A27 "Coquette"- by the seasons

[JT48348]

Its like watching paint dry.

Fall 2014
-build the boat yard and parking spot
-boat delivered, 1100 miles from Maryland to the Motor City
-run the diesel & winterize
-pump the bilge
-remove the holding tank, water tank, and all plumbing
-demolish the fwd cabin, aft cabin, galley, and head
-remove all interior wood
-remove the headliner
-remove the electrical systems & lights & wiring
-remove all deck hardware & pulpits
-source the mast, winches and fittings

Winter 2014
-rebuild the anchor platform/bowsprit
-source & rebuild the windlass
-clean and polish all deck fittings
-prep, sand, and varnish all interior wood

[eseyoung]

What a project...best of luck. keep posting pictures.

They say that the 2 happiest days of a boat owners life is the day you buy it and the day you sell it. i don't know who 'they' are but 'they' are full of crap. At least she found a good owner who has the means, ability and desire to keep her afloat.

Interesting you chose to let the top on. I was concerned with snow weight collapsing it...which if you are extending the hard top isn't a real big deal.

[JT48348]

Yes no issue with the snow. She sheds it very well. I occassionally dust off the fore deck but other than that no issues. Eventually I will switch to shrink wrapping for the winter, but right now theres not much to damage

[DesertAlbin736]

Wow! An impressive restoration project schedule. And I thought I was doing a lot of work on "La Dolce Vita"!?! I'm a piker by comparison! I don't know if you're retired now or still working, but when people ask about how to keep busy in retirement (I took an early retirement buyout package five years ago when I was 58 with 25 years service at an electric utility company under my belt & never looked back) my answer is, "That's easy, just buy a 44 year old classic Swedish built boat and you'll have more than enough to keep busy between working on the boat and taking extended cruises". And of course the way to make a small fortune is start with a large fortune and buy a boat.

Must say you have a very pretty spot to park your boat. We rent space in a homeowner's yard that's a 1 acre horse property on the edge of a desert park in Glendale, AZ a couple miles up the road from our house in Peoria. We're in an HOA neighborhood so we can't park the boat on site at home. I was over at the boat yesterday taking measurements for new a canvas cockpit enclosure that we intend to make using a Sailrite machine to sew Sunbrella when suddenly I heard the unmistakable bark of a pack of coyotes yipping somewhere in the brush nearby. From the sound of it they couldn't have been more than a few yards away.

Our intent this summer is to trailer our A25 from Phoenix all the way out to Rhode Island via I-90 and spend 5 or 6 days to a week transiting part of the Erie Canal, perhaps about 50 miles or so from Fairport, NY to Cayuga Lake. After cruising the Block Island Sound area off Rhode Island we plan to head South down the coast on the way back and do the Chesapeake Bay and some ICW. Last year it was the Pacific NW and the Gulf Islands of BC. This year it's Erie Canal, New England, and the mid Atlantic coast. La Dolce Vita, "the sweet life" indeed. We're on a schedule to meet friends in Rhode Island the 2nd week of June, so we won't have time to do the Apostle Islands or any other cruising on the Great Lakes since we want to do the Chesapeake too.

[JT48348]

I appreciate the comments thanks. My goal is to keep doing something through all the seasons. This is a massive project.

[JT48348]

Summer 2015
Took off more wood.
Removed the swim platform
Glassed the forward cabin windows
Mocked up the head and shower
Removed pilothouse windows

[JT48348]

Fall 2015

-installed new forward cabin bulkheads
-installed bathroom cabinets
-installed toilet platform & shower pan
-removed pilothouse Windows
-repaired pilot house
-removed old boat name
-refinished Beckson ports
-rebuilt forward hatch

[JT48348]

Slow winter. Spent much of the season on a different boat project involving a sailboat pilothouse. Can't wait for the warm weather.

Winter 2015

-refinished all teak
-rebuilt pilothouse Windows
-rebuilt swim platform

[smacksman]

I can't quite see if you have already done it but with a long project like that I would jack up the trailer onto blocks and remove the wheels to cover or leave them on and cover them to keep the sun off. Suspension and wheels will last a lot longer.
What's that white stuff? We haven't seen the like in our part of the UK this winter.

[JT48348]

The jacks are a good suggestion. I have been thinking about that for a while but haven't found what I'm looking for. Right now the tires are up on concrete pavers to keep them off the gravel and ground water. I check them regularly for air.

The white tarp is from tarpaflex USA. There is a UK company by that name but I don't know if they're related. I think this is the 40x30 cut down an re-grometted on the sides and I added a tension rope for the bungees to hook into at 40x26. The key is the long sides which sheds the rain and snow and resists the wind. It allows for folding along the hull. The tarp is like 14mil thick. I think they have a 16mil I just got for my sailboat pilothouse project but haven't used it yet. I debated shrink wrapping but needed to be able to access the deck at various times and shrink wrap is more expensive and not quick for DIY.

Extremely pleased with these tarps as the previous poly blue lasted 1 year and the holes & chafe took over. The white is simply amazing. An added benefit is how light it is inside so you can work without having to remove it every time.

[rnummi]

JT how were the pilothouse center window fittings? Mine are corroded to the point of unuseability. Perko? Can't tell at this point corrosion is so bad. Appears almost aluminum.

[JT48348]

As much as possible I'm a big fan of keeping like minded topics in the same thread.

I know the search function sometimes isn't very good, rnummi,but there is a
Harware Refinishing Thread with the answer to your question.

[rnummi]

I was asking about your refit. You indicated you had pulled windows. Guess I should have PMd you.

[Beta Don]

JT how were the pilothouse center window fittings? Mine are corroded to the point of unuseability. Perko? Can't tell at this point corrosion is so bad. Appears almost aluminum.

JT restored his beautifully - He's got pictures of them posted here somewhere. They don't resemble yours (or mine) at all, though I'm sure they were the same part when new

Don

[JT48348]

Spring 2016

-removed engine
-cleaned interior and engine compartment