Final Spring Clean - 30th / 31st Mar 2019

We went to the boat for the weekend for the final bit of spring cleaning, scrubbing and polishing the bow and inside the cockpit. We cleaned the screen wrap and got all the green staining off. Zena polished all the isinglass all looks new and set fair for the season.

The deck has come up clean

Brightener has brought back the colour

Were all done ready to start enjoying the season

Teak Decking Cleaned - 28th Mar 2019

Spent the morning cleaning the teak decking and the carpets below and also teak staining the galley steps and sole plate, finally cleaning and brightening the teak table.

Teak Deck cleaned and brightened

Transom and Step cleaned and brightened

Return to Water - 27th Mar 2019

Return to water after a month ashore for the annual maintenance, all went well and a quick shake down off Haslar front to ensure all is well.

Slow trundle down to the water, looking a lot cleaner than when she came out

Quick wash down of the yard dust and GP is looking clean & shinny

Back on her mooring, glad all the hard work is done.

Annual Refit Complete - 23rd & 25th Mar 2019

I arrived at the boat early Saturday 23rd for one last push to finish the annual maintenance program. The weather was kind this week so I was able to anti-foul the hull.  I returned on Monday 25th and cleared the boat of all the servicing gear and I decided to change the oil in the engine and replace the oil filter and fuel filter (whilst ashore) rather then after GP was relaunched.  The oil in the leg was changed last week after servicing the water pump, so were now set for the coming season.

Greek Princess looking super clean again for another season

Port Side

Starboard Side

Very pleased with the end result

GP always comes up so well after a bit of TLC

Relaunch scheduled for next Wednesday

Very pleased with the stern, looks like new

Leg Completed & Boat Polished - 21st Mar 2019

Completed the leg with anodes and decals, then set about a complete cut and polish of the hull and top flanks, just anti-foul to go.

Fully polished and taped up for anti-foul

Can see then end of the job now

Starboard side looking good

Port side looking good

Hull come up well

Stern all polished

Greek Princess looking good after a lot of work

All the decals on

Anodes all on

Leg back on - 20th Mar 2019

Finally got the leg back on, set the tilt & trim switches and adjusted the shift cable and all working perfectly just the anodes and decals to go and then I can crack on with the polishing and anti-foul.

All sprayed up

All running fine

Just finishing touches to go then I can get the polishing and anti-foul done.

New Gimbal Housing Fitted - 16th/17th Mar 2019

I spent a day and half rebuilding the Gimbal Housing with new trim and tilt switch's, gimbal and exhaust bellows, water pipe, top & bottom bushes plus seals for the the shift lever, throttle cable and of course a used replacement bell housing. Next calm day I'll paint ready for the leg to be added.

Finally all back together after two weeks of graft stripping out the damage housing and replacing

Leg back together - 14th Mar 2019

After several days grafting on the boat, the leg is now serviced with a new water pump and seals also the leg has new oil in it,already to be reunited with the boat.

New Bell housing has arrived just awaiting new bushes, welded the old one as a backup

Alpha One Gen 2 leg back together

All ready for the return to the boat

Stripped Rubbed Down & Primed - 10th Mar 2019

The leg has been split and pump removed, sanded down and primed ready for reassembly and servicing the impeller and new oil.

Propped sanded down

Water pump housing sanded down

Inside housing sanded

All ready for reassembly

Upper housing primed

Primer on ready for reassembly

Gimble Housing Removed - 9th March 2019

A full days work stripping down the Gimble Housing, this was a major project considering I was only looking to change the water pump impeller. I'm concerned I might have damaged the casting whilst trying to remove the leg when last worked on the leg a few years back.

Gimble housing finally off

This was a real struggle

Stripped down the large hole shows

Clearly damage some how

Missing piece found in the leg

Hopefully I can get this welded

Major Problem - 5th March 2019

As soon as the boat was ashore I decided to remove the leg so as to service the water pump and carry out an oil change.

Once the leg was off it revealed a hole

The casting had a large hole and crack

Leg now off, I will need to come back to strip out the gimble housing

Annual Lift - 5th March 2019

The weather was kind as the boat was taken round to Seaway Marine for the annual lift, ready to take the leg off so as to service the water pump.

Rib arriving the move the boat

Strapping Greek Princess along side

Taken off the mooring

All clear

Struggling up the run in the wind

Were on our way

Heading under Haslar Bridge

Out the other side not far now

Arrival at the slip

Roger takes charge from Seaway Marine

Getting the lift down the slip

Getting Greek Princess on the lift

Lifting gear in place

Clearing the water

Off to the yard

Shes looking dirty on the bottom

Cleaning Off

Getting shot of the weed

Finally into the yard

Blocked Off ready for the work