Overall inspection and listing the issues, supervision and work with local specialists and companies. Replacement or service of multiple equipment: winches, pulleys, ropes, VHF antenna, radio, ventilation. Disassembly and assembly of the entire rig and the keel with broken seal and traces of bolts oxidation. Repair of a damaged and filled with water rudder, corrections to original rudder shaft mount. Steering system assembly and adjusting steering wires. Dismount of saildrive and assistance with refitting it. Polishing, antifouling painting.
Complex check out and many repairs done on a boatyard session of this 13 years old Bavaria 32. Boats in her age and quality class are often a subject to bigger refits if they were not refitted bit by bit while being used by an experienced sailor. This particular one was never well looked after nor upgraded…
While running the project apart from my own skills I cooperated with local professionals in Varaderos Anaga boatyard in Santa Cruz, Tenerife. There were few improvements done to the boat, deep check outs and repairs. The mast went down in order to loosen up suspiciously rusty keel bolts. Rig was checket out, some traces of galvanic corrosion cleaned and selected fittings refitted with either rubber or Teflon gel isolator. An on mast fitting for extra baby frontstay added following the idea of improving the sea worthiness of the yacht. Backstay tansioning blocks (pulleys) have also been replaced for new “Selden” of a higher range – much more realiable than the very basic, original pulleys, provided by the boat’s manufacturer. The mast was revised and all suspicious rivets replaced.
The oxidating aluminium radar base was repainted and refitted. The radar itself, internally examined for physical defections, is in a great condition.
Deck light was very oxidated so was replaced entirely together with few other bulbs, the spinnaker halyard pulley, VHF anthenna and inmast VHF cable. All in-mast lines and halyards washed, mast cleaned.
Prior to remounting the mast, one of the through-deck (port side) chainplate fittings was refitted with fresh sikaflex to stop a leak that occured while sailing.
Already mentioned inoxidable keel bolts nuts and washers were covered with a small layer of rust seemed very suspicious together with broken seal around the keel (we are now need under the boat where the keel and hull connect). I took the nuts and washers off to find a good news that the rust probably came from water left once in the bilge, not from the water entering through the keel-hull seal. The seal was redone and the keel rescrewed with the recommended force ok no a right order applied on the nuts. I replaced a part of small original Bavaria-style round washers with bigger square 8 mm inox steel plates to ensure it will stay strong. Some months later I worked on a bigger (39ft) but also younger Bavaria with structural problem on the bottom of the hull where, apart from other structural damage applied to the bottom due to a possible hit, the same small washers got pushed in the fiberglass and left sort of round cracks where the washers were placed. We will avoid this issue by spreading the forces on a bigger surface.
The rudder was slightly loose. Appeared to be full of water which is a common issue on modern boats and normally should not be a big reason to worry in advance, but has to be addressed when discovered. There was a chafed 2 mm deep groove around where the shaft enters the rudder and several dents on the whole piece. All this has been appropriately fixed and repainted, and an extra plastic separator washer added where the chafe appeared to ensure the issue won’t appear again. Same issue observed on several other boats. Nothing to worry about – it’s another common issue in this sort of craft. After repairs the rudder was firmly replaced, with a special nut on the top of the shaft slightly improved so it locks better. I oviously tuned the steel-cord steering system so no unwated play on the rudder occurs anymore.
The stensions around the boat and the pulpit (the inox tube rails on the bow of the boat) required a typical repair as leaks were occuring and the deck around the bases was flexing resulting in cracks and even small holes. I took the stensions off and a professional gelcoat worker has redone the surface reinforcing it beforehand with fiberglass patches and finishing with perfect gel coat surface. Afterwards I refitted the stensions.
The steel cord railing all around the boat was replaced as it was the time for the new, not only due to esthetic, but also safety reasons.
I mounted new mushroom ventilator on deck over the front cabin, where the hole was badly closed with a piece of Perspex glass and sika.
I replaced bow navigation lights and cables with new.
I dismounted the Volvo saildrive which got water inside. Got it reconditioned and assisted the mechanic on fitting it back in its place.
New sails – mainsail and genoua were ordered and fitted. Together with new bimini, sprayhood and sail covers.
I replaced hydraulic cylinder in the boom vang for new.
The bottom was cleaned and sanded, being in a good condition painted with primer and antifouling paint.
The boat was polished and cleaned.
