Regards John Robinson

Meanwhile, one thing concerns me… as you rightly mention, maintenance is key to the longevity of a boat, in particular with steel maintaining a waterproof paint layer is crucial because once rust sets in things can go downhill quickly.

I’m concerned that the keel casing could be a weak point in this respect, out of sight, hard to access, full of salt water and air sloshing about, plus very prone to the paint coatings being scraped off when raising/lowering the keel.

Could you possibly describe how these issues are addressed both in terms of design/construction and maintenance/inspection access?

Best wishes,
Chris

In about 1998 MIM was sold to SGS and and since then the Safe Ship Management system has been in place so the old classification system is no longer used.

As noted the hull was built and passed for class 8 at the time. I then found out to continue finishing her to that classification you would need to have a registered engineer in the engine room.

Lifelines would have to 1m high etc. so I finished her to Class 5, which if I remember correctly, was for an offshore charter yacht anywhere around NZ. However she has never been in charter.

I did put in the lifelines at 800mm not the normal 600mm high which does give you added safety at sea.

If someone wanted to put her in charter in NZ they would have to enter into the Safe Management System and I can’t imagine that being a problem. The propeller shaft is certified, for example.

The naval architect who passed the plans for MIM was a Mr Ian Lancaster who was surveyor of ships for them he now works for Maritime NZ.

I trust this answers your question.
Regards John Robinson

Regarding boat heaters, the first question I have is how much time will you spend on the boat?
If it it is only weekends then you can do what most people do and that is not go sailing in the winter except on sunny days. However if you plan to spend extended time on the boat, then you will find you appreciate the heater for many months of the year, as it is always cool on the water (except in the tropics).
When I sailed into BC, Canada from the tropics in early October, the first thing I did was find a $50 tiny woodburner stove and installed it into the boat. It only lasted about a year, but I used it every day. I then replaced it with one I built with the help of a friend with a welder, which lasted much longer.
You can often survive sailing without a heater (put on more clothes), but the delight of coming below into a warm boat when it is cold outside is one of sailing greatest pleasures, especially as it also means a dry boat to boot.

If you have a diesel engine, then a diesel heater is the most practical way to go and you can probably buy a good one second hand. Diesel heaters last.
Wood fired heaters are an option, but you do have to always collect pine cones, drift wood (which is tough on the fire box as the salt eats the steel) or coal. While collecting can be fun, storage of sacks of firewood is an issue. But it worked for me.
Because propane makes water, as you said, you need to have a flue. In fact what ever heating system you use, you need a chimney to take the water out of the boat. My chimney also could be removed and replaced with a very good bung for sailing across oceans.
Electricity is nice when in a marina, but that is all it is good for.

Keep me posted how you get on.
Fair winds John

To answer your questions about heaters; the best solution is a diesel heater assuming you have a diesel engine and already have diesel onboard.

Can you tell me a little about your sailing experience? I’ve never really sailed before, and this boat just sort of dropped into Kyle’s lap, which is how we hatched the plan for this trip (by which I mean I have very little experience).