Date: 4/24/2008
Name: Rick Manasberger SeaWitch#35
email: rmansberger@medisiss.com
subject:Rebuild of Seawitch#35
Hi Jim, I didn't know how to attach pictures so I will send this directly to you. Here is answer to Jeff's email when I said "Save the Boat", I found some of the pictures of our project. Some were lost because of a PC incident (we won't go there)(Note: Due to website server storage considerations, I'm not including Rick's photos. However, for anyone interested in any of these, possibly to assist in a rebuild project, please just email Rick for copies. - Jim)
There was damage to cockpit, the whole area had delaminated due to having water sit there for many years, there was some upper deck repair, transom, major hatch repair, and of course broken, cracked, and leaking windows. I of course replace to keel winch, no broken finger or limbs allowed. Lots of yuck growing inside, but now that is all a distant memory.
Gene Adams supplied the window repair kit, I tried to go the Plexiglas DYI route, and I was glad that I went with Gene's solution, very neat and very good looking, well worth the price.
The hatch had been broken in half down the middle from dropping the mast on it and a big tree branch. I used my favorite friend resin and Marine-Tex. I am a huge fan of Marine-Tex from my Hobie days. It is great to work with and will not sag or crack sands like wood, holds like steel. I once put some on the forward cross support of my cat trailer just to see what would happen, all the flexing and it never split, cracked, or failed and that was 10 years ago and it is still holding.
The cockpit area was leaking and cracked, and delaminated, so I duct taped the bottom side and drilled in 100's of ¼ inch holes from the top side and injected resin in the void through the holes. After it all cured, it used Marine-Tex to fill, sanded and painted with the new Krylon Spray Paint for Plastics. That paint dries quickly and wears like iron. It looked really good.
There are 7 scans, the first 6 have four pictures each and the last has the man I did all this for, my friend, my Dad.
Image 1 SeaWitch as she sat for 10 years and 2 windows before pictures, the window pictures don't show how bad they really looked and leaked.
Image 2 Windows out and ready for new Gene Adams replacements
Image 3 Tip from Gene Adams, use wood braces and main sheet to holding in the windows as the sealant cured. Blue tape was also a hint from Gene to make over sealant easy to razor blade and clean up. Just trim away and you have a quality looking end product. (Thanks Gene, it really did work)
Image 4 Finished Windows - NICE!!!! Cockpit with resin all in and holes filled ready for paint. One picture of finished product
Image 5 A couple more pre-paint pictures and finished product pictures post-paint.
Image 6 SeaWitch on the trailer, pulled my by 1978 GMC Suburban that was my Grandp's, we tend to hold on to things and keep them up. We call her the BIG CUB. Two pictures of the SeaWitch in the water the first time. Had to call Gene Adam's on the cell because the keel wouldn't go down, all the debris made mud when the Witch went into the water, I had to dive under and clean it out. All was well and the SeaWitch was born again! Also a picture of my '67 Mustang (just to share)
Image 7 My Dad, who just turned 79. When is a seasoned supervisor and knows that a chair is a better place than behind the working end of a sander. Smart man, good friend, and someone I can always count on.
All this could not have done without all of the insight and help I had from the many people from the Harbor family. I was a Hobie true blue speed demon, 22 knots on the edge, but the SeaWitch, admittedly slower, way slower, is a different kind of fun and sailing.
The best thing about sailing is that I usually sail with my Dad and when we sail, we get time to talk, relive our past, and just hang out. That makes the SeaWitch the best boat ever!
We have had 2 seasons on the SeaWitch and this summer we will be going to the North Channel for a week. I will let you know how that goes.
Thank you Jim and everybody and someone please buy Jeff’s boat and get it back in the water.
Fair Winds and good Seas
Rick out
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