The Old Silent Dream

As promised a few months ago the following are some of the pictures we took when we first bought this boat which had a different name.

The cockpit with the old instruments.

Oh yeah that lovely curved track with plastic sheaves that were all cracked and broken.

The Galley with the alcohol stove, we added the Microwave.

The Nav Station, notice the old dried out curtains, the Loran at the top right, we added the new VHF Radio.

Port side the original table and updated lighting we added.  

Notice the great Herculan Plaid Cushions.  They never wear out.

The Starboard side with the original lights.  

Looking at the Port side picture the light on the right has replaced these original lights.

The V-berth.

The Rear Berth entrance with vinyl accordion doors.

They look white in this photo they are brown.

So next year when the blue shrink wrap is off you will see the updates we have done this year.  You will see some of the updates in older postings.  Such as the Swim Platform, Wind Generator, Radar Pole, and Full Cockpit Enclosure just to mention a few of the upgrades.  

Until next spring when all this work is finally going to pay off.

We wish everyone reading this a Very Merry Christmas and a Safe, Happy, Prosperous New Year.

Wind Generator is Installed

 

The Wind Generator is installed and working.  I'm so happy.!!! I also have the frame for the Solar Panels installed.  Look hard just above the Bimini you can see the Stainless frame.

 

Linda and I have had some deep discussions about the boat, and we have made some expensive decisions.  The frig is 12 years old, drawing 7 amps and no longer freezing the whole box, we are lucky it is keeping it cold, we are Replacing it...

 

Our stove and oven, that we bought used from a friend that had a 1980 Catalina 30, is being replaced. This stove and oven is over 30 years old.  I guess it's time to replace it. 

 

We just replaced the Dodger as it bit the dust last season.  We also have to waterproof rest of the canvas.

 

I made a trip to Put n Bay, Ohio  this was a great little shack down cruise.  I found a few issues with the boat that I will be changing this year.

 

I'm still working on bring all the lines back to the cockpit for use in bad weather.

 

We have had several volunteers (friends) that want to join us on parts of our cruise to Florida. 

 

Wow, we have talked about this adventure for so many years and I have slowly made changes to the boat.  But now, it actually feels like I'm running out of time. Only 10 months left and no time to get done what I feel we like I'm running out of time.  This is a very strange feeling I'm experiencing.  We are about to change our lives forever, with a once in a live time experience that so many people only wish they could do.

 

I'm still Captaining the Clinton Friendship about twice a week, keeping a little pocket money coming in.  If your looking for a Captain Job you can take over my position. Talk to Capt. Paul.

This has been a great job. Two weeks ago Superior Ambulance my employer from the Chicago area had a party on board for the Detroit Hospital employees they work with.  It was great seeing a couple of friends from Chicago area..

 

Coming in the next post, photos of the interior of Silent Dream as she looked before all the changes that are coming.  Stay tuned.... and while you are waiting for more please visit, www.clrmarine.com for all you boating needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 





Batteries, Head, and More

 

Quick Update; New US Battery House batteries installed, we now have 502 amps for the house bank.  Upgraded battery cables to engine. 

New electric comfort size head installed.  While we were doing the bottom job I installed a thru hull for the macerator and Y valve.





 

 

 

The wind generator is now being installed. Support pole is in and being braced by the mounting kit that came with the tower and the solar panel mounting that is also going in at the same time.

It seems like there is so much to do in such a short time, but it is getting done.

 

We are also have a new Dodger being made using our existing frame..

Bottom Paint Work Breaks

My Thanks go out to Doug and Jean for the Gin & Tonic while I was putting on coat number 4 of the 5 coats of Interlux E2000 barrier paint.

Silent Dreams bottom paint had plenty of time to dry as we took a 14 day break and went on a Disney cruise to Alaska.

This Glacier has receded 475 feet in one year.

She is done and now in the water, we went with the Interlux Micron Extra in Shark Gray for the bottom paint.  We will see how this looks at the end of the season.  If I don't like it we will add a coat of  Dark Blue.

All mast lights have been tested and working or replaced.  We are ready to put up the stick.



Bottom Stripping and Preparation

Progress is finally being made and quickly. We decided to strip the bottom again. We have done this one other time ten years ago. Since then the Ablative paint has been chipping off instead of wearing off. So it is time to fix this issue once and for all. I started scraping and soon decided it was not worth my time and effort. What would have taken me 5 weeks, a lot of painful muscles and probably some blood was done in 5 hours. We hired a local company Yacht Z Marine to soda blast the bottom. 

Yacht Z Marine did a fantastic job from start to finish leaving the area cleaner than when they started. In the following pictures you will see the bottom is gray and white.  They explained the white areas you see is where the barrier coat we applied 10 years ago and did not adhere as well.  They also stated that we will not have that problem again. They told us to do a light sanding, wipe the boat down with 202 fiberglass wash and start applying the barrier coat.

Yacht Z Marine even called out another company to take a look at the bottom, do to some minor holes in the fiberglass when they were done.  This company did a thorough inspection of the bottom and stated that the holes we are seeing are not blisters but more like voids due to the fiberglass not being wet enough some 30 years ago when they built the boat.

Yacht Z Marine setting up

Notice the clear plastic turned blue immediately

Soda Blasting in Progress

 

Finished

Time for me to start working.



Just a Quick Update on the Lack of Progress

We have decided to remove the bottom paint down to the barrier coats, at least we hope the stripper stops at the barrier coat. We will be adding one more coat of barrier and then three coats Micron Extra in Shark White. This will give the boat a new look. The Micron Extra is good for both Fresh and Salt Water, so we will be one step ahead for a change.

A 32 gallon triangular water tank will be installed in the bow sometime after the bottom gets painted.

I will also be replacing the engine alternator with the high output alternator we had on the old Universal M-25 engine. This will push me into upgrading the battery cables to 2 gage wire.

Unfortunately too many things have been going on in our lives, and I have not had a chance to start working on the boat this season. Warm weather and no rain would really help. But we need the rain so bad.  Oh Well, it will all get done sooner or later.

Silent Dream is Preparing to Live the Dream

Silent Dream preparing to Live the Dream

This is the beginning blog outlining the adventures of Chuck & Linda Reed aboard our 1983 Catalina 36 Hull 91.  We will not be heading south until the spring of 2015 due to the housing market cutting into our cruising kitty.

Silent Dream is on the hard, under a coat of fresh snow at this time.  We decided to keep and make improvements to her about 7 years ago, as she was paid for, and we did not want a boat payment.  Some of the improvements we have made since that decision have been a new engine and transmission and up dated battery banks.

We have always wanted to travel and have dreamed of Living the Dream, cutting lines and enjoying the Caribbean and beyond by boat.

Last year, I added a windlass, designed and built a swim platform along with a transom shower. It is working out great.



This year I started adding a Wind Generator and will probably add another water tank.

Stay tuned as we will start adding to this blog soon.

Also do not forget to visit CLR Marine at www.clrmarine.com for all your boating needs.

If you don't see it ask and we will try to get it for you.