Freestyle refit

[Timsmale]

Hey Cape Dory folks,

Sometime ago, some in the group asked about our refit prior to our departure to Mexico and points south on Freestyle, our Cape Dory 36 Ketch. Here’s a list of things in no particular order though I’m sure it’s not inclusive. Pictures may be posted by John Danicic of Mariah and you can learn more about our cruise and refit here http://freestylecruise.spaces.live.com/

• Pur Powersurvivor 40 Watermarker
• Racor 500FG filter system with 12V backup pump with diverters to polish fuel
• Raritan PHII Head
• New standing and running rigging, though the original (circa 1984 looked great) so I kept them for spares and will take one of each of the old stays just in case.
• Two new bow rollers, 275’ new chain (5/16 hi-test)
• New Ideal electric performance series windlass with wildcat only, with both switches on deck and handheld remote.
• Keeping manual Ideal windlass as backup, serviced it
• Sails refurbished
• New fully enclosed cockpit and bimini, using sectionalized zippered screens for easy removal.
• New Icom M700 Pro SSB/ham radio, Pactor III modem and the capability to send and receive e-mails and receive weather fax.
• We hauled out and replaced the prop shaft and aligned the engine back in the water and replaced the shaft packing.
• I replaced the anchor, tri-color, and navigation lights with LED bulbs - they draw only .1 amp and are as bright as my old 2-3 amp bulbs.
• We replaced the latches on the lockers but kept the original design, which are real finger breakers if you're not careful. Plus, contents could shift and open the latches in rough seas.
• I installed two 30 watt GE solar panels, and am regulating them with my Aerogen wind generator regulator.
• I installed four new Lifeline AGM 6-volt batteries, all managed by a previously installed Heart-Interface 200 watt charger/inverter, 90 amp alternator, and managed by a Link 2000R regulator. My previous 6-volt flooded cells lasted 12 years and are still good, but I didn’t wanted reduced maintenance.
• Installed a new Technautics cool blue fridge and increased the insulation in the ice box another 4-6', and used the canned insulation expanding foam all around the box an under it.
• We installed a new Princess 3 burner propane stove and oven, a force 10 propane heater. I previously installed a dedicated propane locker with two bottles in the aft lazarette, with overboard seacock for propane to escape.
• We used Poliglow on the hull and it looks fantastic.
• We put shelves in the wet locker under the nav station, in the stbd hanging locker, and the port side forward hanging locker. This accommodates our clothing and some food stores.
• I serviced all seacocks while on hard.
• We installed a new overboard discharge for the head when offshore, by using a diverter valve and new dedicated seacock and intake strainer. We can now discharge overboard, or to tank.
• We replace all lifelines with wire so they can be inspected better than with the nylon covering on.
• We installed our Monitor windvane self-steering on the stern.
• We installed mast steps to the spreaders on the main, and at the top of both the main and mizzen. I used my ATM top climber to go up and down the mast with the proper backup lines in place.
• We purchased a new Ferrintino sea anchor.
• We purchased a new 406 EPIRB
• I installed a new hailer speaker and repaired the hailer.
• I repaired all connections at the bottom and top of each mast.
• We purchased a new Winslow offshore 4-person liferaft in a valaise pack.
• I installed a mizzen light in the spreaders under the radar, and two spreader lights on the main.
• I installed a new LED nav station light that has both a red bulb for night use and a bright white light.
• I installed a 22 lb Danforth on the bow pulpit and will use it with 100’ of 5/16 hi test chain with my Ideal manual windlass with gypsy and capstan.
• We removed our forward bow cushions and have changed the area to storage, with tools on the stbd side and files and boxes on the port side, all with tie-downs.
• We made new cushions throughout the boat with new foam inserts
• We installed bunk lee cloths
• We developed a water catchment system for freshwater and will use water made from our PUR watermaker for drinking water.
• We did some rewiring as needed, new mast lights for main and mizzen, new propane sniffer to supplant our existing one.
• New raw water pump, rebuilt old as a spare
• New manual bilge pump, rebuilt old one as a spare
• Spare steering cables and shifting cables, and tons and tons of other spares, tools, hoses, wire, etc.; pretty much everything but exactly what I don’t have when I need it.
• I installed a fresh water flush fitting that I also use as an emergency engine pump if need be, that runs off the seawater intake strainer.
• Finally, I installed a salt water pump in the galley, take intake water from the engine sea strainer, adding a seacock, and diverting it to the salt water galley pump or the watermaker.

We started the refit mid-August and ended it just tonight, getting ready for our departure in a few days. I wouldn’t recommend a refit in this short time period, but a window opened up for us, and we took it, not wanting to wait for another year.

We worked diligently off lists, updating them frequently, sorting them by person (my wife and me), priority, and tracked all costs very closely. I’m sure there are tons of other things we’ve done in the past few months, but this captures the main points.

Take care,
Tim and Jenna Smale, s/v Freestyle, somewhere in the Pacific

[John Danicic]

To all:

Here is a link to Tim & Jenna's Smale refit photos.

http://www.johndanicic.com/CD-PicturePo ... 6kpage.htm

As I sit here waiting for 3 more inches of snow in near zero temperatures, I wish them fair winds and sunny weather.

Sail on.

John Danicic
CD 36 - Mariah - #124
Lake Superior

[Dean Abramson]

That is a lot of work! Congratulations.

Have a great, safe voyage. And please keep us posted on both your travels and on how the boat stuff all works out.

Fair winds,

Dean

[Timsmale]

Thanks for the wishes. We had a nice sail (mostly motor sail) down to San Diego today. Don't let anyone tell you it's warm here year round. OK, it's not snow, but 40's at night is indeed chilly.

Only two things broke today; the bilge pump, and I somehow wrapped the mizzen halyard around the wind generator - so it was a good day. Oh, and I got tons of kelp around the prop coming into San Diego bay. I couldn't kelp it!

Tim
s/v Freestyle

[Russell]

Interesting that you kept the old manual windlass after installing your new electric one. One problem I have with my electric windlass is it can only handle the single anchor, the second one pretty much has to be done the old fashioned way by hand (which is tough when its blowing and your single handing!).

I like your watermaker install, I gave up a hanging locker to put mine in, not ideal, but best I came up with at the time. You have me wondering if I can fit my water maker under the galley sink now. Though I have a spectra which is considerably larger, it may work (but I will have to figure out where to store all that stuff I have under there now!). I was initially thinking of relocating the watermaker to the wet locker under the chart table, but that would be a tight fit and make filter changing a real nightmare. Removing that shelf under the galley sink like you did really makes a lot possible, never occured to me to do that.

I hope you like your Princess stove, I have been unhappy with mine, which the previous owner put in. I wish I had a broiler and the painted iron pot stands(not sure what you call them?) chip and rust badly. But mine has several years on it now so I guess I shouldnt complain.

Overall your refit is almost identical to the one I did before setting out, down to the very same brands of gear and areas addressed. Overall I have been very happy and I think you will be pleased with your setup. The main things I did after being out is increase my battery bank size, I too started with four 6v AGMs, now I have 5 group 31 agms. I also increased solar panel wattage from 110w to 370w (no more engine charging for me!) and convert the staysail to roller furling (one of the best things i have done so far).

Have a great trip, keep going south till the butter melts.

[Timsmale]

I was hoping to remove the manual, sell it, and install an electric in its place, but no room for it on the bowsprit. I now know why the previous owner went with the manual. I was going to place it on the stbd side, then decided at the last minute to change to port, keeping 100' of chain and lots of rode on the stbd and use the manual windlass as my secondary on the stbd wildcat side, and the manual capstan on the port side. The manual capstan will come in handy because the new Ideal electric windlass can only handle chain. If I need more than 275' of chain for some reason, I'll add my additional rode to it. Though the thimble for the rode won't go through the hawse pipe for the electric windlass, I kept the Spartan hawse pipe and cover that I removed on the port side (placing the new electric windlass hawse pipe there instead) and will install a on the port side for access to the rode if I need it. Gosh, I hope this all makes sense. I stumbled into this setup after thinking a long time about it. People on the docks thought I was off in space as I stood there looking at it for hours (it seemed), measuring below, then standing on the bow again staring some more. I have yet to anchor with it, unless you count lowering the chain onto the dock for marking the chain. The anchor dug in real nice on the dock though, and we didn't drag all night...

Tim
s/v Freestyle