Although I purchased Alita in August of 2009, taking delivery was no simple matter. First, I needed a place to work. I looked at a number of buildings to buy/rent in the vicinity, but ultimately decided on rebuilding my garage. Read about it here ( Garage Rebuild).
With the new garage in place, it was time to take delivery (Taking Delivery).
In the spring of 2010 we find Alita resting comfortably in here new home. But there is lots to do, so it’s time to get to work! The following list summarizes what has been done thus far.
- Spars: The main and mizzen masts and the main boom were infested by carpenter bees and had to be discarded. So new spars are needed. Some discussion is provided here (Spars).
- Engine: The engine, although relatively new, was “frozen” due to saltwater in the cylinders. The engine and transmission were rebuilt and tested. They are currently in storage waiting for the engine compartment to be restored. Details of the rebuild can be found here (Engine Rebuild).
- Cabin sides: The cabin sides were severely checked due to long exposure to the sun without finish. They could probably be repaired and painted, but I prefer varnished cabin sides. So I decided to replace them. Details of their removal can be found here (Cabin).
- Planking: During inspection of the hull, it was decided to replace all of the planking below the waterline. This was a major undertaking that is described here (planking).
- Rudder: The rudder, though functional, needed some work, so I decided to remove it. This turned out to be more challenging than I first thought. Details can be found at (Rudder Removal).
- Toe rails: The genoa track is fastened to the toe rail and the toe rail is attached to the covering board and shear strake with bronze drifts. Unfortunately, the holding power of the drifts is insufficient for the force due to the sails. This is causing the toe rails to lift away from the deck. I suppose I’ll have to replace some of the toe rail and possibly relocate the track.
- Hull: The keel on the port side looked suspicious as well as the planks entering the keel rabbit. I decided to inspect the keel, which led to removal of the deadwood, ballast keel, and the bronze floors. This ultimately led to the decision to replace or repair all of the planking below the waterline. This was a major effort which is described in detail here (Hull Inspection & Repair).
- Centerboard: Originally I planned to simply inspect the centerboard pivot pin; however, since the pin runs through the ballast keel, removal of the ballast keel required removal of the centerboard. Read about it under Hull Inspection & Repair.
- Rot repair: Very little dry rot on this boat. Rot limited to the corner post at the companion way and neighboring deck beams. This led to the removal of the bridge deck and the engine bulkhead. Read about it here … (Bridge deck)
It is now the summer of 2017, eight years, since the Alita project began. Here is a summary of what’s done …
- Minor repairs to frames.
- Three planks remain to finish the replanking.
- Deadwood replaced, keel repaired, ballast keel and bronze floors installed.
- Centerboard installed
- Engine bulkhead replaced
And what remains …
- Fairing the hull and caulking the seams.
- Install engine and engine systems.
- Repair bridge deck.
- Rebuild cockpit.
- Repair/replace and install rudder (sternpost repair)
- Rebuild cabin (sides, beams, sheathing, companionway)
- Repair toe rails
- Acquire spars
- Ice box
- Stove (propane)
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Head (composting)
- Rebuild interior