The top deck
is just now being resurfaced with Ultra-Tuff. Canvas is Sunbrella |
Where is all that beautiful Teak? After messing around with $25 to $100/quart
varnish for years,
none of it lasted more than 6 month in the Florida Sun. Or maybe I just
got lazy, or maybe I just
got smart. We've covered 95% of the vessel with Signature
Finish. A two/three part finish that cost us > $700,
but it is good for 10-15 years and unlike Awlgrip, needs no mask etc to
apply.
You can see the splash rail has yet to be done. Why the horid color? Light
= reflection.
We like it! And, Signature has a new paint that looks just like wood, so
paint it again. One coat should do. |
| |
When I got done
with the rails, they looked so good, I headed for the cabin exterior which
was mostly Ok, but
had some stains and dings from - whatever. I used the Signature product
again, but their pure white.
As you can see, the canvas and basic vessel ain't to shabby. |
Teak decks were
just refinished with Ultra-Tuff,
the same material the Navy uses on its ships. After many years of scrubbing
and resting in the Florida Sun it was redundant to consider new teak. Want
new Teak Decks? Prepare to shell out some big bucks! Ultra-Tuff is good
for 10 years+, is non skid. Clean it up with TSP and slap another coat on.
Why does it look bumpy? That's the rubber crumb that makes it non-skid.
it's tough enough (they say) for deep freezers with lift trucks zooming
back and forth all day. |
If you want
to hang anything substantial out there, you need a better backing plate.
The moron who installed these davits did a horrible job. |
I know, you
just love teak. Strip it - sand it - 10 coats of varnish. 600' feet of it!
Better put 3 more coast on every 4-6 moths or you'll start all over again.
We like Signature Finish and Ultra Tuff. Light colors = reflection form
the Florida sun and good UV protection In the dead of summer we use a 10,000
BTU window A/C set on low. |
The single sliding
hatch is to starboard and the galley up is on your left. Below forward,
you'll find twin V berths some storage and a second head with shower. Small
ports, Port and Starboard as well as a large overhead hatch, give great
ventilation during the cool months
We had a king size mattress made and a wedge and sleep in comfort up forward.
Of
course we lost all the nice storage and the use of the head.
If you were to leave the vessel at its present location 100 steps from a
private
beach on the Gulf of Mexico you might remove that and rent this puppy out
for
$1,000 per week. Current
Vessel Location link |
Turn around
and the aft cabin/storage and main head are visible. Storage and a hanging
closet are on the right. As liveaboards, we use the bunk space for hanging
cloths etc. You'll find a lot of storage under the bunks, behind the steps
etc.
We're using this area to hang cloths
The main head is on the left.
The two bunks are visible. The one to your right is narrower than the left.
You'll have to add your own mattress materials since we've used this lower
area for refrigeration and storage. Under the right bunk you'll find a whole
slew of very expensive spare parts.
|
Here you're down forward looking up from the V-bunks. To the right is the
lower head. Under the stariway there is limited storage. To the left of
the stairway are two storage areas and the guts of the electrical panels. |
|
The galley. New SS stove/oven unit which we love, but, the damn oven is
very small. It was the only unit we could find that fit where the old
unit had been. The single sink is - well - adequate. Space is limited
as it is on any vessel. We've been aboard for 15 years and except for
an ocasional battle (where the entire surface of the globe is not large
enough) we've fared well.
The frig is not a frig, but a deep freeze unit that we love. BTW, this
vessel does not have a gen set, so offshore or gunked out, you're on your
own. One of the small Honda Gen sets (2KW at around $2,000) has provided
enough power to keep the frig/freezer chugging along. Two of the Hondas
and you'll also have A/C while on the hook.
|
Forward Head. |
Now you see it. Now you don't. The salon has been altered, a feature you
may not like. Why? We are both thin with thin butts and we found it impossible
to sit here for hours, day after day. We put two leather chairs in this
area. If we had to do it again, we get some rattan furniture and... We still
have the table for your use as needed. |
The main rear head. |
Port Side looking
aft. Galley to your right. You could plunk a 10 years old, or perhaps you
mother-in-law on this bunk?
Marina Air A?C unit is below this seat area. It made so much noise and was
constantly getting clogged with floatsum and burning out $150 pump motors
that we finally said "the hell with it" Above that picture is
our aforementioned 10K window A/C. BTW, a window A/C sucking in salt air
24/7 will slowly ROT the coils. You'll probably need a new one ($200) every
3 years. |
| That's
the basics: |
