When we decided to bring Yohelah to LaConner to replace the teak decks, we knew there would be many decisions about what the scope of the project would become. We’ve both managed software projects and fully understand what scope creep is. But we also know this is a good opportunity to do some work that will last into the lifetime of this boat. Here she sits on the stands at LaConner Maritime, where we now know she’ll get more than just a deck replacement. She’s an old girl, being launched in 1984 and having two owners who have loved her much and sailed her hard. We’ll do a 40 year refit and take care of some both expected and unexpected tasks.
The trip up from Bainbridge Island through Swinomish Channel was delightfully unexceptional. It was beautiful Pacific NW, and makes us want more time out exploring after we’re done working.
Even Kallee had some time enjoying the sunset in the cockpit when we were anchored in Coupeville.
We left her on the dock at LaConner Maritime. This is the first time the slings weren’t set right, and the boat slipped and dropped about two feet forward with a loud crash as it was raised up out of the water. Good news, though, all was good inside and nothing was broken. But everyone who has watched their boat come out of the water knows how terrifying the thought is that something bad could happen.
Here she sits as we ponder what we need to do. Goal #1 is removing the teak decks. Goal #2 is managing scope creep. But ultimately we know this is hopefully the last time we’ll have the mast down and all the deck hardware off the boat. So in reality, it’s not scope creep, it’s managing tasks.
Why is there a picture of the mast? Well, the first piece of scope creep (not deck work), is that I want to paint the mast. It’s never been repainted in 40 years. When we sent a friend aloft to clean it before Carly’s wedding in July we found it just doesn’t come clean any more. So when Ethan’s rigger Ian came yesterday we talked about what we need to do to repaint the mast. We’ll strip off every piece of hardware. So I thought it would make sense to take a pic and ID all the pieces attached and label them before they came off. I think there are 20 or so pieces or hardware screwed into the mast, plus a track for the spin pole and a track for the storm trysail, plus a track for the mainsail. Ian will bring a crane in Tuesday and hopefully we’ll get all the parts detched, identified and bagged on one day. Then we’ll start to learn how to paint and get the boom and spreaders painted first.
Today Rob & Ethan pulled off the bowsprit. This is a big piece of work, but necessary to give access to the deck for removing the teak boards. First the the windlass came off, then the forestay and jib furler came off, then the stainless steel bow pulpit and lifelines, then the bowsprit. As the bowsprit came off, the samson post cracked and it became apparent quickly that the 40 year old piece of wood that is the samson post would be the first one identified as needing replacement.
Once we got the bowsprit down off the boat we decided it was also going on the list to be replaced. It’s a beautful piece of workmanship, laminated teak and holly. Like many things on this boat, teak and holly look beautiful together. But after 40 years, they are not structurally sound and have not weathered the years well. The glue between the boards has exceeded its lifetime and we no longer have confidence that this single point of failure can be trusted to support our entire rig. Rob knew it was delaminating and thought he could reglue it, but after a closer inspection he has decided he could build a new one faster than rebuilding the old one.
I spent the afternoon taking the hard dodger apart, to give Ethan access to the cabin top for some fiberglass repairs. That dodger went up 25 years ago and also needs some love.
The underside has never been easy to keep clean, so Ethan will prep it for paint and it will come off the list of items that take more maintenance than they should. This is a minor piece of scope creep, but also something we’ve known for years needed some attention. And now is the time.
We had a visit from a local couple who own a Baba40 (their second actually). Their Baba needs significant work, but they also have a Catalina 42 that they have loved to sail for 11 years. They’re trying to make the decision to let go of the Baba and sell it. Of course I started wondering again if I wasn’t being too stubborn about this boat and throwing away significant savings to keep something based far more on emotion than logic. My friend Deborah (who owns a very similar boat) once told me “You can’t put a price on love”, but we have to simplify our lives and be done with things that require massive amounts of upkeep time. We’re hoping this refit will reveal all big projects and leave behind a significantly lower maintenance boat.
What we did learn when cruising the Pacific, though, is that a boat is going to break and require work. We had wondered when we sailed away in 2006 whether we should have bought a new boat, Yohelah being 20 years old then. Our pals that we crossed the South Pacific with had a brand new very well built yacht, and we soon learned they spent as much time working on their boat as we did on ours. The thing about boats is, if you use them things break, and if you don’t use them things freeze up and break. We’re going to stick with Yohelah and hope the things that break now require minimal repairs and we’ve reduced the maintenance to a reasonable amount.
