Boat Repairs

We have a few jobs to do on all three little boats before dipping them back in the water for the sailing season.

Peewit (our self build PBO pup dinghy)

We would like to find a new pair of oars for her and make the rigging easier to use with a few new clips and shackles but really she is ready to sail.

Mirror dinghy

She is in a sorry state at the minute, as water has seeped into the aft buoyancy compartment probably caused by a leaky bung. Water inside this space while we had such cold weather has not been good for her at all!

The wood needs to dry out, Skipper has removed the paint in the area effected to let the wood air, such a shame as he did a lovely job last season giving her a beautiful new coat of paint.

When thoroughly dry she can be repainted. There is also a known leak around the centreboard which will be fixed at the same time.

Sunstar 18

Skipper and I have been repairing the bilge pump on our little yacht, a fun day was had squeezing skipper into a tiny space under the deck to disconnect the pump, so as we could find out the problem while I unscrewed the fittings on deck. Trying to talk and hear one another through the deck was difficult so we ended up communicating through a series of knocks, taps and inventive signalling!! Pulling Skipper out of the tight gap by his feet- bilge pump in hand was first task successfully completed.

Second task could it be repaired? thankfully yes, as it was just the seal that had perished and thanks to a local chandler we were able to purchase the new part. Having repaired it...

Third task, squashing Skipper back under the deck to re fit it!

But like most jobs just when you think;brilliant job done, we discovered the hose line to the bilge pump was also perishing on the seals so two new hose clips were needed.

A bilge pump is needed to pump out any water that may have got into the boat-A vital piece of kit on board fixed.