Transom refinishing

I already have a post regarding my love/hate relationship with teak.

http://marine-trader-trawler-nostra-signora.blogspot.com/2013/10/teak-teak-and-more-teak.html

Whilst the transom, which is a lovely teak transom, kind of falls in the the debate of "to varnish or not to varnish", it really was a much easier decision based on the boat's overall ascetics.

At 10.5m long and over 4m air draft, these little trawlers can look a little top heavy. Having a dark or varnished teak transom only extenuates this lofty appearance. It was therefore and easy decision to paint the the transom.

The all important colour scheme!

A month or two ago, we had such good weather that it allowed us to crack on with refreshing the topside  colour band.
Although I was not a fan of the dark blue, which I felt gave the boat a very heavy/squat look, at the time of ordering the paint I didn't really contemplate changing the colour.
I think the sub-conscious decision was based on past experience of painting lighter colours over darker, then scratching the lighter top coats and exposing a dark line in the lighter paint. However, this was with single part paint years ago. Two part is so much more durable and will not have the same issues.
So with the kits of International Perfection two part flag blue paint in hand, we set about prepping the area for painting.

The area was taped off and heavily sanded, filled where needed and cleaned ready for undercoating.

Relocation of the water tank deck fillers

As mentioned in a previous post -

http://marine-trader-trawler-nostra-signora.blogspot.com/2013/12/aft-bunk-extension.html

- when I extended the aft bunks on the boat, I in turn needed to relocate the water tank deck filler points, as they are now located directly above the bunk extension which makes them in-accessible.

First off I removed the fillers and got stuck into the deck with a chisel in order to get back to the fiber-glass decking.

Aft Bunk Extension

A very clear sign that this boat was built in an Asian location is the length of the aft cabin bunks!

Perhaps that is a bit harsh as the builders probably only built to the plan which is American, but somewhere along the way someone is responsible for building a 5 foot 6 inch bunk!

Who is only 5 foot 6 inches tall these days?

Anyway, part of the pre-purchase survey was to ensure we could comfortably sleep on board for extended periods. Even prior to the actual inspection, I requested the actual bunk length and whether or not there was room in the lazerette to extend them.

So the time came to get stuck in and extend them.

First off I drilled a few pilot holes in the aft bulk head.

Teak, teak and more teak!

Don't get me wrong, we love the look of beautiful, warm, freshly varnished teak. However, I spent the first 3 1/2 years of my professional boating career aboard a tall ship that was covered in teak, all of which needed varnishing. It was kind of like a bridge, once you get it all done, you go back to the beginning and start again.

We decided after we had varnished the same item several times over the years, that we would never own a boat endowed with lots of teak. And here we have ended up with one...best laid plans of mice and men I guess.

Whilst researching Marine Traders during the survey and pre-purchase process, I came across the Trawler Beach House blog. Chuck had posted about removing the hand rail and brow teak on Beach House, which seemed like a very sensible thing to do, not only to reduce the required varnish work, but more importantly to ensure there was no chance of water ingress.

So work has begun which is best shown with photos.

The teak is in pretty bad shape having been sanded so much over the last 30 years, so removal really is the best thing to do.

An unofficial name change

I am not a great fan of changing the name of a boat. I am not really all that superstitious about it, but having sailed around the world a couple of times, I have seen first hand what old Neptune can throw up at you, and don't really like to push my luck, even after performing the well documented name changing ceremony.

When we bought the boat she was called Nostra Signora Dei Turchie - Italian for 'Our lady of the Turks' A bit of a mouth full really and has no meaning to us.

So keeping in mind that we didn't want to change the name, we simply shortened it to 'Nostra Signora' or 'Our Lady', presented a suitable offering to Neptune, and away we went.

However at the same time, one or our friends who has the ability to look at a situation from a parallel universe, theorized that because the boat was built in Taiwan and that she is a trawler yacht, the only possible name for the boat was the 'Prawn Cracker'. This has since been shortened into just the 'Cracker'.

So unless we are announcing ourselves over the radio to a marina or some other such official requirement, to one and all she has affectionately become known as the 'Prawn Cracker' or 'Cracker' for short!

Teak Decking

I am a great fan of teak decks. Although as we all know, whilst they are ascetically beautiful, and nice under foot, they can cause major problems if not installed correctly or sufficiently maintained, especially on an older boat.
Luckily the "Cracker" (our nickname for the boat which requires a post of it's own to explain why) has had her decks replaced in the not to distant past. The info from the previous owner was that main decks are around 5 years old, and the upper decks are only a couple of years old.
Not owning the boat at the time, I can only guess at how the main decks were laid, but the construction is made up of 16mm ply with 8mm teak planks laid on top.
Thankfully there are only screws in the margin boards and no leaks in the actual boat, but there is a problem with the edge of they ply where it meets the scuppers. It seems that if the ply edge was sealed at all, the sealant has worn away leaving the bare edge ply open to the water from the scuppers, and has therefore started to rot.
My pre winter job list has consisted of making sure the boat is absolutely water tight before the rains begin, so this decking repair has suddenly risen to the top.

I am a great believer of the KIS method (keep is simple), so I simply sanded the edge of the decking along the scuppers and removed the worst of the rotten ply. Left it to dry over several sunny days to ensure there was no moisture trapped under the deck. Then after taping along the edge of the deck and about 1 cm from the deck in the scupper, using a spatula, I carefully filled the gap with SP Systems 2 part epoxy filler. To create a nice profile I went back along the filler with a half round rubber tool, thus both sealing the exposed ply and creating a nice profile.

Next was to sand the profile, which is a very labor intensive and boring job!

 Finally I will sand the bulwarks and prep for painting the lot with 2 part primer and 2 part Gloss top coat........but that is for another weekend and post!

Near anchoring mishap in Montenegro

I posted this at the Trawler forum but for some reason several readers could not see the images. So here it is for those that could not see them.


I thought people might find it interesting to hear about a close call we had last weekend, how we got into it, and how we got out of it.

It was my wife's birthday on Saturday and we had arranged to have a party at a local beach bar with a jetty that one can anchor off stern too, or 'Med' Moor'.
This is a fairly standard practice over this side of the pond so we didn't really think much of it in the planning process.

Porto Montenegro Yacht Club

Nostra Signora had the honour of acting as the the race committee boat during our recent regatta at the Porto Montenegro Yacht Club.

It was a Blu26 match race held over 3 days.

The club purchased 4 Blu26's last year and we have been racing them very regularly ever since.

Life's ups and downs

Just when all is going well in life, perhaps too well, all of a sudden reality kicks in and you can suddenly, tragically and unexpectedly be blindsided.

After the delivery of the boat to Montenegro, I arranged for her to be lifted and anti-fouled.

This all went without a hitch and the following Saturday NS was sporting a brand new painted bottom.

Delivering the new boat - Italy to Montenegro

Time rolls on as time tends to do, which is my way of saying even with the best of intentions to update this blog on a regular basis, I have not been so diligent.
So 5 weeks after the delivery from Italy to Montenegro, here is the account of it as best as I can remember.

Myself, JS and AS arrived on the boat at 2030 after a flight from Montenegro to Slovenia and a 2 hour drive to the boat, only to be greeted by the engineers who where madly trying to finish off the jobs that should have been completed weeks earlier! All in all though the guys did do a reasonable job and we had no major issues on the trip.
The provisions went aboard along with several cases of Italian wine that is so hard to find in Montenegro. Systems were tested, the spotlight rigged up to a spare battery (this was essential for navigating out of the narrow channel from the marina to the Adriatic sea), fuel was delivered by jerry can with the help of a couple of great friends who also had a boat near by (thanks guys!), a pizza eaten, immigration taken care of, 101 things madly stowed, and we were away by 0200.
After a slow meander through a very narrow channel on a moonless night where the spotlight came into its own by illuminating the post that were spaced every 100 meters or so, we headed out into open sea bound for Croatia.

Heading for the Adriatic

A good check list for buying any new boat (this is not my work)

I found this via google. It has been written as a survey check list for Taiwanese built Trawlers, but is a good check list for any boat survey.
Please note that this does not negate the need for a professional survey.

CHB PILOT

PREAMBLE

The CHB Pilot was put together for use as a referral list for maintenance items and for those who are interested in buying a CHB and want to know what to look for in the initial inspections and subsequent surveys as the sale is brought to completion.  This Pilot Guide is not limited to the CHB vessel but can be used in the purchase of a number of like vessels as most of the categories are common amongst all vessels.  The chief reason that makes this guide a CHB GUIDE will be the “Lessons Learned” sections associated with most of the categories.  This will detail comments made by various members about their experiences with certain categories and hopefully will be the really helpful area for members of the CHB Group.

CHB PEDGREE

While very interesting and helpful in explaining variations in our boats ,the current discussion of CHB pedigrees must be taken in the greater context.

We are not an "Exclusive Brand Name" group. Rather it is the tremendous variation of our Taiwan built Trawlers that has caused us to come together to provide mutual help in sorting out the "Maze of Hwa."  I write this because I don't want anyone to feel that they might not belong because they don't have a "real" CHB. If you have read the material presented so far concerning the pedigree of CHB, FHB, CBK, ECT you realize that there is no one "real" CHB.  And if you have been around long enough you realize that we are definitely not an "exclusive" group....that is, pinkies in the air while we sip our tea.  While we may not be able (nor willing) to pin down a singular definition of who we are (from MT to KK), we do know that we are not USP :-)  

Ron & Marilyn Sallee "Arwetheryet" CHB 34 Everett, WA

Review

Marine Trader 34 Double Cabin At the time of the fuel crisis of the 1970s trawler yachts enjoyed a brief period of increased popularity when fast powerboats, with fuel-guzzling engines, fell out of favor among powerboat owners. But, as boaters became more and more used to paying higher prices for fuel and the relative cost of fuel dropped, fewer people seemed to find these slow, plodding vessels attractive and their popularity waned. However, driven by aging sailors searching for less demanding vessels and retires in search of a slower paced boating lifestyle, the last several years have seen a resurgence in the popularity of this type of vessel to the point that market demand has outstripped the supply of some models. This style vessel is what is commonly referred to as a trawler yacht due to its resemblance, in appearance, to a commercial fishing trawler. The Marine Trader 34 Double Cabin is 33’-6" in length overall with a 30’-3" waterline length a maximum beam of 11’-9" and draft of 3’-6". The hull has a V-shaped bottom with a sharp entry forward that flattens considerably at the stern. There is an integral keel that runs nearly the entire length of the vessel. The keel fairs into the bottom near the bow and drops more than two feet below the bottom near the stern affording protection for the propeller and rudder.

Spare parts

This page will start off very short, but I will add to it over time.

I have just ordered the first bit of new equipment to be delivered to the boat. It is a new shower sump pump.
The boat has two heads that are fitted with sinks and showers, but the shower drains are designed to run straight into the bilge. I am not a fan of any water in the bilge let alone smelly shower water and all the gunk that goes with it. So high on the priority list is to install a shower sump into the forward shower.
After a lot of research and study of reviews, I have gone for a sump by Attwood.

I will post more on this page about the spares I like to carry, and when I get around to installing the sump pump, I will do a separate post on it.



The next order has been placed for gear to arrive ready to be installed once we get the boat home.


The Adriatic can be very hot in summer. We try to live by the KISS method (keep it simple stupid) so are not keen in installing A/C.
Our first world trip was aboard a square rigger which also did not have a/c. these little fans are the bomb! It's amazing how powerful they are, simple to install and effective at keeping one cool on those hot summer nights!

Job List

We are in the process of setting out a job list by priority that we will undertake when we finally get the boat back home.
I run a fairly swanky marina, so if I am to have the boat in the marina, I need to make sure she is looking good. This means that the bright-work and varnish will have to come to the top of the list. Thankfully the previous owner stripped all the varnish, leaving bare teak which has been covered ever since, which means it wont be too difficult to prep it. The exception is the transom which is solid teak covered in peeling varnish....more work will be involved here to prep it. We are also thinking that we should paint it rather than varnish it. It will give the boat overall cleaner lines and will require much less maintenance moving forwards.

Anyway, more on the varnish as and when we get started on it.

So the general list so far in order of priority...

• Sort out the transom and varnish the aft companionway hatch (boats are berthed stern to in the marina so this is ascetically important)
• Install a shower sump in the forward shower to stop the shower from draining into the bilge
• Lengthen the aft bunks from 174cm to 190cm. This is the only major job that I want to get done before we start really using the boat over the summer.
• Polish the hull and superstructure paintwork
• Continue with the rest of the varnish

There will be loads more, but we need the boat for a while so that we can decide on what to do when.

Pre-Delivery job list

Although NS is generally in great working condition thanks to the previous owners investment and care, like any boat there is always a big list of jobs to be done.

In preparations for the delivery south that we will undertake in a couple of months when the weather improves (right now it is blowing 30 knots from the north and 3 degrees) I will have the boat yard where NS is currently located sort out a few of the more important jobs for us.

First on the list are the port cutlass bearings.

A good friend of mine is a marine engineer with 30 years experience. He accompanied me on the survey of the boat and noticed that the port cutlass bearings are in need of replacement. The starboard bearings were replaced by the previous owner as confirmed by the boat yard mechanic, but the port set were not.
This is a job that needs to be done while she is out of the water and involves the shaft being decoupled from the engine then slid out of the stern gland and removed from the boat. The bearings can then be replaced and everything put back together. The prop will also need to come off to allow the shaft to move aft past the rudder.

While this is happening I will have the props polished. The hull can be generally sanded and filled where needed under the waterline, ready for a few coats of anti-fouling just prior to her going back in the water.

The other jobs on the list are

• new starter and house batteries
• re-gas the fridge
• top up the hydraulic oil for the steering
• get the back up bilge pump working again
• service the domestic supply water pump
• new anodes 

I will also order a bunch of spares to carry aboard which will include

• Both Engine and generator filters, belts, impellers and anodes
• spare engine oil
• Spare nav' light bulbs
• hose clamps
• trusty role of heavy duty duct tape
• tools etc

These preparations should be enough to get us home, after which the list of jobs will end up long enough to trail back over the 330nm miles we will have sailed to get her here!

The decision to buy a motor yacht!

After having spent nearly 15 years together, on and around sailboats, my wife and I have finally decided to buy our first motor yacht. A 1980 Marine Trader 34 DC trawler.

The decision came about after the birth of our second daughter 5 months ago. Our current boat is a 31 foot racer cruiser, which has been a wonderful addition to our lives for 3 years. But we realize with two small kids (our other daughter is 3 in a couple of months) we needed a change. We didn't necessarily need more space, although having an apartment the on water is a nice change, it is more about safety and practicality. 

We are lucky enough to be ex-pats living in Montenegro. We have an amazing extended cruising ground at our door step and/or loads of wonderful anchorages just minutes away from the marina for that afternoon or weekend trip. Whilst we sail when we can, the mix of little summer time wind, the need for an awning over the boom to protect us and the kids from the hot Mediterranean summer sun, and those little exploring fingers needing a constant attentive eye on them to be sure they don't release a jib sheet potentially causing nasty injuries, has drawn us to the conclusion that at this point in life we need to hang up the winch handle and get a boat fitted with a couple of iron topsails!

There, I said it! :)

So now that all that is out of the way and off my sailors chest, we can move on...

After an extensive search for a suitable motor yacht, I knew that there was no way I could go from sail (by the way, we sailed round the world on tall ships a couple of times) to a white plastic Nike Air on steroids. Hence the decision to look for a trawler yacht. Completely by accident I stumbled across a Marine Trader only a few hundred Nautical Miles from us.

After an extensive survey, our offer was accepted and we are now in the final throws of change of ownership, after which I will head up to Italy with a couple of experienced friends for the 48 hour delivery back home.

The boat is in really good condition for a 32 year old lady, but is in need of quite a bit of cosmetic work, which is the main reason I wanted to start this blog.

During the search for a suitable boat, I stumbled across another MT34DC blog 'The Trawler Beach House'.  http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/

After hours reading all their post, I had a better general idea of the boat that I was interested in purchasing and what I may come up against in the future, than if I had already owned her for months!

I feel a blog of my own will not only keep me motivated and accountable as I progress though the job list, but may also help others just as I was helped by Chuck and Susan's blog.

This is my first ever blog, but hopefully not the last.

Finally, here are a couple of shots of the new boat.