Throttle cable

Got the new throttle cable yesterday from Seattle Marine. Went to the boat this morning. Got the new throttle cable installed. Sure works smooth. Didn't get the jib up to install the longer pendant. The wind got to blowing to strong. Will try again in a couple of days. Guess I need to order new 7/16 line for the drum. The old just doesn't want to end to end splice.

Not much else going on at the moment.

Splash II

The additional photos I couldn't upload earlier.

Splash

After 16 days on the hard we finally splashed.  Plan was to go to Port A for the night then head home the next morning. Didn't work out that way. We ran aground and had to get BoatUS to pull us off. Seems a tow a pushed up a bank and we ran right into it. Glad I got the insurance.
The following is just a photo story of us splashing and coming home.

I've got a couple more photos but having a hard time getting them uploaded. Will try later.

Bottom Job

I'll let the photos tell the story.

More work

Got the new alternator up and running.  Now is the time for the next step in getting Miss Sadie ready to cruise.

Its time for a haul out and a bottom job. I've made an appointment with House of Boats in Rockport to haul us out on my birthday Nov 11th. My bottom paint should be in on Friday. I think I have everything needed to get the job done.

Our plan is to go to the boat tomorrow to add food and water. I'll be staying on the boat  while I get the work done. We'll throw the dock lines Friday morning and head out. Should take us two days to get there no rush on our part.

Will post photos during the bottom job.

Alternator

I entered a photo contest with a picture of Trixie and me. I call it my Navigator.

Well we are one of 5 winners. The company will send us a flag with Old Guys Rule with a man and dog in the middle and Man's best friend at the bottom. I'll post a photo of it when it comes.

Now to the alternator. Well it was wired backwards. I finally found someone to check it I thought. It turns out his equipment can't handle that kind of speed. 5000 rpm at 35 amps. He said the bearings were shot. So I went to NAPA to see about getting a car alternator. They pulled up the part number for mine. $600.00 for a new one and none available. They also said that a car alternator wouldn't work. Well $600 is out of the question. Before I spent that kind of money on a unsure motor I'll hang a outboard on the stern.

One of the guys at the marina suggested going on Ebay to see if they listed one. Sure enough they did for $134.00 and free shipping. Well see what happens. Getting the old one is out. If its like the started no way on the cost.

Wonder what is going to be next on the boat.

Bimini

I posted about my bimini being stretched from rain. Well today I found a couple of photos of the bimini right after I installed. Remember it is made by Taylor Made Products.

Here is the before pictures.

Look at that slope. You would think that the rain from a squall would run off and not hang around. Here's the other view.

Now come the one of how sorry the material is to stretch like this. Taylor Made Products would not stand behind their product. Also after checking 3 different dealers for Taylor Made Products biminis no where could I find one single review. Nothing. Want to know why. The dealers will not allow a neg. review.

My Bimini

Well I contacted Taylor Made Products about my bimini. Here is the emails back and forth.

My first letter to them

Hi,

About 4 months ago I purchase one of your biminis from Wholesale Marine. In the last month I have noticed that the fabric has faded so that it looks 10 years old. We have been getting some rain but the fabric has stretched to the point on not being use able.  As the attached photo shows it make a great water catcher. During one rain the rear bow was no longer bowed upwards. The best I could do was push it to a flat position.

I am not very happy with your product.


Their reply.

 

Please provide a photo of the tag with part number and a copy of the receipt.

I sent them a photo of the tag. My reply.

Hi,

Per your request I attached a photo of the tag on the Bimini and a copy of my Paypal payment to Wholesale Marine.

Their reply.

I will replace the canvas under warranty. Can you please provide your shipping address? Please note that a bimini canvas should not be left up in the rain.

 

 

OK waterproof but don't leave in rain. 

 

She asked for my shipping address.

 

My reply.

 

If you don't mind me asking. What good would a bimini be if you couldn't use it in the rain? I own a sailboat and use the bimini for sun and rain protection. Its not there for looks.  I understand that with small powerboats that are put up after use then the bimini would be rolled up.

It would be no since replacing the material without replacing the rear bow. I attached a photo of how it is bent. There would be no way to tighten up the bimini with the bow in this condition.

I would also advertise that they are not made to be left open in the rain.

From them

 Biminis’s are for shade purposes only. We will not warranty the product for rain damage as that’s not the purpose to the bimini. We are making an exception for your case this time and replacing the canvas for you.

 

My reply 

 

 Ok but where can I purchase the top part of the rear bow? No since trying to put a cover on a bent up bow. 

 

Her reply

 

I will review this information with my supervisor.

Her next reply

Unfortunately, After speaking to my supervisor and she reviewed your photo she has indicated we are not able to help you establish a claim for you under the guidelines of our warranty.

I have attached a copy of the warranty form to this email. The warranty clearly states that damage caused by improper use is not covered by warranty. Examples of improper care is allowing water to pool or puddle. I am very sorry for your inconvenience. Perhaps the retailer can help you out. 

 

My final reply

 

 

Ok.  I'll have to live with that. You will have to live with me putting it all over the web, forum boards and marinas as we cruise.

Your product is made to stretch and fade. The quality is very poor and cheap. You got my money and laugh all the way to the bank.

Have a nice day

Mr. Grimm

Now here is  the photo of the bimini and the bow. The sorry Taylor Made Product. O I purchase the bimini from Wholesale Marine on line. No help from them.

 

 

 

Done

The compression post is done. I do have some modifications to do so the door to the head will close. No big deal.

I thought I had one of the total finish with the table and book rack installed. I'll have to take a couple Sunday.

I need to see it I can post this diagram on a forum for some help with the alternator.

Thing slowed down

Had some personal thing to attend to. My sisters memorial on Sunday Sept 1. Then on Monday I took the wrong plywood to Lowes and got a new sheet. No cost. I still had to make a new pattern and cut it out. Got that done and stained. The varnish was slow to dry. Wish I had used lacquer. Would have been fast drying.

Rain off an on with close to 8 inches Saturday and Sunday. When it slowed down we hauled the finished panels to the boat Monday evening. Went to the boat this am to get the walls and bulkhead installed.

Things are fitting pretty close but there is some adjustment in the compression post that needs to be done.

Now for my very unhappy bimini. Its a Taylor Made product that is about as sorry as they come. I had it installed and adjusted correctly. Well when it rained it started stretching. Each time it rains it get worse. I am going to contact the company that I purchased it from Wholesale Marine dot com. I can't find where there is any guarantee. It is also very faded on the top. Look 10 years old. Here is a shot with about 2 gallons of water.

Refit II

Got the compression post in place and started dry fitting the walls. Got some cleaning done after all the year of collecting dirt. I use my agent orange as I call it. Awesome Orange is the real name. It works great on almost everything. Even clean a French press like new.

Here is some of my latest photos.

                                          Dry fitting the walls.

                                          Working on getting the sole clean.

                                         Years of  dirt coming up.

                                          Gotta her done. Looks a lot better.

                                         This is the main bulkhead that divides the salon and the head. This bulkhead was so wide I had to cut is in half to get it off the boat. The little piece was dado in. I used my biscuit joiner so that the half will have more strength after they are installed and glued on the boat.  I will get a coat of varnish on one side this afternoon. Then finish up on Monday. Tomorrow is my sister memorial.