Piriapolis - Deep Locker Seals
31/10/11 00:47 Filed in: Uruguay
For some time now I have been wanting to tackle the deep locker lid seals. The lids themselves comprise a GRP frame with an inner top screwed in place. This inner top has been roughly sealed with gelcoat. The end result is a poorly finished agricultural bodge.
Poorly applied gelcoat breaking up in places. This needs to be made good with epoxy filler.
Neoprene seals are in pretty good knick but the the original glue and touchup glue has suffered not coped well with heat over the years.
Poor quality glue has allowed the seals to move and scrunch up in places.
To seal properly the neoprene needs to be hard against the lid edges.
The job entails removing all seals, cleaning them up, removing all residual glue from the lid and re-gluing the seals in place. A very slow and fiddly process slowed further by my lack of good thinners to remove the glue.
Poorly applied gelcoat breaking up in places. This needs to be made good with epoxy filler.
Neoprene seals are in pretty good knick but the the original glue and touchup glue has suffered not coped well with heat over the years.
Poor quality glue has allowed the seals to move and scrunch up in places.
To seal properly the neoprene needs to be hard against the lid edges.
The job entails removing all seals, cleaning them up, removing all residual glue from the lid and re-gluing the seals in place. A very slow and fiddly process slowed further by my lack of good thinners to remove the glue.
Split Pin Taping.
30/10/11 01:10 Filed in: Uruguay
Spent an hour hosing off all the salt accumulated during recent strong S-SE winds.
The standard method of taping split pins is to use electrical tape. Sadly, this tape does not do well in a hot climate. It starts to come off pretty quickly. Three years ago in Bahia I tried duct tape. This was more durable but when removed here, in Piriapolis, for a rigging check much of the outer layer had worn away leaving the membrane and hardened glue.
My latest idea is to apply electrical tape in the usual way but then add an outer layer of reflective silver tape. This silver tape is sold in Argentina and used to protect exterior insulation on domestic air conditioner piping. We shall see.
In most Hidrografia ports n Uruguay the standard mooring arrangement is two lines astern to a buoy/s and two bow lines to the dock. After some experimentation I use this type of hook with a stainless steel shackle. The mooring line is attached using a long lead bowline with a round turn on the shackle. For longer periods it would be better to splice a stainless steel thimble to the line.
I noticed that my hook did not seem to be hanging correctly. Pulling the boat back to the buoy I discovered that the Hidrografia had added a new larger shackle to the buoy.
They did so without removing my hook from the existing shackle first. End result, a dogs breakfast whereby my hook was jammed in place by the new shackle.
I had to get the adjacent boat to slack his line and then put a line round the bottom of the buoy to winch it up so I could ease the load and free my hook. A process which took 45 minutes in calm conditions. Tango India Uniform.
After tidying.
The standard method of taping split pins is to use electrical tape. Sadly, this tape does not do well in a hot climate. It starts to come off pretty quickly. Three years ago in Bahia I tried duct tape. This was more durable but when removed here, in Piriapolis, for a rigging check much of the outer layer had worn away leaving the membrane and hardened glue.
My latest idea is to apply electrical tape in the usual way but then add an outer layer of reflective silver tape. This silver tape is sold in Argentina and used to protect exterior insulation on domestic air conditioner piping. We shall see.
In most Hidrografia ports n Uruguay the standard mooring arrangement is two lines astern to a buoy/s and two bow lines to the dock. After some experimentation I use this type of hook with a stainless steel shackle. The mooring line is attached using a long lead bowline with a round turn on the shackle. For longer periods it would be better to splice a stainless steel thimble to the line.
I noticed that my hook did not seem to be hanging correctly. Pulling the boat back to the buoy I discovered that the Hidrografia had added a new larger shackle to the buoy.
They did so without removing my hook from the existing shackle first. End result, a dogs breakfast whereby my hook was jammed in place by the new shackle.
I had to get the adjacent boat to slack his line and then put a line round the bottom of the buoy to winch it up so I could ease the load and free my hook. A process which took 45 minutes in calm conditions. Tango India Uniform.
After tidying.
Liferaft Collection
28/10/11 23:51 Filed in: Uruguay
Took the 08:50 coach into Montevideo and then a collectivo down to Ciudad Vieja.
First stop was a chart agency in Ciudad Vieja. I wanted to buy Uruguayan chart #50 (Montevideo to Colonia) and Brazilian charts for Florianapolis and approaches. It seems most Uruguayan charts are out of stock (as they were in BsAs as well) but a did get one of Montevideo and approaches. Cost US$31.50. They didn't stock Brazilian charts.
Then on to LCL Shipchandlers to pick up my liferaft. Final cost US$310. The original quote was US$400 but I chose not to replace a bottle of seasick pills at US$45 and reduced the flare count by one saving a further US$45. Unlike 2007 in Tenerife they gave me a certificate for three years.
Met Günter from "Cora Mae" for another fine lunch in Estancia del Puerto in the old market before returning to piriapolis.
First stop was a chart agency in Ciudad Vieja. I wanted to buy Uruguayan chart #50 (Montevideo to Colonia) and Brazilian charts for Florianapolis and approaches. It seems most Uruguayan charts are out of stock (as they were in BsAs as well) but a did get one of Montevideo and approaches. Cost US$31.50. They didn't stock Brazilian charts.
Then on to LCL Shipchandlers to pick up my liferaft. Final cost US$310. The original quote was US$400 but I chose not to replace a bottle of seasick pills at US$45 and reduced the flare count by one saving a further US$45. Unlike 2007 in Tenerife they gave me a certificate for three years.
Met Günter from "Cora Mae" for another fine lunch in Estancia del Puerto in the old market before returning to piriapolis.
Tiller Pilot Wiring Check
27/10/11 22:45 Filed in: Uruguay
Deckhead Holes
26/10/11 23:44 Filed in: Uruguay
Liferaft Service
25/10/11 22:45 Filed in: Uruguay
Cerro de Torro
24/10/11 22:48 Filed in: Uruguay
Maintenance
20/10/11 22:50 Filed in: Uruguay
Tigre to Piriapolis
19/10/11 22:49 Filed in: Uruguay
Teatro Colon Buenos Aires
14/10/11 21:11 Filed in: Argentina
Took the opportunity to visit the recently restored Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. A world class building dating from when Argentina was amongst the richest of countries.
Opened in 1908, the theatre underwent a major 3 year restoration before reopening in 2010.
Italian and Belgian architects worked on the project.
English stone. Each piece laid by hand.
Italian marble.
Entrance hall.
Not Versailles.
From the gift shop.
Exterior detail.
Music for the birds.
The main horseshoe shaped hall was dark and photography prohibited. It looks like this.
Opened in 1908, the theatre underwent a major 3 year restoration before reopening in 2010.
Italian and Belgian architects worked on the project.
English stone. Each piece laid by hand.
Italian marble.
Entrance hall.
Not Versailles.
From the gift shop.
Exterior detail.
Music for the birds.
The main horseshoe shaped hall was dark and photography prohibited. It looks like this.
New Dodgers - Piriapolis
09/10/11 21:21 Filed in: Uruguay
All halyards now run.
Last December en route to Rio Grande the original TecSew dodgers blew out in a gale.
I sourced new ones from Dansk Canvas in Buenos Aires.
Reinforcement adjacent to the winches. The original dodgers had velcroed flaps here which I found impractical and didn't use.
Added pockets for little things.
Only the sprayhood remains from the original canvas wardrobe. It might last another year.
Last December en route to Rio Grande the original TecSew dodgers blew out in a gale.
I sourced new ones from Dansk Canvas in Buenos Aires.
Reinforcement adjacent to the winches. The original dodgers had velcroed flaps here which I found impractical and didn't use.
Added pockets for little things.
Only the sprayhood remains from the original canvas wardrobe. It might last another year.
Piriapolis Rigging
08/10/11 15:33 Filed in: Uruguay
All calm again this morning. Ran most of the halyards before breaking for a very long lunch.
Heavy Rain
07/10/11 20:49 Filed in: Uruguay
Very heavy rain today and this afternoon we had a full N/NE gale with winds gusting to F10.
On the big boat moorings movement was very violent and even in the more sheltered inner basin I ran out an extra line.
No work outside but it looks as though I have another deck head leak above the heads sink. Stripped back the trim and lining to find some damp but the source of the leak remained elusive.
On the big boat moorings movement was very violent and even in the more sheltered inner basin I ran out an extra line.
No work outside but it looks as though I have another deck head leak above the heads sink. Stripped back the trim and lining to find some damp but the source of the leak remained elusive.
Priapolis - Grapnel
06/10/11 22:51 Filed in: Uruguay
I borrowed a good grapnel today. Ten minutes dragging was enough to recover my shore power adaptor along with some old oilies and a bunch of fishing line.
After 30 hours underwater some corrosion had started but it cleaned up well. Fingers crossed.
There are quite a few seals in Piriapolis and they like to bask in the sun. To this end some of them jump over a metre onto the deck of this dinghy. Impressive.
After 30 hours underwater some corrosion had started but it cleaned up well. Fingers crossed.
There are quite a few seals in Piriapolis and they like to bask in the sun. To this end some of them jump over a metre onto the deck of this dinghy. Impressive.
More Cleaning
05/10/11 22:40 Filed in: Uruguay
Good weather again today.
Fitted a new tiller securing bolt to replace the one that cracked. I had it drilled in Buenos Aries and it fitted perfectly.
Afterwards I finished washing the lines and halyards.
Very sad to hear that Steve Jobs died this evening.
Fitted a new tiller securing bolt to replace the one that cracked. I had it drilled in Buenos Aries and it fitted perfectly.
Afterwards I finished washing the lines and halyards.
Very sad to hear that Steve Jobs died this evening.
Halyard Cleaning
04/10/11 21:33 Filed in: Uruguay
Lovely fine day in Piriapolis and flat calm.
After a run ashore to organise a sim card I started to wash and rinse all halyards and lines. Always surprising how much dirt comes out of them.
At midnight, after organising a shore power connection, I managed to drop an adaptor in the water. Got a finger to it but just too late as it sank. Oh well will try and drag tomorrow.
After a run ashore to organise a sim card I started to wash and rinse all halyards and lines. Always surprising how much dirt comes out of them.
At midnight, after organising a shore power connection, I managed to drop an adaptor in the water. Got a finger to it but just too late as it sank. Oh well will try and drag tomorrow.
Back to Piriapolis
Early start this morning to catch a Cacciola ferry to Carmelo with a connecting coach to Montevideo.
A lovely day for travel. Sunny but not too hot. The trip to Carmelo takes about two and a half hours. Customs and immigration at Carmelo were, as usual, slow and more time was lost en route. In the event I missed my connecting coach to Piriapolis by 2 minutes.
No problem. Another service left an hour later. COPSA run chinese made Yutong coaches. Curious when Uruguay sits between Brazil and Argentina both of whom have high volume coach manufacturers.
All well in Piriapolis. With no adjacent boat I needed to borrow a dinghy to get on board.
A lovely day for travel. Sunny but not too hot. The trip to Carmelo takes about two and a half hours. Customs and immigration at Carmelo were, as usual, slow and more time was lost en route. In the event I missed my connecting coach to Piriapolis by 2 minutes.
No problem. Another service left an hour later. COPSA run chinese made Yutong coaches. Curious when Uruguay sits between Brazil and Argentina both of whom have high volume coach manufacturers.
All well in Piriapolis. With no adjacent boat I needed to borrow a dinghy to get on board.