Off Season Maintainance 2012

It’s the rainy season in Nosara and we all know what that means….boat maintenance time! The captains and crew have the grounds of Nosara Paradise Rentals all to themselves and are dead-set on reloading the fleet for another record setting season. Let’s take a lot around the grounds:

The Explorer looks good as usual, and it’s required repairs are relatively minor and cosmetic.

The Adventurer is so new that it only requires some screw tightening. That only leaves…

The mighty Wanderer! After 3 years and nearly 600 trips our flagship is quite ready for a complete repaint and refit. This craft has taken everything that the Costa Rican environment could throw at her and is still hanging tough, but if you want a boat the last for 30 years you can’t skimp on the upkeep.

Our typical offseason painting on the boats consists of spot fixes and lots of masking tape. It is our goal to bring this paint job back up to the original level that we shipped to Nosara, so we are disassembling as much as possible. No tape lines on this boat!

Back in 2009 we were satisfied with the condition of the cabin, but now it is time for the chambers to get some TLC. The wood is still good in the cabin, but the paint is beginning to fade. Also we are deleting the hardwood shelves that ran along the sides of the cabin in order to save weight and reduce clutter.

The fuel tanks were another issue of concern. Three years ago we installed the tanks in what we thought was a watertight compartment. We were so confident that we did not paint the tanks so they are vulnerable to even the smallest drop of moisture that could sneak through.

}

Looks like we dodged a bullet there! This tank is almost exactly as we shipped her and we will not make the same mistake twice. A protective paint job and fresh foam will help us sleep a little easier at night.

Craig, Craig Jr., and Matty showed up on September 5 (one day after the big earthquake) and brought the requisite sanders, sandpaper and paint supplies. Removing the bottom paint is the hardest job we have ever asked of the boat crews, and despite the pain and itchiness they have made excellent progress stripping off 20+ years of old paint.

 

Despite the backbreaking discomfort of paint grinding, the crew jammed it out and kept their usual high spirits through the difficult times. One small step for man, huh David and Alex?

The prep work continues inside where the boys have dutifully taped off the cabin wood and started double-action sanding the floor, walls and ceilings.

 

 


First Mate Alex is an ace carpenter, so he is in charge of sanding and refinishing all of the cabin interior wood, the cabinetry, and the dis-assembly and cleaning of the fighting chair. Take a look at the shine on this wood:




With the fighting chair we have sanded all off the old gelcoat and have decided to let the beautiful wood grains shine thorough. Alex got his hands on a thick chunk of pichote wood and formed this exact replica.

Once everything is stained and put back together this should be a beautiful piece of functional fish-fighting art.


After a few days of sanding the bottom paint off, we realized that the boat’s trailer was obstructing our ability to reach all of the area. Furthermore the impeded access would create too many null spots where we would have to come back and paint later.

The solution is pure Tico engineering…using two bottle jacks and big sturdy tree limbs as lifts, these fellas propped up this 3000+ lbs boat and slid the trailer out from underneath.




Sure enough this change enabled Craig jr. and the crew to finish sanding the bottom of the Wanderer. In hindsight this is the first step we would have taken, and in the future we will do all boat work down here in a saddle similar to this one.

We also employed a little local knowledge in dealing with another persistent adversary: the rain! During the rainy season in Costa Rica you can count on at least one gutter washer per day, usually in the late afternoon.

Our crew rigged up a tarp roof out of four smaller tarps and it is suited to repel most of the direct rainfall. Still with the humidity hovering around 99% we have to deal with condensation forming on surfaces we are trying to prep.

Matty and Carlos spent the better part of two days getting all of this paper and tape to adhere to the hull. Most of the effort was in pre-wiping the surface with acetone and quickly applying the tape before the water could re-establish it’s hold.

Also we ran a little short of paper so we resorted to the local tabloids…not only does this boat now repel paint but is also helps keep us up to date on soccer scores and silver screen starlets.

There was prep work still underway in the cabin and cockpit when Craig Jr laid down the first coat of gelcoat on the bottom. In their fervor to scrap the old bottom paint off, the crew accidentally went too deep in spots and exposed the top layer of fiberglass.

Here is the final prepped surface before painting; notice that the rough spots have all be filled with fiberglass resin and sanded down flush. Hopefully these patches will blend seamlessly once sprayed.

We thinned the gelcoat by almost 50% in order to spray it (most painters apply gelcoat via brush) and Craig drew the unenviable task of applying this nasty stuff. The mix of acetone thinner and resin catalyzer was a potent brew that required full facemask respirators to work around.


Due to rain it took a whole day to apply the bottom coat and another long night of spraying to finish the transom and all of the deck pieces.




We were blown away by the great results from this chemistry experiment. Check out the smooth coverage of our two gallons of sprayed gelcoat:


It was around this time that disaster struck: our Dupont Imron paint had been seized by the Costa Rican port authorities. Apparently our shipping agent forgot to declare the paint products and our precious supplies disappeared into the underworld.

We first learned of this issue on September 6 and after two weeks of fruitless phone calls, the boat was nearly prepped and the whole project would come to a screeching halt without paint.


The boat crews stayed on task like true soldiers and finished up the surrounding work while the gringos set about figuring out how to paint this boat.

FishingNosara is famous for taking a bad situation and turning it into a legendary result, and the repaint of the Wanderer had become a bad situation. Finally the solution hit Craig Sutton like a bolt of lightning to the forehead: “Let’s gelcoat the whole dadgum thing.”

After all, every Tico panga boat you see gets an annual coat of gelcoat slathered on via brush and you can buy the stuff at any hardware store. The DuPont paint is world-class, and as such it is hard to find in such a remote location.

If we could combine the Tico’s time-proven approach of gelcoating with the gringo spray technique and attention to detail, then we might have a real one-of-kind result that will look great and last a long time.

Craig called on the experts: he asked Charlie Keen of the Discoverer Project and our good buddy Chappy if gelcoat would adhere well to fiberglass. Their replies were identical: “Well that is what it’s made for, Craig.”

Convinced, we dispatched Cumi to the Sur paint store in Nicoya and he retuned with 8 gallons of white gelcoat, 2 gallons of black bottom paint, 16 cans of acetone thinner, 10 more rolls of masking tape, and a few ounces of blue pigment.

On September 16, Craig Jr. and Matty set about turning this nightmare into a dreamboat. They hustled through the last few repairs on the boat, most significantly patching the old rubrail bolts and touching up last September’s front pulpit repair.


By 5pm all the fiberglass had cured and Carlos finished the final acetone wipedown. Normally the rains blow through at this time of night but it was an eerily clear evening; also Matty and Craig Sr. were scheduled to fly back to Florida to next morning.

The die was cast: all-night paint session!

Craig Jr. started with the hardest part which was the front cabin. This entire area was masked off tighter than the lid on a Pringles can, and literally every second of spray exposed Craig’s skin to low-grade chemical burns. Oxygen was scarce and only a small household fan was available to provide circulation.

This is what hell on Earth looks like:


After that horrible experience, the remainder of the interior was a breeze.

The floor was a little tricky, but the momentum was building and there was no stopping us now. Craig Sr. came through with dinner around midnight and the boys continued hammering away with only a few Flor de Cana breaks.

By 4am Craig Jr. was working down the sides…the home stretch!

They finished the job at 5:30am just in time for Matty to load up and head off to the airport. With his last gasp of energy, Craig Jr. issued the following orders to the crew: Don’t touch the paint, and take the sanding operation to the other side of the property.

After 12 well-deserved hours of sleep (and cure time for the white top), Craig Jr. kept the ball rolling by spraying the bottom paint:


Then came back on Saturday to apply the final coat of blue-tinted gelcoat.

After two weeks of worrying and stressing (not to mention almost working the crew to death), the Wanderer shines like a new dime.


Captain William is pumped with the finish, and Craig Jr. looks relieved to be on the way back home. The boys will finish up with the cleaning and will begin pre-assembling the components over the next four weeks.

Craig Sr. and Captain Jack will be back in late-October for the final tightening and water testing. After this process the FishingNosara flagship will be lighter, cleaner and shinier than ever.

August 24, 2012

It is risky to keep fishing down here with the monsoon rains looming just a few days away, but the fearless Wanderer had to tend to some unfinished business on August 24.

Our great friend and neighbor Jeff Grosshandler of Namaste Oasis brought a very special VIP for this trip. Bruce Northam is the mind behind the blogย American Detour and his books, essays, speeches and articles have been published in just about every major magazine imaginable. He is a seasoned world traveler and we were stoked to welcome him and his crew to our little slice of paradise.

More importantly, this fireballing Marlin attacked the Wanderer‘s spread and the legendary Captain William put the moves on this monster. First Mate Alex exhibited the calm professionalism that has made FishingNosara famous in the safe billing and release of this majestic marine creature.

According to Jeff, “the footage the camera guys took is incredible. That trip couldn’t have gone any better, when the marlin hit – Bruce literally jumped out of his seat and screamed “look at the f*ckin size of that thing!!!!!!” and it just got better from there.”

This is a great accomplishment for Jeff as this is his first Marlin release. I think that this monster just couldn’t resist his FishingNosara throwback jersey! Once everyone got their photos, this fish was safely release like all billfish caught by our team.

The Wanderer is due for a complete refit and repaint which will get underway in about a week, and it should come as no surprise to our regular readers that the flagship cemented her place at the head of the class with this epic late-season Marlin release.

August 15, 2012

Bill Meeker has been reading this fishing report for a long time and back in February got his son Will into to the report. It’s a great pleasure to see that the Meeker group is in Nosara and they had an excellent day of action today on the Wanderer featuring a very rare Nurse Shark sighting.

This group had lots of action on Bonitas and Jacks inshore and then hooked-up this Nurse Shark on a vertical jigging rig.

We have no interest in keeping sharks, so everyone got their pictures and then First Mate Alex got the fun job ofย  live releasing a ticked-off shark…all in a day’s work for the hardest working man in Garza.

August 13, 2012

Jacksonville Beach’s own Tony Blanco scored huge today with one of the biggest Broomtail Groupers of the season. These grey lunkers feel like a cinder block when it comes to reeling them in, and most anglers run out of strength long before seeing the beast.

Not Tony though! He pushed the Penn 760 Slammer reel to its limit and held fast against this tasty monster.

Once again the Wanderer delivers the goods for a Northeast Florida angler and with about 35lbs. of Grouper filets, Mr. Blanco is bound to be a popular fella around town.

August 12, 2012

The Wanderer delivered an amazing end to a great week of fishing for Paul Crevello and the boys with several more Sailfish releases plus a surprise tasty treat in the fishbox. They stayed inshore during the morning and collected some Bonita for use as Sailfish bait, but just as they were heading offshore a mighty fish took the hook.

The result was this beautiful Cierro Mackeral. World renowned for the quality of its meat, the Cierro is a dynamite sushi fish. This specimen is one of the largest we’ve seen down here which is a good thing because the Crevello group would work up a big appetite during the afternoon Sailfish bite.

These beauties came flying by just after 1pm and the ensuing fight was frenetic. Captain William kept the fish on opposite sides of the boat as First Mate Alex coordinated the releases. After the lights-out fishing earlier in the week, Team Crevello are old pros at Sailfish releasing by now.

Another week of consistent excellence by some great anglers and the flagship Wanderer.

 

August 11, 2012

More great action for Paul Crevello on the Wanderer with more Sailfish releases and reports of the all-of-the-sudden rare Dorado. First up was a lone hungry Sailfish who invaded the perimeter around 11:30am.

As usual Captain William kept the fight short and sweet and First Mate Alex executed a picture-perfect release. Their second Sailfish came in with the daily 1pm bite and by half-past one this fish was swimming free.

Around 3pm this feisty little Dorado came in whacking at the teasers and the boys snared him with an excellent bait and switch throwback. We are accustomed to seeing big Yellowfin Tunas this time of year so the appearance of this tasty greenie is a welcome sight. Yummy!

Paul has one more day on the Wanderer booked this week so lets keep those fingers crossed for more good action.

August 10, 2012

Paul Crevello and the Tampa boys were back on the Wanderer today and they piled the fishbox high with big Yellowfin Tunas. Here is just a sample of the yella fellas these guys bested:

Of course once you find feeder fish of this size, it is only a matter of time before the billfish swarm in on the prey. This Sailfish was no match for the mighty Wanderer and was released around 1:30pm.

Paul and the boys are only halfway through their four-day fishing frenzy so lets hope the bite stays strong for these guys.

August 9, 2012

Paul Crevello and his group hail from the hard-fishing town of Largo, FL situated on the banks of Tampa Bay. We have had lots of great anglers come to Nosara from this challenging fishery, and Mr. Crevello kept the good times rolling like so many others from theย  727.

This first Sailfish came calling at 9:30 am and Paul belted up to battle the beast. Great work by Captain William to keep the Wanderer two steps ahead of this monster and First Mate Alex to release her safe and sound.

The 1 o’clock bite has been sure as sugar the last few weeks, and right on time the Wanderer‘s spread was assaulted by skyrocketing Sailfish. Paul’s son had an excellent release around 1:30pm, and then the boys released a pair of bright blue Sailfish at 2:30pm.

Billfish give off this bright blue luminescence when they become agitated and/or when they are on the feed. Most sportfishing crews leave the fish on the line until the color fades, meaning the fish is tired and less likely to be aggressive alongside the boat.ย 

These pictures makes two excellent points: 1.) Paul Crevello and the posse did a great job of catching these fish quickly, and 2.) The fearless First Mate Alex is willing to handle a pissed-off fish if it means getting a safe, quick release. This is world-class fishing in every respect.

Paul finished off the trip with a fifth Sailfish release at the end of the day, but stay tuned because these Pinellas County anglers are going to be on the prowl all week long.

August 8, 2012

Bob Pease’s boys put the finishing touch on a frenetic three day campaign against the Pacific Sailfish by posting several more releases today on the Wanderer. Take a look at the blue bio-luminescence on this beauty.

They continued to stack up Sailfish releases and pushed their total for the week over thirty releases…incredible action on this late-season bite.

As a parting shot the boys brought in this tasty Yellowfin Tuna which hopefully made for a great end-of-trip dinner.

Great work by the Georgia-based Pease boys who have set a new standard for Sailfish excellence.

August 7, 2012

Bob Pease and the Georgia boys did it again! They followed up their legendary baker’s dozen Sailfish releases with another day of excellent Sailfish action on the Wanderer.

The five Sailfish came over a five hour span, with releases reported at 10:09am, 10:42am, 12:18pm, 1:17pm, and 2:14pm. Very steady action like this is a good sign as the season nears closing…it means that the fish are still there despite the absence of a lot of boats. Of course all billfish were safely released like always.

They also got their first glimpse of a the mighty Marlin as a monster showed up for a late-day battle royale. Bob fought the beast for just under an hour before First Mate Alex finally got his hand on the leader.

The crew estimated the big Black Marlin to weigh well over 500lbs., so no billshot for this fish.

We will touch base with the Pease crew and see if they got any good pics of this behemoth jumping…if so you know those pictures will be found right here on the FishingNosara blog.