Ruckle Restoration

1970 Cheoy Lee Offshore 40 (Previous Names: (1971) Fair Dinkum IV, (1975) Thalassa)

Phase 3

galley1

This galley photo was part of Thalassa’s advertisement from 2007. Everything looks nice enough from here, but what’s hidden beneath is the problem.

Thalassa was again hauled in Fall 2009 with the intent to complete a thorough restoration. TheĀ restoration website of the Owl (a Rhodes Reliant) shows some pictures of a thorough restoration.

This page contains photos that capture much of what was accomplished from Fall 2009 to Fall 2010–destruction and demolition in preparation for construction.

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This was the galley, showing the difficulty of sanding and refinishing these spaces with the galley in place. This bulkhead is rotten and must be replaced.

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Looking back from the galley to where the icebox was. Note the foam insulation. Thalassa’s icebox was enormous and well insulated, but it was a long reach to find the bottom.

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This is the bulkhead that separates the salon and the galley. (This is the other side of the bulkhead from two photos above.)

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Here the bottom is being stripped completely. The blue is some sort of filler, which suggests that the bottom had been stripped and refinished previously.

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The galley is now completely gone.

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The bulkheads surrounding the engine were removed. The engine compartment is too small, and the fore-aft bulkheads must be moved 4 inches outboard. This one is a mess after 40 years of enclosing the engine.

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This is just aft of the bulkhead the separates the starboard side cabin with the space under the starboard cockpit hatch. Under a floorboard was a reservoir that may have been containing water for 40 years. Limber holes should be cut into bulkheads that might restrict water flowing to the bilge.

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The engine is covered with plastic.

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Looking aft from the starboard side of the engine. The bulkheads that separate the under-cockpit space with the under-aft-deck space have been replaced, but not yet taped to the hull.

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The new bulkheads are further from the engine, giving more room for engine work and repairs. The engine may be dismounted and moved into the cabin so the engine area can be refinished properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Comments

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  1. Kristina La Bonte

    03/24/2023 — 1:40 am

    Did you keep the original yanmar engine or replace it? I always felt it was overkill. And that fridge/ freezer was huge, long arms needed to get to things!
    Again, kudos. More stellar work!

    • The Yanmar was installed in 1990, I think, and is not the original engine. But, yes, I still have the Yanmar and have been working with my mechanic/systems guy to get it going again. We had it running a few years ago and we will be running it again in the coming weeks. Some upgrades as you’ll read about.

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