SUMMER 2017
2016 was a wedding onslaught and this site was not updated nearly enough. Going to set the calendar reminders to post Mondays during lunch time for this summer. To get up to speed, so far this year have had 4 weekends out at boat yard. One to mostly survey and clean the hull (esp the water line) with Muriatic acid. And then one big day of angle grinding the keel down to the metal again. (Huge thanks to Joe for helping that day). Then a few rainy weekends so wasn’t going to paint those days. And then a trip out a few weeks later, where used acid to remove rust accumulation. Rinsed. Let it dry. Then applied a lot of Star Brite Rust Eater and Converter. Let that sit for 10 minutes and then went back and applied more and moved around with microfiber cloth to try and get any cracks, etc. Let that dry for 2 hours and then put on a coat of the HS High Solids Barrier coat. Stuff is awesome. Goes on thick. Put on a really thorough coat. And then headed home. Then this last weekend went back out early early and put on another HS barrier coat first thing in the morning. Let dry for 4 hours and taped off the lines and then went with the west marine standard blue anti fouling paint. And then after letting dry. The boat is in the water. Now the fun stuff can begin. This coming weekend we want to take out any wood not attached and sand and seal and put back. Also want to remove decayed wheel leather and thinking of going with thin cord neatly knotted over and over all the way around the wheel instead of foam and leather.
SPLASH
This is what we have been waiting for. SUMMER CAN BEGIN NOW. Go out there early again per usual now. Checked on the keel paint job and got ready for the travel lift. Once the boat was picked up, painted the hull where the stands had been and the bottom of the keel and then SPLASH. Engine wasn’t turning over, had to charge the batteries for a minute and then started the diesel up. Moved into a slip and then went and bought new 15 amp fuse to replace the one we had crushed by stepping on. Quick vacuum of the cabin at the dock before putting back the mattress and floorboards (need to frame out the battery and support the floor boards by the stairs) and then motored out to a mooring. Got the main up and checked the time. Still early in the day, so we decided to just go for it. Sailed out of Three Mile no motor the whole way out of the channel into Gardiners Bay and then sailed over to Mark Cuban’s Fountainhead. Couple tacks and then headed home.
On the way back Traffic was brutal. And we missed game 7. Couldn’t even find it on the AM stations. I think everyone was visiting family on LI for Father’s Day and then all headed home after dinner, BUT WE ARE IN THE WATER. Summer 2016 is here finally.
Keel and Bottom Painted
Up early powered by breakfast from crew member we picked up in Fort Greene and on the road by 7:00 it’s a whole new world. Got to the yard and found some spots where rust got through the barrier coat. And along the edges of the G Flex. Sanded the spots and then sprayed rust converter. Let it dry and then applied barrier coat for a couple coats. The rudder got some serious attention and also a few coats of barrier. Also sprayed keel nuts with rust converter. Curious to get back and see the results of the chemical reaction. After taping it off, started on the bottom while barrier coat was drying. Used the paint straight. In years past have mixed with linseed oil and some acetone to thin it a bit. I think also the thinking behind the mix was to really let the ablative paint fall off leaving you with less old paint at end of season. I kind of cheap/efficient way to “sand” off the layers of older paint. Helped launch our friends Ericson 27 and then that was it for the day. Will be heading back out soon to splash ours.
KEEL TIME – “Rust Doesn’t Sleep”
Sunday April 24th. Up early and out the door by 8:30 with our canine assistant. No traffic. Stopped at a yard sale in East Hampton on the way. Didn’t find anything, but was a cool neighborhood of smaller houses. Could have been at the boat in under 2 hours, if we hadn’t stopped for gas and the yard sale.
Did a home depot run the day before, so was all set with discs for the angle grinder. Donned the Tyvec suit and took down all of the areas where rust is coming through on the keel. Also cleaned up the prop and inside the boat around the bilge we cleaned off the hardware that bolts on the keel. Will do a little more cleaning up of the area where the keel meets the hull and then will be applying a rust neutralizer, then G FLEX (“With a modulus of elasticity of 150,000 psi”), then a barrier coat and then our bottom paint. And this should last more than a few years. (Fingers crossed). Solid day. Turned my head blue.
Hopped off 27 in Hampton Bays to find a sandwich on the way home. Ended up with an ANTONIO from Scotto’s and a Shrimp Parmigiana grinder. HEAVEN.

Progress – After we clean this out for all of the loose caulk and stuff, this is where G Flex comes in handy

SCOTTO’S PORK STORE
Spring Check Up – Easter 2016
Easter Sunday we drove out to the boat yard in the morning. There was so little traffic. It was wonderful. The yard looked good. “The boats were on the stands” No surprises. We climbed up the ladder and opened up the Kirie. No water taken on. Great sign. Took stock of what needs to be done. (All the projects we didn’t get to last year)
Double checked Fuel & Oil Filter types, so we were able to order correct parts. Then the keel. We are going to have to buff it down and seal it, before we paint the bottom. The keel is rusting through the paint. Also on the list is the short columns and wood ribs that make up the corral around the battery and support the floor right by the companionway. We have some sanding of wood up top to do as well. And then my least favorite task is to take the rudder off and glass in the leading edge. The epoxy didn’t hold. The back and forth of steering must have worn if off during the season.
Then off to Montauk to walk around the point and back to the Montauk Harbor for a solid lunch at Sammys capped off with an oreo inside a chocolate chip cookie.
Dufour 30 being Hauled out
One of our neighbors getting hauled out for winter.
WINTERIZING
It’s time. Either this weekend or the following, will take the boat out with the travel lift and put on stands for the winter. I have started researching wiring diagrams, hardware upgrades and will get going on interior & Cockpit wood projects in the spring. Originally started this site to document before and after projects as I did not find a lot of information out there for the Kirie Elite 32. But fortunately the Diesel Volvo 2002 engine started right up, we scrubbed above and below deck for a couple weekends and then we had a great season and ran strong all summer.
Will try and get the gopro in place to document the haul out and pressure wash. Depends on the timing.
CIRCUMNAVIGATED ! Labor Day Weekend
We took our time for the long weekend. Heading out Saturday midday picked up supplies in town, cleaned the boat up and then went for a short afternoon sail. (Low battery slowed our departure, borrowed a battery and started right up) Sunday morning, we drove over to the Springs General Store for coffees & bagels. Grabbed some more supplies from the One Stop in Springs, NY. (Supplies =’s goldfish and beer). And then it was low tide midday, so wait until it was + 0.75 to push off. It was a funny sensation as we didn’t ease out of the slip right away. Had some muddy seafloor to contend with. Our neighbor kept asking me when were departing and if we still planned on the circumnavigation. I was anxious that we were leaving at 1:30 pm and not 10:30 am, which was never going to happen, but was my idea of wake up and go. Anyhow we were off. Headed straight across Gardiner’s towards the light house North of Shelter Island at the Peconic River. Made good time, and we headed into the Peconic. Passing Dering Harbor we were attempting to go basically straight up wind. After being rocked by a few large power boats I started the motor to assist our upwind angle to get around Fanning Point and on our way. We cruised along and had thought of stopping at Sunset beach for the night. It was how i picture greece. Boats everywhere jammed in. And houses littering the hillside. We had daylight left so kept on. Once we cleared Jennings point we flew South. Good lean and we were cruising, turned east and then turned at Tyndal Point and again flying south. Rounded Mashomack point and up to the mouth of Coecles. Passed a big yacht parked outside Coecles as the sun was setting and then found a spot to anchor near shore in Coecles just before dark. We did it! Circumnavigation of Shelter was complete! Next time I want to go clockwise and never touch the engine. Dering Harbor and Greenport and all of that Peconic behind Shelter was garbage for sailing. So many A hole power boats. I don’t know why anyone would keep a sailboat in there. Reaffirmed how happy I am in Three Mile Harbor.
UP THE IRONS
Mike & crew took a break from Harvard and came down for an overnight. Saturday we got started early afternoon and headed to the Ruins, (no sign of Mark Cuban’s Fountainhead) for a cool view of the old structure and then downwind wing on wing all the way to Shelter Island to Coecles harbor where after rowing Henry ashore and back in the dinghy we spent the night. Sunday morning Mike helped me press on UP THE IRONS vinyl name finally. So finally our KIRIE has a name! The naming celebration was required, although a bit early for the mandatory toasts, we made it happen. (ROUGH) Then back to the dock after a quick stop for swimming off of a mooring in Three Mile and then into the car and dinner at our favorite spot in Amagansett for LOBSTER ROLLS. Sat outside so Henry could join us and he loves lobster. Solid weekend after a rough week.
Recent Comments