New owner of CSY 44 WT

[Doug Vaughn]

Returned with the boat (3/3) and all went well!! I completed many small projects while in Mobile but the bottom had not been removed for me to complete the epoxy barrier coat. The new rudder is installed and working perfectly. The holes in the heel plate did not match exactly with the ones in the skeg so I had to fill them with epoxy then drill new ones. All thru-hulls are in and work great.  It was a miserable cold and wet week in Mobile but the Turner Marine people couldn’t have been better, I recommend them highly if you ever get to Mobile.
Tomorrow I am also contacting my mechanic and refrigeration mechanic to go through each system and give me their diagnosis and suggest any work needed.
I hope to splash on or before the 22nd... we'll see how that goes. I will be working on the standing rigging and re-working the mast as well and hope to step the mast sometime in early April. Again, we'll see how it goes. Overall, I am on budget and time line. I am aiming for a quick shakedown cruise to the Keys or Bahamas in June but will hopefully have my brother help with a quick trip in local waters to find any obvious bugs. I'll keep posting as I go.
3/12 More updates - Have been feverishly working on the boat since she arrived. Bottom paint removed, faired hull, second coat of penetrating epoxy barrier coat, connected and adjusted all steering cables and connection ( I still have the pillow bearing on the rudder post to install), and a bunch of minor details. I started on servicing the diesel and transmission today as it rained hard all day long . Finished installing the refurbished strainers and connected all thru-hulls to new hoses with new double clamps

[Peter Roach]

Doug - keep it up. You are a machine!

Keep us informed and congratulations on getting a great boat.

[Doug Vaughn]

3/19 Today the surveyor comes so I can get insurance (I will report on that later). Finished 2 more coats of thick epoxy barrier coat and added an extra layer to the areas around the thru-hulls and keel to hull curve. Today I finish the 2nd and 3rd coats of bottom paint and begin finishing off the new rudder. It needs 2 coats of white epoxy barrier coats and the 3 coats of bottom paint. She then will be ready to go in the water scheduled for Monday! Other projects going on as well but they can be finished with the boat in the water. More to follow.... and pics too...

[Doug Vaughn]

Spent 2 full days finishing the hull and rudder, final epoxy coat on rudder and completed the bottom paint. Made final preparations for the splash which is scheduled for tomorrow. Treated the prop and all bronze thru-hulls and prop shaft with Prop-Speed and finally loaded up ground tackle, dock lines and USCG required equipment. Here is a pic of the boat before the rudder was completed. Once the boat is at her dock I turn my attention toward the mast refurb.

[Doug Vaughn]

3/21 Finally was able to put the boat in the water. All went well until I realized I did not replace the corroded bolt in the bottom of the raw water sea strainer for the engine. Had to postpone leaving about an hour until I found a workable bolt to use as a temporary fix. New seacocks and thru-hulls were perfect, bone dry. The 3 1/2 hour trip to my slip went flawless as well. Made 7.5 knots at 1400 RPM but I had a strong following tide to push me as well. Without the help of the tide, I made 6.8 knots at 1500 RPM. Engine stayed at a steady 180 degrees, had good steady oil pressure, batteries were charging and the diesel just purred. How sweet!!

[Doug Vaughn]

4/18/2010 Yesterday was the culmination of 3 solid months of daily work on the boat. We had our christening! Accompanied by my wife and good friends Janet and Chris, we took the boat into Port Salerno. This was the first test of my measurements for the height of the mast. As you may recall, I had to cut the mast height down to the standard height above water to 54’. This would allow me to get under the lowest of the three bridges at 54’ at high tide. I allowed and extra 3” and finished the height at 53’-9” for a small cushion. Went through at low tide without a problem!!
The party was a great success with many friends attending as well as other CSY 44 owners Jules and Linda and our special guest; the previous owners Rich and Debi who were so helpful with information about the boat before I got her. Lots of fun!! Now to press on…..
The picture is of my wife Rosie busting the champayne bottle on the stem fitting.

[Susan Brailey & Mike Craddy]

CONGRATULATIONS..........Happy sailing

Sue & Mike

[Doug Vaughn]

6/5/10 I’m finally legal!
Two things got accomplished today that have been weighing on my mind and taking forever. The first was finally finishing the new holding tank project. The old one was only six gallons and was not connected to the deck fitting so it could be pumped out legally. It only could be dumped overboard by a manual pump, not smart around here with all the water authorities; Coast Guard, marine patrol, local city and county cops, all with the authority to board your boat and have a look around. I replaced it with a 28 gallon top of the line tank with all the bells and whistles already installed; filtered air vent line, offshore pump out 12 volt motor, tank monitoring system and it all fit nice under the forward “V” berth. The best part, got it at 60% off at the local West Marine. They are in the middle of moving so everything must go. Also picked up all the high grade hoses which were 75% off. Tested the system and all works perfectly. Now for the aft head!
So where is the best place to put a holding tank in to service the aft head?
The second thing, I finally got my documentation papers from the USCG. Now I can actually prove I own the boat!

[Richard Hood]

Doug, nice install.  Could you ID the tank and manufacture?  I have the same projects on the the list for our boat  44wo.  Have look into the Lectrasan for the aft head.  The original tank was up in the port cockpit seat locker but that seems like a long way to pump.

Thanks

[Peter Roach]

Doug, It looks like you got a VacuFlush tank vacuum tax. It should last forever. It is truely the top of the line tank. And, if you ever want to refit with a VacuFlush you have the tank.

[Warren Daniels]

Doug,
The tank for the aft head goes under the bed in the aft birth, anywise, that is where mine is at. It is the same size as the one in the V birth.  Did you get my PM? 
Warren

[Doug Vaughn]

Richard, it is made by Dometic, who owns the company Sealand Waste Systems. It is a model 28 (27.5 gal capacity). I would have never spent the retail amount on this but the price was right and it would fit nicely under the "V" berth: 19" wide x 19" tall x 30" long. Good luck on your project!
http://www.sealandtechnology.com/productpages.asp?pid=35

[Sherry McCampbell]

Doug,

We finally got internet for long enough to do some browsing around.  I checked out your blog and wanted to congratulate you on 'getting going'.  Nice blog, and thanks for sharing.

http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sailndoug/

Sorry to hear your quick Keys trip didn't pan out, but there will be another time.  Hope ya got all that salt water cleaned up.

Nothing like 'lessons (re)learned the hard way'!!