CAL 31 sailboat thread "Mystic", formerly CAL 29 sailboat build/refit "Traveller"

Drummer79 · Aug 28, 2023

Went to the boat this afternoon, everything on the bottom looked good for being in the water almost 4 years. It's getting painted blue on the bottom this time.

Drummer79 · Sep 2, 2023

Got alot done on the boat today. Cleared out all the the thru hulls with basically a shot gun barrel brush to be sure they were clean. One valve remained sticky so replaced that one. New zinc installed, installed the knot meter that now works, and basically just a good last inspection of the hull and all before she goes back in the water on Monday morning :smokin:

. Had a lot of minor things on the list to get done, honestly can't remember the whole list now, but it's all done except scrubbing the deck. I'll do that after the shake down sail Monday.
The pics will mostly be glamour shots of the boat with a shiny clean bottom, and one closeup of the new knot meter.

Drummer79 · Sep 4, 2023

Relaunched this morning, and was shocked by the difference. I guess I was spoiled with Traveller, because I bought her and redid the bottom first, and never knew what it would be like with a dirty bottom.
Mystic now, at just above idle easily does 3 knots, which was almost top speed before on the motor. At first I thought the new knot meter had to be wrong to be going that fast at that low throttle. Double checked it with GPS and it was correct. To be honest, with the way I dock this boat compared to how I used to dock Traveller, I'm glad it had a dirty bottom at first. With the dirty bottom it would slow down much faster when approaching the dock, etc.. to help me better learn to control the boat. I had no issues today, from experience now, but if I'd docked Mystic the first time with a clean bottom I think i woulda banged it off the dock and pilings just cus it keeps so much momentum now.
Below are a couple launch pics, and a pic of the knot meter.

Drummer79 · Sep 5, 2023

Drummer79 said:
I think it's a done deal..fate kinda. I'd found this boat by accident, the ad wasn't supposed to be listed, because it was expired, and depending on browser you look for it in, it might not show up. It's everything I wanted Traveller to become, but already done. Turn key, and only about a 4 hour sail from home. Any boat i bought, since I scrapped Traveller, I intended to rename to Traveller as well, but after hearing the story of the boat, and learning her name, a song came to mind, and can't bring myself to rename her. Mystic

I wasn't sure if I had ever really put up any pics of the inside of the boat, til I scrolled back today and saw that I had. These were from the ad where I bought her. Throwing in a couple more I found this weekend just because. Taken by me in various stages of the cleanup and stuff, or just while spending a night on board.

Drummer79 · Sep 23, 2023

Ok so the storm turned out worse than anyone rational expected lol. The weather never truly got bad, but the eye shifted west and the storm surge is pretty damn bad around Washington. power has also been out since about 8:30 this morning. It was flickering before that, and every time it would temporarily go out I could hear a loud arcing sound like a huge welder. It did that a handful of times but came back on, til it arced it's last arc apparently and something let go. The waterfront is underwater, and had to take alternative route to get to my sailboat. Washington park is underwater. The docks at the yacht club are underwater. My boat seems ok, but can't get anywhere near it currently.

Java230 · Sep 24, 2023

Good luck

Drummer79 · Oct 14, 2023

Java230 said:
Good luck

I forgot that I never updated after the storm. The boat survived mostly unscathed. Rub rails took a little rubbing, but it's what they're for. Luckily the boat didn't move around alot, didn't bang the front nav light on a piling like it did early on before I learned the value of spring lines and all. 4 lines to dock works great in ideal conditions, but having 4 more as spring lines basically keeps her right where I want her, basically impossible to move around enough to start banging **** on the dock.

350TacoZilla · Oct 14, 2023

Glad it came out unharmed. That's a weird problem to have there, "can't use the boat because there's too much water"

Drummer79 · Dec 2, 2023

Well, haven't updated this in a while, but the boat is still fine besides the leaks it's had and a few new ones discovered. The rain predicted is supposed to actually peter out and be done tomorrow, and supposed to be warm, so going to try again on the windows, this time with butyl tape and shims. Going to do one at a time this time instead of rip out all 4 like last time. last time I had a valid reason though, I was having all the glass resealed in the frames. Tomorrow going to tackle one and see how it goes, if it seems to go well, and passes a water hose test after fixing it, then if time allows do another one lol.

Drummer79 · Dec 3, 2023

Update: SUCCESS! :grinpimp:

I forgot to take alot of good pics after everything was cleaned up and all, but butyl tape on the worst leaking window totally passed a 20 minute water hose test. Used 1/8 inch thick rubber cut into strips as the shim for the inner side of the frame, and stepped up to #10 screws to be sure they'd bite in the slightly smaller holes and pull the frame together tight. Might have slightly overdid it on the butyl tape, but it stays pliable forever and squished out good, and squished in around the frame well too. NO LEAK on that window! :smokin:

Also went ahead and resealed the "skylight" or whatever you'd like to call it in the bathroom that has been leaking like a sieve. Gonna let the window we fixed heat cycle and get cold and hot this week then leak test it again. If it continues to be dry, then on to the rest of the windows.
A few pics. and yes the gel coat around the window is getting some age and needs some top paint sooner or later.

rugger · Jan 16, 2026

Been up to anything?

Drummer79 · Jan 16, 2026

rugger said:
Been up to anything?

Nope not **** lately. Winterized it a while back and other than checking on it every so often it's just sitting.

RunningProblem · Mar 29, 2026

Been up to anything lately?

Drummer79 · Mar 29, 2026

RunningProblem said:
Been up to anything lately?

not ****. the weather here is still too bipolar to trust de-winterizing. It will be 80 for a few days then next thing you know big storm and winter again.

KacksterK5 · Mar 31, 2026

Need to pop that side window out and re-bed it from the outside. If water's getting in as far as the tape it will soak into the core where they cut the windows out. They likely just cut the window hole and painted over the bare wood core. Just plan on doing all of them. Mask it off with tape, apply Lifecaulk or 4000UV, place the window and get it where you want it and just barely tighten the screws so it stays in place. Smoothe the caulk and pull the tape while it's still wet. Let it kick and skin over for a few hours then tighten the window in place.

We're fighting the same with weather up here. I think today is third spring and tomorrow will be 4th winter.

Drummer79 · Mar 31, 2026

KacksterK5 said:
Need to pop that side window out and re-bed it from the outside. If water's getting in as far as the tape it will soak into the core where they cut the windows out. They likely just cut the window hole and painted over the bare wood core. Just plan on doing all of them. Mask it off with tape, apply Lifecaulk or 4000UV, place the window and get it where you want it and just barely tighten the screws so it stays in place. Smoothe the caulk and pull the tape while it's still wet. Let it kick and skin over for a few hours then tighten the window in place.

We're fighting the same with weather up here. I think today is third spring and tomorrow will be 4th winter.

Butyl tape fixed the first one that I fixed the second time. I think I mentioned it before but at first they were leaking because of the seal between glass and frame, hence the removal. One was leaking but I figured if one is leaking now the rest won't be far behind, so got them all out and was going to put the glass back in myself but that wasn't happening, I didn't know wtf i was doing and foresaw glass breaking and me throwing **** so i paid a glass place to do it right. Putting flat glass and frames frames back into a slightly curved hull, which thankfully is not wood cored, so rot is not a concern, turned out to be an issue. Makeshift wedges were made to hold the outer frame tight enough for the 4200 or whatever I used at the time to cure, but over time and heat cycles they all went to leaking like hell. The worst offender is/was the test case for the butyl tape and we did that and crammed it full of butyl, enough to not just seal to the outer surface, but squeeze through to the inner frame and also cut thin rubber membrane into strips to go behind teh inner frame like a gasket and tighten up the pulling force on the outer frame. It's been a long time now and that one window doesn't leak a drop.. the others that didn't leak as if there was no glass installed at all, but do seep slowly, they are next on the list.

Drummer79 · May 5, 2026

Well I spent Sunday and yesterday cleaning up the boat. I'm listing it for sale. I love the boat and the dream of one day living on it or whatever, but life just isn't working that way right now. It's too big to sail alone basically. I probably could but it's not fun to go alone anyway.. and with work and life and sailing buddy having a job that makes it so he's hardly ever around anymore.. it's time to let her go. Dock fees and insurance cost way too much to keep a boat I'm hardly using. If she sells I'll buy a boat I can park in the back yard and if I'm not using it, it costs nothing sitting there.

350TacoZilla · May 5, 2026

That sucks but makes sense. The size is the one thing I was looking at when I was asking about boats before. Wanted something I could tow myself vs needing a transport company but big enough to use like a camper. I think most the stuff I saw that fits that is 22-25ft maybe. Though I wasn't looking at sailboats.

EndlessMtnFab · May 6, 2026

There's always something else around the corner. Just need to be patient and find out what it might be.

Drummer79 · May 16, 2026

Replaced the alternator today. I didn't mention it apparently in the last update of when I went to clean up the boat, but tried to crank it and it was turning over really slow. Popped the engine cover and tried it again and watched the belt break and then she cranked over fine. The bearings were shot and apparently had been for long enough to wear the belt pretty thin. Anyway ordered a new one and installed it today.
You can see in the pic alot of belt dust on everything.

CAL 31 sailboat thread "Mystic", formerly CAL 29 sailboat build/refit "Traveller"

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