In a message dated 2/20/2003 12:55:45 AM Eastern Standard Time,
elnav@uniserve.com writes:

I'm in the midst of rewiring NAMASTE and refurnishing her main saloon.  I've
done the easy part with a sawzall and filled a small dumpster with what used
to be my setee/dining table.  I'm about to install new AC& DC panels
purchased from Paneltronics in Miami (Nice stuff) and start pulling circuits
one at a time from the old panel to the new, upgrading and replacing wires as
necessary.  I'm having a local fellow build a new setee, the idea being to
have it more like a couch and less like a dining room table to accomodate my
aging and expanding body.  Eventually I will pull off the galley mica tops
and replace them with Corian counters.

NAMASTE was designed by Steve Seaton and launched April 1979.  Her lines are
timeless and I guess you could call her "vintage", though most folks think
she is a relatively new boat.

Best--Michael Oritt
Durbeck 48--NAMASTE

vintage

qualify

Not vintage but it is what I have and worked on for the last year.  1979
Marine Trader Pilothouse 49.

Bought it kinda cheap.  Replaced the aft 30% of the flybridge deck, walls
and part of the support system.  Rebuilt the flybridge console. Rebuilt the
aft pilothouse exterior and interior walls, and rebuilt the windows between
the fly bridge and dinghy deck.  Rebuilt 75% of the pilothouse exterior wall
on port and starboard.  Rebuilt 20% of the starboard house exterior wall and
rebuilt windows.  Replaced cap rail support system on aft 50% of boat and on
stern.  Replaced 90% of gunnel port and starboard.

I am starting to become passable with epoxy and glass.

Sanded the entire boat one too many times getting it ready for paint.

Tried my own priming with spray gun.  After five hours I threw the gun as
far as I could.  It hit the end of the rubber hose and sprang back at me.  I
went up and kicked it.  It laid there and just grinned at me for three days
before I had the will power to pick it up with out being angry.  I don't
need to learn how to paint anyway.

We decided doing our own prep work of sanding filling sanding filling,
sanding, primer and sanding and filling one more time was good for our
physical health. Of course our mental capacity has diminished.  We have
spent at least $700-800 on sand paper.  We are paying others to actually
spray.  Trim paint is now completed.  Expect flybridge and house to be
sprayed Monday and then on to the hull, and decks, weather permitting in SW
Florida.

While waiting for primer to be sprayed we sanded off 24 years of bottom
paint.  Decided to do the blisters while waiting.  It should probably have
been planed but I had my trusty grinder so we ground out several hundred
blisters.  We then filled, sanded and refilled.  During this process our 50'
boat grew to 150'. We will put on six coats of epoxy and then bottom paint
right before we splash it in a month or two.

Mechanically boat is great. 2000 hrs are logged on each of our three
engines. We did straighten a rudder, I re-built the gen water pump, and
repaired one small seam leak in a fuel tank.  We are checking and rebuilding
all through hulls and valves. Do need to replace the 4 8D's and two other
batteries.  After we splash it we will finish bright work.  Then start on
the interior.

Have some interior wood rot as well.  Will be putting in a new sanitation
system, autopilot, new fuel delivery and polishing system and now, thanks to
the list I have plans for building a watermaking system.  Does anyone have
plans for an Autopilot?  Electrical system needs some cleaning up also.
Another year at our dock will allow us to finish chores and cruise weekends
at the same time.

My primary source of knowledge since I had no prior boat repair experience
before this project was reading.  Doing.  Screwing up and then re-doing.

This list has been a big help in the information department.

skinwalker
MT pilothouse 49

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