Vira - Sailboat rebuild, Irwin Citation 34

 Fresh water plumping replacement Do not try to do better if it works! Short story, My boat 40 years old and all hoses are original. All of them Are hardened and start cracking. I do not want to wait until they bust. I made decision to replace old PVC hoses with PEX-A tubing.    Why PEX-A? It is pretty simple  "crimping" process. Connection are possible in pretty in hard to access places due to you can expand pipe in comfortable place and then install it. Beside price I would point other reasons: fittings are expensive but not so high as Shark bite, no metal collars (vs PEX-B) - no corrosion, expansion tool is not very expensive. It is easy to say - replace tubing.  In mind I imagine simple process - take off clamps,  connect PEX tube to old hose with some insert plug  and duct tape, and then pull new tube using old hose as guide. Simple enough. Right? Sounds like couple hours to do. In reality I spent 4 days to pull hoses and put PEX tubing.  Wh...

 Interior Front cabin almost done, trimming left to do and we will be good. Little bit boat yoga     Head walls sanding before front cabin neoprene walls in-liner installation (to eliminate unnecessary dust exposure). Thru-hulls  New bronze pipe-to-hose adapters installed. Yes it is rat nest, but boat in the water and i do not see way to redo it. Only one plastic adapter left Deck Front hatch re-sanded, re-bedded and re-assembled  <<< pictures will be later>>>

Interior Front cabin cleaning to be ready to install ceiling  and  sides cover/isolation. All internal gelcoat in v-berth area is lightly sanded and polished. now it looks almost like new. Sides... attempt to de-wax with interlux 202. As result made more mess than it was.   Made templates for all front cabin parts  Dry fit of  navigation station face plate. Desk countertop cut to install folding table hinges. That is it. Not much visible progress.

 Big weekend Standing rigging Backstay shackle elimination. Main concern was 2000lb shackle used in backstay. sure chain is not the best solution too, but at least it is the same strength as wire rope. Was: It is now. two plated and two 1/2" pins. Plates are thicker than existing chainplate. Water Fresh Water tanks test. Tanks filled to top lid, actually overfilled (up to height of lid top)  to make sure lids are sealed well. I did lids sealing different way. Big tank lid perimeter sealed with butyl tape, and fittings with 3M 4200. Small one with silicon sealer. Will see what will work longer.  Just several grades of white in brand new tank during the filling . I had some places where coating ruined, but it is just cosmetically inside the tank. Sceth to make humps to protect electric level sensors and make surface easier to sit on. Test went well, both tanks filled full, checked gravity transfer from bigger to filling small tank from big one.  Gray water, Holding tan...