End of the Season Projects and Stuff

[Valkyrie]

Well, we pulled Valkyrie from the water last week and brought her home to live in the driveway until we head for south FL and the Keys in March.

The day the marina pulled her out my buddy George and I went out for a few hours and caught our limit of perch - 60 fish. The run back to the marina was tough, but all of you know how the last day on the water is. Happily, the bottom paint looks like it's good for a third season, much to my amazement.

I plan on getting a few things done in the next week or so, while the weather holds; it's 65 degrees right now in northern Ohio. Valkyrie's been washed, rubbed out and waxed, but not winterized yet. Seeing her in the driveway as a big, beautiful yard ornament is nice though. I still go out a few times a day to putter around.

Projects for the next few weeks. First will be to install bow chocks and SS rubbing strakes and back them strongly. Next is to install another set of rodholders in the gunwales, mostly for use with dispseys for walleye. I've used them in the ocean, too, and they work pretty well.

I still haven't figured out where I want to mount a storage bracket for the Honda 2 for the dinghy. I've been tying it on the roof under the Achilles, but it's tough to do while at anchor. I just got a Garelick bracket from West Marine but I'm not happy with it.

Interior upgrades are also on the list. I just cut down a nice piece of teak to mount a brass clock and barometer over the door. The space between the two is reserved for a laser-engraved picture of Valkyrie, our Airedale who passed away in February. It will be engraved right into the teak.

Also, I'll install a piece of teak in the cabin to the right of the door and add a clip for a Surefire flashlight and mount a small SS dive knife there for emergencies. A fire extinguisher will be on a piece of teak to the left of the door. I also bought some teak battens which will be added to the cabin as accents. And I'm the guy who was glad to get away from all of the teak on our sailboat.

Another big project, as least visually: tomorrow I add a teak and holly sole to the cockpit. It's the synthetic stuff from www.Plasteak.com that I used for the cabin floor (pictures in our album). It's good-looking, non-skid and easy to clean. The factory is only a few miles from home and I get great prices on scrap from big jobs.

After action report: after a season's use Marcia and I really like the teak and holly floor covering and the LED reading lights that we got from www.sailboatstuff.com . By the way, the six LED lights work well in the cabin, but are almost too bright for reading in the v-berth, due to their close proximity to the book. The three LED models would have been better there. I'll post pictures when the projects are done.

Regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[Larry Q]

Nick-
Looks like you have more than enough to keep you busy for a while.
All I need to do is add a foot to my radar arch, replace my prop and try to buff out a severe case of bumper rash aquired at the Sequim bay gathering.......besides hunting season is here and I'll be gone to much to work on the boat until January.

[Jazzmanic]

Nick,

[Valkyrie]

Peter,

That was my next thought. How did you secure the ss post to the splashwell? What outboard are you using?

We are planning on selling our longshaft Honda 2 and will replace it with a regualr shaft.

Thanks for the input. A picture of your application would be great!

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[Jazzmanic]

Nick,

I hope you can follow my explanation without the pic of the finished product.

I purchased a ss bar about 3'. I inserted the top end of the ss bar into the bottom hole of the rail mount bracket. Then, I screwed the Outside Eye End Cap onto the bottom of the bar. I screwed the Deck Base onto the fiberglass in the splash well. I inserted the pin from the Deck Base into the eye of the End Cap and tightened it down. So now, I just hang the dinghy motor onto the mount with the skeg sitting on a pad in the splash well. It works well.

BTW, our dinghy motor is the Suzuki 2.5hp. We just had to get all Suzi's you know. In fact, a kid ran by and remarked, "Wow, they have 3 engines!" I did take a pic of the motor set-up. I'll just have to post it off our camera.

Good luck in your projects. Peter

[ffheap]

Hi Folks,

Next week I shall join INN THE WATER in Hingham. After cleaning up everything and mending some of the canvas, I have to figure out how to fix a small blister area and cover it with a waterline of light green paint. I got it from the boat sitting to long without using it.

I also am adding Bow Chocks and stainless rubbing strakes.

I am going to finish all the cabin projects and coat the teak. These include rehanging the shelves and hanging the rest of the canvas bags under the deck in the forward bunks.. I am also going to put shelves under the helmsman seat, and figure how to raise the seat about 2 inches. This will also call for a foot rest. I am always running the boat sitting on a boat cushion. I don't want to change the seat because it folds down and offers a good counter space that I put a cutting board on.

I am going to get a head start on the bottom. I paint it myself be chalking up the trailer, and then jacking up the side of the boat and put a couple of 2 by 4's between the hull and bumper boards. I have not done the bottom for a few years.

As I work on it, I should come up with a few more projects.

Sometimes I think I like working on the boat more than using it. NOT TRUE.

I Have told my wife to find an employee who can take reservations and run the Inn on a short time basis that does not cost to much. Me I am going boating;Boston Harbor in May, Rhode Island in June, Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod in July, Nantucket in August, and the Erie Canal in September.

Anybody interested in joining me?

Fred

[AnchortownJim]

On dinghy engine storage bracket ideas while underway: Since I did not want the 2 HP Honda in my cockpit, I made a transom bracket out of scrap 3/4" plywood and a few screws, SS bolts and epoxy. I have thin rubber strips under the bracket where it meets the hull for grip and abrasion resistance. Cranking down on the SS bolts really makes a firm attachment point for the little Honda. I take the 2 HP Honda off when trailering

I can even lower the little Honda 2 HP and push Coho around with it at about 1.5 knots.



Jim

[Valkyrie]

Peter- Looks good, but I might have to do mine differently. Is your transom bar right over the flat spot at the forward end of the splashwell? Mine sits about an inch and a half aft of the flat area, Is your bottom bracket mounted at an angle? Sounds like a plan. I'll have to move our bait prep/fillet table more to starboard to make room for the bracket. After adding a third Honda to the transom I, too, will have a fine selection of outboards on hand. Collect them all! Thanks for sharing.

Fred- Check out our album. I have a picture of how to easily raise the helm seat by two inches and a list of what's needed. It's a quick and easy project.

Jim - Very innovative! Now I have something else to consider.

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[Sea Wolf]

[ffheap]

Valkyrie,

What an easy solution. One to two inches is about what I need. I could never figure how people could run the 22' C-Dory looking like little old ladies just barely looking over the dash. Add the windless and they could not see anything. I am glad I am not alone.

Sea Wolf.

Working on my boat comes a close second to using it. One of these days I am going to take all the pictures and show what I have done.

Thank you folks,

Fred