[Rhodes22-list] Lou's new yacht

[Bill Effros]

Lou,

Can you move your replies above what you are replying to?  It makes it easier for the rest of us, and more people will read what you have to say.

Boat electrical systems are easy.  There isn't that much in them.  The only problem is that they have changed the color of the wires, so most boats are now a hodge-podge, and you can't look at a colored wire with any certainty that it will or will not be the ground wire.

A long time ago I hand rewired a car--no wiring harnesses.  Now, that was a challenge--and one I will not try again.  But boats?  It's a pain to work under the seats and inside the gunwales, but you don't have to worry about connecting the brake light switch to the license plate light.

With regard to the tiller, following is something I posted a few years ago.  I still love to varnish my tiller, and do so every year.  It still looks great.  I think you can also find this in the Rhodes FAQ, along with other helpful postings on varnishing:

This topic seems to always come up at this time of year for understandable
reasons.

Never having varnished anything in my life, I filed everything in "Does Not
Apply To Me" (read "Delete") the first year I was on the list.

Last year Rummy brought it up again, and after a dozen replies went to West
Marine and bought whatever the pretty sales girl told him to buy.  I thought
it was just another example of that song "When The Little Head Does The
Thinking", but Rummy reported he was very happy with the outcome.

The only exterior wooden brightwork on my boat is the tiller which, by that
time, was so ratty-looking I had ordered another from Stan.  Figuring I had
nothing to lose, I decided to follow the advice on the list, and attempt to
strip down and varnish my tiller.  I was astonished at the results.

If Raz's work rates a 10, and Rummy's is a 9, then mine would be a 7.  When
the tiller arrived from General Boats its varnish rated a 2.

I loved my tiller every time I looked at it or touched it.  It was simply
magnificent in my humble opinion.  The project was perhaps the most
satisfying thing I did all year.  It still looks and feels great.  I can't
wait to put on a fresh coat of varnish as soon as it gets a little warmer.
I'm looking for other things to varnish around my house.

The single most useful posting came from Raz.  I followed his directions,
and wound up feeling enormously relaxed. Following is his post from last
year:

"I highly recommend thinning oil based varnish with marine Penetrol, which
is
a polymerized boiled linseed oil. The mix that works well for me is about a
tablespoon of Penetrol to 1/4 cup of varnish. That's about the right amount
to do a real good coat on a tiller and it brushes out like a dream. Unlike
solvent thinners this will not degrade the varnish coat. Pettit recommends
thinning their varnishes no more than 10% with solvent and that only for the
first bonding coat on bare wood. I use straight Penetrol for the first coat.
The instructions on the Penetrol can outline the whole process. I have never
had a varnish finish lift from moisture penetration using their process. The
trick to a good varnish coat is to use a premium chinese boar bristle brush
well loaded with varnish and thoroughly brush out each coat. Any slight
brush marks will level out and disappear as the varnish cures. It takes at
least 3 coats of undiluted varnish to build a thick enough finish to last
through a couple of years of marine exposure.   If  I am starting with bare
wood I do at least 6 coats, allowing each coat to completely dry for at
least  24 hours, sometimes several days if the air is humid.The penetrol
does lengthen the drying time between coats. I lightly wet sand with 220
grit wet or dry paper between coats using water with a few drops of dish
washing detergent or Murphy's oil soap added. Wet sanding is faster and
keeps the varnish from getting soft from over heating due to the sanding
friction. The object is to just remove the gloss without taking off any more
varnish than you absolutely have to to get rid of rough spots and
imperfections.  A few minutes before you are ready to recoat, wipe the wood
down with a rag wet with thinner and allow that to completely dry off.
Before the very last coat, I wet sand with 400 grit. It took 3 weeks last
year to do 6 coats on my Compac tiller, but its only a couple of leisurely
hours per coat including the sanding and cleanup. The end results were
spectacular. I'll have to start over this year with a new tiller for the
Gloucester, sigh. Actually I really enjoy this process, its sort of like Zen
meditation to me."

Thanks, Raz. I'll follow the maintenance instructions to the letter.  I
really did enjoy the process as much as the outcome, and it was a lot like
Zen meditation.  I've been looking forward to the maintenance all year.

Bill Effros

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Lou Rosenberg 
To: The Rhodes 22 mail list 
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Lou's new yacht



On Tuesday, August 10, 2004, at 04:26 PM, ed kroposki wrote:

> Lou,
>
>      You have not told us about the motor.  Does the motor work?  How 
> about
> the battery?  Does it have a VHF (radio)?  Cockpit cushions?  Pop top 
> cover?
> Since you have a couple of days before you move, fill in the details.
>
>
>
>      Does the tiller need refinishing?  How about the bright work?
>
>
>
> Ed K
> ***********
Ed K and all Rhodes owners out there,
  thanks for all the support !
  Had to give in to the boat yard that has possession of my R22 until 
next wk, as they "demanded" that i use their shop and services to 
obtain new rims and tires for my Triad circa 1980 trailer.   I balked- 
and ran out to my local tire shop but found out I would need the actual 
rim to match up for the correct fit.  the trailer is 62 miles away in 
Pt Jeff!!  I could have saved $150. but that $ was the $ I was warned 
by the (R22 ) former owner to expect to pay to get my boat out of his 
yard.
  Boat Yards ! blasphemy! ( expletive deleted!)

  The deal included a Mercury 7.5 hp with an electric start and a tank.  
An extra dolphin plug? for the tank to motor.
   I prefer to have a Johnson or Honda or Yamaha 9.9 and will try to 
parlay my current Merc into one of those models before I launch in 
April.

  the rigging is a mess . WOrn out in some places and the traveler was 
not even set correctly to do anything but the entire rig was just set 
up in the spring for show purposes anyway.
  I definitely want IMF and will save my bottle tops and stop giving my 
recycling to the homeless asian women in the neighborhood.    ( only 
kidding)
IF any sailors out there  want to sell an extra mast with IMF I am 
interested!!!

  Aside from some rain damage to my cushions due to a leaky portlight, 
the inside is fairly in good shape but very old and needs work.
  I  will scan the archives and ask  around later for schematics on the 
electric system.  As a pro videographer and steadicam operator we have 
to be able to wire 12V systems all the time and i have done a few crazy 
things in my life to get out of jams but have never wired a  boat 
before.

  Yes the tiller needs refinishing any suggestions?  I would just 
replace the wood and go from there..
  The teak inside will eventually get changed too.
  The companionway door was replaced with a nice pc of  tinted lexan 
which looks neat!
  No radio , I will invest before doing any cruising or serious sailing.

  Joined BoatUS yesterday and will most likely get there insurance.. any 
recommendations??

  I hope to trailer back to Brooklyn where I am already booked for the 
winter and beyond at Gateway Marina, Flatbush ave in waters that I have 
sailed since childhood.
they say you cannot go home again, but when I get this boat sailing the 
way I want to  I plan to arrange a landing at Miramar Yacht Club where 
my late father kept his Ensign when he died.
  thanks all for your humor and support
  Lou


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