After a Major Refit, Mark Lindeman’s Boat is Relaunched

Perfection may take a bit longer, but it is well worth it. One look at Mark Lindeman’s beautifully refitted sailboat Serrano and you’ll agree that you can’t hurry this kind of craftsmanship.

After nine months on the hard for the painting and hardware installation portion of her multi-year refit, 38-year-old Serrano was launched last week with all the shining perfection of a brand new boat — at least on the exterior, qualifies her owner.

Serrano is relaunched by Travelift operator Mark Rybin at Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard.

Lindeman did most of the work himself, and who better for the job than this long-time boater and all-time boat expert. The former yard manager and current senior adviser here at Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard is finally nearing the end of his “might-as-wells-and-while-you’re-at-its.” Those are the many tasks that tend to get added on during boat repair projects, this one starting with “mere” leaking toe rails a few years ago.

Lindeman removed his boat’s leaking teak toe rails and crafted new ones out of marine-grade plastic, mirror-polishing the socket head bolts.

“The original teak toe rail was leaking — a 35-year-old boat at the time,” Lindeman said when he showed me the project under way inside a shrink wrap bubble at the yard last summer. “And there were other leaks on the boat. So we pulled the toe rail off and then the ‘might-as-wells’ kicked in: Might as well put on new stanchions while we’re at it. Might as well install the new Genoa tracks. Then, oops, the core is wet in places, might as well fix that and do it right while I’m at it, and so on.”

He had help from Jason Lee, coatings technician at the boatyard, and the two worked on the 1982 Pearson 37 first in its slip and then inside a protective plastic ‘cocoon’ for containing sanding and painting particulates and for keeping the weather out.

Sailboat owner Mark Lindeman and Jason Lee, coatings technician at Gig Harbor Marina & boatyard, worked on Serrano inside a protective shrink wrap “cocoon” to keep contaminating particulates in and the weather out.

“That cocoon was a godsend” says Lindeman, “I can’t imagine doing that job out in the weather. Jason fabricated an instrument box on the sea hood, did all the core replacement, fiber-glassing, faring and epoxy primer and I did the rest.”

He says that ‘all the rest’ in a casual, offhand way, as if he’s referring to a quick afternoon of chores. Serrano’s deck was completely stripped and is now covered with all new Awlgrip paint. Lindeman installed new Raptor Deck non-skid panels and put in gleaming new stanchions, hardware and windows. He removed all the old teak toe rails and made his own new ones out of white Starboard, a marine grade plastic — involving five saw cuts, no less — and then mirror-polished the socket head toe rail bolts.

Serrano is now protected with Awl-grip paint and Raptor Deck non-skid panels. All of the 37-year-old Pearson’s maintenance-requiring teak has been removed.

He had custom stainless handrails made to replace the old teak ones, thus eliminating all the maintenance-demanding wood on the sailboat.

Jason Lee at Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard fabricated a new instrument box on Serrano’s sea hood.

Having Serrano set back in the water marked a huge milestone for her long, detailed refit process. Lindeman has owned the sailboat for 17 years and hasn’t been able to sail her in more than three years. He is eager to get her out on the Sound again this summer.

The 1982 Pearson is set back in the harbor, almost ready for summer cruising.

But first, a few finishing projects remain for Serrano, like installation of her new stainless mast step, new chain plates, her freshly painted and rebuilt mast with all new rod rigging, instruments…the list goes on.

Veteran Travelift operator Mark Rybin sets Serrano back in the harbor. Minutes later, during a brief hailstorm, he pushes her to her slip.

“There’s still a lot to do but the list is getting shorter every day” says Lindeman. “The might-as-wells-and-while-you’re-at-its are pretty much used up by now, at least on the exterior. I’m very pleased with the finished product and the boat looks great. Hopefully, I’ll be sailing by June.”

A few finishing projects remain for Serrano before she sails this summer.

And then, after a summer of sailing again at last, Lindeman says he’ll update the interior.

“Come November I’ll start on the interior,” he said. “That should be easier. I can do projects one at a time and not take the boat out of service for years.”