Sunday 24 November 2013

Nov 24 2013: In the beginning...

There was a boat. Named Oceanus....

So Alistair and I bought a boat. We have been dreaming of this moment for years, saving all our pennies, reading all the books and blogs and resources we could get our eager hands on. All of that leads up to this very moment.

The boat is in great condition, really. Her name is Oceanus and she was built in 1972. She is a Pearson 30, the 30 meaning 30 feet from the tip of the bow to the end of the stern.



The hull (the actual boat part, the main frame of the boat) is in perfect condition. She has recently been painted by her previous owner so there's not too much structural work to be done. The inside of the boat, called the Cabin, needs a lot of TLC and elbow grease.. as you can see by the photos we took of her below.

 This is the galley, or the kitchen. There is a two burner alcohol stove, a small sink, and an icebox. We plan to install a cabinet for storage being the stove, and possibly a small fridge or second icebox to the left where that black bucket now sits. You can see the engine in the lower right of the frame here.
This is the single berth (bed) on the starboard (right) side of the boat. Normally there would be a cushion here with some cabinets/lockers and a book shelf behind. We intend to restore this to the way it is meant to be, aside from perhaps installing a fridge by the galley.

This is looking down towards the stern of the boat, where the engine is. The door/hatch leading to the cockpit is just ahead, to the left is the galley, and to the right is the quarter berth that is partially under the cockpit. We will probably end up converting this quarter berth into a nav (navigation) station, with all of our electronics and charts and maps.

This is the engine. The engine is an Atomic 4, built several decades ago, and runs on gas. With a gas engine in a boat you must be careful that fumes don't build up in the bilge ( the inside of the hull near the bottom, under the cabin) . To prevent this you use a bilge blower to force the fumes out before you start the engine. Otherwise... BOOM!

This is the quarter berth that goes under the cockpit/beside the engine. In that area on the left we will be fitting the hot water tank most likely, as well as our nag station. To the right, on the  port (left-hand) side of the boat is a seat/couch/berth that converts to a double. This is where we plan on having our bed area.

This is a photo of the hatch leading to the cockpit.

This is the switchboard for all the current wiring and lighting on the boat.

This is the head (bathroom/toilet). This toilet connects to a holding tank which we must pump out at pump stations at the docks/marinas. This is the port side of the boat.

This is the head again, the sink above which we will install a toiletries/medicine cabinet. You can also see spaces for drawers int he bottom of the frame. This is on the starboard side of the boat.


Just behind the head is the double V berth. ( V just represents the shape as it is at the bow of the boat where the hull forms a "V" shape.) We were going to use this as a"bedroom" of sorts, but we are thinking that since there is a double berth already in the cabin, this space may prove more useful as storage. Right now it's filled with cushions just screaming to be reupholstered! 

This is what the floor of the head looks like... sails!

And finally, the outside of the boat. She has a scrape on the bottom of the keel that will be repaired.

All the parts are there! She just needs to be put back together. Right now Oceanus is cradled in Penetanguishene ... about an hour and 45 minutes north of Toronto, a total of almost 3 hours drive from our house in St Catharines. Here is the tentative plan:

December-Feburary : Visit Oceanus several times to get her cleared out. We need to remove all the debris and parts from the cabin in order to inventory and clean them. We then would like to spend about a week there to start refitting all her pieces back together, including all the wooden cabinets, drawers, and panelings. We will probably end up refinishing all of the wooden pieces and maybe even designing some of our own. We need to service and clean the engine (Atomic 4 gasoline ) . It is a really old engine but they tend to last a long time, and will will replace worn out components as necessary. We would love to fit her with a hot water tank and a shower in the head (bathroom) . We also need to replace the existing battery and add another one, along with an inverter and new outlets so we can use our appliances and electronics.

March- April: We hope to have the cabin completed, along with all necessary plumbing and wiring. We need to put another coat of paint on the hull, another coat on the deck, and apply some special grip paint to the deck and cockpit as well. Once the weather is good we will also be able to start fitting all the actual sailing components back on deck. All the winches, sheets, handles, etc.. We also hope to fit her with a new solar panel so we can keep those batteries topped up. We will also install some electronics such as a depth finder and VHF radio. I also plan on taking sailing lessons in the spring here in St Catharines. Once we have the boat in sailable condition we are hoping to be able to motor her, mast down, through the canals that lead from the Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario, and then over to St Catharines Marina where she will be docked for the season. We plan on hosting a renaming party/ceremony at this time so we can officially start calling her Wanderlust.

May-June: During this time we hope to start downsizing in our apartment. By the end of may we want to be moved from our apartment to the boat. June will be spent perfecting our home and making final touches.  We will be doing a lot of weekend and day trips to get a good feel for her.

July-October: For the rest of the season it will be about completing necessary repairs, making Wanderlust feel like home, practicing sailing, and getting together all the gear we need to start a new adventure. By the end of October, before the season officially ends, we will be sailing into the blue. :)

Keep checking back for updates as we rebuild, move into, and sail away on Wanderlust.