Now that we’ve finally sorted out the various Yanmar issues, pretty much got the boat livable, and no longer seem to be sitting around waiting for parts, it’s time to finally get around to the fun stuff. Which translates to tweaking the rig and installing some needful stuff.
As far as the rig goes, the plan is for some new chainplates, changing the running rigging to be more cruiser friendly, and add a few bits. In the long run I’ll be swapping out the steel standing rigging for textile in increments as time/budget allows but mostly waiting for a good deal on a spool of heat set Dyneema. Speaking of spools, I’d really love to migrate all the sheets and halyards to New England Regatta single braid so I’m keeping my eye out for a killer deal.
On the other hand, outfitting instrument systems is mostly a done deal as I already have a chart plotter/fishfinder (Raymarine Dragonfly) I bought a few years ago for “So It Goes” pre-Covid that I never got around to installing and a Standard Horizon AIS/VHF that I like so much that I’ll bring it over and install it on the Islander. Rounding out the instruments is a brand new VDO Sumlog that is about forty years old because, you know, analog rocks. Lastly, I just installed a cheap Hawkeye depth sounder which, along with the Sumlog and Grid compass, will be the only instruments in the cockpit.
The current ongoing conundrum is about the watermaker as I’d really like a smaller 12V unit. Our current watermaker with it’s 40″ membrane and Karcher pressure washer take up a lot more room than I like. As it happens, I keep coming around to this DIY watermaker which seems to cover all our needs and does not take up much in the space department so it seems to be a serious contender. Anyone interested in a group buy of the needful pressure pump required for the watermaker build?
Once all this is in progress it will be time to sail the Islander over to the Dominican Republic for a haul out (spelled affordable boatyard). The intention being to get rid of a few non-needful thru hulls, changing the outlet for the exhaust, replacing a couple of seacocks, and antifouling.
Going with composite chain plates? Per Kurt Hughes, Eglass is fine instead of carbon. By the time you build it up to look “right” it’s stupidly strong as it is. https://multihullblog.com/composite-chainplates/
While I’m a big fan of carbon used correctly I agree with Hughes completely and have linked to that post a few times. As it happens, I’m just going with stainless as I caught a deal on some 316 stock. Considering that the old chainplates have held the mast up for going on fifty years I just don’t see the need or advantage of going with composite. That said, if I were building a new boat composite would be the way to go.