What I did or planned for my Top Hat today!

[Phillip]

Sailtime.

Where are you?
To place on pushpit.....
You will have to use SS Bimini fittings from Whitworths? also get SS tube there.
Square SS will come from a steel supplier. Use SS U bolts, a lot cheaper.
While WW are a bit dearer than a SS fitting supplier probably the easiest place to get fittings.

Get a new panel off ebay. 20 watts is too small, should be around the 50 plus mark.
Be careful as a panel just slightly bigger maybe lighter in weight [check tare weights] but not that much larger in size.

Have a look at my blog [link below] for 2011, you will see SEAKA's small inadequate panel there,
or search posts here on this site as there has been discussion on this before.

[SeaLady]

My fibreglass dinghy, which is well on the way for the worlds ugliest dingy crown, has a wobbly wheel due to a hole getting bigger where the (solid) metal 'leg' is bolted through the hull.
These wheels make it really easy for me to move this ugly dinghy.
So........

I found an old fibreglass kit which still had some contents.
Purchased a new kit.

Positioned myself, tools, kit and dinghy in a spot which became super windy.
Read and followed instructions.

Sounds good eh?

Resin and glass went everywhere.
My hair, ankles, hands, clothing plus some on the dinghy.

Managed to put on a few layers and sat back to let it set.

After 2 hours of setting time it still was not solid so I got a passing gentleman to help me lift it back into it's normal spot on the rock wall, being very careful not to disrupt the wet and setting glass.

Of course this was a fools errand.
The entire outside part of the glass did a great lifting corrugated iron impression.

The inside is still a mystery.

Here is hoping I will have a pleasant surprise when I next take a look.

Acetone is great for the skin and for removing resin from hair, body and especially fancy nail polish.

[Ianb]

Diana,
For patching you need epoxy resin. Is that what you used? Care is required with mixing the hardner and the pot used. It can get hot and catch fire like a Samsung galaxy note!

[SeaLady]

Ian, I used an old Diggers kit.
Can the resin and hardener go off?

Anyway, as of today. A few days later it is still not set. Nor on fire. Nor exploded.

I will have another attempt with a fresh kit.

[SeaLady]

Both my outboards - for Sea Lady and her tender have been serviced.
Old fuel removed, fuel filters cleaned and everything done professionally ready for summer and her sail to Lake Macquarie.

So tomorrow, when the weather is more favourable than today's rain and thunderstorms I am taking her for a nice long motor.
Change the water in the tanks and generally enjoy.

May even put the sails up.
But the aim of the day is to give the engine a good run.

[bearmcnally]

Hi Di

I've just mixed some 32 year old gelcoat It's been kept in an air tight 333 pickle jar in the fridge . It worked a treat a little darker ,but it will fade with time !

Cheers Bear

I wonder if and when they thaw Walt Disney out ,whether he will work ?

[Killick69]

Not today, but over the past few weeks I did the following:
Replaced impeller on 3.5HP Tohatsu used on dinghy.
Replaced impeller, shaft bearing and seal of 8 HP Mercury. I concluded that max time between impeller replacements should be 3 years. The seal of the 8HP motor was sitting at an angle and possible it was pushed out of position by solids (salt/calcium?) build up.
Anti fouled with International Micron Extra. 4 litres was the perfect quantity. Have now used Micron Extra and Altex #5 and not sure which I prefer. Might know when it comes to antifouling again. Unfortunately the hull above the antifoul is marked. I did not ask for an acid wash as Fenwicks have done this in the past as part of the slip.

[SeaLady]

Fibreglass on dinghy has hardened.
Only took a few weeks.

Tomorrow ... service winches, check everything. (Weeeeelllll a shipwright is doing all of that)

Get ready to sail to our new home in Lake Macquarie.

YAY!!!!!

[dism]

Found baby stay shackle pin had fallen out, replaced.
Noticed swages on the stay were catching jib cloth, amalgamating tape wrap fixed.

Planning to apply kiwgrip to deck and poss cockpit. 1L can of grey and 1L can of white. So not sure if want to put over existing fiberglass built in grip. Otherwise will improve the aged cream, no paint and mix multi layer colour finish.

Removing some internal fittings to improve layout ergonomics.

Sticky patched main where a tight reef line pulled thru eyelet in 20-30kn

Dived hull in murky river and seems hull good and clean expect some shell on very bottom surface. A few layers of black antifoul are cracking off stbd bow after knocking into trial bay perm mooring buoy.

Learning alot about scraping/brushing/washing bird poo off main cover, deck, cockpit, and solar panel.

[SeaLady]

Paid a shipwright to fix all the little things that need fixing and I broke on the sail from Pittwater to Lake Mac.