Windlass The windlass has a problem. Peter told me about it when I bought the boat. Both Donny (another former owner) and Peter warned me to try and fix it before I went cruising this season. As the anchor is being retrieved the gears often slip. This makes getting the anchor up difficult. I had…
Category: Maintenance
Engine, Tender, Wheel House
Engine Merva’s raw water pump had an on-going leak out the back and had build-up a bit of corrosion around the seal between the pump and the engine body. I debated whether to replace the pump (the expensive option or just buy an O-ring gasket.) I opted for a new pump. The old pump came…
Merva’s bits and pieces
I’ve been doing bits and pieces on Merva. Physically the biggest pieces on the interior were the salon sole hatches. The largest was a little over five feet long and thirty inches wide. They are installed and the surrounding original floor (that would be difficult and very disruptive to remove and replace) is sanded and…
Making Things Shiny And New
Well, the wheelhouse windows and doors are finished and installed. A bit of the trim around them needs to be installed, but I’m waiting on screws. I’m replacing trim and one of the panels in the aft wheel house wall. Now that the doors at the back of the cabin are refinished, I’ve installed them…
Merva refinish
Well the holidays are behind us but the work on Merva has continued. I’ve finished varnishing the center curved window and repaired the window wiper. All that time working on those curved windows I worried that I would break one. But now, they are all installed. The last window went in at the same time…
Hatches
The last week has been, for the most part, about hatches and wheelhouse windows. The hatches went back in, as did the windows on the Starboard side. Windows on the Port side came out for stripping and refinish. But the most satisfaction was putting the hatches back on and seeing that they fit. I didn’t…
Hatches
This week was devoted to repairing and rebuilding Merva’s hatches. As I said last time the galley hatch leaked badly. So, I removed the hatch then its combing. At some time in the past the combing must have been stepped on. There was a crack along the forward portion of the frame. In addition, while…
Windows And Doors
Refinishing Merva’s pilot house windows and doors. The door panel is glued back together but the crack will always show. The hardware has been cleaned and after a few more coats of finish the hardware can be installed. Interior of the drop window. Despite its age the teak is beautiful or maybe it’s because it…
Tacoma
It’s been several weeks since we arrived home from our trip bring Merva down from Canada. Except for the storm that kept us pinned down in Friday harbor it was a very good trip. We arrived in Tacoma and docked along the Foss Maritime Museum. We learned a lot about Merva. How she handled, what…
Sold
Well the maintenance on Merva came to an abrupt halt as multiple buyers came on the scene – two on the same day. So refinishing the covering boards and annual varnish refresh is going to be done by the new owner as they see fit. We are taking on Euphemia II but nothing happens until…