So it’s been a while – thought I should update the blog a little…

As you might imagine, we’ve been working to get Toodle-oo! repaired for next season and beyond, and overall the journey so far has been good…

My insurance is through IMIS – Marcel’s Jackline policy – not the cheapest, but I’m pretty satisfied! They appointed a surveyor to come and evaluate the boat once I’d moved her to New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, RI. The evaluation was pretty quick –  including a discussion with the NEB Service Coordinator there, Ian Mackechnie. We concluded that I would coordinate activities with NEB (commissioning, wiring and mechanical), Cay Electronics (electronics) and Rig-Pro (mast and rigging). This was good as it allowed me to really direct activities to the areas of concern.

Initially, NEB set-to decommissioning the boat, they removed the mast and lifted her out and parked her right next to the Ship’s store – how very convenient. Toodle-oo! then had visits from Cay Electronics and Rig-Pro

Cay Electronics came aboard and gave me a quote for replacement of ALL electronics – 2 chartplotters, 2 GPS, instruments, autopilot, AIS, SSB, Internet booster, VHF, handheld VHF, Stereo… Since my units were obsolete (2007 vintage Raymarine e series) they quoted the latest

Before

  e-series stuff. The surveyor OK’d the lot! Cay pulled everything out just a couple of weeks ago and have now started replacing everything. With our long term cruising plans in mind, this could not have worked out better – not only do we get all the latest toys, perhaps most importantly, the one gripe I’ve had about the boat since we bought her is that the wiring behind all the electronics is a REALLY scary birds nest affair – now we get to have professionally installed wiring – and oh boy, what a great job they are doing of it!

After

After decommissioning and winterizing the boat, NEB have taken on the wiring and have been great – going through everything and have so far replaced: 110V inverter charger, 220V charger, alternator regulator, solar regulator, propane sensor, Espar Heater controls, battery monitors, battery switches, numerous bulbs. The windlass is off being repaired (took a severe hit), the wind generator is going to be replaced and the propshaft is out for replacement of cutlass bearing and shaft seal. They are also preparing the mast for painting (at the top). Once we’re back in the water they will make sure all systems are go – especially regarding generator and engine. Laurie and I feel like the engine is making more noise than it used to – particularly when in gear – so we need to make sure there’s nothing wrong with the drive-train – something that can only really be assessed while in the water…

Rig Pro provided a full appraisal before quoting the repairs and the rigging was the only difficult part with insurance – the surveyor was skeptical that it suffered, but that was an easy argument for me… the backstay insulators (for the SSB antenna) clearly had been damaged as announced in Rig-Pro’s appraisal, plus the windlass had been damaged and the foresails had black marks at each intersection of the furler extrusions – indicating that significant power had traveled down the stays. In the end he agreed to replace all standing rigging including both furlers! He baulked at replacing the mast tube itself!

Oh, and I get the sails washed!

While the damage was significant, the benefits are certainly there – new (professionally installed) electronics, new standing rigging, opportunities to fix little things that have been bugging… all before the next major voyage…

Very happy so far – the insurance while expensive has paid off with lack of hassle – but we still have to get it all back together in the water…

On the downside, the boat is a mess! I hope that with all these folk traipsing through we don’t end up with dents and dings all over the place – but they look like they’re trying to be careful at least…