Refitting a Compass 47

[Exile]

Hey CPA,

Loved the new pics, and good luck with the windlass installation.

You've completed so many jobs with your refit, I've now forgotten what you wound up going with to redo your decks! Would you mind reminding me?? I thought they came out beautifully, and it's a project that I find rather daunting on my similarly-sized boat. My gelcoat, however, is starting to suffer!

Thanks,
Dan

[cpa]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

cpa,

We just learned through a friend's experience with a mainsail, that the very light colors of Sunbrella allow more UV through onto the dacron. So, when you think about replacing the mainsail, it would be prudent to go with one of the dark colors (which absorb more UV) rather than a lighter one.

Ann

That is a really good point. I guess I should invest in some 303 fabric guard.
I wonder if having some UV Dacron sewn inside would help. That might be too heavy. Thanks for the heads up!

[cpa]

Originally Posted by Exile

Hey CPA,

Loved the new pics, and good luck with the windlass installation.

You've completed so many jobs with your refit, I've now forgotten what you wound up going with to redo your decks! Would you mind reminding me?? I thought they came out beautifully, and it's a project that I find rather daunting on my similarly-sized boat. My gelcoat, however, is starting to suffer!

Thanks,
Dan

Thanks! I hope the manual windlass lasts at least until I need an electric windlass. It is painfully slow but manages to get the anchor and 175 feet of chain up.

On the decks we used a brushable gelcoat with patch booster on the last coat. We rolled at first but then discovered that brushing allowed us to get more on ( less coats). On the nonskid we used Kiwigrip. Although it looks good and has great nonskid characteristics. The Kiwigrip is tough to keep clean and stains easily. We will have to touch it up every year or so to keep it looking smart. But, it is easy enough to touch up and blends nicely with the old stuff. I think if I were to do it again I would use a high quality 2 part polyurethane with nonskid additive.

The gelcoat portion of the job was real tough. It was a lot of work and took a long time. If I had to do it again I would learn how to spray it and take it somewhere where spraying is allowed. I put a little bit in a prevail sprayer for some touch up areas and it worked great. I am glad that we did gelcoat instead of paint. It seems tough and easy to repair. My last boat had paint and although it was pretty resilient, if I got a chip or gouge it was time to hire a professional.

[cpa]

I have also completed a few other small projects in the past few weeks. I pulled all of the old cork out of the boat's interior lockers and installed new cork. I was going to paint the lockers, but after I did one, I just did not like it as much. After I installed the new cork I started varnishing it. I am about half way through the varnishing and it looks much better. It is easy to clean like paint and it looks better finished. Hopefully it will last. The old cork seemed to be in OK shape after 20+ years.

The electrical part of the project is moving along. I had a guy come out and connect the 110v to the panel. Now I can install the new battery charger and get the 12v systems up and running. I will try to take some photos today.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by cpa

Thanks! I hope the manual windlass lasts at least until I need an electric windlass. It is painfully slow but manages to get the anchor and 175 feet of chain up.

On the decks we used a brushable gelcoat with patch booster on the last coat. We rolled at first but then discovered that brushing allowed us to get more on ( less coats). On the nonskid we used Kiwigrip. Although it looks good and has great nonskid characteristics. The Kiwigrip is tough to keep clean and stains easily. We will have to touch it up every year or so to keep it looking smart. But, it is easy enough to touch up and blends nicely with the old stuff. I think if I were to do it again I would use a high quality 2 part polyurethane with nonskid additive.

The gelcoat portion of the job was real tough. It was a lot of work and took a long time. If I had to do it again I would learn how to spray it and take it somewhere where spraying is allowed. I put a little bit in a prevail sprayer for some touch up areas and it worked great. I am glad that we did gelcoat instead of paint. It seems tough and easy to repair. My last boat had paint and although it was pretty resilient, if I got a chip or gouge it was time to hire a professional.

Thanks for the reminder of how you addressed your decks, CPA. As I watch my gelcoat steadily deteriorate, I'm still debating whether to use gelcoat or Awlgrip for the fix. I was initially sold on Awlgrip, but you & Minaret have swayed me to reconsider the gelcoat option. As you say, it is tough stuff that's more easily repairable, but I don't like that it seems porous, unless you have the time to keep up with fixing all the cracks, compounding, and waxing that is. Lots of time & effort prepping & applying a LPU, but if done correctly then the decks are sealed and you're basically done. My boat came with professionally applied Awlgrip on the topsides and it's remarkable how long it's lasted (15 yrs.-plus) and how good it still looks. And I do absolutely nothing to maintain it!

[cpa]

Originally Posted by Exile

Thanks for the reminder of how you addressed your decks, CPA. As I watch my gelcoat steadily deteriorate, I'm still debating whether to use gelcoat or Awlgrip for the fix. I was initially sold on Awlgrip, but you & Minaret have swayed me to reconsider the gelcoat option. As you say, it is tough stuff that's more easily repairable, but I don't like that it seems porous, unless you have the time to keep up with fixing all the cracks, compounding, and waxing that is. Lots of time & effort prepping & applying a LPU, but if done correctly then the decks are sealed and you're basically done. My boat came with professionally applied Awlgrip on the topsides and it's remarkable how long it's lasted (15 yrs.-plus) and how good it still looks. And I do absolutely nothing to maintain it!

You are welcome. Sorry I have not been maintaining this thread, school is kicking my butt. I am glad i used gelcoat on the deck. I just waxed the deck and compounded and waxed the hull. I caught myself wishing the hull was still gelcoat, so I could sand, fair, roll/brush 5-7 coats of gelcoat and sand for a month. Also, I just love the repairability of it. When the time comes to paint the hull I will use some sort of paint. Most likely I will do the sanding and fairing and pay someone to spray the boat. But the paint will come much later, I don't need anything more to worry about in tight docking situations.

[cpa]

Things are moving along nicely with the Compass. I have been doing little projects and just maintaining the boat. Lets see if I can remember. I decided to finally finish the varnishing of the interior. The only areas I had left were the trim pieces around the companionways.

While doing this I also had the new companionway guides made in Uhmw. It was a nice instant gratification project that took a day one the pieces were made.

[cpa]

I have also been dealing with some not so nice feathered friends. I had about a week of dealing with this until my anti-bird devices showed up, which were flags and bird deterrent foil tape.

Now I get a few droppings every two weeks.

[cpa]

I installed the battery charger and rewired the running lights. That was pretty easy because the boat has about 6 conduit tubes built in. I went through the wiring and removed everything not necessary but kept the wire in the conduit. Just tape the new to the old and pull.

The stern light was in pretty decent shape, it is an aqua signal that after a clean up looked pretty good. I just replaced the bulb with a marine beam LED. The bow lights were built into the hull and are accessable through the anchor locker. I had to replace the fixtures and then again I used marine beam LED lights.

I don't have a picture of the charger install, but it is a 40 amp Xantrex. I am running it to my 4D start battery and my 5 group 31 deep cycle house batteries. I still need to install the water system, a head / holding tank, and the fixed VHF.

[cpa]

I also helped my dad out on his boat. He had it hauled a few weeks ago and did the bottom(Trinidad SR). While it was out he had the saildrive pulled and replaced all of the seals and the main bellow seal replaced as well. All went well. During this time I also compounded and waxed his hull.

[cpa]

I also removed and rebed the three opening ports in the aft head and aft stateroom. I used a combo of butyl tape and 3m 4000 UV. I wanted to see if the 4000 UV would keep the butyl tape from oozing. After they were rebed, I replaced the gaskets with some perfectly fitting D shaped rubber gasket from Grainger and glued it in with weather strip adhesive. I figure I used it on the saildrive fairing boot and it has lasted 1 year and 8 months in submerged saltwater, it should be good enough for the porthole gasket. So far 3 major rainstorms and no leaks.

I also made a new upper aft lifeline with gate. The aft upper lifeline has been on the list since day one. Basically half of the lifelines are now new. I made a list of the ones that still need to be replaced.

Also I compounded and waxed the hull and waxed the deck. The hull took about 6 hours per side and the deck took about 4 hours total. Here are a few hull pictures as well.

[cpa]

I also varnished both of the companionway teak areas. The job is finished, but I don't have the pictures. Here is the only one I have. I probley have 3-4 coats on at this stage. I stopped at 8 coats.

[cpa]

Next projects are:

Strip and varnish dinghy floor.
Go sailing.
Plumbing
Go sailing.
Try the spotless stainless on the metal
Go sailing.
Install rest of electronics
Go sailing.
New bottom paint
Change oil
Go sailing.

Good news is sailing season is on the horizon. I look forward to more than 7 knots of wind and lots of sailing.

[JPA Cate]

cpa,

You've been working for this a loooong time. I'm wishing you many delighted sailing days.

My friend, Jules, with the Compass 47 salutes you!

Ann

[Exile]

Originally Posted by cpa

Next projects are:

Strip and varnish dinghy floor.
Go sailing.
Plumbing
Go sailing.
Try the spotless stainless on the metal
Go sailing.
Install rest of electronics
Go sailing.
New bottom paint
Change oil
Go sailing.

Good news is sailing season is on the horizon. I look forward to more than 7 knots of wind and lots of sailing.

I like your sense of priority!