Happy New Year! The history of Pole Pole recovery

Circle:
Well, it is 2011. And, the "recovery" of Pole Pole (1967 22' Columbia sailboat) is onway...slowly, slowly. As some of you may know Pole Pole mast snapped in 2009 while we were sailing…that another story. This year we didn’t have a mast, so no sailing on Pole Pole. And, so far, we may have a mast this year!!!
So, we decided to refinish Pole Pole….oh, by the way Pole Pole (pronounced Polee Polee) is Swahilian for slowly, slowly.

What did I learn in 2010? A lot! Not that the "recovery" is complete...but I'm learning boat-speak at least!

2010 LESSONS:
**TOP Lesson**
The older your boat is, it is a pit where your money goes! If your worried that THAT money is gone...You're right. If you decide to sell your boat, you'd never see the money that you spent for her refinishing. BUT, if you love your boat (Pole Pole you are testing us!) and you see that is THE boat...go ahead and spend with love!
1. Always research your projects: ask your colleagues at the boat club, read the Don Casey's Sailboat Maintenance Manual, "google" information and finally, ask the experts!
I started worrying about Pole Pole's fibreglass deck...was it rotten? I read about fibreglass, searched it on the internet and asked anyone who would listen. Then, I talked with Garnet (Seamasters Service) and he assessed Pole Pole's deck. All that worry that for not! Garnet reassured me that I didn't have to be worried...Pole Pole does not need fibreglass "surgery". Whew...that's expensive! And, I don't need to worry about coring...Pole Pole deck doesn't contain a balsa plywood core - it's just fibreglass. Go figure!
Because there's was rust on the chainplates, I worried that the bulkhead was rotten. And, would need to be replaced...not so. Garnet says the bulkhead was solid and it's more difficult to replace. The faut-wood laminate could be replaced with not too trouble...we live with it, for now.
The hull looks good, other than the corrosion on the steel keel. First, I decided I would sand the hull to the fibreglass skin, then apply 6-8 layers of Interlux InterProtect 2000E...Garnet recommended not to do that...the anti-fouling paint that we applied last year was good and the hull was good. So, now sand the keel to the steel and apply barrier InterProtect OR AWLGrip since I bought a gallon!
I questioned the experts (mostly, Lee) at The Binnacle on products and equipment...thank-you Lee for your patience.
2. One step at a time.
Bag and tag everything that you take off from the boat, so you know where it came from.
Write down how to put it on and take a picture, if possible (actually, this is a must for me!).
3. Respect metals in a marine environment that you use on your boat
Two different metals linked in the presence of an electrolyte (sea-water)corrode: the noble metal will corrode the less noble metal (look below at the galvanic chart and the chart for fasteners for fittings.
(Classic Marine)
4. Don't use aluminum on your boat...it always the less noble metal
BUT, if you decide to use aluminum for your backing plates, visit Metal-'R'-Us (Burnside). First, I bought aluminum for backing plates (3/16") because that was what others were doing...I 'googled' backing plates to see what others were doing. Until I discussed with my marine engineer friend. If you would 3/16" aluminum, ask me and I will give you what I have. Metals-'R'-Us carried stainless steel but don't drill the holes...with aluminum I could drill myself but not stainless steel, so at Metal-'R'-Us advice I went to Weld-Pro. For the aluminum cut-outs, I spent $25, not bad for education! For the stainless steel cut-outs with the holes already drilled, I spent $280.
5. The winter cover-up tarp doesn't work with me BUT fights against my will!
Do you know many times I cleaned water out from the inside of the boat? Only to find that "Weather" removed it again and again and again!
6. I can learn new things!!! Even though I had a stroke! Slowly, slowly.

2010 Progress:
1. Sanded the deck: ready to repair the cracks with epoxy.
2. Took all fittings off - you should see the garage and my ping-pong table!
3. Cleaned all fittings and bought new bolts, washers and nuts.
A lot of the screws were bent...not good. And, I replace the fasteners with noble stainless steel. Note: Don't buy your fasteners at Kent or Home Depot...too expensive! Shop at Trans-World Distributing Ltd.
I soaked the deck fitting in vinegar overnight. Then, started scrubbing with a small wire brush. Wow, I learned that the fittings were bronze or brass...hard to tell! I decided the fittings were bronze (orginal from a 1967 boat). I showed my marine engineer friend, Richard, the cleaned fittings. He told me to think about having them polished to a mirror finish or buy stainless steel fittings so I wouldn't have to maintain them. We decided to keep the bronze fittings, but we pursued having them polished. So, Richard and I went to Zenith Electroplating for a price. WOW! It is EXPENSIVE! Better to buy new...so much for that...polishing to a mirror finish approximately $500...gulp! Right now, Pole Pole's bronze deck fittings are in the UK...Richard took them to his factory to work on polishing. Thank-you Richard.
4. Ordered stainless steel backing plates with drilled holes for deck fittings (WeldPro Limited)
The cost of the stainless backing plates was $250.
I also cut 3/8" marine plywood (sheet of mahogany marine plywood $60) as backing for the stainless backing plates. I will apply a barrier (AWLGrip) on the plywood.
If you using plywood for your backing plates, Halifax Specialty Woods (in the Industrial Park off Hammonds Plains Rd) has mahogany marine plywood (I bought 3/16")and teak marine plywood for "dressy" things. They also carry IPE (great for decking on your boat or at home) and Afromasia as alternatively for teak. IPE lasts at least 50 years or more! Thank-you Cheryl for your patience.
Eastern Specialty Hardwoods (Burnside Industrial Park)also carries marine plywood (couldn't find their website).
5. I cut new compartments lids
The old ones had mildew on them and were warped.
I will apply AWLGrip barrier on them.
6. I sanded the wood rails, tiller, doorway and all wood in the cabin.
Then I decided to get new teak for any wood that was used on the boat.
Now, I am conditioning the teak with lemon oil (mildew doesn't like lemon), preparing to coat with (Cetol) or...maybe just teak oil.
7. Took the hatch off and sanded it preparing to paint it.
8. Took the counter that holds the sink and cooler and sand it preparing to paint it.
9. Success with the tarp (I hope! But it's only January...)
10. Took the windows out...kinda...almost...okay, not really, but I'm planning for it.

Now what? See the next blog for the plans....