Since the last installment on this page regarding the renovation of BANANAS she has been patiently sitting in the Gardena yard of Moger Yacht Transport awaiting attention to her bottom.  The problem was that the wood in the planks had so delignified due to electrolysis that they wouldn’t hold cotton when attempting to “cork” her seams.   

Other projects got in the way:

*The renovation of DYAD II instead of cutting her up when we discovered what good shape she was in under all the dirt.

* The renovation of MARLIN including a new 4 cylinder, turbo charged Yanmar.  She is now a sweet and reliable dive boat making multiple trips to Catalina.

* The dismantling and disposal of K-38 NYMPH (saving her mast and other vital metal parts)

* The dismantling and disposal of another K-38 whose name escapes me at this time

* The acquisition, partial renovation, and then finding of a new patron for the one off, 45’, Garden designed yawl, WHIRLWIND

* The salvation of a 30’, Schumacher designed, Choate built half tonner (STARDUST)

* The acquisition, care of and finding a new patron for a distressed Pearson Vanguard

* Same as the Pearson, but for an Islander 30

* An auto repair business that I started 30 years ago, turned over to a new owner 16 years ago, came back in my hands when the new owner died.

* and on and on and on…..

SOOOOOO….. I have trucked her to a warehouse in northern California (Loomis) to put her indoors to complete the task.  No more plastic tarps to get shreadded by the weather, no more glass dust from the surrounding projects, no more ants and assaults by other vermin, no more thefts of tools and gear while assuming the best of other boat owners in the yard.

Boatwright David Caissie will do the honors of replacing all the planks below the water line.  We have acquired the African mahogany already.  He will be getting underway with the work toward the end of August 2009.

Steve Barber

1. After long last we have begun the work to replace the planks below the water line on BANANAS.  It has been a long wait with many interruptions to save and find new owners for other woodies which seem to have found their way to me as a "last resort" by owners who did not do right by the boats in the first place and then dithered with their disposition. 

2. We have found much to be disappointed with in regard to the previous work accomplished by our original boatwright.  We will be chronicling these blatant errors and sloppy work in a later photo essay so that other owners can be aware of what to watch for.