Vesper

The boat spent the season in the water. I learned a lot about how to sail it and how it reacts to certain things. We were on the water during an 80kt gusty storm and had someone drag their mooring down on us. Here are some pictures.

This was after we’d gotten her in the water the first day. I was afraid to drive away and leave her alone. She’d been in my backyard the last 2 years.

Weather up in the mountains can get a bit crazy at times.  This went right over us but missed us entirely only to dump on the valley to the east.

I took this picture on July 15.  This was the result of a hailstorm in the mountains.  I don’t think any hail actually hit the boat even though this is only a mile from my mooring.

Sleeping on the boat at night.  I put red lights in to preserve night vision and it really helps.  The green light on the bilge pump panel is not really helping though.

One of our friends on the lake was kind enough to take some photos of the boat while we were out messing about one day.

Once the lake level started to drop, towards the end of the season.

A couple of pictures right before we hauled out.

Once I got her home I built a pvc frame for the tarp to keep grime off the boat and so I could work on it.  It’s been so cold the times I could actually work have been few but I’m glad to keep the snow off.

IMG_6075  IMG_6073   That second video is the area where we are moored normally.

That’s a video of the wind at the lake on a bad day.  We had wind like this a couple of weeks before we hauled out with gusts to 80 kts and another boat dragged their mooring down onto me.  Minor damage.

While the boat was in the water this summer I took the opportunity to replace the wheel bearings and put new electric brakes on the trailer.  It helped towing A LOT.

IMG_5823

That video (you need sound) is before I changed the bearings.  I can’t believe we towed it back from missouri like that.

marcus_boat from Rick Crandall on Vimeo.

I finally finished the boot stripe.  I need to touch up a couple of spots of bottom paint where the rudder keepers get attached but it’s pretty much ready for the water.  I need to test run the engine before we take it to the lake, and of course pack it up for travel, but the list is empty.  It has taken 807 days to get here, or 2 years, 2 months, and 16 days.  A ton of money, loads of blood, sweat, and tears.  I hope it floats straight.

The table for placing adult beverages upon is finished.  I’ll have to adjust the support a little bit as it sags a little.  But otherwise it turned out really nice.  The original was laminated (plywood).  This replacement is solid teak.

I had to get the main up to see where the Reefs sit and to set the height of the goose neck.  Looks great.  Hasse & Co did an amazing job.  Once I lowered it I realized folding it back up is not a 1 person job.  That’s a lot of canvas.  This picture makes the mast look short due to wide angle effect.

And our cushions are done!  Amazing work by Burt Revell down in south Denver.  He delivered the cushions this morning and they look outstanding.  Everything fits.  Very pleased with this as the interior is now really done.

The manual for this paint is a bit lacking.  It has a lot of information about the timing and whatnot but not that much about the actual doing of it.

When you roll this stuff on, DO NOT go back and roll over it if you feel like a spot is thin or you want to touch it up.  You’ll put a bunch of texture into it.  Apparently this stuff kicks fairly fast and if you’re a perfectionist like me you’ll go back and add a little here or there, or want to touch up a spot, or even something out.  Don’t give into that temptation because if you do you’ll be even more conflicted later when you realize your boat bottom now resembles the walls of a 70s ranch style house.

Honestly it’s not that bad, but it bugs me because there are spots where I could have done a better job.  What I’ll likely do is in a couple of years before I recoat the bottom I’ll sand the spots that annoy me.

The Pettit Vivid bottom paint went on a dream.  The instructions said to use a 3/16 nap roller but I couldn’t find any locally so I just used a 1/4″ and rolled it out pretty well.  The finish of that bottom paint is really nice, I’m happy I picked it.