Hi Tom,

The damaged area(s) will need to be sanded right back to the hull in order to insure that all the loose or blistered paint has been removed. Be careful not to go through the gelcoat and into the bare matting below the surface, but if you do, apply a couple of coats of Epoxy to act as a primary barrier coat, before you prime and then add antifouling.

You will need two coats of primer before the bottom paint. Check with Pettit, but I believe the part number for the primer is PET-699Q for a quart. There is also a Pettit de-waxer PET-0095Q; if you end up having to use the epoxy, you will need to clean the surface with the de-waxer prior to applying the primer. When you are adding the primer coats, make sure you overlap the undamaged area to form a bonding seal and a nice feathered transition to the existing bottom paint.

The procedure is simple and only requires elbow grease. Sand back to bare gelcoat, and then apply two coats of primer, then you will have a nice surface for the new bottom paint to adhere to and the finished job will look professional.

Happy painting,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Dave,

Well it is clear you've given considerable thought to this issue. Without actually seeing the spaces you have to work with it's difficult for me to make a decisive recommendation. However, I would suggest that since you already have a slight list to Starboard, that you favour finding a location to Port to try and balance the weight distribution.  Concerning trim, you can temporarily secure the inverter in the space where you think you might install it, then make a few runs to see what affect it has on trim. If it affects trim negatively, then find another space and try again until you find the spot with minimal affect. Everything on boats is a matter of compromise.

Now, as far as the run length, if the manufacturers data is recommending that you keep the run shorter than 10 ft., then I would definitely stay within those parameters as you may find that the warranty is voided if you are outside those specifications.

Next, going through bulkheads isn't a problem, but there are several things you need to consider:

- Is the bulkhead watertight? If so, you will need to make sure that after you pass the wire that you fill the hole with a quality marine grade sealent to ensure it maintains it's water tight integrity.

- When you drill through the bulkhead, be it Wood, GRP, or Foam core, you will need to seal the edges again to prevent water ingress. In the case of Wood or GRP, epoxy will be fine, but if it is Foam core you will need something to bridge the gap. I recommend epoxying a section of G10 tubeing to fill the gap. This has worked well for me.

- Lastly, make sure you consider chafe when passing a hose or wire through a bulkhead. There will always be a danger that the wire/pipe may chafe on the hole it is passed through. Make sure you add some additional conduit at this point to protect against chafe.

- Finally, when you have the inverter installed, run it under some high loads and check to see how hot the wire gets. There should be no odour and although the wire may get slightly warm, it should not get hot.

I hope this helps you pick the best of your alternatives.

Cheers,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Art,

5200 is probably not the best material for this application. I would favor an Epoxy filler.  West Systems is arguably the best product on the market and available at most good marine stores. I checked online and found a great PDF file you can download with very detailed directions on how to apply and which of their products to use. Click HERE to download the PDF. The link in case you need it is http://westsystem.com/ss/assets/HowTo-Publications/Fiberglass-Boat-Repair-and-Maintenance.pdf; you will find what you need in Section 2 of this document. You'll probably also want to save this PDF because it is loaded with information for future repairs.

Happy repairs,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hello Joe,

The stainless steel rub rail itself is probably not the cause of the leak. It is more likely one of the following:

- A screw has passed too far in through the stainless rub rail allowing water ingress

- The bedding on a deck fitting like a jib track, stanchion base or toe rail is allowing water ingress

- Or, the big worry is that there is separation somewhere between the deck and the hull

You seem pretty certain that it is the rub rail, so let's assume for now that it is. Let's also assume that the rub rail is located over the deck to hull seam (don't know your boat, but this is likely the case). Remove all the screws and the rub rail, then inspect for separation of the deck to hull contact area. If there is no separation, you can reliably assume that it is one or more of the screws holding the rub railing to the boat. Inspect each of the screw holes carefully, the culprit may be obvious from staining. Clean and let dry for several days, then apply a polysulfide caulking to each of the screw threads before screwing them back in through the rub railing. Both 3M and Sika make high quality caulk in black and white colors. Let the polysulfide caulk cure for a day and then run water over the deck and rub railing. If this does not cure the leak, move on to the deck fittings, stanchions and toe rail in that order until you find the source of the leak.

Regarding replacement of the rub rail, unless it is a cosmetic eyesore I see no reason to replace it.

Good luck,

Captain Bob Wellen

Hi Carl,

The requirements for the USCG 100gt Masters license are listed on the National Maritime Center website - - click HERE to go to the website. The wording on the USCG website is vague and it looks like 720 days at sea are required, but it is 360 days. Remember, a sea day is not 24 hours, rather it is 4-8 hours underway and there is bonus time for continuous passages greater than 24 hours.

There are lots of schools that give the courses. I attended the Maritime Professional Training Center in Fort Lauderdale (954) 525-1014 to acquire my USCG 1600gt All Oceans license, and they are one of the best having been in business for 25 years and offering a full range of courses. I don't know about other schools, but MPT is all on-site schooling at their facility, but they can arrange economical temporary housing and they have access to limited scholorship funds. The thing I like about MPT is they tailor the coursework to your schedule. Click HERE for a link to their Reference Manual and Course Catalog.

Good luck,

Captain Bob Wellen

Hi Carl,

I'm from the UK and all my licenses are MCA, so I'm not entirely familiar with the USCG system, however I did find this information online which explains the requirements:

The Master 100 Ton License allows the licensee to operate Coast Guard inspected vessels of up to 100GT, granted in 50GT increments. This is a version of the 6-pack license that allows more than 6 paying customers on board.

In order to qualify for a Master 100 Ton license, one must demonstrate a least 360 days of service (90 within the past 3 years) on any vessel. There are two different variables in this license; tonage and distance offshore.

Distance offshore is one of the five possibilities with only four available for Charter Boat level Credentials:

- Rivers - No special requirements beyond the standard 360 days

- Inland - No special requirements beyond the standard 360 days

- Great Lakes and Inland - For this sublicense, 90 of the 360 days declared must be on Great Lakes waters.

- Near Coastal - For this sublicense, one must demonstrate the standard 360 days, but also at least 360 additional days in near-coastal or ocean waters.

- Oceans - This endorsement is not available for Charter Boat level Credentials. Mariners wishing to operate vessels beyond the restrictions of a near coastal license must meet the requirements for the 200 ton license.

The Master 100 Ton Credential also offers the Auxiliary Sail endorsement and the Assistance Towing endorsement. For an Auxiliary Sail endorsement, 360 days of service on sail- or auxiliary-sail vessels must be demonstrated. For the Assistance Towing endorsement, a separate exam must be passed.

I can recommend International Yachtmaster Training (IYT) in Fort Lauderdale. I completed my Yachtmaster Ocean License there in 2007 and was very impressed with the quality of the tutoring. IYT should also be able to advise if the course can be completed online.

Good luck,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hello Mr. Greenbacker,

Well this was a tough one and I had to do a bit of work including talking with a friend who is a shipwright. It's hard because we can't "see" the problem, but here is what I learned. The track for your door works with rollers, to remove the door you need to get to those rollers first and remove them. This will then allow the door to be lifted out. My shipwright friend says all rollers work with an adjuster to keep a snug fit, so you should first try adjusting the roller height, this might save you a lot of work.

If the adjuster trick doesn't work, then the problem is going to be gaining access to the rollers. Chris Craft usually hide the mechanism behind some sort of skirting/vanity board. The skirting, which is probably glued in place, needs to be removed to gain access. Sadly, the only solution is going to be to somehow carefully pry the skirting off. I suspect you are not going to be able to avoid getting out the sand paper and varnish brush when the job is complete. Personally, I would recommend replacing the board with tapped screws to provide a more user friendly means of removing it in the future.

Good luck,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hello Mr. Greenbacker,

Well this was a tough one and I had to do a bit of work including talking with a friend who is a shipwright. It's hard because we can't "see" the problem, but here is what I learned. The track for your door works with rollers, to remove the door you need to get to those rollers first and remove them. This will then allow the door to be lifted out. My shipwright friend says all rollers work with an adjuster to keep a snug fit, so you should first try adjusting the roller height, this might save you a lot of work.

If the adjuster trick doesn't work, then the problem is going to be gaining access to the rollers. Chris Craft usually hide the mechanism behind some sort of skirting/vanity board. The skirting, which is probably glued in place, needs to be removed to gain access. Sadly, the only solution is going to be to somehow carefully pry the skirting off. I suspect you are not going to be able to avoid getting out the sand paper and varnish brush when the job is complete. Personally, I would recommend replacing the board with tapped screws to provide a more user friendly means of removing it in the future.

Good luck,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Glenn,

I like "Skelley's Kwik Strip Smart" chemical stripper, and I am sure there are many comparable brands. Using a chemical stripper in your boat will be fine provided you take to proper safety measures. Make sure you have adequate ventilation, a proper respirator (not dust mask) and good heavy duty acid proof gloves. This may sound like you are entering biological warfare, but it's not really that bad.

If there is a good breeze the day you do this, a wind scoop and open hatches should provide plenty of fresh air, if not, put a box fan in an open hatch blowing out of the boat and hence pulling in air from other open areas.

As for the stripping, apply the product liberally with throw away brushes, doing one area at a time. After a few minutes, you will notice the old paint bubbling up, when this comes to a stop scrape away. You will most likely have to repeat the process once. If there is still paint in any grain or grooves, use bronze wool to scrub it and get down into those voids.

When this is finished, sand the surface with a palm or dual action (DA) sander, starting with 80 grit, followed by 120, and 180. Now you should be ready to wipe clean with some denatured alcohol and start priming.

Let us know if you have any further questions.

Good luck,
Captain Craig Bliss

Hi Art,

It is true that Sea-Ray uses Petit Hydrocoat on all their boats. Hydrocoat is an ablative, meaning a small amount of the paint wears away each time you use the boat to keep exposing fresh bioside. It's water-based and easy to work with for a DIY project, but there are a couple of questions to consider.

You said your boat is new and has been in the water for only a few months and mainly in fresh water. Hydrocoat is a multi-year paint so it begs the question why is it failing so soon? It's also interesting that you said it has come up at the "edges." All bottom paint should extend at least 3 inches above the waterline to avoid the "edge" problem. It may be that after purchasing the boat and adding the weight of your personal items that the boat now sits lower in the water and that can be the source of the edge problem. Just make sure when repainting to have at least 3 inches of paint above the waterline.

Although the manufacturer states that no sanding is required, pressure washing at a minimum will be required to make sure the surface is clean. Since Hydrocoat is an ablative paint, pressure washing will remove some layers of the old paint, so as long as the boat is out of the water you may want to consider a light coat over the entire bottom. If you are just touching up, and not intending to sand the area, then make sure you understand fully what Petit will cover in the event that the adhesion fails. For example, will they cover paint cost only? Is it covered only if professionally applied?

Touching up the bottom scrapes is easy enough and the product is thin so you shouldn't have a problem blending the edges either. Just keep in mind the surface preparation and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Also make sure the paint extends 3 inches above the waterline.

Best,

Captain Bob Wellen

Hi Art,

I know the manufacturer says you don't have to sand, but I always sand the bottom before applying new coats of bottom paint. Sanding has two benefits: it removes any last bits of growth that pressure washing might not have blasted off; and it means the new paint will be adhering to a clean surface which is key. If you are just touching up you can go pretty rough with the sand paper, 80-grit is fine. After you have sanded the bottom make sure you give it a good rinse with a sponge to remove any dust. Also remember to wear a face mask and eye protection. You should be able to feather the bottom paint so the touch-up is unnoticeable.

It looks nasty when bottom paint starts flaking off, so personally I think it is worth going the extra mile to sand the areas before touch-up, especially since you have the whole winter to do it. In the long run you'll be happier and your investment will be protected.

Happy painting,

Captain Ian Fagg

Hi Art,

This is a problem that a lot of boat owners are facing and I just went through it last year so I will give your our experience. When Congress passed the law that forced all stations to convert to digital broadcasts by June 12, 2009, they created a big problem for boaters. Unfortunately, you only have two choices:

1. Replace the sets with DTV ready televisions; or


2. Connect your analog TV's to a digital-to-analog converter box.

As you know, space is at a premium on a boat and the ability to install a large converter box on top of the TV;s just isn't possible. The typical tuner costs $60-70 and slightly more for a unit that uses an RF remote instead of IR. The advantage of an RF model is the unit can be mounted out of site in a storage locker, under a berth, etc.

We decided to start with the master cabin first and bought an Artec converter with an RF remote. Installation was straightforward and we mounted the unit under the master berth. Immediately we had a signal, but the quality of the signal was marginal. As we continued trying to improve the signal we learned that the quality of the antenna and the "sensitivity" of the tuner, meaning how it will respond to low signal, are key. We upgraded the antenna and it significantly improved the signal at the dock, but underway the pitch and roll of the boat resulted in loss of signal and a frozen, or black screen.

Long story short, we tried other receiver/antenna combinations and were able to finally get a sustained picture underway, but the quality of the picture was not acceptable to the owner, so in the end we ended up replacing all the TV's with digital ready TV's. The high gain digital antenna we had bought works well with the DTV sets and provides good picture quality underway and excellent picture quality at anchor or dock. Plus you don't need a converter box.

So, to answer your question, if you are willing to accept a marginal to good picture at anchor or dock with limited or no reception while underway, than an RF controlled converter box may be your solution. It is certainly the least expensive solution. If however, you want excellent picture quality, then your only choice is to replace the existing analog sets with DTV. Wish I had better news for you, but based on our experience, biting the bullet and upgrading to DTV is the best way to go.

Happy channel surfing,

Captain Mike Clayton

Hi George,

The Cal 28 is a famous Bill Lapworth design built by Jensen Marine well into the late 70's. Since Jensen Marine is no longer in business, the next best thing is the Cal 28 Owners website at:  http://www.stirlinglaw.com/cal28/. This site has everything you ever need to know about the Cal 28, including owner's manuals and original drawings and specifications.

The part you are describing is call the "stem fitting" and the website above is a good place to start to see if you can find an original replacement part. Failing that, you will need to find a good marine fabricator who can build one from scratch. It's likely the Cal 28 Owners site and the owner's manual will contain the original drawings of this fitting. Even if the drawings are not available, a good fabricator can reproduce the fitting exactly. I would advise that you go with stainless steel instead of aluminum as it will resist corrosion much better than aluminum in a marine environment.  Also, the fabrication process with stainless is much easier than with aluminum.

Good luck,

Captain Ian Fagg