Monday, February 23, 2009

Maintenance and upgrades, 2009

February 10 - Installed Raymarine AIS 250 unit and SR 50 Sirius Weather Receiver.  Trouble-shot Link 20 (a shorted out wire).  Work by Peter Watterson, Seacoast Marine Electronics, Oriental, NC (Inv #525).

February 20-24 - Haul-out at Deaton's Yacht Service, Oriental, NC, for maintenance and repairs (Inv #14516):
    Pressure washed hull and renewed zincs.
    Removed barnacles from prop, polished, and treated.
    Removed stern tube and cutlass, replaced cutlass bearing, and reinstalled stern tube and cutlass.


    While she was on the hard, polished hull and stainless.
    Relaunched and moved to service dock.         

    Checked engine alignment; shaft is out .004" but is within specificatons.
    Repacked stuffing box with Gortex packing and adjusted.
    Engine: 1600.3 hours.  Adjusted valves and replaced valve cover gasket; installed new Raycor filters and primary fuel filter; drained oil and refilled with 5 quarts of Rotella 15-40 weight, and and changed oil filter; replaced impeller and lengthened ground wire on alternator to make future replacemnent of impeller easier; drained and refilled transmission fluid; drained and flushed cooling system, refilled with Rotella ELC, replaced coolant pressure cap and pressure tested; replaced saltwater pet cock under exhaust elbow and cleaned, treated and painted under exhaust manifold where pet cock had leaked; repaired minor fuel leak on fuel return line by cutting and reconnected; cleaned and painted air intake hose; washed engined, engine pan and bilge, and put new oil absorb pads under the engine.
    Load tested batteries, replaced worn battery cables, and reterminated cables and treated for corrosion.
    Resecured AWI anemometer cups to masthead transducer.






March 6 - At sea, half way between Beaufort, North Carolina and Marsh Harbour, Abacos, the Bahamas, tried to put Spectra water maker into service.  Discovered leaks at the exit end of the membrane tube.  Will have to remove the membrane, unscrew the end cap and replace it.  Also discovered that the maceration pump is frozen, so will have to pull it and clean or replace (a dirty job awaits).

March 13-14 - At Conch Inn Marina, Marsh Harbour, washed down boat hull with fresh water, cleaned decks, and polished stainless.  Secured loose wire on shower sump pump.

March 17 - At anchor, Marsh Harbour, put coat of teflon polish on hull.  Added salad oil mix to head to keep it working smoothly.  Removed C-80 chart plotter and took it into Merlin's Electronics at the Marsh Harbour Marina, where we agreed it needed to be returned to Raymarine to be repaired.  One (or more) of the tiny prongs onto which the Navionics chip is inserted had were broken. 

March 24 - Engine: 1702 hours.  Changed oil and filter using old Big Boy extractor, which only pumped out 3.25 gallons.  The Stearns electric pump did not work; I'll look for a replacement. 

March 25 - Put second coat of teflon polish on hull.  Polished stainless steel.

April 2 - Picked up C-80 plotter from Merlin's only to find that, while Raymarine had fixed the broken prongs and the unit worked, they sent it back with out final assembly ... it was missing keypads and all the screws that hold it together.  Raymarine sent the screws and keypads and Merlin's finished the job.  Truly pathetic service by Raymarine, and in the end they refused to cover any of it with the warranty, claiming only the user could have broken the prongs.

April 6-22 - At anchor in Marsh Harbour.  Sanded, taped, and put two coats of Epifanes High Gloss Varnish on all Alizee's exterior teak.  Put six coats on the board I put together to hold four 5-gallon diesel jugs along the port rail.

June 4-5 - At Halifax Harbour Marina, Daytona Beach.  Washed down boat with Roll-Away.  Replaced wire connections to macerator and turned the blades to free them up.  Macerator now works, without having to replace it.  Arranged with Joe at Pro-Boat to do monthly bottom cleaning and maintain zincs.  Contacted Kevin at Tally's Mobile Marine to come out and look at the Spectra Water Maker on June 16.

June 6 - Installed new dome light above freezer in galley.  The old one had completely corroded, and while the new one is a bit smaller, it works nicely.  Put in new screws on freezer and refrigerator top lids.

June 10 - Had bottom cleaned and zincs inspected by Pro Boat diver.  All good.

June 16-August 25 - Work completed on Spectra Water Maker.  Cracked ends on membrane replaced, Clark pump removed and sent to Spectra for rebuild, replaced sight glass, and installed a fresh water flush kit (which allows flushing every 3-4 weeks rather than pickling, when water maker not in use.  Work performed by Talley's Mobil Marine, Palm Coast, FL (Inv #5383).

September 1-3 - Varnished a teak spice rack and magazine rack to mount aboard Alizee.

September 4 - Engine: 1777 hours.  Received briefing from Kevin at Talley's Mobile Marine on Spectra system and doing the fresh-water flush.  Installed spice and magazine racks, and sanded and applied a couple of coats of varnish to the moulding around the galley counters.  Changed oil and filter on Yanmar using the new West Marine 12v oil changer ... slow, but it got every ounce of the old oil out.  Remounted the bimini canvas, which I'd taken down as a storm precaution.  Penelope and Patricia washed down the topsides and cleaned the Bottomsider cushions.

September 5 - Defrosted the refrigerator/freezer.  Cleaned up some tools that water had gotten into and started a rust problem.

September 10 - Bottom cleaned.

September 28 - Engine: 1905.7 hours.  Oil and filter change.  Note that since last oil change - 128.7 hours - added 3 quarts of oil, one quart for every 43 hours.

November 9 - Water maker fresh-water flush.

November 20 - Rigging inspection by True North Sails, Daytona Beach.

November 24 - Bottom cleaned.

November 25 - Engine: 2058.2 hours.  Changed oil and filter, one Raycor filter, primary fuel filter and raw water intake impeller.  Drained a bit of algae out of the Raycor filter, and operating pressure much improved after changing filter.

December 3-21 - Rigging and sail repairs and tuning.  Remove Genoa, staysail and mainsail, take to loft, inspect and make minor repairs (patch five tears in Genoa and staysail sunbrella covers and spray with 303 High-tech fabric guard), including replacing and securing one Dutchman p-disc.  Remove staysail furler and remove, repair and re-bed bent inner forestay chainplate with oversize backing plate. Replace cone for Norseman stud at deck level in inner forestay.  Replace broken parts on staysail furler with new Profurl NC32 extrusion (full length, double-luff groove) and feeder section. Seal mast with Spartite.
    Straighten smashed bow light bracket (only partially successful; one weld failed).  Replace bow light with  Aqua Signal Ser. 41 (AQ41100) Bicolor 25W/12V bowlight.  Replace standard 12V Tricolor and anchor light bulbs with LEDs (Marinebeam).
    Work completed by True North Sailing Services, Daytona Beach, FL (Invoice 37676).

December 17 - Bottom cleaned.

December 27 - Replace standard 12V interior light bulbs with LEDs from Marinebeam.

December 31 - Average fuel use in 2009: 289.142 gallons - 452.7 hours - .639 gph.
   Bahamas trip total: 114.5 gallons - 171.9 hours - .666 gph.
        Beaufort, NC to Marsh Harbour, Bahamas: 63.4 gallons - 92.2 hours - .688 gallons/hour.
        Sea of Abacos: 23 gallons - 38 hours - .6053 gallons/hour.
        Marsh Harbour to Daytona Beach: 28.1 gallons - 41.7 hours - .674 gph.
   Cheseapeake Bay trip total: 174.642 gallons - 280.8 hours - .622 gph
        Daytona Beach to Isle of Palms, SC: 26.1 gallons - 51 hours - .512 gph.
        Isle of Palms to Surf City, NC: 20.65 gallons - 35.6 hours - .580 gph.
        Surf City to Coinjoick, NC: 24.4 gallons - 29.5 hours - .827 gph.
        Coinjock to St. Michaels, MD: 15 gallons - 28.9 hours - .519 gph.
        St. Michaels to Oriental, NC: 36.3 gallons - 58.8 hours - .617 gph.
        Oriental to Cape Fear, NC: 15.692 gallons - 22.8 hours - .688 gph.
        Cape Fear to Daytona Beach: 36.5 gallons - 54.2 hours - .673 gph.

Maintenance and upgrades, 2008

June 14 - Vacuum sand bottom, clean all hardware, apply two-coats of "red" Petit Ultima bottom pain, make Awlgrip paint repairs on transom and aft hull section (prep, paint, and buff).  Work by Diversified Marine, Annapolis, MD (Inv #362).

July 15 - Install Kato Island Davit Set with stabilizer for newly purchased Walker Bay 270 dinghy with 9.6 Tohatsu outboard.  Installation by Southern Cross Marine, Annapolis, MD (Inv #4401 and #4418).

August 9 - Replace faulty water tank and holding tank sender units.  Work by Southern Cross Marine, Annapolis, MD (Inv #4402).

August 11 - Engine service: change oil and filters, primary fuel filter, two Racor 500 filters, impeller change, and check transmission fluid.  Work by Bay Shore Marine (Inv #39666).

August 12 - Replace and test Dutchman mainsail control lines, modify and install new boom sheaves for reef lines.  Work by Madden Masts and Rigging, Annapolis, MD (Inv #3493).

August 13 - Adjust stuffing box, install 12v lighter plug, trouble-shoot reefing lines, lube mainsail tracks, replace refrigerator evacuation pump, reposition outboard motor hoist, clear all scuppers.  Work by Simon Edwards, Annapolis, MD.

August 13-15 - Clean bottom and check zincs; clean and wax decking and polish stainless.

August 15 - Install Raymarine C-80 system with Raymarine RD218 2kW 18" radar.  Work by EMI Electronic Marine Inc, Annapolis, MD (Inv #4942).

August 15 - Recover interior cushions in United Velvatone 155 Olive and make sunbrella connector for bimini and dodger.  Work by Canvas Creations, Anapolis, MD (Inv #1252).

August 16 - Install three new series 27 105AH AGM batteries.


September 8 - Repair torn areas and add chafe protector to bimini.  Work by Down East Canvas, Oriental, NC.

Alizee history and pre-2008 maintenance and upgrades

The 36' cutter Alizee was designed by William Crealock for Cabo Rico Yachts in 2000 as a modification of the Cabo Rico 34.  Crealock extended the CR 34 stern, improving access to the steering system and adding a large lazarette locker to better accommodate all gear for cruising.  The stern extension balanced out the original design, which was bow heavy with water tankage and anchor chains, so the CR 36 gained a bit in waterline on a heel and gained in speed.  Alizee is hull #2 of the new 36' design, and she was commissioned in May 2001 for Bob and Dunja Hegeman, who sailed her from Florida to New England - her was documented hailing port was Colchester, Vermont. They subsequently brought her back to cruise the Bahamas.  For four or five years, she was berthed regularly at Marsh Harbour Marina in Abacos.  Bob and Dunja decided they really wanted a larger boat, since they spent so much time aboard, so they put Alizee on the market in 2007, first in Florida and then moved her to Annapolis, Maryland, in spring 2008.  There she was purchased by James Williams in June 2008.

Alizee specifications
 LOA (w/bowsprit) 38' 7"
 LWL 26'10"
 Beam 11'
 Draft 4'10"
 Displacement 17,400
 Sail area (total) 745

During the years the Hegeman's owned Alizee, they installed an after-market Sitex/Nobeltec radar/chart plotter system and an FCF 16,000 btu air-conditioning unit.  Simon Edwards, a delivery captain and boat manager in Annapolis, did much of the maintenance on the boat during the period 2001-2008.  No maintenance log was provided on transfer of ownership, and few receipts for maintenance were discovered.