Dinghy Refit Conclusion
The saying goes: “Sailors don’t get old, they just get a little dinghy.” The dinghy, tender, inflatable, RIB, whatever you want to call it is a critical piece of gear aboard a cruising sailboat.
When out cruising the dinghy acts as our car. We take it from the boat to shore for errands, getting groceries & supplies, and picking up friends & luggage from shore. It also helps in our recreation and sightseeing. From getting to shallow areas for a snorkel to going around the island's backside to access that excluded beach, having a dependable dinghy will get us there. It expands our capabilities and access because we cannot take the big boat everywhere.
Way back in episode 4 we started our inflatable boat refit. At the time we pressure washed, and scrubbed the hull of the boat clean with Bio-Clean Products Hard Water Stain Remover:
And the inflatable tubes we cleaned with Bixler’s Elixer Inflatable Boat Cleaner:
https://shop.inflatableboatparts.com/product/bixler-s-elixirtm-inflatable-boat-cleaner-quart-quart/
We then patched holes and repainted her with MDR Inflatable Boat Top Coating.
https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=4020024
And finally, to help the dinghy go faster we painted racing stripes with Rust-Oleum Outdoor Fabric Paint:
We also got the engine started after replacing the spark plugs, cleaning out the carburetor, adding new fuel, replacing the lower unit oil, replacing the fuel filter, replacing the fuel line, replacing the raw water pump, and general cleaning the engine compartment and around the outside.
Then everything sat. The engine and dinghy sat unused for over a year. Getting Yara into a livable state we didn’t have time to enjoy the dinghy and explore our new home at the marina. And so far for over a year of being outside the MDR inflatable boat paint and the Rust-Oleum outdoor fabric paint has held up wonderfully. No cracking or chipping issues with the paint.
The trouble spot, as is usual with dinghies, is the outboard motor. With this week’s video we troubleshoot and ensure the engine has fuel, spark, lube, and air to run. After a few trials and troubles we let the engine sit for a few days. Could the engine have been flooded with fuel and that’s why it didn’t start but because it sat the fuel normalized? Or because it has been so hot did the heat soften and break loose whatever was clogging the carburetor? Whatever it was, the engine started and we were able to get out on the water. The boat is a little bit better today. And that’s A Yacht of Love.
YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/IfctyW3U1ck
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