Seeker, a Bayfield 29

[Godot]

Time moves on. It seems I stand still.

My early retirement plans (53-55 year old) still look doable; but they depend on a lot of things. I lost my job a couple years ago which threw a wrench into a lot of plans. Two jobs later I am more or less back on my feet. I've got a lot of irons in the fire that I still hope, in two to four years, to call it a career. If things don't work out as planned, I should be OK by 57. I can't see how I wouldn't be. But since I've been posting my plans here, life has thrown me a lot of curve balls. Remember the old saw "Man plans, God laughs." Living proof.

That said, Seeker is still slowly getting better. I thought I had another thread with a detailed list of projects. I can't find it. This thread also has lists so we will move from here.

Last we spoke in October 2018 I was planning on pulling the mast. Well...shortly after I lost my job and had to get a little cautious with the bank account, so I skipped all mast work. I hope to do that this winter. We'll see. I'd really, really, really like to replace the standing rigging and probably the chain plates. Over the past few years I know of two boats that have lost their masts. Old boats. But mine is getting old, too.

On my last (two) winter haul I did manage to pull the motor, replace the cutlass bearing, replace the engine mounts, repack the stuffing box, service the fuel injectors, replace some hoses, etc... The motor still smokes a little, but honestly probably not so bad for a nearly forty year old mechanical monster. I think I will get around to adjusting the valves soon. My engine room soundproofing was pretty much trashed so I tried a sound dampening paint. It's not exactly quiet; but I think it works as well as my old torn up soundproofing, and is easier to deal with, so I will just run with this.

I bought a bigger Balmer alternator (70amps) and regulator which I think will make power issues less of a concern. There was a sale on them that I couldn't pass up as it managed to turn an obscenely expensive project into a mere painfully expensive project. I need to build a better battery box and do a few other chores before I get around to hooking that up; but that should come this year.

While talking about the electrical system I replaced the old 30amp power inlet with a SmartPlug. Over the past twenty years I've seen three boats with various amounts of damage from the old style inlets. Granted, the boats are old so the inlets may have been as well; but I've heard great things about the SmartPlug system, and they were on sale, so... At the same time I also installed a galvanic isolator.

When hauled last I did manage to glass over all the unused thru-hulls. I feel much better about them. I also removed the old, broken instruments from the cockpit and glassed over those hulls while I was at it, as well as doing a little bit more cockpit repair. Looks great!

My automatic bilge pump used to pump in to the galley sink drain. This meant I could never close that thru-hull, which seemed less than ideal. I installed a new above the waterline thru-hull in the stern and now route the pump to that. I'm happier this way.

Sadly, my dodger, which was probably past its' life expectancy when I bought the boat almost a decade ago, pretty much self destructed on me. I could literally put my finger through the cloth, and the "glass" was disintegrating without any of my help. So, I am finally going to try and build the hard dodger I've been envisioning for the past many years. I know I can build a dodger. I'm not sure I can build it and have it look good. If my effort isn't successful I'll either try to sew up a duplicate of the old one, or more than likely just hire it out. It's pricey; but I have to balance my time against money. I need the time to sail too!

I really should be buying new sails sometime soon. I'm trying to hold off another year, though.

Not this year, but maybe in the next two is a galley rebuild. I was looking forward to exchanging my propane stove for a non-pressurized Origo alcohol stove (I know it's not as nice to cook on as Propane...it just seems simpler to me), but Origo decided to discontinue those stoves, sadly. Still, I want a stove on gimbals. I'm also looking at increasing galley storage and counter space significantly by sacrificing the Starboard quarterberth (it'll give me a bigger cockpit locker, too). I might even be able to shoehorn a decent fridge into that space (I'm a lot older than when I started this adventure...there are certain luxuries I just want).

And that is pretty much it. If I can do all that in the next three years I will have essentially transformed Seeker into my vision. I mean, there are other projects I'd like to do; but they are strictly nice-to-haves that I'll do when I feel like it.