Summer 2018

Welcome to the site for SV Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a Cape Dory 36 sailboat, hull # 131. We purchased Nutmeg in January of 2018 and launched her that spring in Rockland, ME.

Spring 2018
Prior to launching we removed the old head and installed a composting toilet. We had bought a "C-Head" composting toilet for our old boat and we liked so much we immediately put in this boat. This was pretty straight forward as it fit right in where the old head was. I had to disconnect the hose and plug the thru hull. Also had to plug  the hose to the holding tank. The holding tank is integral with the hull so I did not do anything with that but I may yet in the future.
    There was a slight delamination near the rudder shoe at the bottom of the hull. I ground this out and refiberglassed it with heavier fiberglass. I sanded it all smooth and then painted the bottom.

I removed all of the standing rigging except for the two forestays and brought them home. I had new ones made copying these and reinstalled them.
   I installed a 50 watt solar panel with the accompanying charge controller. Also I made screens for the overhead hatches which fold down when you want to open the hatches. This is much better than Velcro.
   I installed two coaming cleats that we bought from Spartan as there were too many lines being attached to the coaming cleats that were there. They were expensive but I think it makes it safer and easier to use.
   I removed the stupid lazy susan turntable from its cabinet and that made for a lot more space it there. Not quite sure what we will put in there but it is a much better use of that space than the turntable.
July 2018
We were motoring along out of the harbor when we heard a big clank and then the motor stopped. We turned around and sailed back to the mooring. After much analysis it was discovered that the transmission had destroyed itself. I guess that's what happens when they run out of oil, my bad! After consulting with the local diesel mechanic we had the boat hauled and the engine removed. The new transmission was installed as well as a new damper plate for the motor. It was then reinstalled into the boat. I get a kick out of how so many hours of work, sweat, swearing etc can be reduced to a simple sentence. Oh well.

   While the engine was out I spent time cleaning up and painting the motor mounts and engine compartment. I removed a huge amount of wires that seemingly served no purpose. I found a literal ball of wires at one point which turned out to be the wires from at least three different radios that were no longer on the boat. I filled most of the back of my pick up with wires that were no longer connected to anything.
August 2018
Finally got the boat back into the water in the middle of August. It was fun living in the boat yard but it was getting old and it was good to be floating again. In trying to align the shaft it turns out that the cutlass bearing is probably bad so I will replace that this fall.