up today!

For a while, I thought I would have to replace the mast - I still want to replace the screws that hold the mast to the hinges, but its up and the new stay and shrouds work better than the old ones. I can even adjust them!

It took some real work to step the mast the first time, but things managed to come together after I cursed at it in two languages. In fact, it looked like trying to stuff a cooked noodle in a wildcat's ear with a red hot poker!

Here's the evidence: Not much detail in these two pictures. Once the new paint goes on (the other MAJOR project), I'll take LOTS of pictures.

She's coming along. Getting the mast set up and working was a major step. Only one glitch in the works - I drilled a couple of holes in the shroud spreaders in the wrong place. One sort of works, the other doesn't. I think I'm going to replace them again and drill a little more carefully next time.

If that's the biggest mistake I make, then we're in good shape

Well, today was the first of probably many do over days....

I didn't like the screws that held the mast hinge down. Yeah, I screwed up and drilled the holes too large, so I had to put in oversize screws. Why do they put one less screw in a package than you need to finish the job?

I removed the shroud spreaders today. I drilled a couple of holes in the wrong place. I'll be remounting the spreaders this weekend I hope.

I also re-engineered the mast cradle. The mast lays flat now when I lower it! It also makes it easier to raise and lower the mast. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

My parts for the redesigned rudder should be here next weekend (Thank you Jay!) . After that, only a few more things to do (yeah right! I must be docking at Fantasy Island! Look, boss - the boat the boat!)

Right now, progress is slow. It seems the cold weather is reserved for weekends right now, so I'm not getting a lot of things finished. It's a bit frustrating. I wish I had taken more pictures early on, so I can see the progress.

Next week, I'm planning on redesigning the rudder assembly, finishing making lines (if you want to see real frustration, search the web for "eye splice" and look at THAT - Makes balancing the Federal budget or cold fusion look like child's play!) . I also have to get in and clean the cockpit out a bit and get ready for the next major step on the hull - filling a gazillion screw holes.

No, I'm not auditioning for the musical version of Pirates of the Caribbean!

Today was gorgeous outside. Well, gorgeous for New Jersey in February, anyway. And all the things that need to be done are either for warmer days or for inside. I did re-step the mast again for practice. I don't want to embarrass myself at a launch ramp. I don't care about embarrassing myself in my yard - the neighbors already figure I'm loopy. It went up MUCH easier than when I first bought her - and a lot easier the second time with the hinge.

I did manage to bite the bullet and work inside a little today. Did a couple of eye splices, sanded & sealed the piece of oak that will be the mounting plate for the cabin light and finished the handrails I started a while ago. Tonight I'll put the centerboard lines back on, rig the rudder lines and decide if I want to replace the really ugly tiller with a homemade oak tiller. I'm thinking "Yeah" as of right now, but I might want to wait until I sail her to adjust the tiller length.

Well, the rudder decision just got made....
The original tiller will chafe the lines that raise and lower the rudder blade.

So tomorrow, off to Lowe's again for a 2" x 2" piece of oak to fashion a wooden tiller. I hope it's warm enough that I can fit the new rudder assembly.

Sometimes fate conspires to make you do what you wanted to do all along. Not often enough!

Well, a 2" x 2" rudder wouldn't fit, which I found out after I glued 2 1" x 2" boards together. Good glue, too -

I had to use a 1" x 2" and redesign a few things to fit everything together. It's gonna look great though! I really like how the oak looks with the varnish I'm using - I get a nice warm gold color with reddish highlights - see the picture of the hatch cover earlier.

I also had to re-drill some holes to get things to align properly. I tested the rudder briefly tonight... It feels pretty good, the angles are good as near as I can tell. It might be a bit long, but we'll know that when I re-assemble and test.

Next two weekends I'm on call, so I might not get a lot done... Oh well

I finished the rudder and tiller tonight, except for final disassembly and painting and fitting. It's going to work great! I even sanded the aluminum rudder mount!

I tuned the rudder mountings to accept a homemade oak tiller instead of the kludge round metal tiller that was on the boat when i got her. So the only thing that is original is the rudder blade (Bet I could make one of them too!)

The new tiller fits my hand well, travels in a nice smooth arc, doesn't bang my knee on a radical course change and will accept the tiller tamer I plan to install.

I have to wait until I get a nice warm day so I can mount the rudder and fit all the lines. That's when the pictures will start showing up.

As long as I'm making progress....

Our first milestone!

The running rigging is complete!!!
Halyards
Sheets
Rudder lines
Centerboard lines
Outhaul line
Downhaul line
Mooring lines
Spring lines

I even have 150 feet of line left over!

Despite being on call this weekend, I managed to get a few things finished up or well started....

The portholes are finished except for mounting on the boat. I got the external rings cut, sanded and varnished. I just need to cut holes in the cuddy cabin and install them.

I started the anchor light, which mounts on the top of the mast. I had to take the mast down, remove all the flotation foam in it and run a wire, then custom make a mount. I;l have it assembled tonight probably as soon as the paint is dry. After the current snowstorm, I'll mount everything back on the mast.

I also took the rudder apart for what I hope is the last time. It's all painted and waiting to dry so I can put it together and post some pictures. The only thing original on the new rudder is the rubber blade itself. The rudder mounts and tiller are all new.

90% complete.. I ordered a lock-down for the rudder, called a tiller tamer. That means I can't fit the lines until I have the tiller tamer and mount that also.

But, as promised, here are the pictures of the rudder.

The rudder mounts were hand made by my friend Al. Excellent work, especially given that all he had to work from were the old mount which did not fit, a very rough model cut from 1" pine boards and a verbal description. Nice work, Al!

The tiller was hand made from 1 x 2 red oak, trimmed and smoothed.

Maybe I should start a TV show called "This old boat"

Well, I'm pretty caught up with indoor jobs. Now I need the weather to break. If it snows or rains any more, I'll be able to do the shake down cruise in my front yard!
Anyway, now is a good time to go through the list of stuff that needs to be done.
(I'm even gonna try doing this in some kind of category order)

In spite of being on call for the second week in a row, I managed to get some things done this weekend.

Brian and I remounted the centerboard. Be nice to go in the general direction we're pointing at, huh?

The anchor light that was mounted yesterday was wired in and tested. We have lights - well light anyway. The horn got mounted but not wired in yet. I need to put the centerboard cap (that reddish wooden piece I worked on really early in the blog) in place and a channel for the horn switch wires needs to be cut.

I found the mount points for the forward two batteries and the mount point for the bilge pump. Tomorrow if the weather is decent and the call volume is low, I'll wire the horn and cabin light and mount the rest of the batteries.

I might even take some pics!

I really hate winter... It's snowing again!

I braved the snow long enough to mount the centerboard cap, wire in the horn and finish the wiring for the anchor light. There's still a bit of wiring to do - the pump, the cabin light and the running lights, but now is the time to pour a glass of brandy, climb into my wubbies, and see if there's an old movie on TCM.

It was actually above freezing today - at least until I ended up laying in a puddle of ice water wiring the lights.

The running lights, horn and anchor light are all done. Next step in wiring it the bilge pump, the cabin light and wiring for a lighted compass. I don't think I'm going to do much night sailing, but it would be nice to have the capability. Better to have and not need than to need and not have!

Tomorrow if the weather is decent, I'll finish the wiring. If not, I'll mope around....

My fingers are numb! It's COLD outside.

I didn't finish the wiring, but I got the two stern battery packs mounted. (And yes, I did a McGiver - I took 2 pieces of plastic that hold up a paper rack on a large printer and used them to level the batteries!)

I also mounted the bilge pump hose and fitting. I like it and when my fingers thaw out, I will probably take some pics.

I ran in to a problem with mounting the portholes. The screws I have are a little short, so one more trip to Lowe's.

And now the sun is over the yardarm, so it's time to draw my ration of rum or grog or whatever.

Next weekend, I want to do the portholes, finish the wiring, swab her stem to stern and start patching the holes in the deck.

Well, there was some progress forward, or at least sideways. Not too much of it shows though.

We went to Lockwood Boat Works and bought more stuff... and picked up the parts for the boom crutch. They do GREAT work there. I have to finish fit the crutch parts. I manages to get one porthole done today and put new chains on the trailer (not a real sexy repair, huh?)

I have to add a safety chain for the bow too. I noticed the boat slipped backwards during the last tow. Not far, but far enough.

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain - not sure how hard. I'd like to finish the trailer and portholes tomorrow, but i think it's an indoor day. If that's the case, I have a few things I can do in the basement - hand fit a couple of flag staffs, make a couple of boxes to store things, stain and seal the swim ladder.

Oh, yeah - I should clean the house a little I guess. That's no fun though

I managed to get some stuff done Friday night!
I put the mast up again and adjusted the stays and shrouds. We'll see next sail how she handles.
I putzed around with the trailer and put the new safety chains on.
I changed the cleats for the tiller lock so that will work better.
Tomorrow I'll clean her out (where does all the dirt come from?), stow things where I want them, finish the porthole install on the port side and maybe get as far as as finishing the compass mount. I have a few clean up things from the mast repair to take care of, too.
Then Sunday we are on the water again!

Well, I was a little premature in my comment that our grounding Sunday caused no damage to the boat. When the centerboard hit the bottom, it twisted or tipped sideways and one of the fittings tore a gouge through the centerboard pocket. The area had been repaired before, cause I popped off the wooden patch that had been put on.

So last night I started sanding the areas on one side of the hull and deck that need to be fiberglassed. I wasn't planning on doing much of that kind of repair this season, but although the rip is above water line, it needs to be done. I might even bite the bullet and repaint this year too.