Maintenance Log, 2005

Maintained by James Williams and Deborah Stern, third owners.

Monthly - Perkins 4-108 engine, run in gear at 2200 RPM, 15-30 minutes, when not sailing.

Monthly - Bottom cleaning and zinc inspection (and renewal if necessary), by Fastbottoms, Alameda, CA.


2/5-3/31 – Toe-rail cover measured and fabricated by Laurie Elliot, Custom Marine Canvas. (See invoice dated 4/8/05)

3/14-4/7 – Taped, sanded with #320 paper and applied two more coats Epifanes High Gloss Varnish to cap rails. Work performed by Any Neuvecelle-Buckles. (See invoice dated 4/7/05.)


5/11 – Removed old, unused GPS antenna, which was damaged on 5/8. Removed rigging tape from and inspected lifeline turnbuckles and connections and shroud turnbuckles. Re-taped.

6/5 & 6/12 – Pumped out head and took on twenty-two gallons of diesel fuel, adding ValvTect BioGuard Diesel Micro-Biocide and ValvTect Diesel Guard Heavy Duty Marine Diesel Additive.

7/2 – Polished the stern and most of the starboard side with Marine Teflon Polish.

7/10 – Full wash down with Roll-Away deck cleaner.

7/14 – Cleaned and waxed topsides.

8/14 – Polished the winches, stanchions, pulpits, and the galley sinks.

9/6-10/20 - Tuesday, hauled out at Svendsen's Boatyard to check out prop, change thru-hulls, and do a bottom job. Our Martec prop is finished, and we're quite sure the drive shaft is slightly bent. We had the prop disassembled and cleaned when we bought the boat in Monterey and then had it rebuilt in 2003 by Alameda Prop. After quite a bit of discussion with Scott Fossum at Alameda Prop, we ordered a Variprop 3-blade feathering prop to replace the old Martec.

Meanwhile, we arranged for Rob Bastress (Marine Outfitters) to pulling the shaft - which requires removing the rudder. Scott Fossum (Alameda Prop) thinks that if the shaft is bent (which we’re pretty sure it is), it will have to be replaced. On the other hand, Rob is convinced the shaft can be straightened if the bend is very slight (which we're pretty sure it is), and we'll go with him on this. Rob is going to pull the six thru-hulls, which we’re having replaced with brass seacocks, and the yard is going to do a bottom job - two coats of Pettit Trinidad, last done in February 2003. We're turning this into a sort of mini-upgrade to ensure off-shore safety.

Friday (9/9), we met Rob at the yard to look at the progress being made on the boat. The rudder was pulled in preparation to pull the prop, the batteries had been removed to provide access to the transmission and shaft, and the thru-hulls were removed. We had decisions to make and one big surprise.

The one-and-a-half inch head overboard thru-hull had literally been hanging on by a fingernail size bit of plastic – section between the outside and inside of the hull was cracked almost completely, so much so that water had already started seeping into the hull and had begun to rot the bottom shelf under the head sink compartment. Had we tried to open the seacock to dump overboard (or test our macerator), the thru-hull would probably have broken off – a hair’s breadth from disaster.

We also discovered that one of our two 8-D batteries had boiled over, and realize that we’re going to have to upgrade our charger to a smart system. So we spent some time talking with a battery and charger representative on Saturday, and once we decide what charger we want we’ll replace it.

Finally, we discussed whether or not to remove the Y-valve in our head discharge system, and simply run a single line into the holding tank and then a single line back out through the macerator and to the thru-hull. This would eliminate some turns and potential blockage points in the lines. But, ultimately, we decided to leave the Y-valve in, so that if the holding tank failed, we could quickly bypass it in an emergency.

Monday (9/19), we inspected the new seacocks, which were installed but not yet plumbed inside. Rob reported that he had taken the shaft to a prop shop in Richmond to be straightened, and it had a very slight bend. Meanwhile, our new Variprop feathering propeller arrived at Alameda Prop. Specifications are:
DF-107 (107 mm) hub
3 blades
18” diameter x 14” pitch fwd x 12” pitch reverse
B/L is 109%
Calc speed is 7.3 knots
Sized for Perkins 4-108M, 45 HP @ 3600 RPM (40 @ 3000), 2;57:1 reduction, 1-
1/4” diameter SAE shaft for LH rotation

Tuesday (9/20), we replaced Lifesling casing, which had been damaged on our San Leandro cruise-out. We also retired our old 1983 vintage EPIRB and ordered a new GlobalFix 406 w/GPS from Sal's Inflatable Services in Alameda, along with new batteries for our equally old but still functioning Firefly strobes.

Saturday (9/24), we cleaned and polished 80 percent of Spindrift’s hull using a West Marine brand cleaner/wax and Starbrite Marine Teflon Polish.

Tuesday (9/27), met with Rob and decided that instead of moving the engine over a ½ inch to achieve engine alignment, we would remove and remount the prop shaft strut, which was incorrectly mounted by Monterey Boat Works in 2003. This means the boat will be out of the water another week, but either option would have meant the same amount of time.

Sunday (10/2), completed cleaning and polishing hull.

Tuesday (10/4), exchanged CNG tank at Svendsen’s chandlery.

Friday (10/7), checked on progress. The prop shaft strut was been re-bedded, and Rob seemed hopeful we could splash the boat in four or five days. Discovered, when in re-bedding the strut that the original gelcoat was a royal blue, so it appears Spindrift’s second owners worked to match it when they painted the hull in 1994/1995.

Wednesday (10/12), installed new raw water strainer. Got word that problems getting the new engine mounts installed will delay splashing the boat for a couple of more days. Put pressure on Rob to get it in the water Friday.

Friday (10/14), Spindrift went back in the water, although still has mechanical hookups before she can be moved to Rob’s pier for final work. Paid our bill at Svendsen’s Boat Works (see invoice dated 10/14/05). Took Rob up to the Encinal Yacht Club for drinks and dinner.

Saturday-Sunday (10/15-16), scrubbed and polished deck, began cleaning interior, rigged tie-downs for dinghy, and put up radar reflector. Meantime, Rob got the engine running and steering hooked up, and he and Jim motored Spindrift over to his slip at Mariner Boatyard.

Thursday (10/20), picked up Spindrift at Rob’s dock in Grand Marina. Plumbing all hooked up, shaft aligned to within two-thousandths, and boat cleaned up and ready. Hooking up the bonding system of the head thru-hulls with the rest remains to be done, and Rob wants to do a couple of other minor things, which he’ll complete in the next two weeks. Paid Bastress Custom Boats (see invoice dated 10/20/05).




10/23 - Organized galley drawers and cabinets and nav table with drawer dividers, finally putting piles of stuff in proper order.

10/27 - Michael Lord performed annual engine service on Perkins 4-108. Zinc in heat exchanger was completely gone; must remember to replace it every six months. (See invoice dated 11/1/05).

10/29 - Completed organizing drawers, cleaned bilge, repaired wood handle on cabinet door, and reglued nonskid to dock steps.

10/26-31 - Taped, sanded with #320 paper and applied two more coats Epifanes High Gloss Varnish to cap rails. Work performed by Any Neuvecelle-Buckles and John Buckles. (See invoice dated 11/1/05.)

11/18 - Rob finished the bonding system (see 10/20), and rewired compass light.