Glad to see you in a better mood now. Your videos are an amazing story unfolding, and done very well! Cant wait for the day your videos are of you and karl exploring the oceans.
So glad things are going better! You are smiling again and that makes all the difference in the world. You will beat old Karl into shape. I have no doubt about it.
I need to get this out. simply put you are amazing. your fearlessness and dedication is unmatched by anyone iv'e ever known, met, or heard of throughout my meager 20 years of existence. Its a little sad to say, but my whole life I've never looked up to anyone. My peers, my coworkers, my teachers, my parents.... To anyone... anyone except you. You bring new meaning to the word inspirational. I want to say thank you.
I stumbled across your series while you were somewhere around number 15 in it. As a father of a teenage girl, I can tell that your family must be very proud of you, your sense of self-reliance, independence and over all "stick-to-it-tiveness"! I was dismayed when you seemed to be giving up when finding so much damage to the hull. I am glad you seem to have decided to remain undeterred. Remember it is always darkest before the dawn. Keep up the great work!
I am SO happy to see the sparkle in your eyes, and the smile we all love has returned. I've missed seeing that for a while. Now I know you'll get Karl back in the water. I'm so happy for you Nike. You may not have said it, but I can see it in you eyes. ;-) I'm glad you took last week off, you needed it!
So glad to see your progress and of course, that Karl is not ready to stop looking for adventure. You just had to dig deep to expose 'his' dreams to sail with you.
Happy to see/hear about your progress. Glad you seem cheerful and that you got a suit to keep the toxic dust off your skin . . . . Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!
So glad to see that you are still moving forward with Karl! I can understand the multitude of decisions. I had my boat hauled yesterday and have many decisions to make concerning what repairs to focus on. Keep up the positive attitude on your journey! Were all pulling for you!
Keep up the good work, trust me, I have sanded/stripped/scrapped tons of paint off, but when you are done, this most amazing feeling comes that no other person will understand. If all else fails, see Florida 'Abandoned Boat's' there are so many out there that the Counties pull into the Marines it is crazy. My 32' Selidimann came from there. I am just finishing the last of the rebuild of the Bulkheads and applying my Maple Venner to make every bit of the cabine look like new! Keep the Faith!
Wow! I see you have your second wind. It is very methodical. Again, don't be shy for help. It will go faster and get you out there faster. I am motivated by your energy!
Great video. Glad to see your spirits have lifted since the last grinding video. Wish you the best of luck and look forward to your video next week. Take Care!
Awesome what you keep on coping with. I am really deeply impressed by your endurance... Also I really like your kind of making videos. You really broadcast the mood and one keeps on hoping for the best. May there always be at least a Hand's width of water beneath your keel!
Being the skipper of your own vessel is not always fun on the water, and many people don't realize how much work goes into maintaining them. I think you are doing a fine job, and all you need to do is keep positive and work toward your goal. When Karl is done and you have a new bottom and when he's dry and water-tight, you will not only have a sense of accomplishment, but you will love Karl even more. I have a big 33 foot Camper Nicholson and she's a fiberglass hull. She's 40 years old (almost) and has issues that require a haulout next year. I feel your pain. Karl, like my Triton, probably hasn't been out of the water in many years--from what I've seen in your videos--let alone been kept up and maintained by the previous owners. Your willingness to keep working and do the job to make the boat what you want it to be and also realizing it's potential is not only a testament to your character, but a valuable tool for anyone who watches this series. It takes a great deal of courage to move from your native country to the other side of the world, live on aboard a vessel that might as well have been a derelict, and then turned it into something to behold and enjoy for many years as a comfortable home. This experience you are having right now is not only going to make you a better sailor and appreciate what you have, but make you an experienced and seasoned expert with first-hand experience doing tasks that most people would be too afraid to tackle on their own. And when people tell you that you are nuts for wanting to do this, they just don't have the "vision" of what the cruising life really is, that it is not just a constant and permanent vacation at sea, but a lot of hardship working to keep it safe. You earn every moment you enjoy on Karl. I am happy for you and send you positive energy so you can keep it going. Keep it up and perhaps we'll cross paths one day on the water! Brian Hess SV Triton Port Orchard, WA, USA Camper & Nicholson 33 designed by Ron Holland
I just started watching your channel. I think I got directed to it from S/V Delos channel. I am glad to see in this video that you sound and look strong and upbeat/positive. I am excited to follow your channel. I am viewing chronologically so I read your story as it progresses. Best of luck to you and Karl.
Good news! The only problematic place is the hole in the fuel tank. That may be some hassle but is not insurmountable. Glad to see you in good spirits and near the ending of this ordeal.
The cut square aluminum patch's is a great way to patch, just have a fire watch on inside of hull as welding will really heat up inside any oil, rags , sails well you know might catch. Hope everything works out
Glad to hear the damage is manageable and fixable. Once you finish you will have conquered perhaps the hardest and worst job on any boat, lol. Regards, Gary
Your a trooper! I'm doing a similar project over here in England. Although mine made off wood, still the same problems though - the deeper you dig the more holes you find! ahh the life of boats eh :D
hahaha! your in great spirits and getting near the end of the grinding.you get a chance see if you can remove the fuel tank.you don't need to be breathing diesel fumes..your getting sooooo close to being on the seas.it will make all this work seem like nothing..very proud of you!fair winds and following seas.Dewey.
Check to see if you can use fiberglass and resin to fill in the holes that aren't completely through the hull. You can pick that up at a auto parts store down there. And make sure your zincs are all in good shape. Go to your boats maker online and see how many it should have. On your boat they are crucial.
Awesome work rate, perseverance, determination, bravery - everything! I'm ashamed to admit that I've achieved less on my Super 10 in a year than you have on yours in two weeks. If you can find a 75 or 80mm. (100 will be too big) knotted wire cup brush in M14 fitting for your grinder - like the old rusty one in your video #1 - it should speed things up and outlast 5 poly discs. Harder to hold steady and bits of wire do fly off so please take precautions.
Your ship is in need of a thorough inside paint job! If you use epoxy-based paint, make sure you cover it up with a protective coat. Make sure things are done properly particularly below waterline.
I didn't read all the comments so maybe someone already suggested this but have you considered using a wire brush attachment for your grinder? I've used on on an old VW I used to have and it really did a nice job of taking off the paint.
Hi! I am enjoying your videos, but I was just wondering if an easier alternative to grinding would be sandblasting! I don't have the technical expertise, but was just curious. Thanks and happy sailing!
Are there any soda blasting places in the area? It looks like you've made a lot of progress with your grinder, so it may be too late to consider even if it is an option.
Hi Nike ! I have read that you understand a little bit of french. I am glad to know that since I am french canadian (that's why my english is not so good). See you in you next videos ... Ahoy !
I'm impressed! The working posture is not to be trifled with. Ask me, I've been there, and done that! After that, I switched to a yacht in "Yrvind" size. :)
Hang in there. I'm glad to see your in good spirits! I'm sure somebody will mail you some grinding discs if you need them. I will! Let me know....Also I was wondering how many languages do you speak?
I thought about doing that too but to send a 5 lb package was like 211 bucks from my zip UPS. I never sent anything outside the US before so I hope there are better options. I don't know how anyone orders anything in other countries if there aren't. Hope you can get something from San Miguelito where there are more options. Nice to hear you'll be able to get things repaired and hopefully all in budget. Glad you got that Paypal so we can send a little something to help.
thanks for offering, but it is true, it's super expensive to send stuff over. Or it takes three weeks and I hope that I will be done by then ;). And I hope that I will be able to finish with that last disc that I have left. It is looking good so far :). I speak English, Spanish and of course German. I can understand and speak a little French, but it's defenitely no fluent conversation that I am capable of. But I am trying to imrpove it.
from the comments it seems you may have checked my thoughts that the fuel tank may be part of the outer hull. See things are going to work out. You will be sailing soon.
My two cents…I think fiberglass would be the best solution to your hole problems. It’s cost effective, fast, and something you can do yourself, unless you’re a master aluminum welder. Fiberglass is as strong as steel (stronger), or in your case aluminum and want fail. Just make sure you use an epoxy resin below the waterline…not a polyester resin. Good luck and looking forward to next week’s video. Cheers!
Is wonderful! Still no news of the fuel. Bilge or fuel tank? Once again you give me encouragement. I may be putting in on the East Coast soon. Best wishes to you. eric
White spot , you are quite amazing . To see an attractive woman doing what you are doing is very unique, I applaud you! I have had the "Sea addiction" myself. Rebuilt a commercial fish boat and fished it , then met people with various sail boats (cruising and performance boats) and sailed extensively etc. etc. I have extensive fabrication / welding, steel / fiberglass / wood experience (even before boats). I was planning on building a "Dutch" aft cabin style full displacement trawler / motorsailor to do some "voyaging under power but blew my back out now no more boats. I hate to be the bearer of "bad" news but I would like to help you out. 1. You need an HONEST surveyor with extensive metal boat experience to inspect your hull. This is done with an electronic device similar to an ultra sound.This will "guage" / "sound" the thickness of your hull. I hope not---- but when a metal boat has holes corroded completely thru it most of the time the areas surrounding the hole are / can be extremely thin. POINT IS: You have to have the hull sounded / guaged to determine the extent of the hull thinning / corrosion of the entire hull (waterline down at least). This can be an expensive procedure to have done. 2.Please do not try to plug the holes with epoxy, if you need to put the boat back in the water for some reason it might be ok , but I would not take it out of the harbor. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT GOING TO SEA WITH EPOXY PATCHED HOLES IN YOUR BOAT. 3.Did the boat have any corrosion control ( zinc anodes) attached to the hull when you pulled out of the water? If not then the entire hull has been acting as a "sacrificial" (spelling?) anode. I won't go into it in depth , but the zinc is attached to the hull and bonded to the shaft / thru hull fittings etc. is sacrificial in that it will protect the hull from electrical currents in the water (simply put). GOOGLE metal / aluminum / boat hull / electrolysis (spelling?) protection. 4.BAD PART: If the entire hull or major parts of the hull are thin. Then the only recourse is to re-plate a MAJOR undertaking. 5.RECOURSE: Have the boat shipped home to undertake this massive job, but I hate to say it , it's probly time to cut your losses and look for another boat. I like steel for off shore sailing / voyaging. If you run into anything it just dents and can be repaired anywhere in the world. It's easier to weld and even in remote areas it can be repaired, but as aluminum it needs to be inspected as above. 6. I AS OTHERS APPLAUD YOUR TENACITY AND DRIVE IT JUST NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON ANOTHER VESSEL. Dave in LA ,CA. GOD Bless.
Would a spent anode allow corrosion just around the shaft area or could it have caused more general corrosion in other areas as well? I don't know but I'm sure some more knowledgeable person will have an idea.
i thank most likely its some kind of ether dissimilar metal corrosion or electrolysis if they are using the hull as a ground some where that might do that. some people think that because the boats are aluminum you don't need a ground wire back to the battery buss. they use the hull of the boat and that will put a current in to the hull and any place salt water gets to the hull you will have electrolysis corrosion. so Nike check for that you need to check all the ground wires you can find. if any are attached to the hull you need to run them back to the ground buss..
Have you considered having someone crew for you? It would help you get the boat ready and provide a safety measure while sailing. I'm sure a lot of people would like to.
Have you seen this "super alloy 5" material for repairing holes in aluminum? Looks like something you could easily do yourself. Easily Repair Your Aluminum Boat Holes
Hi +Alexandre Guidetti (Swiss Syndicate), you can watch this video to find out why and how I chose my good old KARL ruclips.net/video/w0PpT8jEatc/видео.html
there are videos on youtube for aluminum welding so you can check them out and see if you think you can do it.do a little research on it then decide what you might want to do..good luck.Dewey.
You most likely know this but make sure to never ever use copper bottom paint on an aluminum hull. It will have so many holes in it that it will look like a sponge!
WARNING! A woman brought a steel houseboat to the marina I ran. She had just bought it after corrosion leaks through the hull had been repaired by welding steel plates over the damaged areas. A year later the boat sank at the dock. The hull leaked like a sieve except for the new plates.. It's since been cut up for scrap. Aluminum can do the same thing. Without a professional survey by someone who knows haw to survey aluminum boats I'd stay at the dock. If you have to give up the boat and shipping isn't to high I'd scrap the boat and sell the jewels like blocks, cleats, winches and instruments on Ebay or locally.
weld it yourself. Its not very hard, and $3000 pays for a lot of mistakes. I would not stop at fixing the holes. I would cut squares, no less then 12"x12" and replace the material in the entire area.
I just found your videos on RUclips this morning and watched all 27 of them in a row. You are an absolutely amazing woman. I can't believe the things you do. I am restoring a 35' wooden ketch and spent 6 weeks last summer sanding off 45 years of bottom paint and know first hand how physically demanding it is on your body. I will say that by the end of the summer I was in the best shape of my life and felt good about what I had accomplished. This summer I will repair/replace the cabin roof and decks. I look forward to your next post. BTW, would you like to marry me? I'm only 65. Capt. Rich per Chance Chesapeake Bay
don't get the cheapest epoxy for your hull repair project, you'll end up with at least double the estimated hours. i failed with that myself and some unreachable parts still haven't cured after 6+ months.
Don't do the wirebrush it will destroy your etch primer... But I would go for the welding..thats alwaye's beter than epoxy and musch saver. Trust me,My boss on the boatwharf do fore 10j ;-) Sorry for my englisch...love to follow your progres ...grten from Holland P.s.: I'm the epoxy,paint and grp expert here at www.vdrest.nl
Have you tried the knotted wire brushes for your angle grinder? Thats what i used to remove paint from steel angle iron. check those out if you run out of the kind you are using. Be warned though the wire wheels make quick work of the paint but as the wheel wears the wires start to fall out and they kinda get flung at you and sometimes even penetrated the skin.... I just went with it despite the pain because they worked so well at stripping the paint..... here is a good source for cheaper tools, i don't know what the shipping to Panama would be though. goodluck! www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?limit=60&q=grinder+wheel
Here are a couple of sources I found maybe it will make your decision easier about your Hull. Even if it doesn't you can't have to much info. ruclips.net/video/RCrixbXz4rc/видео.html go to minute 3:22 to save time I found lots of places to find info on the net. You can also go to the Sailboat Forums and do a search. Cruisers and sailboat forum has a nice datbase as well as others. Use Google and let your eyes do the work.
Hi Nike, still no professional surveyor in side.? hmm It is one thing to have carl looking pretty on the high and dry but taking Him for a swim is another story . Listen to Leslie Brett. The German call the North Sea the "mordsee", and the Pacific Ocean "Stiller Ozean" . Yah right. By now we all know you are a tuff little nut and everyone is wishing You well. Please learn Rule number one: if you ignore or disrespect Nature, she'll come back and bite you in the Ass. Trust Me. Rule number2: Please get an Professional for Inspection, before you start swimming. Would hate to loose a smart cooky like You. The Boat-Builder Reinke is building good Boats but He also is selling the boat-plans to 'know all' Hobby builders. This the reason for my suspicion. How much do you know about Carls history ? Well, like they say Fair Winds and Hummel - Hummel.
Yeaaah, It's nice to see acomplishment on your face and the sparkle of hope in your eyes. Keep up the great work.
Glad to see you in a better mood now. Your videos are an amazing story unfolding, and done very well! Cant wait for the day your videos are of you and karl exploring the oceans.
So glad things are going better! You are smiling again and that makes all the difference in the world. You will beat old Karl into shape. I have no doubt about it.
I need to get this out. simply put you are amazing. your fearlessness and dedication is unmatched by anyone iv'e ever known, met, or heard of throughout my meager 20 years of existence. Its a little sad to say, but my whole life I've never looked up to anyone. My peers, my coworkers, my teachers, my parents.... To anyone... anyone except you. You bring new meaning to the word inspirational. I want to say thank you.
I stumbled across your series while you were somewhere around number 15 in it. As a father of a teenage girl, I can tell that your family must be very proud of you, your sense of self-reliance, independence and over all "stick-to-it-tiveness"! I was dismayed when you seemed to be giving up when finding so much damage to the hull. I am glad you seem to have decided to remain undeterred. Remember it is always darkest before the dawn. Keep up the great work!
I am SO happy to see the sparkle in your eyes, and the smile we all love has returned. I've missed seeing that for a while. Now I know you'll get Karl back in the water. I'm so happy for you Nike. You may not have said it, but I can see it in you eyes. ;-) I'm glad you took last week off, you needed it!
So glad to see your progress and of course, that Karl is not ready to stop looking for adventure. You just had to dig deep to expose 'his' dreams to sail with you.
Your smile says it all! You have determination that's for sure (and a little stubbornness) , good for you. Best of luck, keep going.
Happy to see/hear about your progress. Glad you seem cheerful and that you got a suit to keep the toxic dust off your skin . . . . Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!
Glad your vacation did well to perk your spirits up.
Nice to see u enthusiastic again after deserved vacations!
I'm alrealdy anxious to see Karl back on the water!
Great to hear there are solutions to the hole problems!
So glad to see that you are still moving forward with Karl! I can understand the multitude of decisions. I had my boat hauled yesterday and have many decisions to make concerning what repairs to focus on. Keep up the positive attitude on your journey! Were all pulling for you!
Keep up the good work, trust me, I have sanded/stripped/scrapped tons of paint off, but when you are done, this most amazing feeling comes that no other person will understand. If all else fails, see Florida 'Abandoned Boat's' there are so many out there that the Counties pull into the Marines it is crazy. My 32' Selidimann came from there. I am just finishing the last of the rebuild of the Bulkheads and applying my Maple Venner to make every bit of the cabine look like new!
Keep the Faith!
Wow! I see you have your second wind. It is very methodical. Again, don't be shy for help. It will go faster and get you out there faster.
I am motivated by your energy!
Good work, every one can see that you'r in charge of the problem solving. Deutsche Gründlichkeit, mir gefällt es!
I'm happy for you in that the damage is not worse. Keep the faith!
Just add me to the list of everyone who are happy to see you in good spirits again. Little by Little! Great motto and good song as well!
Great video. Glad to see your spirits have lifted since the last grinding video. Wish you the best of luck and look forward to your video next week. Take Care!
Wow - Beauty and braun and brains, AND a sailboat... Love your videos. Thank you.
Awesome what you keep on coping with. I am really deeply impressed by your endurance...
Also I really like your kind of making videos. You really broadcast the mood and one keeps on hoping for the best.
May there always be at least a Hand's width of water beneath your keel!
Being the skipper of your own vessel is not always fun on the water, and many people don't realize how much work goes into maintaining them. I think you are doing a fine job, and all you need to do is keep positive and work toward your goal. When Karl is done and you have a new bottom and when he's dry and water-tight, you will not only have a sense of accomplishment, but you will love Karl even more. I have a big 33 foot Camper Nicholson and she's a fiberglass hull. She's 40 years old (almost) and has issues that require a haulout next year. I feel your pain. Karl, like my Triton, probably hasn't been out of the water in many years--from what I've seen in your videos--let alone been kept up and maintained by the previous owners. Your willingness to keep working and do the job to make the boat what you want it to be and also realizing it's potential is not only a testament to your character, but a valuable tool for anyone who watches this series. It takes a great deal of courage to move from your native country to the other side of the world, live on aboard a vessel that might as well have been a derelict, and then turned it into something to behold and enjoy for many years as a comfortable home. This experience you are having right now is not only going to make you a better sailor and appreciate what you have, but make you an experienced and seasoned expert with first-hand experience doing tasks that most people would be too afraid to tackle on their own.
And when people tell you that you are nuts for wanting to do this, they just don't have the "vision" of what the cruising life really is, that it is not just a constant and permanent vacation at sea, but a lot of hardship working to keep it safe. You earn every moment you enjoy on Karl. I am happy for you and send you positive energy so you can keep it going.
Keep it up and perhaps we'll cross paths one day on the water!
Brian Hess
SV Triton
Port Orchard, WA, USA
Camper & Nicholson 33 designed by Ron Holland
Glad to see you feeling better. hang in their, it will be finished before you know it. happy grinding :)
Whew, good news it seems! Hang in there and keep your head up!
its good to see you are having fun
grinding away
I just started watching your channel. I think I got directed to it from S/V Delos channel. I am glad to see in this video that you sound and look strong and upbeat/positive. I am excited to follow your channel. I am viewing chronologically so I read your story as it progresses. Best of luck to you and Karl.
Karl is so lucky to have you
Good news! The only problematic place is the hole in the fuel tank. That may be some hassle but is not insurmountable. Glad to see you in good spirits and near the ending of this ordeal.
The cut square aluminum patch's is a great way to patch, just have a fire watch on inside of hull as welding will really heat up inside any oil, rags , sails well you know might catch. Hope everything works out
YOU ARE A VERY HARD WORKER.. great job
Disposable overalls, a treat! LOL, you are definitely a yacht owner ;-)
Almost done with that grinding, you're doing a great job!
There is light at the end of the tunnel then good to go. Well done, I'm sure you are proud of yourself. I would be !
All the best, Im enjoying your videos
Glad to hear the damage is manageable and fixable. Once you finish you will have conquered perhaps the hardest and worst job on any boat, lol.
Regards, Gary
Your a trooper! I'm doing a similar project over here in England. Although mine made off wood, still the same problems though - the deeper you dig the more holes you find! ahh the life of boats eh :D
Bin zufällig auf deine Videos gestoßen, bin echt beeindruckt von deiner endlosen Power. Halte durch es lohnt sich...
cheers Tom
you know, once karl is feeling right, he,ll look after you for some time, can,t wait till next week, cheers from down under
I really look forward to your videos on Fridays. Glad to see that things aren't too bad and your staying positive. See ya next Friday. ; )
Ja! step by step....poco a poco, clean the boat, repair, paint and launching! good luck!
After years of neglect Karl just needs lots of love and attention. Soon enough Karl will reward you for all your hard work.
Fair winds.
Yes! Light at the end of a few small holes. I was wondering if you solved the fuel leak problem?
hahaha! your in great spirits and getting near the end of the grinding.you get a chance see if you can remove the fuel tank.you don't need to be breathing diesel fumes..your getting sooooo close to being on the seas.it will make all this work seem like nothing..very proud of you!fair winds and following seas.Dewey.
Check to see if you can use fiberglass and resin to fill in the holes that aren't completely through the hull. You can pick that up at a auto parts store down there. And make sure your zincs are all in good shape. Go to your boats maker online and see how many it should have. On your boat they are crucial.
amazing drive
Still grinding away...step by step :)
Awesome work rate, perseverance, determination, bravery - everything!
I'm ashamed to admit that I've achieved less on my Super 10 in a year than you have on yours in two weeks.
If you can find a 75 or 80mm. (100 will be too big) knotted wire cup brush in M14 fitting for your grinder - like the old rusty one in your video #1 - it should speed things up and outlast 5 poly discs. Harder to hold steady and bits of wire do fly off so please take precautions.
Your ship is in need of a thorough inside paint job! If you use epoxy-based paint, make sure you cover it up with a protective coat. Make sure things are done properly particularly below waterline.
I didn't read all the comments so maybe someone already suggested this but have you considered using a wire brush attachment for your grinder? I've used on on an old VW I used to have and it really did a nice job of taking off the paint.
Hm, not sure if I like the idea of a wire brush on my aluminium...And I am nearly finished now anyways :). but thanks for the recommendation.
Poco a Poco you will eventually get it done and you will be proud and enjoy Karl.
Hi! I am enjoying your videos, but I was just wondering if an easier alternative to grinding would be sandblasting! I don't have the technical expertise, but was just curious. Thanks and happy sailing!
Not sure sand blasting aluminum of unknown condition would be wise. I think the boat yard forbade SB without an environmental tent anyway. Expensive.
Are there any soda blasting places in the area? It looks like you've made a lot of progress with your grinder, so it may be too late to consider even if it is an option.
Delos gave their old sale to a kid in Madagascar and he's got it on a hand built boat now ! Malagasy style !
grind, baby, grind, your going to make it............!
Great that there is some hope. May I ask when Karl was built?
He was built in 1992.
Hi Nike !
I have read that you understand a little bit of french.
I am glad to know that since I am french canadian (that's why my english is not so good).
See you in you next videos ...
Ahoy !
Oui, je comprend une peux (but my writing is MISERABLE ;)) I don't even know how you handle all these extra letters...
I'm impressed!
The working posture is not to be trifled with.
Ask me, I've been there, and done that!
After that, I switched to a yacht in "Yrvind" size. :)
Hang in there. I'm glad to see your in good spirits! I'm sure somebody will mail you some grinding discs if you need them. I will! Let me know....Also I was wondering how many languages do you speak?
Nice of you to offer mailing more sanding discs! :+)
I thought about doing that too but to send a 5 lb package was like 211 bucks from my zip UPS. I never sent anything outside the US before so I hope there are better options. I don't know how anyone orders anything in other countries if there aren't. Hope you can get something from San Miguelito where there are more options. Nice to hear you'll be able to get things repaired and hopefully all in budget. Glad you got that Paypal so we can send a little something to help.
thanks for offering, but it is true, it's super expensive to send stuff over. Or it takes three weeks and I hope that I will be done by then ;). And I hope that I will be able to finish with that last disc that I have left. It is looking good so far :).
I speak English, Spanish and of course German. I can understand and speak a little French, but it's defenitely no fluent conversation that I am capable of. But I am trying to imrpove it.
from the comments it seems you may have checked my thoughts that the fuel tank may be part of the outer hull. See things are going to work out. You will be sailing soon.
My two cents…I think fiberglass would be the best solution to your hole problems. It’s cost effective, fast, and something you can do yourself, unless you’re a master aluminum welder. Fiberglass is as strong as steel (stronger), or in your case aluminum and want fail. Just make sure you use an epoxy resin below the waterline…not a polyester resin. Good luck and looking forward to next week’s video. Cheers!
aluminum yachts if not properly cared for with anodes installed. are giant galvanic batteries. especially if there is a steel yacht next to it.
Is wonderful! Still no news of the fuel. Bilge or fuel tank? Once again you give me encouragement. I may be putting in on the East Coast soon. Best wishes to you.
eric
you'll have to wait till next week for that ;)
tease! At least a wink and smile so I hope no disaster. Luck.
eric
Would you recommend aluminium or glass fiber?
White spot , you are quite amazing . To see an attractive woman doing what you are doing is very unique, I applaud you! I have had the "Sea addiction" myself. Rebuilt a commercial fish boat and fished it , then met people with various sail boats (cruising and performance boats) and sailed extensively etc. etc. I have extensive fabrication / welding, steel / fiberglass / wood experience (even before boats). I was planning on building a "Dutch" aft cabin style full displacement trawler / motorsailor to do some "voyaging under power but blew my back out now no more boats.
I hate to be the bearer of "bad" news but I would like to help you out.
1. You need an HONEST surveyor with extensive metal boat experience to inspect your hull. This is done with an electronic device similar to an ultra sound.This will "guage" / "sound" the thickness of your hull. I hope not---- but when a metal boat has holes corroded completely thru it most of the time the areas surrounding the hole are / can be extremely thin.
POINT IS: You have to have the hull sounded / guaged to determine the extent of the hull thinning / corrosion of the entire hull (waterline down at least). This can be an expensive procedure to have done.
2.Please do not try to plug the holes with epoxy, if you need to put the boat back in the water for some reason it might be ok , but I would not take it out of the harbor.
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT GOING TO SEA WITH EPOXY PATCHED HOLES IN YOUR BOAT.
3.Did the boat have any corrosion control ( zinc anodes) attached to the hull when you pulled out of the water? If not then the entire hull has been acting as a "sacrificial" (spelling?) anode. I won't go into it in depth , but the zinc is attached to the hull and bonded to the shaft / thru hull fittings etc. is sacrificial in that it will protect the hull from electrical currents in the water (simply put). GOOGLE metal / aluminum / boat hull / electrolysis (spelling?) protection.
4.BAD PART: If the entire hull or major parts of the hull are thin. Then the only recourse is to re-plate a MAJOR undertaking.
5.RECOURSE: Have the boat shipped home to undertake this massive job, but I hate to say it , it's probly time to cut your losses and look for another boat. I like steel for off shore sailing / voyaging. If you run into anything it just dents and can be repaired anywhere in the world. It's easier to weld and even in remote areas it can be repaired, but as aluminum it needs to be inspected as above.
6. I AS OTHERS APPLAUD YOUR TENACITY AND DRIVE IT JUST NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON ANOTHER VESSEL. Dave in LA ,CA. GOD Bless.
it is so nice to see you smile again. did they say anythhing about what might be the cause of the problem.
Would a spent anode allow corrosion just around the shaft area or could it have caused more general corrosion in other areas as well? I don't know but I'm sure some more knowledgeable person will have an idea.
i thank most likely its some kind of ether dissimilar metal corrosion or electrolysis if they are using the hull as a ground some where that might do that. some people think that because the boats are aluminum you don't need a ground wire back to the battery buss. they use the hull of the boat and that will put a current in to the hull and any place salt water gets to the hull you will have electrolysis corrosion. so Nike check for that you need to check all the ground wires you can find. if any are attached to the hull you need to run them back to the ground buss..
Have you considered having someone crew for you? It would help you get the boat ready and provide a safety measure while sailing. I'm sure a lot of people would like to.
Don't give up :)
Have you seen this "super alloy 5" material for repairing holes in aluminum? Looks like something you could easily do yourself.
Easily Repair Your Aluminum Boat Holes
Looking good! Yay! (claps like a silly school girl)
:+)
Karl should have had a paint stripping party. BYOG (bring your own grinder)
Really enjoy the videos and always look forward to more.
Keep The Faith!
hehe, I think you will enjoy the next video ;)
Respekt !!! 1
Why did you choose aluminum hull?
Hi +Alexandre Guidetti (Swiss Syndicate), you can watch this video to find out why and how I chose my good old KARL ruclips.net/video/w0PpT8jEatc/видео.html
there are videos on youtube for aluminum welding so you can check them out and see if you think you can do it.do a little research on it then decide what you might want to do..good luck.Dewey.
You most likely know this but make sure to never ever use copper bottom paint on an aluminum hull. It will have so many holes in it that it will look like a sponge!
WARNING! A woman brought a steel houseboat to the marina I ran. She had just bought it after corrosion leaks through the hull had been repaired by welding steel plates over the damaged areas. A year later the boat sank at the dock. The hull leaked like a sieve except for the new plates.. It's since been cut up for scrap. Aluminum can do the same thing. Without a professional survey by someone who knows haw to survey aluminum boats I'd stay at the dock. If you have to give up the boat and shipping isn't to high I'd scrap the boat and sell the jewels like blocks, cleats, winches and instruments on Ebay or locally.
weld it yourself. Its not very hard, and $3000 pays for a lot of mistakes. I would not stop at fixing the holes. I would cut squares, no less then 12"x12" and replace the material in the entire area.
agreed
I just found your videos on RUclips this morning and watched all 27 of them in a row. You are an absolutely amazing woman. I can't believe the things you do. I am restoring a 35' wooden ketch and spent 6 weeks last summer sanding off 45 years of bottom paint and know first hand how physically demanding it is on your body. I will say that by the end of the summer I was in the best shape of my life and felt good about what I had accomplished. This summer I will repair/replace the cabin roof and decks. I look forward to your next post. BTW, would you like to marry me? I'm only 65.
Capt. Rich
per Chance
Chesapeake Bay
I don't understand why no one told you to just get a compressor and cheap sand blaster hookup. You could have done the whole hull in a day or two.
keep ya chin up.
YOU'RE A TOUGH ONE!
Michael, look , no comments :)
don't get the cheapest epoxy for your hull repair project, you'll end up with at least double the estimated hours. i failed with that myself and some unreachable parts still haven't cured after 6+ months.
Don't do the wirebrush it will destroy your etch primer...
But I would go for the welding..thats alwaye's beter than epoxy and musch saver.
Trust me,My boss on the boatwharf do fore 10j ;-)
Sorry for my englisch...love to follow your progres ...grten from Holland
P.s.: I'm the epoxy,paint and grp expert here at www.vdrest.nl
Have you tried the knotted wire brushes for your angle grinder? Thats what i used to remove paint from steel angle iron. check those out if you run out of the kind you are using. Be warned though the wire wheels make quick work of the paint but as the wheel wears the wires start to fall out and they kinda get flung at you and sometimes even penetrated the skin.... I just went with it despite the pain because they worked so well at stripping the paint.....
here is a good source for cheaper tools, i don't know what the shipping to Panama would be though.
goodluck!
www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?limit=60&q=grinder+wheel
Here are a couple of sources I found maybe it will make your decision easier about your Hull. Even if it doesn't you can't have to much info.
ruclips.net/video/RCrixbXz4rc/видео.html go to minute 3:22 to save time
I found lots of places to find info on the net. You can also go to the Sailboat Forums and do a search. Cruisers and sailboat forum has a nice datbase as well as others.
Use Google and let your eyes do the work.
Why are you doing this all on your own.?
Troy V Peterson prob not mig
Hi Nike,
still no professional surveyor in side.? hmm It is one thing to have carl looking pretty on the high and dry but taking Him for a swim is another story . Listen to Leslie Brett.
The German call the North Sea the "mordsee", and the Pacific Ocean "Stiller Ozean" . Yah right. By now we all know you are a tuff little nut and everyone is wishing You well. Please learn Rule number one: if you ignore or disrespect Nature, she'll come back and bite you in the Ass. Trust Me. Rule number2: Please get an Professional for Inspection, before you start swimming. Would hate to loose a smart cooky like You. The Boat-Builder Reinke is building good Boats but He also is selling the boat-plans to 'know all' Hobby builders. This the reason for my suspicion.
How much do you know about Carls history ?
Well, like they say Fair Winds and Hummel - Hummel.