It has taken about 35 years longer than I ever imagined but events have finally aligned that will allow me to begin a Circumnavigation in the fall of 2018.  Forty years ago, I set out to learn how to build boats and to learn the skills necessary for this endeavor.  Like happens to most of us life got in the way and the dream got put on hold.

The intervening years have not been wasted, I’ve sailed tens of thousands of miles on many a boat, spent the better part of 40 years working on some beautiful yachts, traveled to different parts of the world as a tourist and to work, climbed some beautiful mountains and hiked through western wilderness nearly as wild as it was before the coming of the white man.

Now the stars have aligned and it is time to begin another adventure to islands and lands over the horizon, to meet new people, to make new friends and experience cultures I’ve only read about.

Joining me aboard Malaya will be Fabienne Keely Webster, a sailmaker from Gloucester MA. who has had the dream of circumnavigating since she was a little girl.  Keely sailed with me in the fall of 2016 to Florida, The Bahamas, the Caribbean and onto Bermuda and back to Gloucester.  Though a long time one design sailor this past winters journey was Keely’s first experience living aboard and on off-shore passages.  Keely discovered what many of us already know, the beauty of an empty ocean, the sunsets, the dolphins, the uncountable stars and the peace and serenity of a boat under sail on a deep blue ocean and is now ready to depart again on a longer voyage.

So, into this winter and the coming spring (2017-2018) and probably part of the coming summer we will be working to refit and spruce up Malaya for her coming adventure.

Many people have asked us what goes into getting a boat ready for off-shore passages, for a cruise to the islands so I am posting here our work list, which though as complete as I can make it will likely grow as we begin work and discover things that need attention.

As we work on this list we will take as many photos as we can, blog about our progress and in many cases, write about the procedures necessary to accomplish these tasks.  We also hope to have video of some of the work.  Please follow along, feel free to write and ask questions, we will do our best to answer them.

Items completed in Bold

2017-2018 Refit Work List

BOTTOM

-Inspect, route out any blisters, fill and fair-after hauling and washing no where near as many as we feared!

-Remove what is left of Hydro-Eco bottom paint applied last summer

-Paint with 3 coats ablative anti-fouling-make undetermined

-Inspect rudder and fittings

–Inspect cutlass bearing (new one installed 2016)-Looks good as does engine alignment

-Replace fixed 3 blade prop with feathering Max prop (if finances allow)

-Remove 4 thru-hulls and glass holes

-Galley drain-new drain leads to enclosed sump box to be pumped overboard

-Fwd. Head Discharge

-Fwd. Head Sink Drain-being lead to shower sump

-Aft Head intake

-Repack stuffing box

TOPSIDES

 -Repair dings and gouges

-Paint with 2-part brushable paint

-Remove and rebed rub rails

DECK

–Remove teak decks

-glass over old unused holes in foredeck under windlass mounting pad

-Apply 2 layers of 10 oz. glass cloth with epoxy to deck

-Paint decks with Interlux Brightside Blu-Glo white and non-skid with same paint but

Using our color formula

-Remove and rebed cap rail

-Install Folding Padeye as tack fitting for staysail

-Apply fresh coat of paint to cabin side and top of cabin

-Install dinghy chocks on cabin top

-Install SS pad under mast step to stiffen deck in area

-Rebed 4 cabin top hatches

-Replace lites in 2 large opening hatches

-Paint frames of deck hatches

-Install tracks and cars for staysail sheets

-Strip old varnish off of handrails and apply 10 coats new

-Apply 8 coats varnish to eyebrows

-Replace delta anchor with 45lb CQR

-Install 2 new larger bow cleats (12”)

COCKPIT

 –Install new Pedestal Steering

-Remove teak inlays on combings and seats and replace

-Remove old speakers and glass holes shut

-Remove 2 old access panels and glass shut

-Install hinged cover over combing storage port side of cockpit

-Install new winch on top of cabin port of companionway, Replace stbd cabin top winch

to match

-Install sheet stoppers for winches as required

-New cushions

-New Type 4 throwable device

-New fill piece between dodger and bimini

-New side curtains

-New Insect enclosure

-Fill old bolt and wire hose on aft combing

-Paint cockpit and aft end of house

-Replace two old double foot blocks with new Garhauer blocks

RIGGING

 –Inspect all rigging

-Replace or repair masthead anchor/tricolor that quit this spring

-Install new Masthead crane for drifter

-Inspect for source of main halyard chafe at masthead

-Install block and tang for staysail

-Install short bow sprit for drifter on Furler

-Install tangs for running backstays in way of staysail tang

-Install self-tailing 2 speed winch for reefing

-Move number 2 reef outhaul to block on side of boom

-Install sheet stoppers on mast for staysail halyard and for drifter halyard

-Remove and inspect all chain plates except backstay (new 2015)

All men sildenafil samples browse around my pharmacy shop dreams to spice up close bonding relationship by having timely intercourse. Thankfully, drug corporations turned their attention to women and provided them great relief. viagra pfizer prix Google will preferentially not search on a word with an underscore Try this search in Google: Cheap_viagra best price (The words are separated by an underscore). This medicine is available in viagra online jelly form and one can get it easily for curing his/her impotency problem. -Install Tides Marine Strong Track mast track

-Install boom gallows

-Remove cover from first 20-40’ of furling line to allow more room on furler drum

SAILS

-Inspect main, genoa and storm trysail

-Replace batten pockets on Main with longer but still traditional battens

-Build Drifter

-Build Staysail

-Sell

-Old Asymmetrical and sock-sail still good, we just don’t use much

-ATN storm jib

-Install storm trysail and set up for use, new storage bag.

ELECTRONICS

–Change route of AIS antenna wire away from 12-volt cables

-Install new heavier shielded antenna cable for AIS

-Second iPad with iNav fixed mount at chart table

-Install rack to hold computers at chart table

-Install ships clock

STEERING

–Replace pedestal

-Install new steering cables and chain

-Remove rust from rudder support structure, prime and paint

-Inspect and lube all steering components

INTERIOR CABIN

–First interior project-bug bomb to rid boat of any insects from last 8 years in tropics

-Wash interior with TSP and rinse

-Paint

-overhead, blu-glo white

-bilge

-inside all lockers

-Cabin side interior surface

-finish stripping varnish from all overhead hatch trim and revarnish before rebedding hatch       bases

-Install aromatic cedar in Master Cabin hanging locker

-Strip and sand varnish off cabin sole

-Varnish rails on companionway ladder, wash and sand bare teak steps

-Fwd. Head

-Remove toilet

-Convert space to chain storage bin

-Lead sink drain to shower sump box

-Fill v under old head with epoxy to bottom of drain so water no longer collects here

-Aft Head in Quarter Cabin

-Remove head and install composting toilet in its place

-Install new high capacity manual bilge pump, drain via old aft head discharge

-Remove galley drain from overboard thru-hull and lead to sump box with auto pump

-Build and install new lid for reefer

-Shave sides and ends of cabin sole hatch boards so they don’t swell shut

-New cushions in main saloon

-Finish installing hinges and locks on opening locker lids behind and under cushions

-Fasten down lids over water tanks not needed for storage

-Fasten in place cabin sole hatch cross supports to which the hatches are secured in place

ENGINE

 

-Remove and rebuild injector pump, replace lift pump at same time

-check valve clearances

-Install new RPM sender

-Paint engine

-Install new impellor at commissioning

-Install new fuel filters at commissioning

-Clean air intake filter

-Spare parts to purchase

-starter

-alternator

-belts

-impellors

-spare injectors

-circulation pump

-Check engine mounting bolts

MISC PROJECTS

                –solve rusting problem on stainless steel pulpits and stanchions, rust stains return within a week or so of polishing.

-Renew dock lines

-Renew covers on fenders

-Add third solar panel

-have wind gen checked over, brake not working properly, regulator also needs checking

I am sure we will add to the list as we go but for the most part these are the projects we have to complete in the coming 11 months before our departure from Gloucester in October 2018.

We are fortunate in that we have the skills to do over 90% of the work ourselves with items like injector pump rebuild and some welding projects being farmed out as they are beyond our expertise.  We are going to try and document as many of these projects as possible in writing and photos as well as video so we can pass on the knowledge and maybe save someone some money down the road as they do their own repairs and refits. So, stayed tuned and watch the fun!