Chapter 8 - Caring For Your Boat

In the previous chapters in this book we have discussed sailing principles, sailboat living, safety, and so on but unless you take care of your boat and its sails, all the "dope" given in those chapters may be for naught. For if your sailboat isn't in the best of condition, you can't expect it to perform its best. Fortunately, the modern fiberglass sailboat requires very little care and maintenance. Unlike the old wood hull, which required almost as much work time on land as the time you spent on the water, the new fiberglass boats are designed for the least possible amount of work.

Mid Seas On Care

Sailboat maintenance is a year-round job. Most of us give our boats the needed time in the fall to haul them up properly and during the winter and spring to fit them out in the best possible way. This is all good. However, all too many of us think that the summer is for sailing only and drop all maintenance work. But care and maintenance during the sailing season itself is just as important.

For example, you can't obtain the full speed from your craft if its bottom is dirty or covered with slime. Despite the improvements in hull materials and bottom paints and the stepping up of their anti-fouling properties, the formation of slime and marine growths still constitutes a problem that all sailboat owners must face. The most effective means of overcoming this is to haul the craft out occasionally (about once a month or every six weeks) and scrub its bottom. To make the slime removal task easier, use a stiff brush, fresh water, and strong soap or detergent. A high gloss on your fiberglass hull can be achieved with the use of a good paste or liquid wax at the time of cleaning.

Check all rope and wire splices, spinnaker halyard, spinnaker guys, main and jib sheets. All wire rigging should be examined for broken strands and fatigue, especially where the wire passes over sheaves. If the strands fly out when the wire is bent, the wire probably needs replacing. If it looks rusty, it may not require replacing at once but should be inspected frequently. The rigging and the wire halyards should be run through a greasy rag occasionally, but not too much or the grease will be transferred to the sails. Wire rope can also be protected by finishing it with aluminum paint that has been thinned with turpentine and linseed oil. The linseed oil penetrates to lubricate the rope internally. Oil all blocks occasionally to insure that the sheets run freely.

Before each trip in your boat, the bilge should be pumped dry, then sponged out to remove any trace of water. It's a good idea to cover the cockpit to prevent rain water from getting into the bilge. Get a cover that's not only a good fit but a good rain-shedder as well. It shouldn't have pockets that form reservoirs for water. Stretching your cover over a couple of removable battens arched across your cockpit will prevent this. You can buy gunwale sockets for such battens. Actually, the properly fitting cockpit cover and the accessories can be purchased from your marine dealer. To install, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Most fiberglass hulls have safety or air tanks in the bow and stern. These tanks should be checked from time to time during the sailing season by removing the thermos bottle type plugs to drain out any water which may have accumulated from condensation.

Sail Care

If your boat hull is poorly maintained, it's quickly and obviously unseaworthy and unsafe. But a neglected set of sails will still drive a craft after a fashion not with a great deal of efficiency, though, and not for too long. A well-cared-for hull will probably draw more attention than a well-maintained set of sails, but good sail care pays off in other ways maximum efficiency and substantially longer lasting performance for a very small cost in terms of money and time.

Dacron sails require very little care. But, if you can help it, never let oil or grease get on your sails. If this should occur, however, remove spots with carbon tetrachloride cleaning fluids. Two things to avoid with dacron sails are extreme heat (like lighted cigarettes) and sharp creases.

It is suggested that before you put dacron sails away for any period of time, you wash them in fresh water and put them out to dry. After the sails have dried, fold them so that their shape is maintained. Make long folds, roll neatly with as few creases as possible, and put the neatly rolled sails into their sail bags. Suspend the bags from attic beams or in a locker by means of a heavy wire to keep the rodents off. Don't store where the sun can reach them.

Steps in repairing the surface scratches of a fiberglass hull with a material like "gelcoat" or "shellcoat."

Examine your sails regularly for small rips or burst seams; if you find any, immediate mending will save much more extensive repair work at a later date. This is another excellent example of the proverbial ounce of prevention being worth many dollars of cure; small tears or rips can be whipped into giant ones on a real blustery day. A sail-mending kit which contains needle, twine, and waterproof tape is a very useful item for any sailboat owner to have available. For "at sea" repairs, it's a good idea to keep plenty of adhesive tape on board to hold any rips or burst seams until you can repair them permanently ashore.

Hull Repairs

If, due to abuse or carelessness, your sailboat should develop a crack or opening in its fiberglass hull, you can easily repair it yourself. It's a simple matter to repair a bad spot with a repair kit for fiberglass hulls available at local marine dealers or through the manufacturer of your boat. These kits contain all the necessary repair materials such as the fiberglass mat and cloth, the polyester resin, color pigment, and complete instructions on how to use these substances to fix any type break or hole. If the manufacturer's directions are; followed to the letter, the patched area will be as strong as the original construction.

To repair surface nicks and scratches, a substance called Gelcoat or Shellcoat, which comes in kit form, should be used. This kit, like the other repair kits may be purchased at your local marine dealer. The procedure, generally speaking, is summarized as follows:

1. Be sure that the boat is dry and clean where it is to be repaired.

2. Prepare injured area as follows: a) where necessary, cut back fractured material to the sound part of the hull, b) Feather the hole, remove all paint and residue from area which patch will contact, c) Where necessary, form a suitable backing on which to build up new material.

3. Cut glass fabric or mat to shape, and place on cellophane.

4. Prepare and activate only enough resin to take care of a given patch.

5. Distribute the activated resin over the area of mat. Place another sheet of cellophane on top and with a blunt spreader squeegy the resin thoroughly through the mat, being care ful to work out all air entrapments.

6. Paint the area to be repaired with resin and put the patch in place. With your hands and the spreader, form the mat through the cellophane firmly into all contours.

7. After the resin has set, you may remove the cellophane, not before. Rough sand shiny surface before applying next patch.

8. After enough material has been laminated to re-establish the original thickness of the section, you are ready to sand and finish.

Write to the boat manufacturer for the proper shade of color to match in patching.

Winter Lay-Up

For the average sailboat owner in the North, the sailing season ends during the latter part of September or early October. But you can take some of the edge off that season-end letdown if you'll think of your lay-up activity as getting ready for another brand new sailing season. Come spring, you'll be back in the water faster and in better shape if you're smart about your winter storage preparation.

As was discussed in Chapter 6, storage of a boat ashore can be at one of two places: a boatyard or at home. If you decide on the former, all the problems of hauling out, storage, and some portion of the maintenance will be taken care of by the boatyard. But boat storage costs at one of these places, especially under cover, are quite high, and for this reason a large percentage of small sailboat owners undertake the winter lay-up task at home.

If you wish to be one of this number, the major problem quite frequently is to get the boat out of the water and to your home (or to the yard or garage of a friend if you live in an apartment). With a trailer, of course, this problem is easily solved. If you don't have a trailer, see if you can find a trucker who will haul the boat to your house or other location. Most of our boating communities have people or concerns who do this work.

When you store your boat, make sure that the method used won't alter its shape. If you have a trailer, it can be stored right on it. However, as you'll probably (and rightly) block up the trailer to take the weight off the tires and springs, be sure that the boat's weight is evenly distributed on the trailer. Often you can help by giving the bow and stern additional support.

If you don't have a trailer, you can build your own storage or use the shipping cradle that came with the boat. If your boat isn't too big, you can store it upside down across a pair of sawhorses, with the support placed about one-third of the distance in from the bow and one-third of the distance in from the transom. (If the boat is over 10 feet, use at least three sawhorses spaced equally along the hull.) If you store the boat in a right-side-up position, be sure that you cut notches in the sawhorses or use shoring blocks so that the boat is supported by its bottom and not by the keel, because the latter would be an unnatural position. To protect the hull's outer surface, use strips of old tire-tube rubber as cradle padding.

Remove the masts and booms from the boat and store them for the winter in a dry place such as in your garage or attic. The standing rigging should be handled in the same way. In removing it, coil each piece and tag it for easy identification in the spring. Give the running rigging the same treatment and store them both in a dry place. The sails should be stored as previously described.

To prevent corrosion or blemishing of metal surfaces, apply a protective coating of light grease, oil, wax, or film-leaving polish to cleats, chocks, etc. Wrapping chrome-plated accessories with a cloth or fitting them with drawstring-fastened canvas hoods is generally sufficient winterization. For aluminum, use a detergent-free liquid household wax or a non-acid, nonabrasive, film-leaving metal polish. Stainless-steel items should be given a film coat of grease or S.A.E. 30 oil.

The centerboard should be removed from its trunk so that both parts can be thoroughly cleaned. Scrape loose dirt from the inside of the centerboard by using steel wool on the end of a stiff wire. The centerboard itself can be stored flat or suspended from a rafter in a cool place that isn't exposed to sunlight. Many a good centerboard has been spoiled from warping and drying out during lay-up. In center-board boats that have a lever to raise and lower the board, it is best to leave the board in place during the winter and block the centerboard slot.

After the boat has been completely stripped, clean the hull both inside and out by scrubbing down with a detergent and rinsing the surfaces with clean water. If the interior of your fiberglass boat gets scuffed up a little, you can spray it with a "speckled" paint made for that purpose, available at your hardware store. After you finish the cleaning job, remove the plugs in the safety or air tanks in the bow and stern of your sailboat. But don't forget where you stored them because you'll need them next spring.

If you are going to store your boat outdoors, situate it three or four feet off the ground, preferably in the lee of a building, where the snow won't pile up into drifts. Cover the boat with a watertight tarpaulin or heavy roofing paper and then lash the covering securely in place. Several times during the winter check the covering to be sure it is secure.

Spring Fit-Out

Much fitting-out work can be saved by proper fall lay-up, as previously described. Then, when you uncover in the spring, the task of getting into commission will be greatly simplified. Actually, except for giving all your gear a good once-over, you're about ready to go. That is, of course, if you don't want to give the fiberglass hull a painting.

It has definitely been established that fiberglass needs periodical painting for anti-fouling bottom protection if boats are left in salt-water and some fresh-water areas for the entire boating season. Fiberglass boats kept out of the water those kept in the backyard or garage when not in use don't require anti-fouling protection irrespective of where they are sailed. Painting is also important for the over-all appearance of the boat; it performs the important functions of 1) hiding streaked or faded color; 2) masking scratches, dents, and repairs; 3) smoothing rough texture; 4) providing a smart new appearance and color change.

Before painting the fiberglass, wash down the hull thoroughly. When the surfaces are dry, sand them briskly with a fine No. 3/0 garnet or aluminum oxide paper to insure a good bond for the first coat of paint. Then wipe the entire surface with a clean rag dampened with turpentine.

To obtain the smoothest possible surface, apply one or two coats of a good marine plastic primer or fiberglass surfacer. This is a fast-drying material and should be sanded before it reaches its ultimate hardness. It's most satisfactory to sand within four to six hours after application. Allow the final primer coat to dry for twenty-four hours, sand lightly with very fine paper, and then apply one or two coats of a good marine paint, following the manufacturer's directions.

For the bottom area, you may want to follow one of these procedures:

On sailboats that are kept out of the water most of the time, you'll find a racing bottom paint very suitable. (It should be pointed out that this finish isn't anti-fouling it doesn't prevent the attachment of fouling organisms such as annelids, algae, mussels, filamentous bryozoa, barnacles, etc.) Actually, a fiberglass hull doesn't need painting unless you want to change its color. If you do apply a racing bottom finish, be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations thoroughly.

For boats that remain in the water the year around, some type of anti-fouling bottom paint is generally a "must." Check with your local marine dealer as to which is best in your area or for the waters you plan to sail, and follow the paint manufacturer's instructions when applying.

Before installing your spars (mast and boom), clean them with a detergent and wax them with a good paste wax. While doing this, inspect the sail tracks for pulled fastenings. If you find any, retighten them. Wood parts such as centerboard, tiller, and rudder may be re-finished, if needed, with either a good marine paint or spar varnish. Follow the paint manufacturer's instructions to the letter.

Also be sure to replace the safety plugs in the air tanks in the bow and stern.

Whether at a mooring or sailing out on the water, the motion of a boat is constantly working the rigging. This causes wear of the basic item that keeps the rig in operating condition the pins. There are pins at the ends of standing rigging lines, centerboard pins, sheave pins, and cotter pins. Check them before putting the boat back into the water and replace any that show any distortion or reduction in diameter.

The wire line running and standing rigging must be inspected carefully for broken strands. Check for this especially where the line enters a swayed terminal or at splices. Manila lines should be twisted open against the lay of the strands for a look inside. Broken internal strands and discoloration are an indication of reduction of strength and rot. Lines of synthetic materials usually show signs of wear on the outside, quite apparent to the eye. Any doubtful lines should always be replaced immediately, as renewal is very cheap compared to trouble that can follow a snapped sheet or halyard.

Before putting your boat in the water, go over your ground tackle (permanent mooring and anchor gear) and remove any rust from anchors. Also paint your mooring buoy. Go over every inch of anchor lines, replace if interior looks bad or there are chafed spots. Check the fastening of the inboard end of the chain or line. Stretch out and inspect dock lines. Also give careful attention to lifesaving equipment. If there is any deterioration, replace with equipment of new design.

Fixing Up Your Boat

There's a great deal that you can do to customize your sailboat. As shown in the photographs, here's what one man did to make his 19-foot sailboat more comfortable. As you sail more and more, you'll decide on items that you want aboard for better sailboat living. When attaching fittings to your fiberglass boat, the following simple rules should be kept in mind:

1. Drill the proper size hole to receive the self-tapping screw or bolt.

2. Back up areas of mild strain with a washer.

3. Back up areas of greater strain with a piece of wood, metal, or similar material.

4. In areas where it's not advisable to drill through the fiberglass such as the hull near the waterline, the air tanks, or the centerboard trunk, you may "glass-in" a piece of wood or metal to which you may then attach your fit ting. The procedure is as follows:

1. Sand the surface clean in the area you're to work, carefully removing any or all paint.

2. Place item to be glass-covered in position on the clean surface. Lay the fiberglass cloth over the item and saturate with the resin. Be sure that the cloth is thoroughly wet and that it contacts the area cleaned of paint and
dirt.

3. When the resin used to wet the cloth hardens (about 4 to 8 hours), sand off any rough spots and attach your fitting. The fiber glass cloth and resin required to do this job can be purchased from your local marine dealer.
 
Method of fixing up a Rhodes 19 for personal needs. Top photograph shows the boat before customization took place. The other two illustrate the completed job. In this case, the owner built reach-in lockers, an after locker for a tool box, a bulkhead for the ice box. Convenient additions are a clock, a speed indicator, a shelf for foul-weather gear, an anchor compartment, and so on.
 
Now that you have studied the fundamentals of sailing and perhaps have tried them out in your own boat, you have discovered I hope that sailing isn't so difficult, after all. As you become a more expert sailor you will handle all of these sailing techniques easily and naturally, and each time you go out you will get more enjoyment from the silent swiftness of your boat, the obedient sails, the challenge of the shifting winds, the fascinating panorama of sky and water, and the good companionship of friends and family.

Now you are ready for years of sailboating fun, and my wish for you is GOOD SAILING!

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