Dove, #318: Major Projects in the Works

[triton318]

Some background:

I purchased Dove (formerly Aeolus) in November 1999 for $500.00. She was on the hard at Herrington Harbor North, near Deale, Maryland. At the time I had a Cal 25 (a great boat), but I was on the lookout for something in which I could realize my life-long dream of sailing around the world. It didn't matter that she needed some work--at the time, I had 12 years before I could take off.

I decided to put a lot of time, money, and work into restoring her. "Restoring," however, may not be the right word. My plan wasn't to restore the boat to its original specifications. What I intended to do was make a safe, seaworthy, comfortable vessel.

For the next year and a half (around the same time Tim was working on Glissando--and I remember emailing him often and asking for his advice and help), I made the two and a half hour round trip drive out to the marina two or three times a month and poured my money and soul into that boat. Among some of the projects I accomplished:

Removed the A-4 and gas tank and hung an outboard on the transom
Removed every fitting from the deck, including all the wood
Recored about 2/3 of the deck and 1/6 of the cabin top
Gutted the interior and rebuilt it with more storage space
Installed a new Lavac head and holding tank
Painted the interior, topsides, and hull
Installed new bow pulpit
Replaced all the standing rigging (bought wire in bulk and Sta-Lock fittings) and all the running rigging
Made a new rudder and had a new rudder post built
Laminated a new tiller
Built new coamings, grab rails, companionway hatch trim, drop boards
Replaced the four, large cabin deadlights
And more stuff I can't even remember!

You can see some pictures here:

http://tritonclass.org/mir/318ps1.html
http://tritonclass.org/mir/318ps3.html
http://tritonclass.org/mir/318ps5.html
http://tritonclass.org/mir/318ps2.html
http://tritonclass.org/mir/318ps4.html
http://tritonclass.org/mir/318ps6.html

From August of 2001 to recently, I have been sailing Dove on the Chesapeake Bay; first up around Annapolis, and then down near Hampton Roads. I found, however, that I was sailing less and less. With three active teenage kids, I'm forever going from one activity to another. Besides, I was never one for just sailing for the sake of sailing--I like to be going somewhere. I like to look over the bow at the open water and know there's a destination one or two days or weeks in the future.

My two 15 year olds will graduate from high school in three years. That is when I plan to take off. Where? Everywhere...everywhere I've always wanted to go. Growing up, reading National Geographics and Slocum's and Pidgeon's books, and spending four years in the Navy and making two western Pacific deployments, I was ready to see the world from the deck of a sailboat. Well...life happened and I had to put my dream on hold.

But the time is drawing closer to when I will finally leave. And I'll be leaving aboard my 1962 Pearson Triton! So I'm going to spend the next year or so doing some work to the boat, taking my time, thinking things through, and doing things right. (I hope!)

I never documented the first re-fit. I did ask a lot of questions of people, looked through a lot of books, and found a lot of information on the Internet. As I commence this next round of projects, I'm happy that I will be able to tap into the vast wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise found in the members of this wonderful forum.

So...be forewarned! I will be posting some pictures and some narrative of the work I'm about to undertake. My son and I pulled the mast off yesterday and the boat will be hauled out next Friday morning at 7:30. I'm excited about working on the boat again. I'm excited knowing that when the boat goes back in the water, she will be ready to cross oceans. It still may be a year or more before we do, but she'll be ready.

[Tim]

So...be forewarned! I will be posting some pictures and some narrative of the work I'm about to undertake.

Good! Bring it on.

Enjoy, the process, and we hope to enjoy watching.

[triton318]

I've read where people have filled in the prop aperture (having removed their inboard engine) with foam and then glassed over it. Is there a special kind of foam to use? I'm guessing you need something that won't be dissolved by the resin when you glass over the foam.

Thanks.

[kendall]

If you use epoxy resin pretty much any foam will work, for polyester resin use the yellow polyiso foam, doesn't seem to be affected by the resin,s and when sanded to shape has an 'open' surface that helps the resin to adhere better. It's waterproof, and easy to sand and carve to shape.
Understand the blue stuff works well for poly resin too, but I've never tried it.

Ken.

[triton318]

I've decided to put on hold all of the projects I have planned for the Triton. Instead, I purchased a 1965 Corinthian (Bristol 19) for $350.00. I'll be bringing it home soon, and then I'm going to spend four or five months getting her ready to be a safe, comfortable, sea-worthy pocket cruiser. Then I'll have something to cruise while I take my time getting the Triton ready to sail around the world. When I leave (summer of 2012), I'll give the Bristol to my son (who's going to help with the restoration).

[cantstopnow]

Buying the "INEXPENSIVE" boats always seems as though it comes a bit easier than getting them in the water. That has been my experience at least.
Sounds like a great plan though.