aegir-ran

After six months of work, the refit is finished. Aegir-Ran received a through washing today in preparation for splashing in the morning.

After seven weeks, the mast has been restepped. She’s no longer an RV but rather a sailboat again.

I ordered a new LED anchor light that is supposed to turn on automatically at night. Imagine my disappointment when I installed the light (after an eleven-hour round-trip to Tucson to pick it up) to learn that it emitted RED light! The company I ordered it from apologized and sent a replacement. After another trip to Tucson to pick it up, imagine my continued disappointment to learn that the new light has a different mount AND it does not have the automatic on/off feature. A call to the company confirmed that the lamp they sent me is all that they have. Since I am restepping the mast in a couple of days, I did not have time to arrange for a new light, but I really wanted the automatic on/off feature. So … I ordered a small circuit board from Amazon (with one-day service) that is designed to turn automobile headlights on automatically at night. Naturally, the circuit board came with ZERO instructions. Here I am doing a quick test of the circuit using my car battery to confirm that it works.

The white wire in the lower left had the photodiode at the end (covered with black electrical tape). A few tests demonstrated the relay on the board can either be configured normally on or off. The first time I wired it backwards (the anchor light was on during the day), but switching a couple of wires fixed the problem. Since I imagine this add-on would be of interest to other sailors, I will post the details later.

For weeks ago I discovered one of the tangs on the spreader had nearly pulled out. I ha a stainless steel cap made, which was installed today. Note I had a bracket welded on for a small block the starboard side (for courtesy flags) and the port side (for a radar reflector).

I also sewed on leather boots:

I know this may seem trivial … but the tiller was installed this morning. It has been six months since the tiller/rudder was complete. Somehow, this seems momentous. I am very pleased with the esthetics of the rudder rebuild … so much better than the ugly stainless cap that was about to be put on by the previous owner.

The instrument panels were installed in the cockpit today. Enough room was left to the left to install the Standard Horizon SSM-70H 2.5″ Wired Remote Access Microphone (RAM4).

All of the instruments in the cockpit have been replaced except for the Westerbeke Diesel engine instrument panel. The panel looked pretty weathers. However, it was possible to buy spare parts for the panel, including the bezel, Plexiglass window, and rubber covers for the buttons. The challenge was to move the instruments to the new bezel. There were perhaps 50 wire connections. A label-maker was used to label all of the terminals and the wires.

The final result was a new-looking panel.

Note a new Westerbeke Admiral Instrument Panel costs $750, but the cost for replacing the bezel, window, button covers and a new ignition with was about $100.

I replaced the rusty vinyl-coated steel cable lifelines today with 1/4″ Dyneema using Johnson Marine fittings:

Taper the tail:

Bury the tail:

Two different Brummel splices are used. Fittings that are too large to fit through lock-splice are put on first using Brummel lock splice where both ends free. For the smaller fitting that can pass through the rope, a Brummel lock place is used for one end attached. The additional step in the later splice re-inverts the rope after passing the fitting through the tail.

In prepping the mast for painting,

I discovered a tang for one of the upper spreader stays has partially pulled out and was bent.

There is come corrosion of the aluminum, so a significant repair/reenforcement is called for. I have designed a stainless steel cap and Rafael is manufacturing it for me.