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Island Prep 2013
Yeah I know, why toss up the same thread year after year? Well not everybody has read the others and each year there are little different "tweaks'... These threads are designed not as the bible but rather as a guide line for the thought process involved in getting ready for the island be it a long term thing like we do or just a weekend... This year I figured i'd spice it up some. Not only is the Viking back on line but so is my old Albemarle after sitting basically idle for five years and no serious buyers interested...
It was August when i decided to resurect the old girl and put her back in service rather than have her sit and gather dust any longer. She was a mess when i go on her. Birds had nested under the hard top and droppings were thick on the deck. I cleared that mess and popped open the cabin which was a science experiment itself. now a lot of people woild go gung ho with bleach but that can form toxic fumes and create other problems. i instead employ dehumidifiers with UV light. Added to opening the hatches and exposing to direct sunlight it does the job very well. Next was to toss the old curtains and carpet from the walls...
While the boat aired out I started on the hard stuff. Sitting for a boat equals death. Started with two new helms and hoses. Seals and old hoses had just dried up. Next on the hit list was batteries and cables... Corrosion does not quit just cause you aren't in the water and the wires wire green a foot back from the bisiness end...
These things take days and weeks to get done right. Next is to hand turn the engines. The lack of oil on the moving parts is gonna have them so tight that they will blow up a starter trying to turn them over. While that is going on fuel needs to be addressed. I was figuring on having to dump the 90 gallons onboard but using good stabilizer and adding every six months... We did remove some crud while fuel polishing but not as much as we thought. Something we did tho that bit us much later was when we put the sending unit back into the tank we hair line cracked it allowing rain water to find its way to the now clean fuel and set up for a bunch of head aches.
We had to go slow with soaking her. Short periods only until seals swelled and stopped leaking. That process took more weeks. Finally we were ready for some test running. Water in that one tank was an issie even after a second fuel and tank cleaning... Tanks are baffled and water gaters in places that it just cant get sucked out. As boat rocks it works its way into the system and over and over we had to change filters... as recently as this week with a 25 mile test run we still had the issue...
Coolant needed changing. Again age and disuse is not your friend...
In between all these projects getting her ship shape electronics needed to be addressed. Rather than try to salvage new was easier way to go. Two new VHF, and two new plotters is not a lot of money in the scheme of things. While at it all new safety gear made sense and was added...
It was August when i decided to resurect the old girl and put her back in service rather than have her sit and gather dust any longer. She was a mess when i go on her. Birds had nested under the hard top and droppings were thick on the deck. I cleared that mess and popped open the cabin which was a science experiment itself. now a lot of people woild go gung ho with bleach but that can form toxic fumes and create other problems. i instead employ dehumidifiers with UV light. Added to opening the hatches and exposing to direct sunlight it does the job very well. Next was to toss the old curtains and carpet from the walls...
While the boat aired out I started on the hard stuff. Sitting for a boat equals death. Started with two new helms and hoses. Seals and old hoses had just dried up. Next on the hit list was batteries and cables... Corrosion does not quit just cause you aren't in the water and the wires wire green a foot back from the bisiness end...
These things take days and weeks to get done right. Next is to hand turn the engines. The lack of oil on the moving parts is gonna have them so tight that they will blow up a starter trying to turn them over. While that is going on fuel needs to be addressed. I was figuring on having to dump the 90 gallons onboard but using good stabilizer and adding every six months... We did remove some crud while fuel polishing but not as much as we thought. Something we did tho that bit us much later was when we put the sending unit back into the tank we hair line cracked it allowing rain water to find its way to the now clean fuel and set up for a bunch of head aches.
We had to go slow with soaking her. Short periods only until seals swelled and stopped leaking. That process took more weeks. Finally we were ready for some test running. Water in that one tank was an issie even after a second fuel and tank cleaning... Tanks are baffled and water gaters in places that it just cant get sucked out. As boat rocks it works its way into the system and over and over we had to change filters... as recently as this week with a 25 mile test run we still had the issue...
Coolant needed changing. Again age and disuse is not your friend...
In between all these projects getting her ship shape electronics needed to be addressed. Rather than try to salvage new was easier way to go. Two new VHF, and two new plotters is not a lot of money in the scheme of things. While at it all new safety gear made sense and was added...
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Her and her big sister...
Rust stains came next. Tou can use Whink, the stuff that comes in a brown bottle for light stuff. Onn and Off is brutal on the heavier but make syre to keep it clear of metals especially aluminum. Then a middle of the road product made by NAPA called Aluminum brightener seems to do a great job...
Enough cleaning for a while. Lets do some touch up paint. Old boats need paint for places out of control or worn through. Krylon Fusion makes a spay paint great for touching up places on the white surfaces. Krylon bright silver blends well with aluminum but should have a couple layers of clear coat over the top or it goes grey. Engines run at temerature. Rustoleum hi temp seems to work well.
As long as i'm at the engines time for an oil change even though the old had very few hours. Lucas oil stabilizer works well to get your rings happy. Diesel Clean in the fuel is helping make that bad fuel issue better with time along with lucas stabilizer. Inspect every hose and clamp. In doubt? Change it... While at it get spare belts and hoses. If going long term like I do a spare alternator, starter, ignitionswitch, raw water, fresh water pump should be toted along.
Time to build a tool kit full socket set, hex key set, screwdriver set, drill bit set, wrenches, adjustable wrenches, channel locks, pipe wrench, mallet, hammer, electrical stripper/ crimper, off set screwdrivers, razor scraper, heavy scraper, pliers, needle nose pliers, dykes, and a hacksaw are a good start. Next I gather every size screw, wire tie, washer, nut and bolt I can find... Then comes the adhesive kit... Silicone, 5200, goop, permatex rtv, marine tex, epoxy, super glue, duct tape, thread tape, and electrical tape. Lets go back to the electrical stuff and get the big bag s of yellow, red, blue and pink connectors. Butt, ring, large ring, shovel, and of course several of each type fuse you might use... I even carry extra breakers...
Again boredom with one project creeps in... Switch boats... Over to the Viking. Inventory her... Spare pumps, wiring , hoses, swutches, lightbulbs, every last system should have its back ups and repair parts accounted for... The vike has been sitting and needs a bottom job. Order the micron 66, and trilux paints... Mentally go over and map out every through hull fitting on her so you know what to blast and what to look for when you do haul. This year suddenly has become a rush with only a couple weeks from green light to go time.... Dark comes and no time to quit. Renew HMS, Customs decal, registration, doccumentation... Cross the "T's" and dot the "I's"... Print out customs forms for both boats... Now you will have time to start making rigs and playing with tackle after all that is done...
After the elctronic section was done I did the "pharmacy". First aid stuff, cold and cough stuff, anti diareah stuff, antacids, acid reducers, anti itch creams, aleve, ibuprofen, advil, aspirin, epipen, certain antibiotics for my own use, vitamins, rubber gloves, suture kit, burn creams, peroxide, alcohol, you know... all the standard stuff.
Loaded in my spray paints for touch ups. Sandpaper, scaper, tape, caulks, spray sealant (new this year)... Updated flare kit, ordered firesystem inspection, Stuffed the fridge after a night of thawing. Georgeforeman grill, mini food processor, pots, pans, cuttlry all aboard. Even laid in some of the stape foods.
Switched over to my chum making kit. Mini chopper again, bunker oil, oatmeal, instant rice. With space in freezers at premium for mostly bait and limited food. We often have to make chum on the go as carrying it takes up too much room.
Even started to work on food stores. this year will be six months on that side. The 28 gets 3 jars peanut butter, 3 jellys, 3 instant coffees, 12 cans of chef boy ardee, 2 tartar sauce, 1 mustard, 2 mayo, 3 tubes wasabi, big bottle soy, bottle of A1, 4 of those plastic limes (for conch) salt pepper, paper plates, plastc forks, knives , spoons, and 10 rolls of paper towels. The 43 starts off with tripple those base stores. Then we add 12 cans each of green beans, corn, creamed corn, veg all, baked beans, rice, boxed potatoes, mac+ cheese, spaghetti, sauce, lemon juice, several bags of hersheys miniatures, jumbo bags of reses peanutbutter cups, mini pack cookies (100), assorted bagged chips (100), Snack crackers, nutri grain bars, instant oat meal, pre made bags of dry fish batter, seasoned salt, garlic salt, hot sauce, worcetesire, olive oil, cooking oil, parmalat milk...
72 washcloths, 24 rolls paper towels, 8 rolls blue towels, 8 small towels, 8 fullsized beach type towels, 8 gal bleach, 8 bottles awsome, 2 gal purple power, gal orpine w wax, 6 bottles spray wax, two cans never dull, four bouttles bleeche white, 3 cans comet, 5 cans pledge, 2 x softscrub, 4 x sno bol, 4 gal bilge cleaner-degreaser, leather cleaner, microfiber towels, metal polish, nevr dull.... It will all keep the viking looking showroom good. The Albemarle cleaners were listed above but she ahs never looked as good as that Viking does.
Home for late lunch. Might get cracking on more rigs... We used very little of the 400 or so trolling rigs or 200 bottom rigs we had last year but we weren't chartering and we never did make it to chub where we burn the stuff like crazy ( 20 rigs per bait position per week of intended fishing there) and we were not chartering then. Already in my spare time I made up about 200 more small lures to go over ballyhoos and have enough big lures rigged to go for three years...
With the extended time we are staying I made another round of food shopping to beef up the staples. While at it picked up bug killer spray, bug repellent, various spf sunscreens, air freshener, more awsome cleaner... Finished off the soda shopping, added 72 bottles of water. Now that doesn't seem like a lot but we wash the bottles and refill with water we make on board... Got six cans of powdered gatorade and another 4 of iced tea mix to help make that more inyeresting. While it would be nice to go fresh every inch of the way we couldn't possibly carry enough on our boats. When we are that side we do from time to time restock some drinks but its so darn expensive as to be prohibitive. Same reason we carry so much staple food... Though we eat out most nights, every single night would break anybody's bank.
Fridge stuff will include, eggbeaters, ham, cheese, balogna, turkey, salami, hot dogs, wild hog italian sausage, butter, wasabi, cocktail sauce and we keep a mayo in there as well. Most of the above stocks we back up with frozen ones. I seperately figure what to buy for that. We provide lunch meats for guests on multi day trips to the out islands. Locally they can get boxed lunches. I buy the 2 pound packs of stuff for each leg we plan to run. For my own consumption I get the one pound packs which will last me four days for each thing I do thaw... If I'm going to be there 120 days that will mean I divide up 30 pounds of stuff. For the legs its 2 pounds of ham and turkey for each leg. 6 Legs = 24 more pounds... all this is important with freezer space at premium...
People often ask me about alcohol. As a private rig we didn't drink while out from the dock. For charter we will request our guests to keep it at a minimum and try to stick to beer. Booze and drinks are cheap enough back on shore and they are welcome to knock themselves out there...
Sun has set again and I'm adding to the growing pile of rigs and what not. We don't know how many days we are going to fish so its best to get way ahead on the basics... I added about fifty rigs to the stack last night. Will do the same. Would like 350 flat line rigs and 300 rigger bait rigs ready. Will twist some more wire rigs for when we sit on the reefs. We have over time had an absolute ball dunking a live runner or tail while sitting on the hook chumming up yellowtails... You name it... They all eventually come... As I make up rigs I often take notes on what I'm short...
43 is loading out nice but has some projects that do need to get done. One is to replace the board for our forward A/C. Another is to address a bad connection some where in the DDEC system... Pretty sure its a bad pin or bad wire going to a pin on one of two connectors... Both projects really should be done while in the water so the units can be run like usual to make sure the fix worked properly... Another important project (doing the bottom) needs to be done out of the water. They cant be done at the same time. So............
I think my plan is to let my man work on the 43 in the water while I go torture the water out of the 28... . Give that a few hours and so as to not waste time stop for oil (for change), fresh batteries (Time for the 12v system to be renewed) and possibly even the freezer we will need for this trip...
We have a cabinet to store the filters and filter wrenches in. Opposite cabinet gets **** fluid, steering fluid, fuel additives... Coolant I store forward of the engines in access holes for transducers and thu hulls... I plan on running the water maker and ice maker for just a few minutes each. Hope to haul early afternoon...
All that stuff i bought yesterday was put on the 43. Those batteries worked me but good. 90lbs each times three... Into the car, out to the parking lot, on to the dock, on to the gunwale, then down into tight engine room, then pull old ones out, mount new ones, reverse the toting sequencing of the old.
No time to rest. Oil was next, along with filters and other junk... Kinda ticked off that mechanic had not accomplished anything other than to look and leave footprints... Not able to haul cause yard is still jammed with other boats... Waiting patiently is not my strong point. So home, rigging more stuff, gathering more stuff to take over, sorting clothes, answering emails, printing forms and applications, and still moving...
Today big livewell went home. Small one, bait cage (Metal to prevent sharks that are 24/7 nusiance), and large cooler to act as dock box went aboard...
Trophies for next two tournaments in queue to go aboard...
Inflatable, motor, and its kit cant be put fully aboard til after the haul, paint wax trip...
Today I basically stuffed some more canned goods and clothes. Then put the zillion or so forms and applications we need in safe keeping. When done with that I ran down the 28... Went through all my stuff to make sure i'm all right. Weather looks like it might let me go tomorrow so want to be ready...
I'll call it my fault. I have been so focused on the bad starboard side that I didn't check the other... Half measures just dont work and this was a perfect example. Limped back in and checked both sides. Port was chock a block plugged. Starboard was on her way. I'm guessing that five hours ditch running doesn't shake it up and loosen crud like a solid offshore beating does...
Big problem with the Albemarle is her hatches. They are not hydraulic assist. Dead weight. Starboard weighs about 125 pounds with her helm chair. I can deal with that ok. The port side though has a tackle center and molded in bench seat and hits the scales closer to 250. I can do with proper movements and some degree of dificulty. When I get ticked off adrenaline flows. I no longer even feel the weight and no longer move properly. Effectively slinging the hatch like its not there. Thats all fine and dandy for getting the job done but when the adrenaline wears off the body lets you know that you did it wrong and went way too far... If I had any brains I'd back off and give myself a break but clock ticking says I can't. Working in pain sucks and it slows things down even further...
It was too late to take another shot at crossing and with heavier rain falling I made the best use of my time by heading back to the 43 to assist with the board change and to rewire the plugs on the DDEC still in progress.. Enough for one day so back home to make more rigs...
Without its far more difficult. Adds more levels of permits that one must aquire establishing residency and work permits and there its a complicated task to get that done without a (sponsor)...
Employing a native crew streamlines things a bit...
DDEC controls are fine but we had been having issues with guage function intermittent. Sometimes a jiggle of a wire fixed it sometimes not. Not prudent to run that way and today we found that the whole ecm (brain was bad)... I hate dumping a couple more grand into this but wouldn't be proper operation without...
Next unexpected issue was with our shorepower cord winder. The switch actually. Went to un wind some cord and when I flipped the switch it disappeared into the gunwale! I've had it happen before... No fun. Effectively have to dismantle the tackle center to access that wire harness then feed it back out to the cockpit. In getting there I get to wrap myself around other live wires and freezer coils... The switch is small as are the wires and thats a pains taking process just by itself to rewire... Again though, has to be right before go time.
We were supposed to haul to do the bottom but that got stepped on by marina staff who failed to see the schedule and clogged the work area with other boats being shifted around while they redo some racks... So home a little early... I really need some time to just slow down a bit (I'm 53,not 33) so even these couple hours will help make that happen...
One good thing is that I do my bottoms right the first time. If you read back years of this tread you'll see I soda blasted to gelcoat. Two layers of e2000 epoxy as a primer. Then three coats of Micron 66 for base. Each year I run two coats of micron to keep it built up. If I had to the bottom itself would be good for two years... The running gear on this boat is a question mark.
This boat was one of the first "faster" boats of its day. Some things speed related weren't well thought out yet. Her running gear flexes more than more modern versions. In doing so, propspeed wont stick. So I have to go trilux to get the metal covered and thats only good for a year where it does stay stuck.
Waited til we were in the slings getting hauled out to straighten him out. No where to run and the noise of the travel lift would drown out the screams. He got the message and numbers changed real quick. Got pulled and while they were getting ready to power blast the growth off I went back down to the 28. Changed one remaining filter. Topped off fluids, added a fuel additive I had recommended to me. Pulled some tackle off and found missing items I couldn't find for days (Duh... they were on there)
Turned back north to the 43to find they were only now blocking her??? Growth still on... Power washer crapped out... So after already being bathed in diesel from working on deep. I got to enjoy a nice acid bath in getting rid of the tube worms, and barnacles. Forgot just how "special" muriatic acid mixed with growth can get and my nasal passages are letting me remember very clearly. Hard part though was oysters. Acid had little or no effect on them... Had to chip them off carefully so as not to bang, dent or scratch my precious nibral blades. Repetitious motion to me is as bad as lifting heavy, maybe worse, but got to where I could see my wheels and rudders metal for the most part. Went to plug in shore power... BOOM! The marina recently rewired the yard post... Backwards... Reverse polarity! That was good for a couple sockets and a few halogen light bulbs... But hey, today was a whole lot better than yesterday...
When stuffed down under where you barely have room between your head and the hull while sitting its important that you position yourself so you don't get caught up stick or cut off circulation... In short... Get comfortable, its gonna be a long ride... Every worm, barnacle, oyster leaves its own cement behind . Painstaking task of scraping it all off but again smooth is the objective...
While under there one has time to let their mind wander... Thoughts dance through ones head... Coulda been a lawyer or doctor or... Then reality snaps back in. No, I'm a captain. I chose it as a way of life... After all thats why I'm under here. Could pay somebody a few bucks to do it but I do it cause I want it not just right but perfect. Each stroke of the scraper is carefuly guaged so as not to dent, ding or mar the metal surfaces... To avoid boredom I switch off from wheels to shafts to rudders and even take a "vacation" and do what little is imperfect on the hull.
Above , my wax crew is hard at it. Now you might wonder why I use a wax crew and don't use a bottom crew. Answer is simple. They do a better job than I do above and I do a better job below than others do. This way That Viking stays as a showpiece anyone would be proud of...
Hours pass... They are done with port side. I am done with the heavy stuff (Sea strainers are next in morning). I crawl out from under and slide right into the engine room... Out comes the troubled ECM and path is cleared for New one to be installed Monday...
Nearly ten hours of repetitive motion and cramped space... Enough for one day...
Now in this game wounds are part of it. Big gaping bloody ones, broken bones, burns, electrocutions, pulled muscles, strained ligaments, reactions to chemicals... Working when you are past what you should do increases likleyhood that something can happen. It doesn't have to be big to snow ball... Example: Yesterday i went at it hard withe the scraper... Wasn't paying attention and not only gre but popped a big blister... As little as that it it does hurt. You hold things differently and strain muscles not normally used. Lets fast forward to this morn. Nech and shoulder on fire from doing that. Try to work through it but pain distracts. Open a can of expensive spray paint for running gear. Open it wrong and knock its spray button off. In frustration try to cram button back on. It gets stuck in wide open dumping contents all over the place... Need to get off my hands. Now remember that little blister? Add paint remover to that and ones whole world changes quick!
Tired and power tools don't go together any better... Needed to use a dril with whire wheel to get in tight spots. Wore out meant I had to change position to grind away. Thank goodness for glasses as wheel grabbed and sprung back at face... Decision time. Push further or take a responsible rest? I pulled the plug. Am home, going to eat a good meal and watch gold rush on tv tonight... Tomorrow is another day...