Maintenance

REFIT PROJECTS for MERCEDES for SPRING 2022 BEFORE LAUNCH

   [Color code:  black text = items to do, green text = completed, pink text = discretionary.]

1. Hull prep:  Clean up loose fiberglass on the bottom at keel/hull joint.  Apply barrier coat of fiberglass and fairing compound.  Shape and sand smooth to prep for paint. 
2. Sole board:  Replace sole board in v-berth with recessed access plate for speed sensor.  Epoxy the bottom.  Varnish the top.  Many times!
3. Impellor:  Replace water pump impellor.
4. Stuffing box:  Repack the seal in the stuffing box.

SPRING COMMISSIONING for MERCEDES for SPRING 2022 LAUNCH

   [Color code:  black text = items to do, green text = completed]

1. Scum line:  Clean the scum line on the hull with oxalic acid and rinse.
2. Compound and wax:  Tape off bottom paint line.  Apply cleaner, if needed, and polishing compound to topsides.  Wax topsides.
3. Propeller:  Clean up propeller and drive shaft.  Replace the zinc anode.  Check gear mechanism.
4. Sand bottom:  Light sand the bottom and make sure it is free of algae.
5. Paint bottom:  Tape off topsides.  Prep bottom and apply Pettit SR-21 antifouling bottom paint.
6. Batteries:  Charge the ship's batteries.
7. Rig tune:  Preliminary tune the rigging.
8. Equipment:  Stow critical safety equipment on board for launch.  Set up fenders, dock lines, and carpet remnants to protect from the travel-lift straps.
9. Set up slip:  Set up dock line holders, dock lines, power cord, and water hose at the West Basin Marina slip.  Load the dock box with supplies.

MAINTENANCE / REFIT PROJECTS for MERCEDES for SPRING 2022 AFTER LAUNCH

   [Color code:  black text = items to do, green text = completed, pink text = discretionary.]

1. Backstay:  Reinstall the hydraulic backstay. 
2. Water:  Flush the water system.
3. Spring clean:  Wash and rinse the cabin, head, and galley.
4. Woodwork:  Clean and oil woodwork in the cabin.
5. Carpet:  Selectively remove the stained carpet in the cabin and kill any mold and mildew.  Prep the surface with sandpaper and paint with epoxy.
6. Halyard:  Retrieve the broken jib halyard from the top of the mast and install the new jib halyard.
7. Lifelines:  Measure, fabricate, and install stainless steel 1x19 lifelines and gates.
8. Winches:  Disassemble and lubricate all 6 deck winches.
9. Fluxgate compass:  Relocate the autopilot fluxgate compass to clear the electromagnetic interference.
10. Cam cleats:  Install 2 new C150 cam cleats on the deck on the edges of the cabin aft bulkhead.  Requires temporarily removing portions of the headliner.
11. Instrument:  Install spare B&G Triton2 display at helm station.    

- - - - -

REFIT PROJECTS ACCOMPLISHED for SPRING/SUMMER 2021

   [Color code:  black text = items to do, green text = completed, blue text = delayed]

1. Keel reinforcement project:  Temporarily remove hoses, wire conduits, bilge pump strainers, and lightning grounding system wires from the bilge.  Cut out the forward 2 tray sections of the hull liner that are hiding the cracking through the hull.  Grind out surface irregularities on the hull and keel stub down to bare fiberglass.  Clean stains, degrease, and apply solvent to prep for fiberglass.  Template the shapes and fabricate 7 or 8 individually-sized stringer floors of Coosa structural composite. Drill and seal the holes in the stringer floors for hoses, wire conduits, and grounding wires. Bond stringer floors to the hull with Plexus MA310 adhesive.  Tab the stringer floors to the hull and keel stub with multiple layers of woven strand fiberglass.  Re-paint the bilge with epoxy barrier coat.  Replace the bilge hoses, wire conduits, and grounding wires with new, as necessary. 
2. Keel bolts re-torquing project:  Remove keel bolts one at a time.  Clean the surface and apply new 3M 4200 sealant.  Replace washers with larger, stronger ones.  Re-torque each keel bolt to 300 ft.lbs.
3. Keel re-bedding project:  Grind out the keel/hull joint all around the keel.  Remove the keel bolts.  Arrange to unstep the mast.  Arrange to lift the boat off the keel with the yard TravelAll lift.  Clean and level the keel/hull mating surface.  Set the boat back down on the keel and re-bed the keel with 3M 5200.  Re-torque the keel bolts.  Re-fair the keel/hull joint all around the keel and prep for bottom paint.  This project will not be necessary if the keel reinforcement project is successful, or this might be deferred to next winter.   
4. Re-fairing keel project:  Grind out the crack in aft edge of hull/keel joint and the cracks along the keel/hull joint on starboard side.  Fair in the joints with GFlex epoxy.  Prep surfaces for bottom paint. 
5. Fuel filters:  Replace primary and secondary fuel filters.
6. Compasses:  Install two replacement Suunto deck compasses, including sizing the mounting holes and connecting the wiring.
7. Antenna coax:  Fix the connectors or install new ones on the VHF masthead radio antenna coax cable.

List updated May 22, 2022