As usual, we began our summer with our project list to … get them out of the way! Year 2 of our Manta Twin Sisters was no exception.
First, nourishment to get started! Fortunately, we enjoyed lots of breaks with friends & family throughout the summer – donut runs too!
Our most time-consuming project was the installation of new alternators & alternator regulators with remote displays. The remote displays ended up being the most challenging – not only was running the wires to the helm very difficult, I then had to re-run the wires a 2nd time relocating all to keep away from other wiring & devices, as we discovered electrical interference causing the displays to show erratic messages.
Lots of ceiling panel removal fun – some to re-wire lights & add wall switches. In the cockpit ceiling we had a small rainwater leak which really stumped us – the most obvious was wiring from the solar panels on the roof, but the wire was very well sealed. Finally found the culprit – the wire jacket was well sealed but a tiny gap existed where water could run inside the outer jacket.
Speaking of cleaning-up, our watermaker control panel needed some work too.
Perhaps I got a little frustrated removing the old stern shower, but the new one looks much nicer.
Our nephew Matt to the rescue – helping me replace our 2 “house” batteries @160 lbs. each.
Steam cleaning the “monkey fur” in our cabins – while they looked clean, the residual water was pretty black. “Monkey fur” (not sure why it’s called that) isn’t ideal on a boat, but many boat manufacturers use it as an inexpensive way to finish-off interior walls at lower cost.
Hallelujah – Projects are done!
With the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby passing us by, next week’s weather looks nearly perfect, so we’re off for a week to test all our projects & enjoy ourselves! Hard to believe that in only a month, we’ll be beginning our trip south again to Florida & the Bahamas.
Cruising along the East Coast and Bahamas 
Nice work on all those projects! Amazing the tricks that water can do.
Last year my masthead light quit working. I had made the masthead connections by soldering the wires then individually heat shrinking each wire. Then another layer of heat shrink on each wire. Then heat shrinking around the combined wires. Then wrapped with elastomeric tape. Somehow within two years rainwater managed to get through all of that and corrode the tinned copper wires to the extent that they didn’t work. Crazy!
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Wow Ross, all that work and the water wins! We do shake our heads sometimes.
Heading south soon after Labor Day. Gotta make our Deltaville haulout later in September- more fun! But the yard gets to do the bottom pairing. š
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My recollection from years ago with my F31 is that Ian Farrier used monkey fur instead of paint for two reasons: 1) it was lighter than paint, and 2) better at mildew prevention. Headliners were a big no-no.
My Maine Cat didn’t have mouse fur but paint. I preferred it because I could powerwash the whole interior.
I’ve been following you since your first year with the ME41. So many changes.. I’m boatless now living in Portugal.
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Ernie always great to hear from you and we always learn something! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and for hanging there with us!
Portugal sounds great and boatless has advantages for sure.
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