Almost ready to launch!

 This will be the 2nd season I’ve owned Western Flyer.  The winter repairs were more extensive than I estimated.  Here is a quick rundown on what’s happened…

Bottom Paint - Raised the waterline on the bow around 4 inches.  Added a few more coats to areas that thinned out last season.  I am using e-Paint EP2000 and I really like it.  

Decal upgrade- last season’s “speed eagle” as I call him was the same size as the original that was on this boat for many years.  I traced the original from a photo and a friend printed the vinyl.   I eliminated the high and boot stripes though from the original look which made the eagle look a little small.  So the new eagle is larger and further aft.   Here are both eagles before I peeled off the smaller one…

Here is the original look of the boat.  This picture is from a newspaper article about the previous owner beginning a long coastal trip.  He had a white boot stripe and gunwale stripe, black bottom paint.

Mast TLC (not so “tender” loving care) - replaced hinge plate at the foot of the mast.  Routed wind sensor and steaming light wires down through the center of the foot and plate.  Replaced sheaves and exit blocks.  Replaced wire halyards for main and jib with dyneema core that has the cover partially stripped.  Replaced and redesigned outhaul system inside boom.  Replaced boom vang.  Designed and 3D printed spreader tips.  Designed and 3D printed replacement covers for exit blocks (old ones wore out / broke).

Electrical - complete replacement - old DC switch panel inside a drawer replaced with a blue seas breaker panel re-homed from an old boat.  All wires running around the bilge, well all wires period, moved to runs up high.  Organized.  Reworked electronics installs.  New LED nav lights.  

Deck hardware reworked - removed and some replaced.  Moved winches, deck organizers and clutches so that they are better positioned and inline.  Not quite sure why the starboard side halyard winch wasn’t inline with the old clutches (it was 45 degrees off).   Replaced rope clutches and deck organizers.  I’m not sure if they were original equipment but they looked like it.  They were also undersized.

Core rot fixed - at the end of last season I discovered core rot in the deck underneath the mast.  Fixed that, filled a lot of holes from old stuff and hardware that I moved.  Made new “core-safe” holes for hardware movements.  First time I fixed core rot.  It looks pretty simple in videos and it wasn’t that bad in reality.  I do have experience with fiberglass and epoxy, so not a rookie.

Trailer - the trailer was fairly rusty and the lights were not working.  I fixed the rust and then primed / painted a nice clean white.  I have not fixed the lights.  I still need to repair the hub bearings on one side.

That’s a lot for one person.  Hoping to launch in a week.   Finish the trailer and get the foot back on the mast.