Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"  Late on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 23, we sailed Astraea out of Svendsen's Boat Works at Alameda and took her out on the Bay and home.  It was a glorious feeling.  The new engine operated perfectly as we motored the few miles down the Alameda Estuary to the San Francisco Bay.  Once we hit the Bay we raised all the sails to catch the meger 10 knots or so of wind that was blowing, and Astraea was off!  Even in the light winds she was immediately up to 5.5 to 6.0 knots, flying through the water.  It was almost like she was stretching her sea legs after 13 weeks of dirt and grime and riggers and electricians and mechanics.  She sailed like a swan.  The tears in my eyes were not from the wind.  It was pure joy.  It was beautiful.  We took the long way home and arrived back at our long empty dock just as the sun was setting.   As I saw the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance all I could think about was a year from now when, hopefully, if all goes as planned, she and I will go out that world famous Gate and into and then across the wide Pacific Ocean. 

Astraea sailing home after 13 weeks at the boatyard. 

 

Finally, finally, finally.  Sea trials!  On Friday, September 12, Scott, the diesel mechanic who installed the engine, and I took Astraea out for a test run.  Wow, did it feel great to get behind the wheel again after almost three months.  I was delighted that the engine vibration was almost undetectable from the cockpit.  The old 3-cylinder Isuzu made the entire boat vibrate.  This larger 4-cylinder Westerbeke was smooth!  As I backed out of the slip I was amazed at how effortlessly the transmission moved between forward and reverse.  I was used to the transmission "ssticking" as sit moved through neutral and a big "clank" when it went into reverse.  Now it was noiseless and effortless.  Sweet.  Here is what the new engine looks like.  Scott did an incedible job.  (Which should be expected for what this is costing us!).  Every hose and every wire is neatly bundled and attached. 

The only problem was she could not make 3000 RPM, all we could achieve was 2700.  This means that we need to take an inch of pitch out of the prop.  This will mean probably another week or more in the yards.  I am ready to take her home, but there are a few kinks to work out first. 

Anyway, here is the way the engine looks.  Beautiful! 

The last time that Astraea was in Svendsen's Boat Works the work dragged out and dragged out and little work was done.  Finally I lost my patience and took Astraea home without all of the work being done and I told the boat yard management that they had just lost a loyal customer, that I was tired of the lack of respect and lack of priority.  Mr. Svendsen personally called me up and told me that if I would continue as their customer that he would assure me that this would not happen again. 

I took him at his word, and decided to once again return to Svendsen's Boat Works to have my boat repowered and the new electronics installed.  However, as before, time keeps passing and no work gets done.  All I hear is tales of woes about staffing.  This, however, is not my problem.  When we arranged this yard period last April (200 I was not told there were "staffing" problems.

So, on Monday, August 11, when I visited the boat and another day had gone by with now work, I met with Mr. Svendsen and told him how his people had damaged my boat, were treating it with no respect, and were getting no work done.  He assured me he would take care of this immediately and apparently he did, as work has started again. 

Wednesday, August 13.  Now that the yard staff has begun looking at the work to be done they have realized that the new Westerbeke does not fit on the same fiberglass bed the Isuzu used.  This meant cutting out part of the old fiberglass engine bed and rebuilding it.  Of course the pristine newly painted bilges will be trashed in the process and have to be repainted again.  Piss poor planning.  However at least the work has started again. 

Modifications to engine bed in progress.  Will require re-painting the engine compartment and delays the installation of the new engine while the new base is built and the epoxy dries. 

Also, they have started working on the electronics, finally.  Perhaps now that Mr. Svendsen has stepped in we will see some progress. 

Also, Sal of Sal's Inflatibles inspected our life raft.  He thinks there is a hole in the floor, but we are awaiting his final report.  Here Bob looks over the life raft with some skepticism.  Not sure if I will ever make an offshore sailor out of him. 

The bilges are complete and have a couple of coats of Interlux Bilkgekoat on them.  Such a huge improvement.  I was surprised to get the bill from Seashine for the bilge cleaning.  It was only $400 plus $77 for getting rid of the oily water.  They did a great job and this is less than I expected, so I was pleasantly surprised. 

This past week was rough.  The riggers really scarred up my teak bulkheads when they removed the old engine.  They did not take the trouble to protect the interior teak bulkheads with cardboard or other protection, and really scratched and dinted the teak.  I would expect this in some third world country, but not from Svendsen's.  I am rather appalled.  Also, when they were removing the engine they removed the ladder that connects the interior with the cockpit and in so doing they took my new $6,000 Windslow Offshore life raft and tossed it like a bag of trash onto the quarter berth and on top of a bunch of tools.  The result was a ripped and torn valise with at least two puncture holes into the vacuum packed life raft.  This is unthinkable.  The life raft is now at Sal's Inflatibles for inspection and repair.  However if there are actually holes in the life raft itself then I am going to insist that Svendsen's replace it.  I refuse to have a patched life raft. 

Also, they have moved Astraea around the yard to three different berths.  Without an engine they just warp her.  They have now managed to put a huge gouge down the side of the boat where they apparently dragged her across some sharp object like a large nail or bolt.  This is not a scratch, but a gouge all the way through the gelcoat and into the mat. 

So, they damaged my teak interior, damaged my life raft, and gouged my sides.  Is this Alameda or is this Costa Rica?  I sometimes feel that the workers at Svendsens do not treat my boat with the respect she deserves, particularly given the fact that I have thus far spent well over $100K with them and am spending a lot more right now. 

The yard has started on repair work on some areas of teak decking.  These teak decks make the boat a Cheoy Lee, and I love them.  However they expensive and a pain in the butt.  One piece was broken and is being replaced.  There are two pieces along each side running along the toerail which had been removed by a former owner, apparently to caulk the seam at the deck/toerail.  The teak was not replaced.  This creates a low spot along each toerail where water sits until it evaporates, making it always dirty and leaving water in contact with that join.  Even the best caulk will not stand up for long under those conditions.  Therefore the yard will be replacing those pieces at a cost of almost $4K.  Outrageous. 

I had thought about taking the boat to Mexico and having the teak replaced there.  They do a great job at Baja Naval in Ensenada.  However I have decided not to do that for a couple of reasons.  First, it would still probably be $30K even in Mexico;  also they would probably use plantation teak from South America, which is soft.  I have decided to take very good care of my decks for the next few years and, hopefully, be in Thailand one of these days and have them replaced there where I can get good quality Burmese Teak.  Also the labor rates will be much less there than in San Francisco or even Mexico.  So for now, will live with the decks and sink a few thousand into repairs.

Today delivered the v-berth cushions and the quarter berth cushions to Farr Upholstery in Alameda.  Am having them reproduced with new foam and new upholstery that will go with the existing upholstery in the main cabin.  The main cabin upholstery is a brocade which I would not have personally chosen, however the former owner, Ingrid, made them and they are beautifully tailored and made out of really tough brocade material.  I am therefore going to keep them and will match the new cushions to them in a solid color, a medium moss green that will compliment the multi-colored brocade. 

 

Well, we are at five weeks plus one day today but work is going well.  Seashine has finished cleaning out the bilges and the boat yard people have scraped all the loose paint out of the bilges and prepared it for painting.  Here are pictures of the clean bilges and engine compartment.  Looks really empty! 

At the same time they are loading new galvanized anchor chain, 400 feet.  This replaces the old 125 feet or rusty chain.  This new stuff has a working strenth of 5400 lb and a breaking strength of 16,200 pounds.  With 400 feet I should be set to anchor just about anywhere! 

When I left the boat today at lunch time they were starting to paint the bilges.  I am anxious to see them all white, but even more anxious to see the new engine installed! 

One unfortunate thing happened, and the workmen damaged my new Winslow Offshore life raft when they moved it and placed it on top of some sharp tools.  Fortunately the boat yard took responsibility and told me to take the life raft to Sals Inflatibles and they would have it repaired. 

 

Today is four weeks since I delivered Astraea to Svendsen's Boat Works.  Work has finally started in ernest.  Hurray!  Scott has the trusty old Isuzu completely disconnected and ready to pull.  How he gets that heavy old Isuzu out of the boat should be interesting.  I don't think that process is something that I would want to observe. 

Meanwhile, Chris is up the mizzen removing the triatic and preparing to pull the mizzen mast in order that they can raise the boom and also install the new Furuno radome. 

Chris at the top of the mizzen removing the triatic in preparing to remove the mizzen mast.

Scott has the trusty old Isuzu ready to pull. 

Finally, on Monday, July 21, 2008, after almost four weeks sitting at Svendsen's Boat Works, the work has begun.  The boat was moved over to the "active" work area and Scott, their diesel mechanic, has started to disassemble the old Isuzu to remove it from the boat.  Not much so far, but it is a start. 

 

On June 25 Astraea entered Svendsen's Boat Works in Alameda, California, for her sixth time since I purchased her in July 2005.  Also, interestingly, the original owner used Svendsen's when Astraea was new in 1983, so she has been coming to Svendsen's for 25 years now. 

Astraea has been at Svendsen's for two weeks now and I would have hoped that by now they would have started removing the old engine and cleaning and painting the bilges and getting her ready for installing the new Westerbeke.  The new engine is enroute from the East Coast, but apparently it will sit in the shop and wait until they are ready to install it.  Also, no work has been done on installing the new Furuno electronics, although all of the electronics are sitting and waiting.   There is lots of work to do, but nothing has started.   

Anyway, we will wait and see when they start the work.  To date, after two weeks, there is nothing to report.   Nada.  Nothing.  Zip.  Zero. 

Stay tuned for any updates, whenever they may be.     

 

Our First Trip to Angel Island

OK, now this is strange, but in two years we had never sailed to Angel Island for the day, and it is only about five miles from our home port in Emery Cove.  So on September 29, 2007 we took off early in the morning in order to get a good berth at the guest docks.  It was an incredible day! 

 

I hate to say it, but only been out a few times during the winter.  We are not that big on sailing when it is cold (by SF standards anything under 60 degrees).   We engaged our instructor Suzette Smith of Modern Sailing to go out with us both weekend days and we had a great learning experience.  After we dropped her off Saturday afternoon we moore off of Sausalito Yacht Club, had a couple of beers at the Club, and then a great dinner on the waterfront in Sausalito at Poggio's Italian Restaurant.  A great weekend! 

Here we are entering Richardson Bay off Sausalito.  The wind was about 15 knots and we were flying at over nine knots.  Great sailing! 

We just had our new sails recut by Rooster Sails and they are MUCH better now.  Great sail shape. 

 

View of Astraea from the Sausalito Yacht Club bar. 

She is definitely the prettiest girl in the Bay, at least to us! 

 

At the mooring in Richardson Bay with the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. 

 

Sunrise in Richardson Bay.

 

A New Day in San Francisco Bay, April 1, 2007.  We were shortly underway and sailing again!