Velocir’s Haul Out Update

Long time no post.  As you know, we’re currently in sunny California.  But, that doesn’t mean Velocir is completely out of the picture.  She needs some love and care back on the East Coast, so we have hauled her out of the water for the winter.  It will give us an opportunity to check-up on her and give her the attention that she needs.

The haul-out was very exciting.  As you can see, she slipped out of the cradle, yikes!  This happened for a few reasons.  Mostly, it’s pretty clear in the photo that the strap almost looks amidships, so we all thought we were good to go, but the rudder is just so far forward on her full keel.  After a moment of terror, we eased back into the process.  She is a strong little boat!

Grant did a thorough survey and assessed the projects.  He cleaned her from top to bottom.  Even though we have taken great measures including painting and solar vents installation (which is super combative to mold) Velocir still tries very hard to become musty.  Without these preventative measures she could have built a nice mold colony, but after many months she is just a bit musty and so we wiped down surfaces, no big deal!

On the bottom, Grant started sanding (yes, he used a mask just not in this photo).  The bottom paint did an amazing job protecting her hull.  This is the same paint from before the trip!  Velocir will get a new bottom job in the spring.  For right now, Grant went to work prepping her.  It took extra time because instead of just quickly roughing it up, the paint was sanding off in clumps and peeling instead of just being easy to rough up.  Eventually it came out after some finesse.

To finish up projects, Grant also repaired our ignition switch.  Since we left the Bahamas it has been freezing up. All of the salt and dirt made it grimy, so Grant took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly.  Luckily a quick fix!  For such a specialized part that is specific to the Vega we didn’t want to need a replacement.    The wiring back together probably took the longer than fixing– the wires we used are green, light green and bright green, makes for a fun combination!

Let’s see, what else?  The battery was dead so we fixed a loose connection on the solar panel charge controller.  We took off the running rigging  and ran cheap line through everything to reduce sun and moisture damage to the good stuff.  She will rest well this winter!

We are still adapting to our transition from cruising.  Many stresses and responsibilities, just the fixation with time and schedules can be a hard adjustment.  I mean, we’ve lived in the modern age, but for some reason after the freedoms and confidences cruising affords, being thrust back into the mix is mildly traumatic.  I know, I know, what problems to have.

Thanks so much for following our journey, we will continue to update as we can.

Grant’s Sail Care Advice in SpinSheet Magazine!

We are excited to share that Grant has been featured in SpinSheet’s March 2013 issue, sharing his knowledge of sails and how to care for them. Having inspected thousands of sails as an inspector for Bacon Sails and Marine Supplies in Annapolis, MD, he has always wanted to give a few pointers, hoping it would help others to extend the life of their sails.

Check out our past blog post where Grant talks about the sails he designed for Velocir.

Click here to read the entire March 2013 issue of SpinSheet!

For a clearer view, please click on the article below, thanks!

I’m On A Boat–Interior Paint Preparation

Let’s go back in time, to when Velocir was completely stripped down to a bare hull.  Yes, that glorious moment when the interior was saying “paint me, I have no wood in me and am already a filthy dust pile!”  But no one heard the calls.

Fast forward to cruising Velocir and the paint is porous, crumbly and very susceptible to mold.  If only we had realized!!  Of course, that would have made things easy….

There are two reasons why the interior desperately needs to be painted—mold and flaking paint.  Why is this happening—this is caused mostly by A) porous old paint on a bumpy fiberglass surface B) a gel-coat like filler was used along the outer 1-2 inches of the hull right where the deck meets the hull.  This filler has flex cracks, or in some cases just crumbly texture, causing a mold habitat.  As the cracks held moisture the paint started to flake and fall off.  The paint is not adhering to the filler at all anymore.

To solve this problem Amelia is going to tackle this pain of a project.  It is a pain because A) you have to be a gymnast to work upside down in these cramped conditions B) it is messy, mess everywhere all over our home C) the wood paneling limits access to the far reaches of some areas and gives little to no clearance to paint between wood bulkheads and the fiberglass.  It is a delicate process to do the job well, without focusing on all the imperfections that will inevitably happen.

Beginning with the nice vision of a fresh, bright and clean Velocir in mind, Amelia first took out any hardware that needed to be removed for sanding and duct taped a plastic sheet to keep dust out of the main cabin.  Then, using a rotary sander with 80 grit and a little “mouse” sander with 120 grit, she sanded the surfaces thoroughly.  Around the edges of the hull where the paint was flaking, she used a chisel, and then hand sanded the surface.

About halfway into the project Amelia started to regret the undertaking.  Dust everywhere, sanding in corners, upside down, around windows and other obstacles.  Her arms started to feel weak from pushing the sander against the hull.  What a mess the boat was!  But it was too late to turn back now.

The interior was now sanded and smooth, but very dusty.  Amelia used a shop vac to get most of the grime off every surface.  Then, she used diluted bleach water and wiped down every surface.  Some mold still hid in sanded areas, so this really cleaned things up!

The duct taped plastic shield worked great!  It didn’t stick to the varnished wood or leave any residue.

On outer edges of the hull, an epoxy-like filler was used.  This is where the flex cracks happened.  Using a dremel, Amelia gouged out the cracks until they were smooth.  There were also crumbly areas that were cleaned out.  Most cracks were superficial, but two (by the water tank input, and by the starboard lifeline stanchion) were 1/8” deep.

To fill these cracks we needed something that a latex based paint would adhere to.  It also could not be too rigid or else it would crack again.  Our solution was g-flex, a flexible epoxy that we used to repair our inflatable dinghy’s oar locks in the Bahamas with great success.  It is easy to mix the 1:1 solution and apply.  The application was very simple because it did not want to move around, even when applying upside down.  At times (probably because it was so cold) it got stringy but was manageable.

Once the epoxy cures it will be sanded, wiped down with acetone and the entire forward interior will be ready to paint.  First we will use a primer, then glossy paint.  Hopefully the weather will warm up for that project soon!

I’m On A Boat- Solar Vent Installation

Before leaving on our trip to the Bahamas in 2011, we installed new solar vents on Velocir.  We had seen many older solar vents in boat yards still going strong after many years and much neglect.

The original installation required us to enlarge pre-existing 3 inch vents holes to 4 inches.  We epoxied the cored deck so that it would be water tight, and installed the vent.  It was great except that in heavy weather (crashing waves and spray) it would leak a bit., otherwise we love them!  This summer our starboard vent stopped working, so we replaced it:

After taking the old vent out we waited a few weeks for a new one (free under warranty) to come in the mail.  Then, Amelia installed it by lightly chiseling off the old foam ring and Dolfinite sealing compound.  Mineral Spirits and kerosene also work really well at getting Dolfinite off.

There are three main pieces to install.  The base (top right), the white ring is the interior trim piece, the foam ring is part of the waterproof bedding on deck, and then the cover piece with the solar panel and motor.  Since we already had holes drilled it was super easy to install.  (Note: Before drilling holes, make sure your vents have solar panels aesthetically going the way you like.)

We put fresh bedding compound, Dolfinite, down before installing the base.  Contrary to what you might assume, Amelia doesn’t just use Dolfinite because there is a cute dolphin on the label.  The other advantages are that with age, the bedding compound is still easy to remove and reapply.  It doesn’t easily dry out under basic storage methods.  (It is messy to apply though, comically so, like peanut butter).

The base fit right in.  The white part of the base slides up and down, allowing air in/out or cutting it off.  There is also a handy bug screen.

And, Viola!  A beautiful new and working solar vent.  Aren’t warranties great?

P.S.  They are very quiet.  Every once in a while one will start to make a ticking sound, so we restart and silence again : )

I’m On A Boat–Downsizing Your Sailboat

Before Motu Iti, Amelia’s parents had cruised and sailed two other bigger 40 foot sailboats.  One cruise was to the Bahamas for a year with a young family, the others summer cruises as a couple and with a young family.

They chose Motu Iti because her smaller size makes her easier to handle and take care of.  Here is a video discussing the best aspects of downsizing to a smaller sailboat!!  And, see Motu Iti’s blog on the topic here.

I’m On A Boat–Using a Nature’s Head

The Nature’s Head Composting Toilet has been a great solution to rid ourselves of stinky holding tanks, repairing valves and finding pump-outs.  Even better, being ecologically friendly on the boat has become effortless for us.

In Georgetown, Bahamas, the pump-out boat went through Elizabeth Harbor every morning, $5 for a pump out.  We thought, I hope he doesn’t notice we don’t need one, because we have the Nature’s Head.  The pump-out guy would get angry on the VHF radio when he wasn’t getting a lot of business, saying outrageous things like “you cruiser’s must like to swim in your own discharge” and various such proclamations.  We thought, how rude, I hope he realizes people have composting heads  now and are considerate to others.

Then, we were blown away when we met two other cruising boats openly proud of their complete disregard for proper discharge, in a crowded cruiser’s harbor too!  Like it was an inside joke they were letting us in on and they were such rebels.

But really it was disgusting and inconsiderate, and there is no excuse, none, especially with a Nature’s Head.  Part of the reason we love to cruise is to be outside and enjoy nature, so even if it’s just something small like our discharge,  we take pride in doing what we can to protect the sea!

Here’s a video from Motu Iti about using a Nature’s Head:

VELOCIR- An Albin Vega’s Journey from Graveyard to Blue Water Cruising Sailboat

I’m On A Boat- New Video Series

Just this last month we’ve started a new video series called “I’m On A Boat.”

It will cover all sailing projects and endeavors apart from our cruising on Velocir.  Here are the first three installments about a Camper Nicholson 31 owner fixing fiberglass, gelcoat blisters and running rigging.

Hope you enjoy!  And if you haven’t watched our other series “A Day in the Life: Cruising Albin Vega Velocir” you can watch at www.youtube.com/svvelocir

A Singlehander’s Cruising Costs

Our friend recently shared his cruising costs and trip statistics with us aboard his beautiful 37 foot sailboat.  He is a singlehander, which means he cruises by himself.  Below are his costs for 257 days cruising along the East Coast of the US and throughout the Bahamas. These costs were incurred after leaving and do not include- $15,000 or more spent on the boat or $1,100 on food provisions before leaving.

Food = any food purchased except restaurants
Restaurant = food someone prepared for me
Tips = given to dock help,  tips at restaurants etc not in this number
Boat = maintenance along the way, insurance for Bahamas $1,400
Laundry = just fun tracking
MISC = did not fit anywhere, ex. T-shirts
Total = divided by 257 = $78/day or 30 x 78 = $2,340/mo

Bigger boats cost more, but it is the marinas that get you.

Trip Statistics:
257 days
70 days at marinas, 29 different marinas, avg. marina $60/night, avg. marina depth 10.6 ft.
123 days at anchor, 51 different anchorages, avg. anchor depth 10.7 ft.
31 days at Free docks, 15 days on moorings, 18 days on hard

531.9 Engine hrs., $1,768 diesel fuel, avg. $4.43 gal, diesel engine 4JHE Yanmar 44 hp, .73 gph
This trip makes 6 Gulf Stream crossings and thus far all uneventful.
Water prices per gal ranged from .20 to .40 per gal and some offered daily, week or monthly rates.  For the combination purchased $228.90 between December 26 and April 16.

Cost of Cruising: Albin Vega Velocir

The cost of cruising is always a hot debate.  The general rule is that the smaller you go, the less expensive.  Every foot of boat increases costs exponentially.  The Albin Vega is about the smallest one can go in, and we think our costs reflected that.

Many people are curious about these things, and we hope this is helpful for any planners out there. 

Amelia has tackled the ominous mega-binder of everything Velocir to bring you a pretty fair outline of our costs.

Ways We Saved Money:

– Grant’s employee discount at Bacon Sails, so most of our budget was slashed 30%

– Buying a large portion of our materials and gear secondhand.

– Wedding gifts (tools, cookware, safety gear, SPOT, AIS etc)

– Lived with family and on Velocir while working

– Completed all installation and work ourselves

– Under age 26 (health care covered through parents)

– No debt to pay

– We were given hand-me-downs and many materials were lying around the family workshop

Outfitting Costs:

How much do you spend before you even leave!?!  Many people, Grant included, are very wary of knowing the actual cost of outfitting Velocir.  Well, Amelia can’t calculate it 100% anyways because we didn’t keep perfect track. We’d also like to point out that we went above and beyond in preparation.  It was worth it for us, but many of these things certainly do not need to be completed before going cruising.  It was as much a journey as it was an education.  Velocir was not purchased to go cruising. Amelia got it with her Dad as a father-daughter project and completely re-built it from the hull up.  A budget-minded cruiser would probably buy an already outfitted boat to save time and money.  But then you can’t have it “your way” and know every inch of your boat. Ah, compromise.

Approximate Total Cost: $27,000 (without employee discount 30% more)

To see a slideshow of the work done on Velocir click here.

To give a sense of our discount here are a few stats:

– Our New Sails: $2768 (Retail $5500)

– Our Chain: 85 cents a foot (Retail $3 afoot)

Cruising Costs:

Our cruising costs are 100% accurate.  Every receipt was recorded into a spreadsheet and reviewed monthly. Our goal was to spend no more than $1000 a month.  As you can see, the average cost per month was $920, and could have been less if not for our towing incident!  The total we spent during 8 months was $7421.  It turns out, once the boat is cruising-ready, it is the cheapest thing we can do.  (Not many lifestyles where you do not pay to sleep at night.)

Month 1 (Annapolis, MD to Wrightsville Beach, NC)

We are still working out the kinks, but focusing on sailing not motoring.

Boat Items: cleaning supplies, hose fittings, fasteners, extra manual water pump, deck wash pump

Misc Items: surf wax, cleaning supplies, books, postcards, fishing supplies, fishing license, etc.

Month 2 (Wrightsville Beach, NC to St. Augustine, FL)

A new toilet takes a chunk out of the budget.

Boat: new Nature Head composting toilet, hose, installation parts

Dockage/Mooring: St. Augustine

Misc: fishing supplies, leisure

Month 3 (St. Augustine, FL to Marsh Harbor, Abacos)

We stock up on food before the Bahamas, get snorkeling gear & pay customs fees.

Boat: oil, fasteners, hardware, paint

Dockage/Mooring: Cocoa, FL

Misc: Bahamian Customs, snorkeling gear, fishing gear, rum

Month 4 (Marsh Harbor, Abacos to Governors Harbor, Eleuthera)

Off on our own, not buying stuff.

Dockage/Mooring: Spanish Wells Mooring

Misc: rum, beer, taxi

Month 5 (Governors Harbor Eleuthera to Georgetown, Exumas)

By a grocery store again, enjoy fresh food!

Misc: rum, ice, festival tshirts

Month 6 (Georgetown, Exumas to Morgans Bluff, Andros)

Get stuck in Andros with no anchorage, fill-up on fuel for crossing.

Dockage/Mooring: Fresh Creek, Andros 3 nights

Misc: straw market, Androsia

Month 8 (Fort Pierce, FL to Morehead City, NC)

Towing incident, then resort to motoring to get through the ICW.

Boat: tow offshore, hoses

Dockage/Mooring: Fort Pierce, FL (towing related), St. Augustine mooring & NC

Misc: books, taxi to customs, local art

Month 9 (Morehead City, NC to Annapolis, MD)

Fuel: $56