Water Lilly Archive.

[Jimmyt]

Yes I found some stupid expensive plywood and I used the existing hatch covers to make new ones.

BTW, for your backstay, I have a simple line from the top of the mast with a clip to the boom. 2 settings, one lower for sailing and one higher that keeps my head from hitting it.

Russ, not being snarky, but are you talking topping lift or backstay? I'm easily confused.

[Be Free]

In reply to your rigging questions, I have some questions...

I see something that looks like a stay adjuster attached to your backstay. Is that normal for this boat? If so, what does it attach to?

In the picture with your port shrouds I see a dark spot on each of them a few feet up. Is that a shadow or is there some corrosion going on there?

The wrinkles in your mainsail look like it is not raised completely. Was there still room to pull it up more?

Is there any type of block at the end of your boom that the outhaul could attach to before you tie it to the cleat? If so that would give you some mechanical advantage. I don't know if your boat should have one or not.

If you run a line from the hound where the backstay attaches down to the cleat on the end of the boom you can use it as a topping lift. Put one loop in it to hold the boom level (while sailing) and other to raise it up above head-height when anchored. You could also add another cleat if you don't want to have to move the topping lift to adjust the outhaul.

On other matters...

+1 on the cheap electric power washers. They do a good job and are not powerful enough to take off anything other than bottom paint.

Leaf stains comes off with a bleach solution. Spray it on and let it sit. The organic compounds in the stain will oxidize and you just rinse it off!

If you get a gin pole try to get one with a clutch winch (like the ) instead of the block and tackle like the . It's a lot easier to use single handed.

It looks like you already have a VHF antennae on the top of the mast. Even if the antennae and/or the coax needs to be replaced it's a lot easier if the mounting hardware is already there and you have a wire to use to pull the new coax.

It's looking better with every post. Great job!

[Massey]

I have discovered that from the factory there was a loop attached to the back stay that you could clip the boom to, to keep it up when the sails were down. I’m guessing that is what Russ was talking about, but I could be wrong.

[Massey]

In reply to your rigging questions, I have some questions...

I see something that looks like a stay adjuster attached to your backstay. Is that normal for this boat? If so, what does it attach to?

I don’t know if it’s normal or not, but it did help tension the stays when I tightened it down a bit.

In the picture with your port shrouds I see a dark spot on each of them a few feet up. Is that a shadow or is there some corrosion going on there?

No corrosion, it’s just a shadow. My stays and shrouds look really good.

The wrinkles in your mainsail look like it is not raised completely. Was there still room to pull it up more?

It would not go up any more, I tried. But when the wind blew a little it would fill the sail and the wrinkles would go away.

Is there any type of block at the end of your boom that the outhaul could attach to before you tie it to the cleat? If so that would give you some mechanical advantage. I don't know if your boat should have one or not.

No block, no jammer, just the cleat. I have been considering adding them but the boat is so small, I think it would be more of a trip hazard than anything. I will wait till I actually get out under sail to decide.

If you run a line from the hound where the backstay attaches down to the cleat on the end of the boom you can use it as a topping lift. Put one loop in it to hold the boom level (while sailing) and other to raise it up above head-height when anchored. You could also add another cleat if you don't want to have to move the topping lift to adjust the outhaul.

Thought about this too, but was going to wait and see after going under sail for the first time

On other matters...

+1 on the cheap electric power washers. They do a good job and are not powerful enough to take off anything other than bottom paint.

Leaf stains comes off with a bleach solution. Spray it on and let it sit. The organic compounds in the stain will oxidize and you just rinse it off!

I have a really powerful pressure washer, I wasn’t planning on using it on the hull. I will use a good ole wash mitt and get myself a bit wet.

If you get a gin pole try to get one with a clutch winch (like the ) instead of the block and tackle like the . It's a lot easier to use single handed.

Exactly! This was my plan. I watched a video of a guy installing it on his 25 and it looked like the way to go.

It looks like you already have a VHF antennae on the top of the mast. Even if the antennae and/or the coax needs to be replaced it's a lot easier if the mounting hardware is already there and you have a wire to use to pull the new coax.

Yup, what’s there is what’s left of a Windex and a balun from a VHF antenna. It’s all messed up, and the old wire will be the messenger for my new wire! I’m a HAM operator, I got the radio part down,

It's looking better with every post. Great job!

Thank you! And stay tuned for more.

[Massey]

So today was a bunch of running around, but it included a trip to West Marine. I got new hardware to attach the bulkhead and winch back to the boat, and I got a new fuel tank... I just bought one at O’Reilly’s but it cost more and didn’t have a fuel gauge... so it’s going back. I also tackled the water leak in the bow, see the pics below.

Here is the bow light. It’s lens is totally hosed but I think I have already shown you all that. Needless to say it isn’t going to see the sea any more. The socket looked pretty ok, and cleaned up well, I just need a bulb for it... anyone know the number? LED type even?



Here is the forestay anchor. It’s all nice and cleaned up and I used some 4200 to rebed the anchor and plate, and also the rivets too. I am very happy how this turned out.


I also did some work on the trailer too. Not much, just cut the safety chain off. I didn’t make a typo there, I said chain, not chains. I don’t know if a single chain was a thing back in 1982, or if somewhere on the trailer’s history it lost a chain. I’m going to be replacing the chain with a set of safety cables. I also rounded the sharp protrusion the “C” Chanel formed behind the V-block. Tomorrow I think I will rewire the lights so it is at least electrically legal.

I am also going to start a YouTube channel. It’s going to cover my rebuilding of Water Lilly and my progress learning to sail. Sorry guys, I won’t be sailing to exotic places in the Caribbean, it will be just around the Puget Sound. I will prolly be launching from Port Orchard, and then seeing what there is to see from there. I recorded an intro today, I still need to edit it, and get that part all good... I may reshoot it, I don’t know. I will have to see if it’s good to go. I did also shoot the work I did on the forestay and bow light, that will be a future video as well.

What I didn’t get on video was the removal of the “Run Away” name from the previous 2 owners. The transom is really oxidized, and I’m prolly going to get some 2000 grit sandpaper to wet sand the oxidize off. I tried some severe oxidation compound before I called it a night tonight. It made it shiny, and pretty, but the oxidation is still clearly visible... so is the lettering. So, I’m going to reach back into my auto body paint experience and wet sand the transom, and get the buffer back out to make it all pretty once again. I will see about getting that on video, and take before and after pics.

Well it’s time for me to hit the rack... see ya all tomorrow.

[Russ]

Yes I found some stupid expensive plywood and I used the existing hatch covers to make new ones.

BTW, for your backstay, I have a simple line from the top of the mast with a clip to the boom. 2 settings, one lower for sailing and one higher that keeps my head from hitting it.

Russ, not being snarky, but are you talking topping lift or backstay? I'm easily confused.

Good catch Jimmy. (Posted with only one cup of coffee)

I meant topping lift.

[Be Free]

Looks like an 1156 (tail light bulb for older cars) would fit. Look at the slots. It's been a while but I think the 1156 had pins at the same height on both sides so the slots would be the same depth. You can also get a much more expensive LED that will fit the same fixture.

[Be Free]

Make sure that you don't have your main halyard crossing over itself. That would keep you from raising the sail all the way up. There should not be diagonal wrinkles in your sail if it is raised fully and the outhaul is tight.

Also, you might consider replacing those splices on the bow light. A crimped on butt connector or a bullet connector if you want to be able to disconnect it easily would give you less trouble in the long run. If you want to get fancy a Western Union splice would also work. It was really designed for solid wire so solder the splice if you have stranded wire.

[Massey]

Looks like an 1156 (tail light bulb for older cars) would fit. Look at the slots. It's been a while but I think the 1156 had pins at the same height on both sides so the slots would be the same depth. You can also get a much more expensive LED that will fit the same fixture.

An 1156 bulb is too big, plus the 1156 is a single post with the outer shell being one of the conductors. This bulb has 2 pins and they are the + and - with the outside shell being electrically neutral. The pins are both the same so the bulb will go in either way, thus the bulb must have a neutral shell. Confusing right? Going to be a fun hunt on my end.

[Massey]

Make sure that you don't have your main halyard crossing over itself. That would keep you from raising the sail all the way up. There should not be diagonal wrinkles in your sail if it is raised fully and the outhaul is tight.

Also, you might consider replacing those splices on the bow light. A crimped on butt connector or a bullet connector if you want to be able to disconnect it easily would give you less trouble in the long run. If you want to get fancy a Western Union splice would also work. It was really designed for solid wire so solder the splice if you have stranded wire.

I didn’t see any twists in my lines as best as I could see, but it did get tight about 4 or so inches from the very top. When I could get a little gust of wind the wrinkles would go away as the sail filled. I will have to check it again next time I put the sail up.

As for the suitcase connectors, they are already gone! I hate those things at the best of times, and when doing the job if a butt connector, it just shows lazy. I plan to solder the new/old light back on with good quality shrink wrap that forms a waterproof seal. I have used this stuff for years on my RC boats, and even in salt water, I have never had any corrosion under the wrap.

[Be Free]

Take a look at the 1142 bulb. It has a smaller base, one filament, and two connectors in the base. I'm not sure what wattage you need. If you an identify the make/model of the fixture it should be easy to find the right bulb.

The main halyard getting tight near the top is a symptom of a crossed line. The halyard will stop short by a little more than the diameter of the sheave. If the main sail is correct for your boat it should not have any significant wrinkles in it when the halyard and the outhaul are tight.

I'm glad you already changed those splices. They are just trouble waiting to happen but "your boat, your rules", or as a foreman on a construction sight once told me when I questioned the quality of his install, "You can't see it from my house."

[Massey]

Take a look at the 1142 bulb. It has a smaller base, one filament, and two connectors in the base. I'm not sure what wattage you need. If you an identify the make/model of the fixture it should be easy to find the right bulb.

The main halyard getting tight near the top is a symptom of a crossed line. The halyard will stop short by a little more than the diameter of the sheave. If the main sail is correct for your boat it should not have any significant wrinkles in it when the halyard and the outhaul are tight.

I'm glad you already changed those splices. They are just trouble waiting to happen but "your boat, your rules", or as a foreman on a construction sight once told me when I questioned the quality of his install, "You can't see it from my house."

I don’t know the make of the bow light, there are no markings other than “Taiwan” on the light base, but my stern light seems to still have a bulb in it, and it seems the same make. So I will investigate that here in a bit.

Those suitcase connectors are an issue in automotive applications, which go through far less crap (unless you live in the north east) that a boat does. So they go away! I have not fixed them yet, I still don’t know if I’m keeping this one or replacing it with a new assembly. We will see what happens.

[Massey]

Ok, so last night I removed the letters from her old name. Did I mention that already? If not... I did... ok we are up to speed now... especially me! So before I went in last night I tried out some of the West Marine oxidization compound, by hand and by machine. It made things shiny but it didn’t remove the oxidization very well. The picture doesn’t show it very well at all, but even in the polished area, you can still read the name as clear as can be. The camera picked the shine much better than I was expecting. I knew the compound was working, the pad on my buffer was turning blue. So here is the result of my end of night last night...


So here is the result of about an hour of wet sanding with 2000 grit sandpaper. I harnessed my inner auto body tech skills and went to town,


After all was said and done, the buffing skills put to use, my transom looks beautiful and ready for the new decal that says Water Lilly.



Well I think it’s time to get my new safety cables installed, as well as the lighting.

[Massey]

So tonight’s adventure ends with the restoration of the safety chains, in this case cables, on the trailer, and new LED submersible lights. I didn’t do much else... I’m tired... it’s been a busy weekend. I like weekends like this really. I love the feeling of accomplishment and not just laying around doing nothing.


I’m looking into someone who can make me some vinyl decals for Lilly’s name and home port. I’m also going to move the ID numbers to the blue area just under the white. I will let you know what I find!

[Russ]

I’m looking into someone who can make me some vinyl decals for Lilly’s name and home port. I’m also going to move the ID numbers to the blue area just under the white. I will let you know what I find!

I've used these guys. Their website lets you preview before buying.
https://www.boatus.com/landing/graphics/