What I did or planned for my Top Hat today!

[Phillip]

Mark,

I've already been told that I had better do something seeing I've spent all that money!

[storm petrel]

Lazarette open

New cockpit locker.jpg (41.43 KiB) Viewed 6092 times

New Lazarette hatch

New cockpit locker 2.jpg (46.56 KiB) Viewed 6092 times

Added a lazarette (by using a screw hatch to access the outboard infill) a couple of months back. Should be useful for holding cold drinks and snacks for those times at sea when it is difficult to leave the helm.

[storm petrel]

Finally got round to replacing tiller cover, mainsail cover and sheet winch covers. I hope the seagulls do not find the navy blue more attractive than the old teal blue!

[Phillip]

Looking very good Mark.

[storm petrel]

New lifelines and pelican hooks this afternoon. The old lines were sound but after 7 years the plastic coating was starting to fall apart. Jobs on a boat always take longer than you think they will but I thought 2 hours was OK considering I measured everything several times before I cut anything.

Next job is replacing the leather spreader boots. This will require a calm day and some fancy needle work from my new Mastmate.

Cheers,
Mark

[Troppo]

Storm Petrel is looking really awesome!

troppo

[Killick69]

Hi Mark and others,
Mark in the first of your photos above there are 2 timber strips, just above the horizontal panel that has the circular screw in access fitting.

My Mark 3 has the same timber strips about 12 X 12 mm. I can't work out what they might have been for and was thinking of removing them and plugging the holes that the securing screws fit through. The timber is starting to look tired. I have an outboard in the well and have a well plug, but the plug sits lower than the 2 timber strips.

Cheers, John

[Phillip]

Well I have reached a major milestone today with the successful installation of 56 cm of new sail track [my design] on the mast.
This will allow me to put in a reef correctly. We actually went sailing today on the mooring when we had the mainsail up!

My sail maker will now fix the boom bag and make a new bag for the inflatable dinghy which I have decided to carry
roped to the starboard rail just forward of the mast.

Tomorrow night or Sunday I will spend the night on board to sort out the wiring to the mast head lights.
They work, just not with the right switches!
I will be having a final flush, during that time onboard, to remove the last of the unnecessary gear.

The horizontal wind vane I'm building is now at the painting stage with only one support bracket to be fitted to Seaka
and a small weld when I do the final assembly. Its looking really good.

On the 23rd I go up on the Laurieton slip for 3 days for anti-foul [4 coats this time] and a polish.

Sailing date is still around the middle of March.

[storm petrel]

Hi Mark and others,
Mark in the first of your photos above there are 2 timber strips, just above the horizontal panel that has the circular screw in access fitting.

My Mark 3 has the same timber strips about 12 X 12 mm. I can't work out what they might have been for and was thinking of removing them and plugging the holes that the securing screws fit through. The timber is starting to look tired. I have an outboard in the well and have a well plug, but the plug sits lower than the 2 timber strips.

Cheers, John

My fiberglass plug finished about 3/8 inch below the timber insert with the inspection hatch which was a sliding fit between the top of the plug and the horizontal timbers.

I miss my little Top Hat but the new boat (Phantom 32) was amazingly comfortable when I sailed her back from Lake Macquarie a couple of weeks ago (compared to the Top Hat). Not that much faster but a much easier motion and less stressful on the back thanks to the wheel steering and being able to sit and face forwards while helming.

Cheers,
Mark

[Phillip]

Good to hear you are enjoying your new yacht Mark!