bertram31.com

Since I got AJ back from the near year-long Katrina faux pas a few weeks ago, been transforming her to a more leisurly vessel. No, not a Howdy Boat, just a pleasure vessel. Vs. the hard-core fishing machine she's been for the last 15 years that routinely made week long trips to places there ain't no hardware stores, such as Port Eads. I carried every spare anything, tool, potion, tons of filters, tens of gallons of oil, antifreze, etc on board.

Well, since she's not gonna be that kinda boat for a while, I decided to lighten ship. No, I don't need two dozen fuel fileters on board, 4 will do. Nor 8 oil filters, two will do. Three spare raw water pumps? Nah, one will do. 8 spare impellers? Two spare a/c pumps? A dozen battery cable terminals? 10 gallons of motor oil? 8 gallons of 50/50 mixed antifreeze? 6 spare radiator caps? Enouth 1/2, 5/8 & 3/4 hose to plumb a small house? 26 assorted (expired dates) cans of sardines, viennas, potted meat? I've been filling cardboard boxes with stuff and hauling it home, to be checked then packed in small boxes for the time she will make the long trips again.

Amazing how much room there is on a B31 when you reduce the on board stores to a reasonable level.

New on-board tool kit will include the stuff you really need in a pinch, like stuff to change a raw water pump impeller, bleed the injectors, change a belt or hose, etc. Don't need 17 rusty screwdrivers, just 4.

Anyway, she's coming along. Been too hot here, hard to work outside, so been in the a/c cabin doing all the gelcoat inside with RejeX. Damn stuff is amazing. Rummaging thru all the compartments in the cool taking off stuff. Cleaned the a/c filters and heat gun shows 36 degree air coming out when outside air is 98. Water cooled unit of course with a huge Jabsco pump, so overkilled and water temps are "only" about 89.

Ran the Honda 15 again with the Max Wax on the prop and it still stays put.

Still hard to fathom how much crap I was hauling around on that boat.

UV

UV, To help you along with the change over, I have some extra coffee cups, wine glasses, diner ware, fancy table cloths etc. How about some nice bath towels? You can choose, mix and match!

Sorry, the dish washer is not up for grabs ...

The Bride brought two fancy orential rugs, one of the galley area and the other for the dinette. Looks snappy.

OK, need advice. Apparently when she was in the yard and they were fixing the crack around the stb. strut, they dribbled some resin on the Glasstech deck. It's light red in color. Tried alcohol and acetone on it, no dice. Suggestions to get it off. It's on the non-skid area.

UV

Sawzall

Acetone and a brush and scrub and scrub should do it. Droped some resin on my new Bertram deck and it took it off but not without scrubing with a scrubrush and acetone. Good luck Vic I know makes you wanta holler at somebody.
AJ in a pleasure mode? Somehow hard for me to see that but things change with time I guess. Guess I'm becoming a stuborn old goat. Dave K

UV, I agree w/ Mike O. Go for the sawsall.
AJ now weighs in 300lbs lighter no dought
Chris

Sawzall?
You guys don't know tools.

8" hole saw to cut out the blemish then epoxy a piece of cardboard under the deck to prevent mat from sinking down.

Once set up, use about 7 or 8 layers of heavy roving mat to cover hole.

Then when tacky, throw some sand on and use a pizza wheel cutter back and forth to simulate the non skid.
Amatures.

I love taking stuff off the boat and lightening the load. Back when I still had Xanadu it was a religious experience to lighten her up enough to make 17kts. Makes you feel fast and skinny like a kid.

Anyway, I just wanted to say HOWDY UV! That sure is a pretty boat you got. Since you're not heading to PE anytime soon, might I suggest the sat tv to replace the radar? Nothing like watching the cowboys run all over the Saints while polishing the frigid gel coat.

BTW, please wave at Andre for me. TSL, be damned! I'll be waiting and hoping to see you all back at the end of the earth in 07 or 08.

When I was living on a blow boat another live aboard said the only way to survive was to remember Rule #1. When you bring something new on board take two things off.
Things, like time, expand to fill the available space.
Foaming around the fuel tank today. The heat ain't helping much.

I used a new sheet-rock blade and actually popped some of the resin that I managed to drip on the deck off by gently working the tip of the blade under the resin. a single edge razor won't work because it is too flexible. What I could not remove by this method I carefully scraped and had satisfactory results.

Regards,
Bruce Sweet

If the sawzall don't work UV , just get a Canadian (I knows you got ALOT of them down there, and if you can't figure it out, call Andre, he'll get you the 411) or 2 and a cuple of sledge hammers. that will take care or the problem, or you could just make a roux.

a very sharp chisel works well..then the acetone final clean up.....done it a few times...................drop cloth....i dont need no stinkin drop cloth.................oh yeah....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!.......glad the world didnt end...