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Above 1200 Sq/FT The ASYLUM - Happy 40th Birthday to Me! (Est. 2005)

Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
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shopnut

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Clever use of those posts.
Thanks. I have always been wanting one of these sets of hold-downs and they would have worked here too, but they are rather pricy for the few times I would use them. So I passed.

5027-Hold-down-Clamp-Set-01.JPG

I also found a much more affordable set, with just the right number of hold down bars that I needed on the welding table, but the problem was, I couldn't find the right size. M6 and M8 are available, but not M10 or 3/8" like I needed. So I started looking around the shop for a free solution.

5028-Hold-down-Clamp-Set-02.JPG
 
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shopnut

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Here is a little snippet from my Harbor Freight 61612 helmet owner’s manual. I believe the 61610 would be the same.

5029-Welding-Helmet-Battery-01.JPG

Mark the welding station looks great. When I store my helmet I put it in an old pillowcase, so its fresh and clean for the next use. PS keep lots of batteries on hand for it also!

Thanks! I had kept the original box with initial intentions of storing the helmet in there when not in use (could be a month or two maybe) to keep it clean. But I think there is some merit to keeping out for a period of time to let the solar cell top off the battery they mention.

I was told to keep helmets stored away from light when not in use, to prevent running down the battery. YMMV

I think in my case, the battery will actually do better with some light, to act as a battery trickle charger via the solar cell. BUT, I will say certain types of light plays havoc with the arc sensors. The halogen spotlight, for instance from my first hand experience, made the lens flicker between clear and dark and that certainly would be detrimental for battery life in a storage condition with an illuminated spotlight nearby. So maybe that's one possible origin of that warning you read about or received? :dunno:

"stored away from light when not in use, to prevent running down the battery. "
I store mine in front of my office window to re-charge the battery, works well after.

I’m sort of thinking along these lines for my helmet and have stored the it near a window in the clean apartment to initially top it off. But ultimately, it would be nice to store the helmet on the welding cart for convenience. Perhaps a clear plastic bag might be the best of both worlds for keeping it clean as bugnut suggests and still allowing light to keep the battery charged up. Of course, I need to keep mine out of view of halogen lights!! LOL
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 9 of 20)…

BOAT INTERIOR


After a little intermission on the latest ASYLUM welding news, it’s back the boat restoration story. Again, the boat is sold and gone, so I’m just filling you in on what was done.

There was plenty to do on the boat itself and although I organized this little story to show the engine, trailer, and boat restoration, it really was all going on simultaneously over the course of one year. You know how projects go… you work a little here and then you find out you need some parts to continue. So you jump on something else while parts are getting delivered. So it went with this project and anytime I got bored on something, or was deterred because of rain, there was no lack of other things to jump to.

This is what I found when I opened up the companionway hatch. It was really not too bad after almost 20 years of neglect. I think the cushions had been purposely propped up to let them breathe a little.

5030-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-037.jpg

5031-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-039.jpg

5032--Hunter-H240-Sailboat-057.jpg

Apparently someone liked getting out of the weather occasionally.

5033-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-049.jpg

Near the cabin hatch, thing got a little dirtier because they never seal out the water perfectly.

5034-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-066.jpg

With the cushions removed, I was hopeful it would clean up nicely.

5035-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-067.jpg

Luckily the cushion covers had a zipper which made removing them fairly easy. But they didn’t just slide out, it took some work.

5036-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-074 (Cabin Cushion Cleaning).jpg

All of the covers got a good washing on sanitize mode to get them smelling fresh again.

5037-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-075 (Cabin Cushion Cleaning).jpg

And this is where they got stored until the rest of the boat was ready for them to return… the upstairs office.

5038-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-079 (Cabin Cushion Cleaning).jpg
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 10 of 20)…

BOAT INTERIOR


Before I starting cleaning the interior, I emptied out all the hatches. It was amazing how much stuff was stored in there.

5039-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-119 (Interior Cleaning).jpg

Washing down the interior actually proved to be back breaking work because it’s not tall enough to stand in the cabin. But after about 4 hours of wiping, I was happy with the results.

5040-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-121 (Interior Cleaning).jpg

5041-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-120 (Interior Cleaning).jpg

The sink and water tank needed to be flushed and sanitized with bleach. The first thing I noticed after filling the 6 gallon tank is that it wouldn’t prime (it’s a manual pump style).

5042-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-142 (Accessories).jpg

So off it came. The seals needed a good cleaning inside and the perimeter gasket seemed to be allowing air to be drawn in. After fixing those things, it worked pretty good again.

5043-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-146 (Sink).jpg

The drain pipe had cracked so that got replaced.

5044-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-148 (Sink).jpg

The thru-hull fitting succumbed to the elements and also needed replacing.

5045-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-149 (Sink).jpg

Here’s what it looked like under the galley with all hoses hooked back up again.

5046-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-155 (Sink).jpg

And here is where the drain water pours out.

5047-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-153 (Sink).jpg
 
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drivesitfar

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Just letting you know I always appreciate your detailed posts with the great pics and I’ll read in detail about how you restored that old boat to sell it when I get time.

have a great 4th of July weekend.
 
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shopnut

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Just letting you know I always appreciate your detailed posts with the great pics and I’ll read in detail about how you restored that old boat to sell it when I get time.

have a great 4th of July weekend.
Well thanks Drives! If you give the boat story a week or two to grow, you might be able to read it from start to end without waiting on me to finish it.

Happy 4th to you and yours as well. I hope Hurricane Elsa decides to die out like they sometimes do.
 
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shopnut

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I agree with that!. Truely appreciate your efforts.
Thanks! For some strange reason, I enjoy sharing all the project details here. Sometimes its like I'm re-living it and enjoying the whole process a second time.... without all the back-breaking work! LOL
 
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shopnut

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That's the way I feel. Sometimes what I am posting seems silly but it strangely helps me to post it.
All this is probably silly to outsiders (non-garage dwellers)!! LOL
A lot work Mark. Glad it sold quick and you were rewarded.
Thanks. The boat money is still burning a hole in my pocket!! Been looking at a lot of bikes lately, but haven't found the right deal yet to make me plunge.
 

cbacres

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All this is probably silly to outsiders (non-garage dwellers)!! LOL

Thanks. The boat money is still burning a hole in my pocket!! Been looking at a lot of bikes lately, but haven't found the right deal yet to make me plunge.
You have surplus funds!
Luckily CBacres division of enablement can help. My latest transaction was to enable a members wife into buying a golf cart.
What can I help you with? Some Vidmar cabs, milling machine, a box full of casters?

Wait, you really need a shop annex, a big shed to help with your storage needs.

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
 
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shopnut

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You have surplus funds!
Luckily CBacres division of enablement can help. My latest transaction was to enable a members wife into buying a golf cart.
What can I help you with? Some Vidmar cabs, milling machine, a box full of casters?

Wait, you really need a shop annex, a big shed to help with your storage needs.

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
You have become an expert at spending other people's money! God bless you for making all those people happy (and even wives too!). I would like a small milling machine someday, so I'm always on the lookout for one of those. And regarding the casters, I should have put my order in with you when you were buying the last pile of surplus... one set of mine threw its rubber skin not 2 weeks after turning you down last time.

Shop Annex - now you are talking! I'm selling off a few carts and such right now to gain some space. Might even sell a bike while prices are at an all-time high!
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 11 of 20)…

BOAT PRESSURE WASHING, TILLER EXTENSION, LEVEL GAUGE


I showed the results of pressure washing the outboard motor earlier, but I did the boat exterior the same day. There was no other day that made such a big difference in the aesthetics of the boat. It gave me so much hope that this thing was worth restoring. This picture shows one side cleaned up and the other not.

5048-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-035.jpg

Here were the results of that day and I had a newfound faith that I was going to sell this thing.

5049-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-061.jpg

5050-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-063.jpg

All the black labeling had been weathered off the level gauge.

5051-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-176 (Level Gauge).jpg

But that was just a simple matter of carefully hitting the raised letters with a Sharpie oil paint pen. Those things are great, by the way.

5052-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-180 (Level Gauge).jpg

5053-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-213 (Level Gauge).jpg

The grip material in the tiller extension handle also had succumbed to the elements over the years. It is telescopic and allows you to steer the boat while sitting on the high stern seats, which are the best seats in the house.

5054-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-108 (Tiller Handle).jpg

Finding new foam was difficult, so I wrapped it with some grip material instead. It also needed a new “universal joint” at the tiller connection point which is simply a very flexible rubber piece that lets it move in any direction.

5055-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-112 (Tiller Handle).jpg

This picture shows the extension handle mounted on the tiller and laid down to give you a better idea of how it works.

5056-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-322 (Tiller).jpg
 
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shopnut

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Ooooh, new bike time, I'm excited!

What are you thinking?
My short list is a Harley Pan-America, BMW R1250GS, or Triumph Tiger Explorer as a replacement for my old 2001 Tiger 955i. I ran across a local guy with a fully outfitted 2013 Tiger 1200 with 4K on the clock (essentially new) and a very reasonable price tag, but found out these early 1200s had a sporadic issue with soft valve guides. Roughly 1 in 10 suffered from it, so it comes down to if I'm willing to take that risk. Its a steal if it ends up being the 9 in 10 lucky ones. The bike fits all my needs/wants, however, and would be a nice upgrade for a few years as the Harley proves itself in the real world. Maybe by that time, the Harley will get shaft drive too and have EVERYTHING I want.

I really want to thin the herd a bit and I'm thinking its a good time to sell the RZ500 with values very high. With that engine, its a hoot to ride, but I can only take that seating position for 10 miles or so. The DR650 doesn't get ridden much so it should probably go too, but its currently the only bike my wife can ride solo so I've been hanging on to it.

Decisions, decisions...
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 12 of 20)…

BOAT BOTTOM GELCOAT REPAIR


Early in its life, a nasty storm had broken the boat free from its mooring and essentially washed the boat up on our beach. Come to think of it, the situation could have been much worse and left the boat at the other side of the lake or something. Normally a sandy beach would do any real damage, but at that point, I had not cleared away all of the palmetto palms yet and the boat was rubbing up against some when we arrived for the weekend visit.

The palms had rubbed clear through the gelcoat down to bare fiberglass in three spots and two of them are indicated in this picture. At the time, the boat was repaired by the store that sold the boat to us, but apparently it was done very well because just sitting out in the weather had exposed them again.

5057-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-024.jpg

This was my first experience with gelcoats and the one I ended up buying was the type with wax in it. I learned the wax additive seals off the surface from oxygen in the air, allowing the gelcoat to dry tack-free. Well, I must say that it works. The wax that it premixed in the liquid essentially rises to the surface and forms a skin to protect the curing gelcoat. A light sanding of the wax afterwards exposed rock hard gelcoat underneath.

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5059-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-071.jpg

With the spots patched up, my efforts turned towards prepping the hull for “bottom paint”. I wanted to devise a way to jack the boat off the bunks just enough to swipe a brush through there.

5060-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-072.jpg

So I built a wooden bunk out of materials I had on hand and used it in conjunction with one of my motorcycle jack. I had it strapped so it could shift, but I’m sure it still wasn’t the safest thing I had ever done in my life.

5061-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-080 (Bottom Paint).jpg

5062-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-082 (Bottom Paint).jpg

The scrap of plywood I used was warped pretty badly and this worked nicely to follow the curvature of the boat. I rounded this edge so it wouldn’t scuff the hull.

5063-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-100 (Bottom Paint).jpg

I didn’t jack the boat up any more than I had to and I probably went another 1” more than this picture shows to adequately get a paint brush under there.

5064-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-083 (Bottom Paint).jpg
 
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TwoBytes

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Loving the progress pics and stories about the boat. I restored a couple of sailing boats with Dad and my brother in the distant past, and it's bringing back good memories.

My short list is a Harley Pan-America, BMW R1250GS, or Triumph Tiger Explorer as a replacement for my old 2001 Tiger 955i.
Very interesting! I've found myself looking at adventure bikes lately too. My '03 Fireblade still goes great, and it's huge fun to ride, but I've been thinking that a KTM Adventure or Honda Africa Twin might complement it nicely.

I can't justify the expense, and I don't have the space for it at the moment, but maybe one day! A bigger garage with a bigger house attached probably needs to come first.
 
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shopnut

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Loving the progress pics and stories about the boat. I restored a couple of sailing boats with Dad and my brother in the distant past, and it's bringing back good memories.


Very interesting! I've found myself looking at adventure bikes lately too. My '03 Fireblade still goes great, and it's huge fun to ride, but I've been thinking that a KTM Adventure or Honda Africa Twin might complement it nicely.

I can't justify the expense, and I don't have the space for it at the moment, but maybe one day! A bigger garage with a bigger house attached probably needs to come first.
Glad I could help with those memories! This boat has become just a memory at this point, but hopefully this writeup will keep the memory alive for years to come when I stubble upon it again in the future.

Adventure bikes make a lot of sense for me... full carrying capacity, lots of power, good handling, numerous features, and their long travel suspension makes for an extremely comfortable ride on the street even if they are never taken off road. I sat on a KTM a while back (can't remember the model, but it was their big bore ADV bike) and I couldn't even touch the ground. I really like them, but I like my stability even more, so they are probably out. The Africa Twin is favorite looking of all adventure bike... it is just awesome to stare at. But its missing some key features to be my every-day bike. Would love to have one though.

Space is always a problem, isn't it. I can only fit two bikes in my city garage. With more space, I would store more bikes there and I would probably ride a different one every day for the variety. Sadly, my old bikes get neglected a lot because when I'm at the ASYLUM, I generally have a pretty long To-Do list that only affords a same amount of "play" time. I really need to change that... but how?
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 13 of 20)…

BOAT BOTTOM PAINT


Next was the laborious task of sanding the bottom so the fresh coat of paint would adhere. It was a hot time of the year and I used a fan to help keep me cool and also blow the dust away from me as I worked my way across the hull.

5065-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-088 (Bottom Paint).jpg

5066-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-090 (Bottom Paint).jpg

The “bottom paint” I chose was sort of middle-of-the-road at $130/gallon. Luckily one gallon was enough to do it. This is special anti-fouling paint that essentially sheds away to keep things from sticking to the surface.

5067-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-092 (Bottom Paint).jpg

The first coat yielded this. Not too bad, but at least one more coat was needed for even coverage. I ended up putting three on.

5068-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-091 (Bottom Paint).jpg

Jacking up the boat allowed me to get the bunk areas painted. So plastic kept paint from getting on the carpet and also remained there when I set the boat back down again so the fresh paint wouldn’t stick to the carpet.

5069-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-102 (Bottom Paint).jpg

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And here are the results. It doesn’t look like much, but it was a pain painting all of those overhead surfaces while on my back. The real estate agents will tell you each gallon of paint increase resale value of your house $1,000. In the case of this boat, I bet it boosted it $2K or more. Not only does it help with looks, the new owner likely wants to buy the boat and drop it straight in the water without a bunch of prep work.

5071-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-096 (Bottom Paint).jpg

5072-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-099 (Bottom Paint).jpg
 

TwoBytes

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I sat on a KTM a while back (can't remember the model, but it was their big bore ADV bike) and I couldn't even touch the ground.
I'm 6'3"with long legs, so that's not generally too much of an issue for me.

The Africa Twin is favorite looking of all adventure bike... it is just awesome to stare at. But its missing some key features to be my every-day bike.
I agree regarding the looks, I've loved that look since I drooled over the Dakar winning NXR750 in the 80s. I built a Tamiya plastic model of one as a kid and had a poster of one on my bedroom wall (actually, that's probably enough justification to buy one right there! I've wanted one for over 30 years!)

images (8).jpeg

Wow, talk about bringing back old memories!

images (10).jpeg

Out of interest, what features is the Africa Twin missing in order to be your daily ride?
 
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shopnut

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I'm 6'3"with long legs, so that's not generally too much of an issue for me.

I agree regarding the looks, I've loved that look since I drooled over the Dakar winning NXR750 in the 80s. I built a Tamiya plastic model of one as a kid and had a poster of one on my bedroom wall (actually, that's probably enough justification to buy one right there! I've wanted one for over 30 years!)

images (8).jpeg

Wow, talk about bringing back old memories!

images (10).jpeg

Out of interest, what features is the Africa Twin missing in order to be your daily ride?
Those older 750 Africa Twins essentially kicked off my interest in the big-bore adventure bikes. I had a restored XL600R in the late ‘90s and I stumbled upon magazine articles/images of the larger 750 twin and thought “Wow, that would be cool!!”.

5073-XL600-02.JPG

Big ADV bikes were few and far between in the states back then, but a Triumph Tiger 900 popped up nearby and in my price range, and I made the plunge. Until you showed it, I had forgotten about how much those older Africa Twins looked like my 1997 Tiger 900. As Triumph’s first modern day (at the time) entry into the ADV bike arena, they were built like a tanks. That Tiger really kicked off my ADV bike love affair which is strong to this day, twenty years later.

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5075-MVC-007F.JPG

As for the late model Africa Twin, the biggest feature I wish it had is shaft drive. I know chain is more efficient, but I’m a fanatic about maintenance and I prefer to give up a few horsepower to eliminate the constant lubing and cleaning. Also, I don’t find myself offroad very often, so I lean towards cast wheels over spokes to make cleaning easier too.

I especially like the red, white, blue, and gold color scheme of the late models. These pictures don’t do it justice and they are gorgeous in person.

5076-2021-africa-twin-gallery-05-2400xauto.jpg

5077-2021-africa-twin-gallery-06-2400xauto.jpg
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 14 of 20)…

HULL POLISHING AND CHARGE HARNESS


With the bottom of the bottom of the boat freshly painted and looking good, the top half now looked dingy (so it goes).

I bought some of this oxidation remover and gave it a try.

5078-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-163 (Hull Polish).jpg

First I tried it with my auto polisher in hopes of saving a little effort. The results just didn’t please me so I ended up doing it by hand. Reviews on the product reflected what I found.

It took off the haze well enough. I buffed extra hard and thoroughly in one 3 foot section at the stern and it came out nice and glossy. I proved to myself (and hopefully the new owner) that it could look like new again with more effort and I didn’t see a point to spending any more time on it. That’s something the new owner can do if they care to. Here it is after a buff and wax.

5079-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-156 (Wax).jpg

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5081-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-162 (Hull Polish).jpg

The engine has means of charging the deep cycle battery in the boat and this charge cord makes the connection. The connector at the engine had succumbed to the elements and I found a replacement. No more black hands just from touching it!

5082-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-114 (Charge Cord).jpg

5083-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-118 (Charge Cord).jpg
 
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TwoBytes

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That XL600R looks very tidy!

And the Tiger is still a great looking bike!

I see where you're coming from on the cast wheels and shaft drive.

Cast wheels probably wouldn't be too hard to retrofit (probably need to take the 21" front down to a 19 though, I don't think I've ever seen a cast 21" wheel, except on a Harley), but adding shaft drive to a bike that didn't leave the factory with one doesn't seem even remotely realistic! Well, unless you're Gregor Halenda ('Sakurama') maybe. Haha.
 
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shopnut

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That XL600R looks very tidy!

And the Tiger is still a great looking bike!

I see where you're coming from on the cast wheels and shaft drive.

Cast wheels probably wouldn't be too hard to retrofit (probably need to take the 21" front down to a 19 though, I don't think I've ever seen a cast 21" wheel, except on a Harley), but adding shaft drive to a bike that didn't leave the factory with one doesn't seem even remotely realistic! Well, unless you're Gregor Halenda ('Sakurama') maybe. Haha.
Thanks! The XL600R was one of those bikes I wanted when they first came out, and I was thrilled to have one for a while.

I loved those first gen Tigers with their "Tiger" logo swooshed across the bodywork.

Since spokes are generally more desired when it comes to ADV bikes, I'm not letting wheel type sway my decision too much when looking at potential used bikes. If ending up with spoked wheels, I might get lucky and find someone that wants to swap their cast wheels for spokes.

Yeah, that guy can do anything.
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 15 of 20)…

BIMINI TOP

The hinge fittings for the Bimini top had aged beyond use and I thought I would spruce things up a bit with finding some SS replacements. After I had them installed, I got to thinking SS might not have been the best choice and its possible plastic was chosen here to be the “weak link” in case of a damaging gust of wind. I would rather have a plastic hinge snap in half instead of a SS hinge rip off of the hull. Oh well, they look great, nevertheless.

5084-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-165 (Bimini Top).jpg

5085-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-170 (Bimini Top).jpg

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5089-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-179 (Bimini Top).jpg

There is a zip cover for the Bimini, which protected the Bimini all these years out in the weather. But after a little cleaning, both the top AND the cover still look like new! That’s a testament to the quality of Sunbrella fabric. The plastic zipper even held up to 20 years of UV exposure. Amazing!

5090-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-221 (Bimini Top).jpg

5091-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-225 (Bimini Top).jpg

5092-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-226 (Bimini Top).jpg
 
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shopnut

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SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 16 of 20)…

COMPANIONWAY POP-TOP


One cool accessory that was purchased early on was what they call a companionway Pop-Top. It, like the Bimini top, was still in perfect condition after all these years, but rightfully so in this case because it was stored inside during that time. I was happy this was in good shape because they are very costly and it helped to sell the boat.

The “companionway” is the pass-through down into the cabin and this is what it looks like. Removable Lexan panels are removed from the vertical part while the top slides forward and then hinges up to offer enough clearance to walk down the steps. With any rain, you would normally want to close all this up.

5093-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-229 (Companionway).jpg

The Pop-Top covers that opening so it can be left open in all weather conditions. Here it is, installed. It allows you to stand upright in the cabin and peer out the side windows too.

5094-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-232 (Companionway Pop-Top Enclosure).jpg

5095-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-235 (Companionway Pop-Top Enclosure).jpg

It is fully screened to keep the bugs out.

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Or if you need to keep the rain out, you can install the Lexan panels again and use the zip-in plastic windows. Quite nice for overnight camping trips.

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shortykorte

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Sep 1, 2014
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8,039
Location
Tallahassee, Fl
KLR650 here and 6-6 no seat height issues. Except for the single thumper I like the bike and it’s purpose. I’m a Honda fan so that would have been nice bike.

Mark, amazing the transformation on boat.
 
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shopnut

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Feb 22, 2006
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Location
Florida
The boat is looking amazing! This is as good as watching a Netflix series, only four episode to go 🍻
LOL. I need to finish writing this last episodes so I can wrap up this "series" and move on to all the other misc stuff I have been up to recently in the shop... and there is a lot! Thanks for following along.
KLR650 here and 6-6 no seat height issues. Except for the single thumper I like the bike and it’s purpose. I’m a Honda fan so that would have been nice bike.

Mark, amazing the transformation on boat.
At 6'-6", I doubt there's any bike too tall for you! Yeah, its a whole different world when you get into the multi-cylinder arena. But with that generally comes extra weight too, and that's never welcomed off-road. The KLR is like my DR... one of the staples in the dual sport category, for many, many years. I'm guessing the manufacturers are thinking "Why mess with a good thing".
 
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shopnut

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Florida
SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 17 of 20)…

SAILS AND LIFTING MAST


I final made it to the point of checking out the sails. This one has two, and main and a jib. When the boat was pulled out of the water years ago, the boom and main sail were stored in our little garden shed. I was glad for that because it preserved the sail nicely. Of course, proof of that preservation won’t really come until it gets put back in action, but I tugged on all fitting pretty hard and I think it has a fighting chance.

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There were some discolored spots, mainly along the vertical leading edge that cleaned up well with a 2 hour soak in a bucket of Oxi-Clean solution. Some scrub brush action took care of the rest of the spots.

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In order to get some pictures with the sail up, I decided to see if I remembered how to raise the mast. Hunter made this a fairly quick process because it’s something you need to do when you trailer the boat somewhere.

You slide the mast back from its trailering position to connect the bottom end in the hinge.

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Then you use the mast raising pole to gain more leverage and winch the mast upright.

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Here is the mast fully raised and front and side stays in place, ready to sail. It’s a one person job that is best done on land.

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Here is a shot with the boom and main sail added. Again, that Sunbella material is awesome to still look new after all these years.

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And up went the sail. I thought it look sort of cool next to the building. At the same time, I feared a gust of wind might come by and shift the boat on the trailer.

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Another view. I can tell the sail must have shrunk over the years because the tips should have reached the black rings on the mast and boom. Perhaps a stretch in the wind will let it do so someday.

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Here is one last image with everything installed like you were ready for a day of sailing.

5108-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-264 (Overall Final).jpg
 
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shopnut

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Feb 22, 2006
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Florida
SAYING GOODBYE TO THE SAILBOAT… (Part 18 of 20)…

FINAL PICTURES OUTSIDE


I was at the point where the boat was cleaned up as good as I could get it sitting outside and it was time to bring it in for the final spit-shine prior to selling it.

While towing it into the shop, I snagged some pictures that would later go on to be inserted in the For Sale listing. I didn’t plan to pull it out again until the boat sold. Note that the new wheel/tires were installed just prior to this to really make it pop.

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I knew the boat was going to fit tightly inside the shop, so I was careful to get it lined up in the bay. I had no idea how long it was going to be in here (maybe months) and I still wanted adequate clearance to walk around the boat to do my normal shop thang.

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Here is an aerial view from the stairway window.

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It filled up the shop bay, but there was still room to walk around it at both ends.

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5116-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-309 (Parked in Asylum).jpg

A view with the boat tucked inside and all the accessories stacked up around the trailer tongue. It wasn’t as bad as I thought because the bow taper still allowed me to park my motorcycle in there along with it.

5117-Hunter-H240-Sailboat-310 (Parked in Asylum).jpg
 
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shopnut

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Feb 22, 2006
Messages
4,237
Location
Florida
I'm definitely not a boat person but great job bringing the ole' girl back to life. It looks fantastic.
Thanks! There were definite tasks I wouldn't want to repeat again, but for the most part, it was pretty satisfying seeing the transformation that was possible. And its really nice knowing its out on the water again where it belongs.
 

drivesitfar

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Oct 23, 2013
Messages
36,032
Location
Pacific Northwest
I’m also not a boat or two wheel guy but loving the stories and you posting pics of all the work you did. I’m guessing you didn’t take the sailboat for a last hurrah type voyage or did you before you sold it.
Very well done!!
 
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