Restoring Sailing Vessel Delos After 9 Months in the Tropics

Initial Assessment and Power Restoration

• 🏝️ Upon returning to Delos after nine months in the tropics, the team found the boat surprisingly well-preserved, with zero mold and a clean, dry interior, thanks to meticulous preparation by Kaz.
• 💡 The first priority was restoring power, involving turning on the solar panels to assess the battery charge, which was found to be critically low.

Critical Repairs: Bottom and Engine Room

• 🛠️ The repair plan was divided into two main areas: the bottom of the hull and the engine room.
• ⚓ Bottom work included fixing a significant blister, sanding, and repainting, along with servicing the prop and bearings.
• ⚙️ Engine room tasks focused on replacing the transmission, bonding strap, exhaust hose, and servicing the bilge pump manifold and bow thruster.

Hull Blister Repair and Epoxy Application

• 🩹 A large blister on the hull, caused by water ingress, required grinding out the affected area.
• 🧪 The repaired area was treated with a rust treatment to remove residual rust and then coated with a protective primer before applying thickened epoxy.

Transmission Replacement and Alignment

• 📦 The team successfully removed the old transmission and confirmed the new one was the correct model.
• ✅ After installing the new transmission, the engine was brought forward on its mounts, and all four bolts were secured, marking a significant step towards getting the boat operational.

Addressing Galvanic Corrosion and Bonding System

• ⚠️ A broken bonding strap led to galvanic corrosion, particularly affecting the transmission cooler.
• 🔗 The team is replacing the bonding strap that connects to the Q bolt, which is crucial for the boat's overall bonding system and protection against corrosion.

Hull Painting and Exhaust Hose Replacement

• 🎨 Due to time constraints, a comprehensive sandblasting of the hull was not feasible, so a less intensive painting method was employed to address adhesion issues with previous paint layers.
• 💨 The final major engine room task involved replacing the exhaust hose, a challenging job completed after cleaning the area.