My Whitby 42 Blog

sold

November 8, 2019

 

Lowered Price

April 6, 2015
Price is now $89,000
 

FOR SALE, Whitby 42

April 19, 2014
We are now serious about putting the boat up for sale.  We would love to sell the boat with out brokerage and in the first half of June.  We are traveling between Florida to finish in the Chesapeake.  If you want to come for a trial sail let us know, we are happy to show the boat any time.

I am putting the complete listing under a different tab

Whitby 42 for sale

Asking Price $105,000

Give us an email!

 

FOR SALE, a Whitby 42

November 25, 2013
As sad as it will be, we will be selling our boat at the end of this trip we are on.  We have to finish before July 1st, 2014 so we can get back to Canada and go back to work.  Some time in June 2014 we will be arriving back in the Chesapeake bay and putting the boat up for sale.  A new lucky owner would have a few months to cruise the Chesapeake Bay and then head south for the winter.  

It was only ever planned to be a one year trip.  We have been constantly adding little things to the boat to make it better.  For example, holders for cell phones and glasses.  All lights have been changed to LED, LED deck lights,  and more.  

If you know we are in your area and would like to come visit the boat, please contact us.  We would be delighted to have the visit. 

Any questions, please let us know.

To find us, go to our other website, about our trip.  www.northernphoenix.ca

For complete boat listing INFO
 
 

WE are away!!!

September 18, 2013
It took another 2 weeks of little stuff, a new fuel pump (other was not yet replaced), a strange fuel filter gasket issue, some leaks in a water tank to fix, and 100 little things, of which are done, but another 200 are now found.  

But we made it and we are off sailing.
First trip was a 50 mile trip up the Chesapeake bay to fix the Freezer.  Apparently our Frigoboat freezer, which I have read lots of good things about, has a clog.  So they are fixing it tomorrow,....I hope.  But the extra insulation I added to the freezer/fridge are keeping things at 40 degrees with minimal ice.  So once it is up and running, we are optimistic we will have ice cream on hand!!!

WE had a trial by Big wave and wind for our first journey, just to shake everything loose that could go lose.  A few things did, but nothing significant.  I am sure I will be tinkering on and off the entire trip.  After all, isn't that was Cruising is all about???

Any way, this blog is done.   I am now updating  www.northernphoenix.ca about our trip.  Not as technical.  I will be adding information to this website, but not the blog.  I am going to be eventually adding before/after pictures, lots of technical specs for my own reference, and any boat changes will be added.  Plus equipment lists, and consolidate some of the other pages.

Thanks for following, and please, if you have a question let me know.

We will be at the Whitby Rendezvous in October with the boat.  Hope to see you there.

The boat will be up for sale after our trip to the Bahamas and back.  Let us know if you want to come take a sale along our trip.

Bryan, Tara, Sahara, and Devon.
Signing off from the Northern Phoenix, docked in Solomons Island Maryland.


 

She Moves!

August 31, 2013
We started up the engine today !!!  It was a great feeling to actually move the boat.  We ran into a small operator problem when getting the engine started.  There is a little button next to the engine stop on the Ford Lehman engines.  A little covered button that has some sort of rubber boot over it.  It had been pushed and stuck in.  I think it is an emergency stop button, and it got stuck.  We were bleeding and bleeding the system thinking we were not getting fuel.  Once we got pushed in the button and let it snap back out, the engine has started instantly every single time.  The gauges work, the helm and rudder work.  We did run into the problem that when attaching the throttle cables, I didn't know which was was reverse on the engine.  I am sure someday somebody will mention that "Well, obviously...this is always forward and this reverse".  But I do not have that answer yet.  So when attaching the throttle cable, I took the 50/50 chance and as my dear loving daughter says "so that means you got it wrong I guess".  I did.  So the first cruise out was a bit challenging.  I was concentrating so hard to steering the boat, that I had little brain power left to remember the throttle was backwards.

Easy to fix tomorrow.  

Anyhow, we left the Marina, did a little circle, and came back and docked at our slip.  Not too exciting a maiden voyage, but it was successful and spirit lifting after so much time an effort has been put into the boat.

Special thanks go out to Dan for his engine work.  It ran great!

P.S.  If you have read this....definitely ask Tara Where/What Phoenix's Landing is.  We discovered it on our little voyage.

 

WE FLOAT

August 31, 2013
Northern Phoenix hit the water and floated for the first time in 6 years. 
 August 29th, 4:00 pm.  at Port Kinsale Marina Virginia. 

 We had tried the day before, but we had 2 leaky Wilcox-Crittenden that need to be replaced.  They have been "over lapped" over the years, the cones would now go too far through and could not seal at the other end.  You could tap them through with a hammer and create a tight seal, but that really made for an impractical safety feature...needing to use a hammer.  So two new ball valves were used.  Which had all different holes etc... that need to be changed, old holes epoxied, new caulk, etc...  Of the 16 holes through the boat, none leaked, but 2 of the seacocks leaked.

  Here is a brief description of the problem I had with them, as sent by email to a few friends:


We tried to float the boat today, but I had a leaky cock.  It is really hard to go to sleep on a boat with a leaky cock, keeps you up all night thinking about how you will wake up with your feet wet.  It is harder to keep your boat in the water when you cock is leaking.  At first it was quite a dribble, but I was able to grab a hold of the nuts and tighten them so hard it hurt.  That really slows the dribble coming out of the cock quite a bit.  But one, was still dribbling.  It was in a hard to reach place, so I had to sit down with my legs wide apart, and grab one nut with each hand.  I torqued them as hard as I could, really twisted up the nuts, and my cock was still leaking.  The nuts were really hard to hold on to, as the grease was all over the place.  The cocks get greased up, but the grease had slid onto the nuts.  It is really hard to tighten up the greasy nuts.


 

Count down to splash... 40 hours!

August 27, 2013
 We are officially going in on Wednesday morning, August 28th.

Wish us luck.  Lot of things will be tested for the first time in 6 years!!!

Insurance is in, boat is ready....are we??

 

Lots of little things...ready to splash !

August 23, 2013
We are now ready to splash, just waiting for the boat survey to get to the insurance people so we can have insurance before we go (yes...paranoid).

Here are some neat things we have done:

Cleaned the plastic windows...amazing difference!!!!  I thought we would need to replace, but this stuff polished it right up.  The kids did the work:  Sahara did half of this window so we could take the picture, product is in the picture too.

 
We took out the wooden mast cover when we were rebuilding.  That wood got used to make the table cabinet that the table folds up onto.  Our mast is old and scratched up, had old holes from wires, etc...  So I made a cover.  First covered the mast in a closed cell yoga mat from walmart.  Then put on the material cover.  It velcros in the back.  It now offers some small amount of padding if you smack it, the foam helps with sound proofing, and it looks good.  Kids were going for the serious look....Devon couldn't keep it and started smiling.  You can see the cabinet next to the mast.

Aft Cabin is now all together and the kids have been loading up their stuff.  They put on their custom mattress covers as well as their bamboo sheets.  We will put up the divider tomorrow for them.  

 We hooked up the TV.  Another Walmart special.  If it dies and we have to buy 3 more....it is still less expensive than a "marinized" tv.  The sound comes out the stereo speakers of course.  
(yes, that is Jack Sparrow on the TV)
 

Lots happening

August 16, 2013
Sorry about the delays in posting.  We have been working so hard to get this project done and on with the trip that I am too tired at night to update.  That, and it is the million little projects that are hard to get excited about when posting.  Like putting on a door catch to keep a door open, or mounting the fire extinguisher.  
Here is a list of things that have happened in the last week or so:
All inside lights are mounted and working.
All fans are mounted and working.
All 120 volt plugs are up and running.
Bottom paint is done.
Name is on the boat.
Lines have been run.
Rig tenshioned...to a point.  Waiting to go in the water for the rest.
VHF, Auto pilot, and GPS all connected, tested and working.
Hydraulic fluid added to steering and bled.  Messy....but done.
Winches mounted
Cleats mounted.

Bad things that have happened:

Fore stay was too long.  Only took 4 trips up the mast, then removal of the forestay, and lots of work.  Apparently the way the forestay attaches at the top, along with the roller furling sleeve, changed some how between the new and old rigging.  I didn't bring the old forestay with me so I can't check to see what went wrong, but in the end, I had to cut off part of the roller furling sleeve...but now it works.

The Inverter charger was DEAD.  The first time I ever put 12 volt electricity into it, nothing happened.  I checked fuses, connections, everything.  Went through every list I could find for trouble shooting.  Hooked it directly to a battery to make sure my wiring was correct....called the service centers, etc.. etc...  nothing.  I didn't buy it, came with the boat.  but it was new.  Oh well.  
So we got a new one....better....upgraded....(trying to make my self feel good about the unexpected expense).
The new one puts out a true sine wave.  Haven't installed it yet.

The Fresh water pump blew up (electrically speaking).  First time it had 12 volt power put into it, it died as well.  Fuses blew and funny smells.  Nothing I could do helped.....perhaps made it worse.  it was only a $385 pump.  Like the Xantrex inverter charger, it was new, but never used by us.  Came with the boat.  So no warranty.  It was some sort of adjustable pump speed to maintain constant pressure without use as much electricity.  New one is not as fancy.

The Mizzen boom is too long.
Humm, strange one here.  The mizzen boom hits the new davit system with solar panel.  So either I have to raise the boom, shorten the davits, or shorten the length of the boom, or pull the mizzen forward to change the angle and in doing so lift the boom,.....or some combination of all three.
my boat still has the original rolling boom system. (very annoying), so I am in the process of changing as much of that as possible....for as little as possible.  Not much money left.

Here are some pictures:
 



 

Bryan Haas


Please feel free to contact me! I grew up on the waters of the Chesapeake sailing and fishing. I was paid to work, sail, race, and sometimes live on a 51' Hinkley (they didn't really need to pay me but they offered!). I am a high school science teacher who likes to learn by doing. Used to teach at "The Sound School" in New Haven Ct. Check it out, the most amazing on- the- water school there is. I have rebuilt smaller boats from scratch, but nothing on this scale. This is an adventure. All help is greatly appreciated.

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Click on the heading, then at the bottom a comment box will appear.  Advise is great!

 

Bahama's Weather

Just as a reminder to my self why I am doing all of this.  There is nice weather at the end of the tunnel.

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