Seafair Gets Repaired

[Ronald64]

With all the excitement around the new Dorsett I haven't been updating the progress on Kilshannig's repair..yes she's still getting fixed. The damge was, after all, the whole reason we got the Dorsett. 13 hours of work have been put into her so far. Lot's of grinding was required to get into the good glass. First they tested how the new resin will bond to the old by laying a small test piece. Then he filled the crack with a mix of resin and glass strand and clamped them together using Cleco Clamps.





Interior View





They let that cure for a couple of days and then more grinding. Jerry then laid a layer of cloth on the interior to give a solid surface to work against from the outside.

[Ronald64]

You can see the big part of the failure being braced while the glass on the interior cures











They are letting that cure for a couple of days. Next they will lay 2 layers of cloth on the exterior and vaccuum bag that against the new hard surface. Then grind and reshape the outside. That will suck it up tight and make sure the cloth is completey wetted out and bonded. The interior will get 5 more layers of cloth (9 total). We should be back in business in a couple of more weeks.

Ron

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Seafair Repairs

It's great that you were able to save the Glasspar, Ron, rather than give up on such a great boat. Looks like the repair should end up being stronger than new.

- Marty

[Tim_Mattson]

Marty was reading my mind......is the other side being beefed up to balance the strength of the hull?
Was about to ask when "The Enabler" beat me to it.
I`d be at least laying one similar layer on the inside opposite that major repair just to keep the overall hull from having a stronger side.
The alum structure with E-Tec has some serious weight and force to spread out into the hull when crashing the Salt.Sure looks like the failure was just past all of the new work(based on the prior pics I saw....).
Had my Seafair "sinker" across the Sound in over 1200` of water this past week.....still no Kings in the Net.
Glad you stuck with yours,they do ride well in areas that are known for rough water.
TM

[Ronald64]

We are planning to beef up the other side from the inside. Probably lay a couple of layers for good measure. As he took more glass down I could see what happended. The previous exterior patch that was layed over unscratched gel coat peeled back and came off exposing the interior parts if the patch. Once water started to infiltrate there it came apart and the big flap in the interior blew off...I am pretty sure that's when I started taking on water. THe rest of the damage I believe occurred after the initial failure as the crack and break enlarged due to the water pressure on that spot. That's my best CSI guess anyway.

Ron

[Ronald64]

Had my Seafair "sinker" across the Sound in over 1200` of water this past week.....still no Kings in the Net.
TM

So how has the fishing been this summer? It's been sucky down here in the Bay. Has been windy all summer. The fleet hasn't been able to get out much. After 2 years of no fresh Salmon, I am dying for some. I refuse to buy it in the store since I never trust where it has come from.
Just talked to my Dad this morning. Looks like we are planning a family renunion on Whidbey next summer. I already told him I'm bringing a boat. It'll be like old times exploring Ft Casey with a flash light. :cool1: Can't wait.

Ron

[John Berg]

Crab pots to loan

Ron, IF it froze where you are the moisture may have pushed those layers apart. Fishing was fantastic for Silvers and humpies. If you want to borrow crab pots while your here Im in Everett. John

[Ronald64]

Ron, IF it froze where you are the moisture may have pushed those layers apart. Fishing was fantastic for Silvers and humpies. If you want to borrow crab pots while your here Im in Everett. John

We had a couple of hard freezes over the Winter. Only one or two nights. I suppose that could have done it if water had already infiltrated the composite. Good thought. Thanks for the offer John that is very generous. I have family in Coupeville with boats and pots. Man I can taste them already. What I would like to do next summer when we come up is meet up with some of you folks for a boating run. I am serious about hauling a boat up there so it would be awesome to get a tour your stomping grounds.. Only a year until then. Better get my membership dues paid. :BigHappy1:

Ron

[Tim_Mattson]

Ron ,
Just got in from a night of trolling.Saw one fish landed for the 5 boats fishing West Pt. near the Ballard Locks.
Saw many big arches on the fishfinder but they don`t feed like the old days once they enter the Sound.
It`s hard to even find Herring to buy let alone get a fish to eat it.
Even the old timers are scratching hard to find a fish or two.
My family used to run Bush Pt on Whidbey back before the closures in the 90`s ,I miss fishing "the Rip" and trolling near the "White Rock".
Tim M
Burien /Seahurst

[Ronald64]

Closures?

What closures in the 90's? Wow you guys are even scratching for the Kings....not good. Sure seems like that fishery is in serious trouble.

Ron

[Tim_Mattson]

Ron ,
They shut it down in the early 90`s for all but Humpies and Hatchery only Silvers.Locals know you catch those from shore so why launch?
The Mid-Central Sound hasn`t had a real King fishery(Winter yes,summer No) until very recent,but all NON-Clipped fish must be released.You even will get fined if you net one and un-hook it.
I raise Coho at home for a delayed release school program and know they mark only 20-30% of hatchery runs.Even if still with a Fin,it may be actually a hatchery spawn.Ours are NOT marked at all.....test tube salmon but not handled ,you lose 30 % if you mark them....
Take one Wild one home and you may lose your boat.
They closed Elliott Bay(downtown Seattle) recently after Tribal netting yielded only 5 fish the first week,then 7 more the next.Historically an all-time a low.
The fish will get slammed when they "Test" the river later this month of course,the fish all went thru the bay without feeding so the run never shows on our docks or tables.Last year they slaughtered 5000 one night ,then 7000 more a week later.They claimed we took our 50% in the sport fleet.....but the numbers don`t add right.
Selling the Kings at $2 /Lb after they hit the river makes no sense at all.
River water temp was at 61 degrees last night,sound was at 52 plus......
The water is becoming Acidic as it rises in temp,once it hits a certain number we will have a nice acid bath for good.
Sorry to rant,it has been a big part of my life......
Tim M

[Ronald64]

Ron ,
They shut it down in the early 90`s for all but Humpies and Hatchery only Silvers.Locals know you catch those from shore so why launch?
The Mid-Central Sound hasn`t had a real King fishery(Winter yes,summer No) until very recent,but all NON-Clipped fish must be released.You even will get fined if you net one and un-hook it.
I raise Coho at home for a delayed release school program and know they mark only 20-30% of hatchery runs.Even if still with a Fin,it may be actually a hatchery spawn.Ours are NOT marked at all.....test tube salmon but not handled ,you lose 30 % if you mark them....
Take one Wild one home and you may lose your boat.
They closed Elliott Bay(downtown Seattle) recently after Tribal netting yielded only 5 fish the first week,then 7 more the next.Historically an all-time a low.
The fish will get slammed when they "Test" the river later this month of course,the fish all went thru the bay without feeding so the run never shows on our docks or tables.Last year they slaughtered 5000 one night ,then 7000 more a week later.They claimed we took our 50% in the sport fleet.....but the numbers don`t add right.
Selling the Kings at $2 /Lb after they hit the river makes no sense at all.
River water temp was at 61 degrees last night,sound was at 52 plus......
The water is becoming Acidic as it rises in temp,once it hits a certain number we will have a nice acid bath for good.
Sorry to rant,it has been a big part of my life......
Tim M

Ranting on these issues is good and necessary if we want a decent future for our kids to enjoy!
Thanks Tim
Ron

[Tim McCrain]

Ron ,
-Edit-
The fish will get slammed when they "Test" the river later this month of course,the fish all went thru the bay without feeding so the run never shows on our docks or tables.Last year they slaughtered 5000 one night ,then 7000 more a week later.They claimed we took our 50% in the sport fleet.....but the numbers don`t add right.
-Edit-
Tim M

Tim, can you elaborate on the above? Who are "they" and what is the "testing" they're doing? And when you say slaughtered, do you mean netted? caught? I think a lot of us are interested in this but aren't familiar enough with the situation to know what this means. I don't, anyway, and I'd like to.

[trsexton]

Tim,

How do you get into self releasing. I would like to do that down south here.

[Tim_Mattson]

Sorry for being vague.....we launch at the River where the Muckleshoots launch the Gillnet Fleet.They are "Co-managers" of this river system but are now pretty much doing what they want with Crab ,Salmon and Shrimp.
We get a few weeks in July/Aug. with weekend openers.After a few weeks each year,the Wash Dept of Fisheries announces a "weak run" with emergency closures soon after.
Trouble is ,the Duwamish /Elliott Bay fish now show up in mid August when the Tribes are again allowed to "Test Fish" with the Gillnets.
I see the nets hung at High Tide,then as we return 6 hours later(our open water is roughly the Middle of Puget Sound,maybe 4-5 miles away) the tide goes out and we see a Wall of dead fish baking in the Sun.
Other times the Nets get Lingcod and non-targeted schools of Salmon which is allowed to be kept as "Bycatch".
The Tribes even net for Steelhead and clean up on Silvers thru the Oct /Nov. months with numbers of fish caught reaching 10,000 fish in a single night.
Being "interrogated" by our Fisheries officers and treated like criminals has led many away from the Sport ......I know as my family once had the small cart launch on Whidbey Island and we heard it as people returned.

Lately the WDF Fisheries Boats have been roaring up to people full blast until almost on you,then they come along and want to see your gear,your tackle box and then ask "where you hid the fish?".
I know a lot of people and can`t seem to mention any of this without a similar saga being told to me from another........
Having supported my family with $ made from selling and building Sportfishing boats ,I felt obligated (at one time more so than now....) to bring people into this recreational activity.
It`s getting hard to justify the expense of this sport as it is now reaching a bottom.
There used to be 26 Boathouses with Rentals and over 3000 rental boats JUST on Elliott Bay.
In the 90`s,the State bought up the Mid-sound Boathouses and fenced them off.Pt.No Pt. ,McConnells at Mukilteo,Bush Pt . and a few others are among the former Rental/Launch locations.Nobody to lose an income,Then nobody to sue over bad manageent seemed to be the motivation,they certainly didn`t restore or try to revive these once famous places.
The Canadians have a dollar amt PER fish they shoot to generate from the Tourism and Fishing fleets and they once figured a single Sport Caught Fish could make them $200.00.Safeway pays $2 per lb. to the Salmon the Mucklehoots harvest for this once mighty Resource.
The Food ,Ice ,Licences,Tackle and Fuel bought by boaters used to generate alot of income for many small business and cities.Not to mention Boat building,repair and Noat/Motor parts....losing the places to shop,with those that remain stock little anymore.
I don`t want to know what my first fish will cost overall this year.
OK ,I`ll stop now....I know I left out alot of other reasons the fishing is so bad....And sorry to take a Thread off subject to those who keep track.
I have heard the Sacremento Kings are huge with 40,000 going up that river in the past.(back to California based fishing /boating topic....)
TM