Cockpit SS bracing for Air Breeze re-positioned - port side - 2015

Beginning of July 2015 - s\v Elegant'sea is Currently in Paradise Village Marina in Banderas Bay Mexico

Picture taken while in Paradise Village Marina.

Then we removed the long ss brace from the Air Breeze wind generator pole to the stern cap rail by the swim steps. 

The stern rail has been getting our attention. We have re-done the bimini to stern rail bracing.

We removed the port brace that was quite long (#1) and put it from the same spot on the bimini but to the stern rail by the outside of the davit mount on the rail. This helps clean that up and braces just as well. We used the leftover stainless steel 1" tubing to replace the piece that runs from the stern rail to the port davit mount. That piece was from a salvage sale and was quite old and beat up. We had the ends on the new brace on the stern rail to bimini welded for strength and so the bottom one would not collect water. On the other we just had the bottom end welded so it would not collect water, it is squished in so no worries about the ends being pulled off.

Replaces brace #1 above and it has both ends welded on.

Number 1 and 2 we cut up to use for other replacement tubing for the davit bracing. We put that brace from the Air Breeze wind generator pole (#2) to the davits. 

Ends need welding on and possibly shorten it.

This also helps clean things up. The ends still need to be welded on the tubing but it seems to be doing fine. We left the bracket that is for the Air Breeze wind generator attached to the stern cap rail. This had a rubber bushing on it for dampening the vibration from the wind generator. We think the davit stern rail mounts will provide the same dampening. Also if we go back to the states, say San Diego sometime, the marinas there charge for anything sticking out past the boat. Like a bow sprint or davits. We would want to fold the davits in and then would need to use the cap rail mount, so we left it on. We then found a spot on the stern rail for our Fortress #16 stern anchor. We felt a bit insecure last cruising season with it not being handy for deployment.

This piece was put on by the previous owner(PO) and we do use it for various things. Debbie and I talked about removing it but decided to keep it as it is handy. We will put a new piece of 1" ss tubing in it and have it welded. The ss tubing in it now has a tendency to slip up even with the set screw. We sometimes put the davit block with the hook end over it as we leave the boat in the dingy. Also we drop the dinghy painter over it at times. May add a cleat to it?

There are a few snaps screwed into the gel coat along here by the PO and we will remove them and gel coat the holes.

 A couple of picks of the stern with the Achilles 10.2" dinghy up while in (lsla Ixtapa) - Isla Grande 2015. You can see how busy the stern gets. 

 The raising and lowering of the stern steps got revised. You see in the picks the block and line that runs to the stern steps. There is also a strap that holds the block that runs to each davit. This helps us make it easier to raise the dinghy but often gets in the way while entering or leaving the boat with the stern steps down. Sooo we have eliminated the set up and have been using a line from the end of the stern steps to the stern anchor windless rollers. It works good to raise the steps out of the water when leaving the boat. Even with a good float at the end of the steps a good swell or wake will cause the steps to bottom out and could damage the steps and the hinge that holds them to the boat. So we no longer need that block and lines etc. We remove the line from the stern steps when not using them. We do use them a lot though.

Now, even when the Achilles dinghy is up on the stern, 
it will be much simpler  and more comfortable (on the port side,so far) 😀