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.

As soon as we reached the dock in Brunswick we got started on the long list of things to do

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!

Applying a new coat of epoxy paint to our trusty spade anchor
The sewing station
New salon curtains ready for install
Time to replace our cracked spurling pipe
Removing the original lifelines and measuring for new ones
About a month later the new lifelines arrive
Installing Madrone’s spiffy new lifelines
Cleaning and waxing the hull
Sanding and prepping before varnishing the teak bugscreen frames on all deck hatches
Time for a covid booster!
Packaging up our liferaft to ship to Winslow Liferaft Company for recertification
6 weeks later our liferaft is back from servicing and stowed safely under it’s cover behind the ditch bag under the companionway steps
Progress!
Checking the autopilot drive gears
Angie working on the new cockpit table cover design
Removing the old varnish from the cockpit table
Lightly sanding between coats of varnish
Applying the next coat of varnish to the cockpit table
After fresh varnish on the cockpit table, we want some sun protection – the new table cover turned out better than expected
Removing old gasket material on fridge door before installing new
Removing the carburator on the outboard for servicing
After cleaning the carburetor, the test run didn’t go so well. Angie rowing us back to the dock after the motor stopped running
Carburetor innards getting a little love, for the second time…
Project mayhem- Angie sewing replacement hatch covers and Mike working on removing the old windlass- what a mess!
Applying hypalon glue to the dinghy to attach new D-rings
D-ring placement
Angie hard at work cleaning with the brand new Shark vacuum
First injector removed from the Yanmar- definitely time for a little love
All 4 injectors out of the engine and ready to be taken to Diesel Powerhouse in Callahan, FL for service
Less than a week later our injectors were ready for pickup in Callahan and reinstallation
Adding polyester batting to the salon cushions. Cut batting to size, use some spray adhesive and attach to the foam- easy!
Hardest part of the batting project…getting the foam back into the cover!
Mike coaxing some foam into another cover
Cleaning and greasing the boom gooseneck fittings fittings
Applying grease to the vang
Removing Madrone’s original mainsail to get ready for the new sails
The new mainsail was delivered to the marina office about 1/4 mile away, so Mike went to fetch it with the dinghy
First peek of the new genoa- exciting!
Getting ready to raise the new genoa
Our dockmate and friend, Dave, gave us a hand getting the new main onboard
Madrone’s new main up for the first time
After 3 months of projects, time to restow all the gear
This is the board close to our departure from Brunswick.  Unfortunately, neither of us remembered to take a picture of the project board when we left Brunswick. We were both so excited to be finished with projects (for the time being) and going sailing that it slipped our minds. We have about 10 items remaining on the list, some of which we will do while cruising and some we will tackle next time we are at a dock.  But for now, time to go sailing!