After more than four years aboard Madrone full time and after sailing more than a few ocean miles, we had a long punch list of deferred maintenance and upgrades. When we arrived in our winter spot of Brunswick, Georgia, the to-do list was up to 80 items; by the time we left, we’d ticked off over 100.
We spent just over 3 months at the dock and, with the exception of a one week ski trip, worked full-time on the project list. Our suggestion to anyone that’s feeling bored – just buy a cruising boat…
So, for everyone’s reading delight, the following is a partial list of the boat work we got accomplished this winter:
- Reconfigure and upgrade electrical system
- Install new isolation transformer
- Install new global charger
- Install new inverter/charger
- Install new battery and charge monitoring system
- Build new battery box
- Clean up and simplify electrical system wiring
- Add temperature sensors for batteries
- Engine service
- Remove and rebuild injectors
- Drain and replace coolant
- Drain and replace oil and replace oil filter
- Drain and replace transmission oil
- Adjust intake and exhaust valve lash
- Adjust alternator belt tension
- Clean air filter
- Replace main engine primary fuel filter housing and install vacuum gauge
- Replace all fuel hoses with new – turns out Madrone has over 70′ (>20m) of fuel hose; predictably, much of it is difficult to access
- Paint inside of dorade vents
- Paint corrosion spots on Sailrite sewing machine
- Clean corrosion and repaint stove burners
- Paint backup windlass motor
- Replace failing gaskets on fridge and freezer doors
- Sew opening hatch covers (to replace ones that blew off in the Southern Ocean)
- Replace raw water pump impeller on main engine
- Human maintenance (ok, not really a boat project, but definitely maintenance)
- Go to dentist
- Covid boosters
- Tighten retaining screws on all stanchions
- Polish all external stainless – stanchions, granny bars, and arch
- Clean all carpets with commercial rug cleaner
- Replace all non-skid under carpets
- Add grommets to OCC burgee
- New main, genoa, and staysail from Mack Sails
- Recycle old genoa at SeaBags
- Service for Winslow liferaft – inflate and test, replace all expired supplies, repack
- Update contents of ditch bag
- Flush and clean entire bilge and anchor locker
- Clean and grease all fittings on boom and vang goosenecks
- Change fuel filter for Espar diesel heater
- Recoat main anchor with epoxy paint
- Clean all dodger and bimini panels and apply 303 protectant
- Replace screen for galley fan
- Add batting layer to all main salon settee cushions
- Refill all propane tanks
- Wash/dry/vacuum pack winter gear
- Upgrade vacuum cleaner
- Buff/wax hull sides
- Buff/wax cabintop sides
- Replace failing rivets in Lewmar opening deck hatches
- Varnish teak bugscreen frames in all opening hatches
- Varnish cockpit table
- Sew new cover to protect newly varnished cockpit table
- Clean and organize storage areas – drawers, lockers, and under floorboards
- Restock spare parts
- Watermaker membrane
- Watermaker prefilters and O-rings
- Carbon drinking water filters
- Marine head rebuild parts
- Medical supplies
- Rebuild spurling pipe for anchor chain
- Change anchor windlass oil
- Replace anchor windlass with new Maxwell VWC1200
- Order new cockpit cushions
- Sew new main salon curtains
- Inspect plumbing and tighten all hose clamps on both marine head plumbing runs
- Replace aft marine head output hoses and diversion valve
- Change oil in dinghy outboard motor
- Clean and rebuild carbuerator in dinghy outboard motor
- Add chafe guard for dinghy painter cleat
- Replace D-rings on dinghy aft quarters
- Seal leak in dinghy floor
- Add insulation to Espar diesel heater ducting
- Add extra insulation to freezer base
- Replace lifelines with new
- Fix lower hinge on forward head door
- Replace main halyard with low stretch line
- Print new log books for future travels
- Repair cracked fitting in galley sink drain
- Improve boom preventer system
- Remove and inspect autopilot drive gears
Time to go sailing!