Cleaning Boat Grill

Above picture is after the cleaning. I wish I had taken a before picture.

Before you think about throwing a grill away, try cleaning it with Easy Off Oven Cleaner (in the yellow canister). You will be amazed at what it can do, I know it amazed me.

Preparing for our adventure, we knew that we wanted the ability to grill. Not only because we like to grill, but it gives us a backup to our stove and not cooking in the galley will help keep the boat cooler, when it is hot.

We acquired a Magma grill when we purchased our Gemini 3200 , a year ago June, but we never used it. The reason we never used it was it looked terrible on the inside and it would not stay lit. We were considering throwing it away, but we thought that we should try to clean it.

I cleaned it using Easy Off Oven Clean, in the yellow canister. Basically, I sprayed (coated) the inside of the grill with Easy Off, closed the lid, and allowed it so sit in the sun for 4 hours. When I came back and rinsed the grill, I was amazed. The grill almost looked brand new and now appears to be working. I guess it just needed a really good cleaning.

I'm so glad that we tried to clean the grill before throwing it way. The $3.54 cost of a canister of Easy Off saved us from purchasing a new marine grill with prices starting around $150.

Tip: I would not use the Easy Off near anything that is painted. It took the green paint off the propane canister.

Maintenance for LSZ-1 Ultrafeed Sewing Machine

Recently, I finished the first big project on my Sailrite LSZ-1 Ultrafeed sewing machine, named Beulah. The project was sewing six new cushions for our settee, on our Gemini 3200. (The smallest cushion was 62"x22"x4".) Beulah was really working hard and loving every minute of it.

Shortly after threading the machine with a new spool of thread, I began to hear a new noise coming from the machine. After I heard it for the fifth time, I stopped sewing. It sounded like metal hitting something. I pulled out my sewing machine manual to see if I could determine where the sound was coming from.

The manual stated that the machine needs to be "oiled frequently," but what constitutes frequently. My gut was telling me that I needed to oil Beulah (my machine). That's exactly what I did and she sounded beautiful again.

The thing I learned was that my machine"Beulah" needs to be cleaned and oiled every time 1 oz or 250 yards of thread is used. This is how frequent my LSZ-1 Ultrafeed needs to be cleaned and oiled.

Costs To Do Bottom Paint On A 32 Foot Catamaran Sailboat

This week we received the bill for all the boat work done in Sail Harbor Marina's boatyard. We thought it would be helpful for others if we shared the portion of the costs related to all the bottom work. For reference, this was done on our 32 foot, Gemini 3200 Sailing Catamaran.

Labor:

Remove existing paint to the gel coat: 14 hours and a total cost of $1,400

Repair blisters and apply 4 barrier coats: 19.25 hours and a total cost of $1,155

Paint bottom (first coat red, second black): 8.5 hours and a total cost of $510

Materials:

4 gallons of Interprotect 2000 for a cost of $387.40

1.25 gallons of Pettit SR60 (red) for a cost of $300.00

1.25 gallons of Pettit SR60 (black) for a cost of $300.00

2.5 gallons vinyl ester resin for a cost of $187.50

1.0 gallon of Interlux 830 Fast Cure Epoxy Profiling Filler for a cost of $123.00

10 x 40 grit 6 inch sanding disks for a cost of $15.00

8 x 80 grit 6 inch sanding disks for a cost of $12.00

6 x dust masks for a cost of $4.50

18 pairs of gloves for a cost of $13.50

2 x Tyvex suits for a cost of $16.50

1 x roll of fine line tape for a cost of $14.50

2 x roller pans and frame for a cost of $10.00

8 x roller covers for a cost of $42.40

4 x large cups for a cost of $8.00

4 x small cups for a cost of $2.00

6 x 2 inch brushes for a cost of $7.50

4 x 3 inch brushes for a cost of $8.60

Grand Total for Bottom Work: $4,517.40!

Productive Weekend in Savannah

Hi Everyone! We had a very productive weekend in Savannah. The visit was to inspect the work of Sail Harbor Marina and Boatyard on our Gemini 3200, install the vinyl lettering, install the lifeline netting, and about 15 other boat related tasks.

We are very happy with Sail Harbor Marina and Boatyard. They have, so far, done excellent work on our Gemini 3200. The bottom of Ariel has been completely transformed from a void ridden gel coat to a smooth, protected surface. The picture on the top was taken after the old bottom paint was removed. Notice all of the small voids in the gel coat. Sail Harbor Boatyard faired out the surface, thus filling in the void with a fiberglass fairing compound. They then painted the bottom with 4 coats of Interprotect 2000E and 2 coats Pettit Ultima SR-60. There is now a noticeable difference, in thickness, between the side of the hulls and where the bottom paint begins. The picture on the bottom shows smooth, protected hulls.

The boatyard also installed 3 Nicro Day/Night Plus Solar Vents, that we had previously purchased. Two of the vents are for cabin ventilation and the last vent, for composting toilet exhaust. Upon inspection, we noticed that one of the vents was not working. After a little trouble-shooting, we were able to determine that the rechargeable battery that came with the unit was no good. We simply removed the battery and the fan started immediately. A rechargeable battery for the unit is now on our need to purchase list.

The mast is almost ready to be stepped. The boatyard has installed the new LED tri/anchor light, steaming/deck light, and windex wind instrument. All of the standing rigging had been inspected, using a liquid that highlight any cracks/fractures. All of the rigging checked out okay. Yeah, because it would have been expensive to replace and a big hit to our budget.

Bill and I were able to install the vinyl lettering and the lifeline netting. We also completed several of the other tasks on our list and got to spend some time with the girls at Tybee Island Beach. What a GREAT weekend!

Savannah Bound!

Good morning! Today we are on the road to Savannah. This may be the last weekend that Ariel rests on the hard in 2010!

We are meeting with the boatyard operator, Dick Long, to go over the work we asked him to do. He handled a number of tasks for us like replacing one of the chain plates, replacing a protective cover in the splash well, stripping and painting the bottom, and more. If it all looks good, Mr. Long will be putting Ariel back on the water next week after a long 2 months of dry time!

The task list of what has to be done before Ariel is ready for a sail is still quite long however. Most of the remaining work consists of lots of small tasks (e.g. less than 2 hours per task), and runs the gamut. To get a sense of the range, here are a few of work pieces Val and I will be attacking: installing the new batteries, putting the lettering on the side of the boat, installing the lifeline netting, adding Stabil to the fuel system, and posting the Coast Guard required sewage dumping stickers.

There is a lot of stuff we are carrying out to the boat today. In the photo you can see some of the stuff we are driving out. We have the main sail, head sail, the bimini, a stuffed animal (KJ's dachshund :) ), and so much more with us.

This will be a very very busy weekend. It is unlikely that we will get everything done we need to so that we can go sailing next weekend, but we will try!

Other Benefits of Composting Toilet

From my prior post on the composting toilet, you know that there is no smell, no water, and no holding tank. The other benefits of a composting toilet include less maintenance, no seacocks, and a lot less weight.

Maintenance for the sanitation system will be reduced to disposal and cleaning. Under the current system, we have to pump-out the tank (disposal), cleaning the toilet, lubricate the internal workings of the toilet, and check to hoses on a regular basis.

The composting toilet will eliminate the need for 2 seacocks. Seacocks are holes in the hull. Seacocks can either be intake (which allow water in) or outtake (which allow water to go out). But don't let the designation fool you, all holes allow water in. The foremost concern of any boat owner is unwanted water coming into the boat. The more seacocks you have the more opportunities unwanted water has to get inside.

Weight on a boat is another concern of any boat owner. You can have too much weight and it can lead to the boat sinking. By removing the current sanitation system, we calculated that we would be eliminating approximately 150lbs or more of potential weight in favor of a system that will weigh approximately 35lbs at the heaviest. This gives us the ability to store another 115lbs of supplies.

Again the composting toilet is a no brainier. The only reason, I can think of, that boat builders don't install composting toilets on their boats to begin with is because of the cost. A composting toilet can run anywhere from $800 to $2,000. But I believe it will be worth every penny!

Marina Work

The plan has us trucking our boat to a marina, on the Atlantic ocean, with a boat yard in September 2010, and having the marina do a number of things for us. For example, we want to replace the wind vane on the mast, replace the mast lights with LED lights, have the bottom painted, have the engine tuned up with the serpentine belt replaced, fix a few spots on the bottom side of the hull, replace every line on the boat, and inspect each buckle holding the stays.

Val found a marina, highly recommended by other Gemini owners, in Myrtle Beach SC that we will engage in April to begin the discussions of having them do all the work. This will be a very expensive proposition, but if we get all this work done right, then we shouldn't need to revisit a number of the systems for a few years.

Our plan is to physically visit the marina in May to have a conversation with the marina owner, sharing our story. If we feel comfortable with what the estimates and the people, then we will put some money down to lock in our spot. We will have the boat trucked out in September, and give the boatyard 3 months to get everything ready. Then in December we will go down to pick up our ready boat!

Gray to Beautiful as Easy as 1-2-3

You might thing that I'm talking about hair. Nope. I'm talking about TEAK!

Our boat has a lot of teak. Most of it is on the inside and in really good shape. However, the teak on the outside is another story. It is dark gray and very dirty. So armed with StarBright Teak Kit, I sat out to revitalize the teal on the outside of the boat.

The kit is a three step process. The first step is a cleaner to get the dirt and grim off the teak. Second step is a Brightener, which restore the wood to that of unfinished teak and the final step is teak oil to bring out the natural beauty of the wood and protect it.

The first 2 steps were fast. The teak cleaned and brighten up very nicely. Then I applied the teak oil 3 times (allowing it to soak in between applications). To maintain, we will have to apply the teak oil once a month.

Now the outside teak looks wonderful! Don't take my word for it, the picture speak for

itself.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

If you have not heard of this product, please allow me the pleasure of introducing it to you. It has to be the absolute best cleanser that I have ever used. Not only does it clean dirt and grim off everything from bath tubs to outdoor toys to boat fiberglass, it comes completely integrated with the applicator. All you have to do is remove the eraser from the package and add water. It's called an eraser, because that is exactly what it looks like, an eraser. How do you know when it's time to use a new eraser? Easy, when the current one disintegrates.

It's the GREATEST!!

Batteries: I've Been Meaning to...

Our last camp out was almost cancelled. We went to start the motor, but no power was going to the starter. The batteries appeared to be dead. This was bad, really bad. We use Deep Cycle Flooded Marine Batteries on the boat and they cost upwards of $200 each. We have four and when you replace one you have to replace ALL FOUR.

I was surprised that the batteries were dead, because we have 2-75watt Siemen Solar Panels on our arch (not shaded) and it had been really sunny. I instantly when into diagnose/ problem solving mode. I had been meaning to perform the maintenance on the batteries, but other things seemed to always take priority, well not today.

First thing I did was to make sure that the battery selector was on. If it had been off, then the starter would have had no power. The battery selector was on and pointed to Both (meaning both battery banks). Next, I checked the Photovoltaic Charge Controller and Battery Monitor. It indicated that charge was coming from the solar panels and that they batteries were over charged. Overcharged? I thought, how can this be. Then I started to remember the research I did on batteries, while preparing to do the battery maintenance. I remembered reading that sometimes when the water level in the batteries are low that the battery monitor will indicate that they are being overcharged. I turned the batteries off and opened the water fill points to the batteries. Well the water level in all four batteries were low. So low, that it took 1/2 a gallon of distilled water (in each) to bring the water back up to the proper level. Good thing that I had bought two gallons of distilled water in preparation to do the battery maintenance.

If I had done the maintenance earlier, we probably would not have had the issue. Good thing that I had been doing my research and had all of the items need to do the maintenance, so that our outing was not disrupted.

The battery maintenance finally got done ;).

Maintenance as Entertainment

Maintenance as entertainment? Sure! During our last camp out, on the boat, we washed the boat for fun. Armed with a 5 gallon bucket, boat brush, and Simple Green cleaner we began our "cleantainment".

I tied a rope onto the handle of a 5 gallon bucket to lift water up onto the deck. Then I would pour the water over the deck and onto KJ and Dy as they scrubbed the deck with the boat brush. There was so much laughter that an onlooker would have never know that we where doing boat maintenance.

Any task can be fun and entertainment is everywhere!

Not All Stainless Steel are Equal

You know the old adage, "You should learn something new every day"? Well, when you own a boat you never have to be concerned about that. I'm always learning something new, whether it is about the boat, sailing, mechanical systems, fiberglass, food, or even stainless steel. Lately, I've been focused on stainless steel, as if you couldn't guess ;).

The latest thing that I have learned is that not all stainless steel is made equal. There are numerous grades of stainless steel and some are more noble (the higher the quality) than others. So with all of these different grades of stainless steel, how do you know if yours is more noble? Well, there is a test. All you have to do is take a strong magnet and hold it to the stainless steel. If the magnet is attracted to the stainless (strong pull toward the stainless, sticks right to it and holds on tight) then your stainless steel is less noble. If the magnet is somewhat attracted to the stainless (weak pull, may stick to the stainless, but is easily pulled off) then your stainless is more noble.

On a boat, we want the highest quality of stainless steel we can get. So it's time to get out the magnets and test every screw, bolt, nut, and every other piece of metal on the boat. It's sort of fun, as long as a majority of them are high quality stainless steel ;).

Cheap Stainless Steel Polish

Maintaining a boat is a never ending story. Every time we go to see Ariel, we do something. Whether it's checking the batteries, washing the outside of the boat, oiling the teak, or polishing the stainless steel; something always needs to be done.

A big choice in doing theses kinds of upkeep maintenance is what to use. We could buy the "specially formulated for boat" products, which translates into expensive or we can use simple home cleaners. For instance, you can clean stainless steel with a simple paste of baking soda and water, scrubbed with a piece of aluminium foil. You can also polish your stainless steel with "Pledge" lemon furniture polish. Just spray the lemon scented furniture polish onto the stainless or a soft cloth and rub. Not only with the stainless steel shine, but will also be protected from corrosion. The citric acid aids in preventing rust on stainless steel. If you don't want to use lemon furniture polish or none is available, you can always use lemons. Lemon juice also aids in preventing rust, but it doesn't help with the shine.

So, whether your stainless steel is on a boat or in a home, don't shell out the extra cash on a stainless steel polish when you probably have something that would work just as well at home.