March in Seattle 2019 Boat Yard Blues

March in Seattle 2019 Boat Yard Blues

We took Snowball to the Seaview Boat Yard the last week of February  for a bottom job which is  paint job for the hull of the vessel. We had only two other concerns and that was the raw water thru-hull valve for the engine had a small leak whenever you turned the handle to the on or off position so I planned to have it replaced as well while the boat was out of the water. The other concern was the cutlass bearing, I just wanted to make sure it was still in good condition. I had a few do it yourself projects to get done: wax the topsides, repack the shaft packing gland and continue on my gel coat project repairing small dings. This is our eleventh trip to a boat yard so we have enough experience to be a bit nervous since we have only had this boat for two years and there are always some unknowns even though we were very through when we bought the vessel. 

We had a Wednesday 0900 hrs haul out appointment., first one for the morning at high tide. The Admiral helped me get out of the slip and then met me at the yard, I arrived a few moments early but by exactly 0900 the lift was in place and I motored slowly until the slings snugged up on the hull.  

I closed up the companionway and went forward to the bow where the lift operator moved the boat close enough to a ladder for me to get off.

A short climb at high tide.

1st stop is at the pressure wash. The bottom paint still looked pretty good, and according to the ships log the paint is three yrs. old

They pack em in at Seaview, a Very busy yard. I just had enough room to get a step ladder between the boats to wax the hull. We met our project manager after they got the boat blocked and up on stands. The first concern was to check the cutlass bearing that supports the propeller shaft at the strut. To determine if the cutlass bearing is good you just grab hold of the propeller and try to move it in all directions. The general rule is that if the shaft moves any at all then it is time to replace the cutlass bearing. We just had a small bit of movement but it probably explains the whirring sound we were having around 1500 RPM's.  So we added a new cutlass bearing to the work order.

The temps were still close to freezing overnight so paint work had to be completed when it warmed up and these heaters placed under the boats made the difference.

A week later bottom job and my wax job completed. 

After they cleaned the shaft and prop in preparation for a new cutlass bearing

they found this pitting and gash in on the shaft. So the shaft, propeller and coupling was shipped off to a propeller/shaft shop. The shaft shop recommended replacing the shaft & coupling- the prop could be reconditioned. So at this point we had a couple of decisions, go with stainless steel shaft and replacing the packing gland with a PYI Dripless seal .The best time to install a PYI seal is when you are installing a new shaft so that was a no brainer, Stainless is a harder more durable metal than brass so that is the way we went.  

The new cutlass bearing waiting for the new shaft.

This is the stern shaft tube, The shaft enters the hull here and is attached to the transmission with a coupler in the engine space.

The old packing gland attached to the black hose had to come off so I removed it to save a few pennies. 

Here is the interior shaft log which is basically a metal 1.5" ID pipe

You have to get away from the boat yard and do other stuff. A walk along the water front to see changes being made including the removal of the Alaska Way Viaduct. This huge crane has been working the water front for some time now, we could see the top of the crane from our condo a few blocks away. The crane is taller than those buildings across the street in the background as our view is from above those buildings.

Hard to realize the size of this crane from the picture

A Senior Artist show art Seattle Center, this one is titled:
Captain Cook on the Skagit

I know you have to be an artist but there is plenty of material on the beaches around here.

The first two weeks of March were early morning temps around 32 with highs in the mid 40's. The end of the coldest 6 weeks of weather in Seattle History, and then overnight we had the Warmest two weeks in Seattle history for the remainder of  March. The end of wearing Smart Wool for the season.

One of the positive experiences was replacing the seacock. Unlike the the seacocks on our previous boat the ones on SNOWBALL are modular. You can actually buy the individual pieces instead of having to replace the entire thru-hull and seacock. The project manager advised me to try and remove the seacock and perhaps save some money, then they could intall the new unit. To my surprise all I had to do was remove the four screws and the modular pieces came lose from the base. I just went to Fisheries Supply and bought a new seacock. I only needed to use the top two sections as the new parts just screwed onto the old base, No need for a new thru hull at all. 

The new pparts come with a rubber gasket so you just remove the old O-ring, clean the base and install the new sections.

Done!

New Shaft, reconditioned prop, new cutlass bearing installed.

We had them paint Barnicle Barrier on the running gear and install new anodes.

The new PYI dripless shaft seal and new coupler installed. Now all that remains is to have the engine aligned once the boat goes back in the water. 

A warm afternoon walk along Golden Gardens Beach helps chase the Boat yard Blues away. 

And as we walked back along the marina seawall we noticed this Sea Star. When we first came to Puget Sound the rocks were covered in sea stars but soon some strange disease attacked and they just sort of dissolved away, there has been a resurgence to some degree but it is still rare to see one unless you hunt under the rocks at low tide.

After three weeks ready to go back in the water.

They drifted SNOWBALL over to the work dock around 1600 hours and so we would wait until the next afternoon to reclaim the vessel after the engine is aligned and the yard bill paid.

All that record snow in the Olympics is about to have a record snow melt as the warm March temps are just as shocking to the locals as Snowmagedon was in February.

Ella, our oldest granddaughter is already doing her part to effect Climate Change through Fashion and Design 

Looking forward to spinning that propeller or not.