Vira - Sailboat rebuild, Irwin Citation 34

Lake Travis going lower and lower I was moved to new, and I hope permanent dock where Vira will live till refitting complete and she will travel to BIG water. Arrow shows top of my mast (highest one) Sad boats.... last winter water was more than 6' over the boat i sailed over it. Other sad one. Electric system       Added wires for electric toilet, refrigerator, autopilot, pumps. Ordered wires on hull sides Tested original battery charger - and surprise! it is broken. No sufficient charge current, just slight pulsing. Installed  5Ax3 new battery charger on temporary place.     Cockpit drain  Second Cockpit drain replaced.   Just look on original one! In fact Irwin used foil thick brass kitchen sink drains instead. I replaces with Forespar CF254 Marelon Flush Head Deck Drains     Engine room vents. Installed tubing terminals to keep vent hose next on the vents. Have no idea how Irwin did hold them, looks like they drilled openin...

Mast, sails. Preparing to sail lake in 2 weeks. Mast stays well, all stays tighten, and adjusted, Furler fixed. Put Genoa back after furler and front stay repair.  Repaired the sail, it had teared umbrella cover and some stitches in spreaders touching area area. now it looks like new. And, yes 34' boat Genoa is a big cloth! Furler tested, works well everything is moving as expected.      Mast top Had one more travel to mast top, it is very simple with  permanent steps. As part of sail day I planned in two weeks, I would like to install Windex,  installing windex i need to make sure VHF antenna is not interfering with it, so install antenna as well, but antenna cable is very old and not good to be used any more, so I replaced cable as well to molded in connector on the mast top. Windex installed Windows Long day - Route new openings for 5  windows.    I used CNC machined template to cut openings with proper angle to horizon. Template is made f...

 Mast, front stay. Reinstalled front stay and furler. Mast stays without any additional support!  Originally I looked to replace whole cable, but then found the problem with stay was very likely caused by jib halyard wrapping.    As soon all other standing rigging is in pretty fair condition and only top 2 inch of front stay was damaged, I shortened it on top, replaced wedge in the sta-lock and added 2 custom made 0.137" thick plates on the bottom side of the stay (fortunately furler is able to accommodate it).   Removing clevis pin was a challenge. Previous owner installed mild steel split pins on both sides and they rusted there.   All above is pre-history. That day we just installed front stay and furler back on place. It is fun, but after tightening front stay length appeared to have exact right length to connect foil and coil part of furler. So, now i am ready to put repaired (repair cost me $140) genoa sail back.  Port windows Spend rest of th...

  Mast steps fabrication. Inspired by Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_hD4dJGUgM , I decided to make steps in my house.   As stock I used 6063-T52  0.1875x1.25x12" aluminum bar. I found it on Xometry site for https://supplies.xometry.com/6063-aluminum-bar-rectangleom-18084-12-0.html $1.44  per piece. Originally, I planned to bend bar in vise but when i did the bend i figured there too much stress on 90 degree bend if you do it over sharp corner, vise jaws marks hard to do middle bands as well, due to vise screw appears on the stock way.  So, i would need to have bender to do radius bend. Buying  bender for one-time-use I decided too much. I built one from pieces of metal i had in my garage. Pats used: Steel angle 1.5" - ~10" length Steel bar 1.5x0.25x16" - two bars for turn lever 3 x 1/2" bolts with nuts and washers. 4 ball bearings ID 1/2 Drilled holes , cut a little with angle grinder, than screw all together.   Screw to the workbench. Bende...

Mast steps Installed permanent mast steps, Why permanent? Because I likely will sail and maintain boat 99% singlehanded and I want to be easy, safe and have access to my mast top. To prevent comments, I should not do it, Yes, I admit, bit lost in performance, some weight added to mast and possibly some lost in mast strength  - 2x4.7mm holes on one level on 500mm mast perimeter - coming to about 2%, however it is nothing compare to  halyard exit slots and cable out holes. Steps was made form 6063-T52  0.1875x1.25x12" aluminum bar. It is less strong than 6061 and 5052, but has good anti-corrosion properties.  More information about steps manufacturing process will put in special article about. Yes, I manufactured them. Looks little odd, but during the tome I installed them, two people walking thru the dock said thay want to have the same. ;)  Windows  Work in progress. With son's help removed old, cracked, leaking plastic windows to replace with new plastic. ...