Fishing - or I could call it testing

Last weekend I managed to get half the hatch drain plumbed in, but I will have to remove the batteries to get at the other side and involves removing an unnecessarily large battery retainer just to get them out. This weekend's weather was too good to miss so that job can wait. I took Rebel Runner out fishing and here is proof that there is fish slime on that deck:

Some observations on recent additions: the new through-hull transducer was excellent, it held a strong bottom signal at all speeds. Or it did after I realised I had set it to a max depth of 10 feet and forgot to reset it to Auto, resulting in a long period of blank screen. The Garmin 551 Downvu works well, although the Flag Theofano wreck is still a lump. I will have to find something more interesting to look at. Finally, the outdrive leg trim sensor is now all wired up so I played with the trim. Unlike my previous deep vee hull, the higher the trim the worse the performance. Trimmed to midway, it wouldn't go faster than 13.6 knots. Trimmed nose down it immediately flew to 20 knots which is dramatic. I have been looking at Bennet trim tabs to help adjust the list to port at full throttle. They may also help fine-tune the bow attitude. I think I will fit those next lift-out.

Night job...

And the job I couldn't do earlier - the extra long skin fitting turned up from ASAP Supplies dead on time. I had to buy a costly bronze one but it was a perfect fit. Launch was booked for Friday so my only window was Thursday night. It took three goes to get the hole cutter through 65mm of transom but it went through, then a lot of grunting and wriggling to get the securing nut done up, as it was behind the engine and exhaust. After that it was a simple matter to screw on the scupper fitting over it. I had made a spacer to clear the skin fitting by cutting up a chopping board. My wife keeps wondering where the boards are going. I fitted the hose on the inside and looped it up to keep the water out until I can get under the hatch to connect the other end. All this with a head torch as the work lamp was blinding me!

Annual antifouling lift-out (already???)

It's been a year! About this time last year Rebel Runner came over from Cowes in her "raw" state, for an engine service, survey and antifouling. A year later she needs antifouling again so she has been lifted for the annual work. This was the weekend of hard graft, trying to cram in all the jobs that can only be done out of the water. Firstly, antifouling. I thought that would be simple but I noticed the scum lines on each side were different. Worrying about a list, I measured them and found the port waterline a good two inches lower amidships. That meant I had to measure up, mark, rub, prime and only then start antifouling again. As a ruler I used a length of plastic conduit as the cheapest long straight bendy thing in B&Q (79p). In between coats of boot topping I installed the transducer for the Garmin 551dv:

Problem #1: Unfortunately the cable was too short so I have to order an extension. At least that won't stop anything else.
Next job was to install the Airmar through-hull transducer. This involved drilling a 60mm hole (scary) and a tile drill was perfect. Problem #2: the transducer nut is three inches across and nothing I had was big enough, and nothing in B&Q either. Problem solved the following morning by using a G-clamp as a spanner.

Then a polish, I used Farecla Hull Restorer which includes a wax. Shiny or what?

The next job was the fit the transom drain outlet for Garry's hatch. Problem #3: the transom is 65mm thick!!! My skin fitting was standard (30mm) so a quick order to ASAP Supplies for a longer one is required. Fingers crossed they do their usual amazing service and I'll receive it in time for an evening job.
Final job was a filler really, I installed a mount for my iPad. I had spent a long time wondering where to put it, and this is the result. I cut part of the mount off and screwed it through the wheelhouse front. There is a dome nut outside but you can barely see it.

The iPad mount clamps on the cog and is still fully adjustable.

Just as I was clearing up on Sunday evening there was a knock on the hull and a tired looking Steve was there with a gift of two bass! What a nice pontoon neighbour. He had been fishing since Friday hence the look, hauling bass for three days can do that to a man. Let's hope everything comes together by Friday so I can get out to them too. Thanks again Steve!

More progress and a bonus

A successful day on several fronts. One unexpected bonus was that I got my trim gauge working. I had given up thinking the sender was kaput but I was doing a tidy of wires before I boxed in the panel behind the dash and I noticed...a stray power wire. Gauges do not work without power. I have no idea why I hadn't connected that but now it is connected and now the gauge works. So simple. This is what the wiring looked like before....

and this is what the heads looks like now.

With a handy access door

Next job was to fit the spring to stop the hatch slamming shut

Which bends out of the way when you shut the hatch

Finally I fitted some neat clips to hold the fenders on the rails. When I have to tie on or untie six fenders on my own before coming up the channel I can be swept a couple of hundred yards in the Langstone Run, clipping these on should make that job a doddle.

When I was looking for photos of Garry's galley in its finished condition I realised I hadn't any. Here are a couple of shots. I am really pleased with it.

How not to test a loo

Been quiet for a bit, family visits and all that but I have been doing a few jobs, including painting the heads with Jotun Hardtop two pack in white. I'll add a fiddle rail in teak rather than box in that useful shelf. I also plan to put a curtain over the door rather than a hard door as it is very cramped in there.

I tested the loo by pumping water in and pumping water out. All fine. On Sunday I decided to go fishing rather than spend the day fitting things so I headed out to find mackerel. No joy at all so rather than waste time I went straight to my mark and used frozen squid. Pretty soon I had a few small pouting so one went back down again barbecue-style. This is the result. First serious guts on the deck! 7lb 8oz

It went a bit quiet and an hour later something needed to be done Time to test the loo! What could possibly go wrong? Water pumped in fine. Did the deed. One pump. Fine. Two pump. Fine. Three pump. Resistance! Hard pump. And with that a 360 degree Catherine wheel of you know what came out of the back of the pump arrangement. I was then faced with a loo bowl full of brown otters and a speckled effect white Jotun loo cubicle. Nothing for it but to get bucket, rubber glover and bleach spray and get to work. Not great as by now it was blowing a beam F3. After all was cleaned up I left it until I got back to the marina before investigating further. Meanwhile I had caught another bass on BBQ pout! Result. When I finally got back in the berth, all I needed to do was tighten up all the screws on the pump and it pumped through fine. I may test it with something else, not poo, next though.

Various jobs and a short cruise

After a gap in reports due to a holiday, I spent a morning on Rebel Runner before taking her out on a little trip in the afternoon. I had been in California and among other toys I brought back a lure and trace holder, which I cut in two and fitted each side of the wheelhouse "wings". In fact, having reflected on how simple this is, it could easily be made from right angled plastic strip (less than £2 from B&Q) with small holes drilled in the sticking-out part and the flat glued to the boat with Sikaflex.

Next job was a simple one - I had applied for a Small Ships Register number and it arrived a while back. It has to be displayed in 30mm text on each side, so I ordered vinyl lettering from The Sign Man (who supplied the boat name lettering) . I applied them to the stern quarter.

The next job wasn't so easy. The hatch in the cockpit is a heavy beast and if it fell shut it could be dangerous. I bought a heavy-duty spring to hold it up but unfortunately there is nothing to bolt it to at the side of the hatch as the gutter forms the rim. I made up a block of wood and intended to glass it under the gutter. Have you ever tried glassing upside down underneath yourself, where you can't see the back of it? Worse, every time I put a layer of mat on it slumped down. Eventually I decided to do it in stages, here are two layers on, another to go then a flow coat. Who would have thought such a small thing was so tricky.

At 2pm the marina gate opened but it was blowing a good F5 and all the charter boats were tucked up in their berths. Fishing seemed unlikely. We have family arriving from the USA soon and I am required to transport some of them to Bembridge for a family meet-up, so I thought I had better do a trial run as I haven't been to Bembridge harbour for a while. Rebel Runner behaved perfectly heading into a very short sea and 20 knot winds, feeling very steady and surprisingly dry, most of the spray was deflected well astern. As you could have guessed, Bembridge on a Sunday in Cowes week was packed, it felt like the M25 going in. Once I found the visitor's berths I turned round, job done, only to find a 30 foot yacht reversing at 90 degrees across the channel which is about 30 feet 6 inches wide. I have no idea what was going on, I just found a gap and went through. I had heard mackerel were appearing at The Forts so I headed over. First drop, a mackerel, then nothing for the next several drifts but it was very uncomfortable in the wind. At least I could claim fish guts on that flashy deck at last! Back to the marina for a through clean down, now she's all ready for visitors.

Rebel Runner is a Ship, and a quieter one too.

A couple of things to report. Firstly, Rebel Runner is officially a ship! The certificate from the Register of British Ships Part III arrived today, not much - just a laminated A6 card - but she has a number and I will have to get it made up to stick on the side.

The other bit of progress was completing the new gutter on the old engine casing. The previous one was placed under the hinge crack to prevent water dripping onto the engine which worked fine until you opened the lid, when all the water ran onto the engine because the gutter was not wide enough. I cut the old one off and found it was just a piece of poly pipe laminated over. With much advice from Garry I used an old bed slat as a mould and laminated three layers of mat onto it. After it cured I popped it out, trimmed it up and bonded it in place with paste. I then put another three layers on. Trimmed again, filled various gaps and flo coated over. I also filled surplus screw holes and gel coat chips while I was about it. Sounds very cool and easy? No so. Garry will know, he had loads of texts and questions including when the parcel tape used to release the mould went all wrinkly and the result was a mess which needed much filling and sanding. Garry would have done it in minutes, I took half a day plus several evenings but here is the result.

I took the engine casing back to the boat on Sunday, and trial fitted. As suspected, the extra layers of mat did make it jam when I tried to slot it in but a bit of grinding out fixed it. All polished:

Next job was to fit the soundproofing mat I had bought on a special offer way back. One and a half sheets did the lid, and the three sides consumed most of two more. I finished the edges off with metal tape. You are supposed to use it for joining two sheets but I had plenty and it finished it off rather well.



The engine started first turn as usual, it is still a growler but what do you expect for 260HP. I have done all I could. I took Rebel Runner out for a quick spin round the harbour entrance but no mackerel were evident so still no fish guts on that deck I'm afraid. Final job was to rub down and polish some gel coat patches on the roof then she was all tucked up ready for next time.

P.S.

This is what it looked like when I bought it.