The first eleven days have flown by, and it is touch and go whether I will
get everything completed. The way I see it, as long as the propellers are
back in before we launch then I can do pretty much anything else at sea
(although repairing the outboard is difficult when you are bouncing around in
waves).
- The props are filled and primed ready for copper coating. That was a
bigger job than I planned. It didn’t help that the boatyard has been
sanding Anastasia’s hull over the last couple of days, which has limited the
time available for working on the props because the air has been full of toxic
dust. (They were wearing full body suits with masks and respirators.)
- Removing the cutlass bearings was a full day job. I am always too
cautious about cutting too far through the bearing and damaging the housing,
which means it is really hard to make the fold in the bearings to aid in
removal. Then I found that the replacement bearings I brought from the
UK are the wrong size. The bore is correctly 35mm but the external
diameter is 1 7/8 inches (48mm), not the 50mm I brought. Why would
Catana do that?
- I removed the prop shaft couplings and cleaned and primed them ready for
re-installation of the props.
- I installed new bathroom fixtures in the starboard hull while waiting for
breathable air outside.
- I discovered the outboard steering bearing was completely rusted up and
taking it apart for repair has proven a challenge. Why does Yamaha use
steel bolts inside steel sleeves in so many places? It is just asking
for the bolts to seize up completely. It would really have been quicker
to just cut all the bolts with an angle grinder and replace them. I may
yet have to do that, given there are two bolts I have not yet managed to
release, but I will try with a heat gun first. No guarantee that if I
cut a bolt I will find the correct replacement on Grenada, although I am
thinking that I can make anything I need from threaded stainless steel rod and
nuts.
Here are some photos of the more interesting(?) parts work.
The pitting was really quite severe on some of the prop blades
The guy in the chandlery suggested filling with stuff called JB weld, a
metal reinforced epoxy filler
The filler sticks well enough that it can be sanded down flush with the
good parts of the blades
And when they are primed with epoxy undercoat the prop blades look good as
new
I got caught out by the “no see ems” (midges) that live in the shade under
Anastasia. They really like eating my ankles. I am making sure I
wear plenty of repellent now.
This cutlass bearing was a real bugger to roll up for removal
