October 30, 2005
Boat US
Marine Insurance
880 South Picket Street
Alexandria, VA 22304
FAX 703-461-2840
RE: Binder #2534001/01
In a letter dated October 25, 2005, relative to Insurance Binder #2534001/01, Peter M. Slonaker asked for a detailed report on my plans to address the recommendations set forth in the survey report for my boat, GREYHAWK, a 1980 Island Yachts Peterson 34.
The boat is now berthed at my father-in-law's dock on Mill Creek in Annapolis, Maryland. I live in New Hampshire, which obviously limits my ability to work on the boat. I am currently planning several trips down to Maryland to work on the boat as follows: (1) the weekend of November 11-13, 2005, (2) the first or second week in January, 2006, (3) the week of March 11-19, 2006, and (4) a week in early June, 2006. Additional trips may be made as time permits. I plan to have the boat hauled and blocked for the week in January, weather conditions permitting (with the week in March as an alternative). I expect to do this at Whitehall Yacht Yard in Annapolis, which is in close proximity to the boat's current berth on Mill Creek. Previously, I made a trip down to work on the boat over the weekend of October 7-9, 2005, with work done to date reported in my letter of October 13, 2005, accompanying my submission of the survey report. I will be happy to submit to you reports on the work accomplished following each work session.
In late June, 2006, I am planning to sail the boat on her own bottom from Annapolis, MD, up to Boothbay Harbor, ME, via the C&D Canal and the Cape Cod Canal. I will have an experienced crew aboard, including my wife, my father, my father-in-law, and one or two friends, all with significant sailing experience. We will have a full complement of safety equipment aboard -- for example, I plan to rent a liferaft for the trip. Once in Maine, the boat will be kept on a mooring in either West Boothbay Harbor, or in Townsend Gut, both very well protected locations. At the end of the 2006 season, I plan to have the boat hauled and trucked to my home in Keene, New Hampshire, to undertake a complete overhaul and re-fit.
Relative to the survey recommendations highlighted as most needing attention:
"2. Decks - Accomplish reconditioning repairs to include hardware, hatches and port rebedding and/or replacement." It is my intention to wait until I have the boat under cover parked in my yard at home in New Hampshire before undertaking any major repairs to the deck coring. I hope to rebed the forward deck hatch and re-fasten the bow pulpit during my November work session. Until I get the boat home, other rebedding of the ports and deck hardware will be done on an as needed basis (i.e., as we discover leaks).
"3. Sea connections - Rebed both cockpit drain thru-hull fittings. Replace the cockpit drain and head discharge gate valves .... Replace the galley sink seawater hand pump and head sink drain vinyl hoses with marine grade wire reinforced hose material." The thru-hulls will be re-bedded, and the gate valves replaced, when the boat is hauled out in January or March. It should be noted that the weeping of water from the leaking thru-hull fittings has ceased, perhaps due to swelling of the materials around the thru-hulls upon wetting. The galley and head sink hoses will be replaced in November.
"4. Head & waste holding tank" I am contemplating a complete redesign of this system, including a new holding tank in a different location and, ultimately, relocating the thru-hulls for easier access to these seacocks from within the head compartment (currently they are located under the berths in the main salon). I will attempt to rebuild the pump on the existing marine toilet in November. If the toilet cannot be successfully repaired, we may rely on a self-contained toilet until I can overhaul this system. In the meantime, the seacocks remain closed, per the surveyor's recommended "alternative precautionary measure." I would be interested in further explanation as to what you see as the particular hazards of the current situation.
"5. Galley CNG Stove - Secure CNG tank in place. Vent the CNG regulator to the exterior of the vessel. Secure the fuel supply line in place." I hope to accomplish this work in November.
"6. 12-volt service - Service the port battery cell water levels and recharge the batteries. Retest under load and replace as found necessary. Devise better means of securing the battery boxes in place. Color code the starboard battery positive cable and secure all positive battery cables in place and away from all chafe potentials. Secure all wiring runs in place every 16". Repair to get stern light operational." The port battery does need replacing, but I intend to wait until next spring do so since the boat will see limited used through the winter, and the new battery would simply be discharging itself over that time. To accomplish the color coding, I intend in November to wrap the starboard battery positive cable with an appropriately colored tape as an interim measure (when I get the boat home to Keene, I intend to overhaul the entire electrical system). I will add some fiddles to the platforms supporting the battery boxes, as well as an additional strap, if not in November then in January or March. I will also secure all the battery cables in November, and will secure other wiring runs as necessary.
"7. Engine - ... Replace exhaust hoses to eliminate restrictive kinks and the 90 degree elbows. Replace the fuel fill hose..." I will replace the section of exhaust hose with the most significant restriction in January or March. My intention is to leave the rest of the exhaust system alone until I get the boat home for her complete overhaul. I will also replace the fuel fill hose in January or March (In November, I'll be removing some cabinetry to gain access to the fuel fill deck fitting.)
"8. Propulsion hardware - Repair the seawater leak along the starboard side of the engine shaft strut." I will refasten the propeller shaft support strut when the boat is hauled out in January or March.
I was also asked to describe steps taken to protect the boat in my absence. The boat is secured to dock and stand-off pilings with multiple bow, stern and spring lings, protected with chafing gear. The dock was constructed in 2003, and is very substantial as it was built to commercial rather than residential scantlings. Sails, canvas, and other items have been removed to reduce windage. All seacocks are kept closed, and the electrical system turned off, whenever the boat is left unattended. My father-in-law regularly checks the boat and lines.
I hope you find these plans acceptable. Please do let me know if you have concerns. Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Tim Allen
Boat/US member # -------
New Hampshire Safe Boating Certificate # NH--------
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October 2009