NOT GIVING UP - just excited to see a good post! By the way My boat is in the water!

Comment

Comment by Greg & Angie Wheeler on October 10, 2020 at 8:55pm

Getting used to the boats handling and what it can and can't do are a walk in the park compared to all you have accomplished, now you can begin to enjoy just spending time aboard. Please post photos when you have a chance.

I'm still in the process of repairing, the decks, yesterday I removed all the loose areas of deck paint on the main cabin roof, it looked horrible with lots of lifting paint, several layers thick in some places. I was worried it would be rotted in some of those areas but was happy to see that there were no areas where it was soft, or had penetrated to fiberglass. I sealed around the areas I had removed paint with git rot, 2 part epoxy. West systems or any other epoxy would have done the same, but I always have git rot on the boat so used that. 

I may be kidding myself but I think it well help to keep those areas from lifting any further, I used that treatment on an area of the side deck and it stabilized it so the edges of the old finish don't keep lifting. 

Next step is to patch all those areas with Formula 27 two part filler, I'm going to need lots, then I'm not sure if I need to prime it all before applying the Kiwi Grip deck, I'll have to look into that. 

I'll keep posting as I go.

Comment by bob mitchell on October 10, 2020 at 8:34am

Thanks, and I agree, but I am at that stage of questioning every little noise, and frankly, acquiring confidence in my abilities. You got to remember that I never had a functioning Newporter, and really did not know what to expect. 14 tons with a slow response (relative to my previous experiences) is intimidating, especially on a river with heavy current and wind, sometimes working together, sometimes in opposition! It did not take me long to figure out that there are some things that the boat just will not do. Fundamentally I am having to learn to think like a Newporter. That means using the elements to accomplish maneuvers instead of thinking you are going to overcome them with the boat. 
    The other day I was on a 20 miles break in the engine and seat the rings run by loading up the engine. This is supposed to be done first thing in an engines life, but I was a little late with a couple of hours on the engine from occasional extremely short on land runs to keep the fuel pump seals etc from drying out. Hopefully I was successful , time will tell. She seems to run around 7 mph at 1700 rpms. I am satisfied with that.  At much higher rpms she exceeds hull speed of 1.34 times the square root of waterline (32 feet) = 7.58 .  But don’t think I know what I am talking about because when I ran it at higher rpms I looked over the stern and the exhaust pipe was almost submerged as she squatted down. I freaked. Took me a day or two to realize that it was ok - that that’s what happens when you exceed hull speed. 
             At this point I have been living on boat for three weeks in a beautiful spot at the tip of Williams island that I have named “moon hill landing”.  I am waiting for the “stars to align” to step the masts. Hopefully next week.  Don’t be surprised at the modifications I have made - in my head she is more of an old man work boat live aboard than an ocean cruiser. Name is “Deborah’s Lee” .

Comment by Greg & Angie Wheeler on October 8, 2020 at 10:40pm

Bob,

Glad to hear that you are in the water, that's a huge step! You have a virtually NEW Newporter, newly rebuilt engine, I'd be planning a cruise, get out there and have an adventure. I hope you are able to enjoy the fruits of all your labor, and not worry so much about the final touches, you can do all that later. 

Comment by George Cavanagh on September 30, 2020 at 8:48am

wow, awesome, pictures?