I’ve let the last two “projects” on the boat grow way outside origional scope. Don’t get me wrong I am extremely happy with the result but need someway to contain the creep so I don’t spend my budget before the year is 1/2 over.
project 1. Starter reliability. Was having problems with selonoid not engaging (click click click). Came to a head on Feb/March trip to San Juan’s. Finally traced to wire from switch to starter (while friend was sailing my boat cause it wouldn’t start). Replaced said cable + ground wire upsizing 2x. No content - I ripped out all wiring at engine to control panel. Including panel, gauges and sensors. Found some scary abandoned wires and love the way the thing works now.
Project 2. No hot water after long motoring. After racking my brain as to cause went and looked and there were no hoses running between engine and heater - duh. This expanded to more hoses (and largrer) replaced, relocate raw water strainer (so I can reach it), raw water pump replacement (-7 to -15 - no grease cup, o-ring in place of gasket - already had the pump) and drum roll a 3” heat exchanger to allow occasional full throttle without over heating (was 2” exchanger).
I know I’ve got some standing rigging to do but how to limit the scope.
Les & Trish Troyer
Mahalo
Everett, WA
1983 C-36 Hull #0094
C-36 MK 1 Technical Editor.
Commodore
Its a personality thing, Les, and without perhaps prolonged psychotherapy its probably not going to change. As an owner of a 140 year old house, I've long had to deal with the "scope creep" issue every time I've opened a wall to fix something. One of my neighbors called it the "Genesis" problem (A begat B, B begat C, and so on ....).
In the boatyard where we had our boat on the hard this past winter, owners ran the gamut from those who spent nearly every off season day tinkering and pampering, to those who just relaunched without even cleaning the hull (barnacles and all). I'm somewhere on that spectrum (won't admit where)....
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
I hear you Les. My boat (number 178) had been unused for 5 years before I bought it, green moss and all. Engine hours were low at 1100 and I could see the boat had only been lightly sailed. 4 years later I have put 9 man months of work into it and almost completed a complete refit of everything. I have also lived on it all through this.
I love the boat and it has turned out very well, but I keep coming up with new things I could do. I think it will never end but I enjoy every aspect of it and know the boat inside out.
Good luck with containing your projects!
Duncan McNeill
1984 Catalina 36 #178
standard rig fin keel M25
Channel Islands