Key Topics Covered in This Article
- ForTuna project boat hull repairs
- Marine survey process and inspection findings
- Structural assessment and damage evaluation
- Fiberglass/metal repair and reinforcement work
- Compliance, safety, and seaworthiness standards
The ForTuna is a 1987 40-foot Island Gypsy Aft Deck trawler, and it’s the kind of boat that makes you understand why classic trawlers have such a loyal following. They aren’t built to sprint. They’re built to live on. They’re designed around comfort, stability, and cruising practicality—the stuff that turns a simple day on the water into an actual lifestyle.
This post breaks down what the Island Gypsy is, why the aft deck layout is such a big deal, and what it really means to haul a boat for bottom paint and maintenance—especially when you’re restoring one.
The ForTuna: A 1987 Island Gypsy 40 Project Boat
The Island Gypsy 40 is one of those designs that feels bigger than its length because it’s built around livability instead of “looks fast at the dock.” You get real spaces. You get real storage. And most importantly, you get a platform that makes sense for long days aboard.
ForTuna isn’t a brand-new turnkey yacht. She’s a project boat. That means every improvement is earned, and every repair teaches you something. Dry docking is part of that. It’s where you stop guessing and start verifying.
When a boat lives in the water for years, the bottom becomes its own world: barnacles, growth, old paint layers, unknown repairs, and sometimes surprises you’d rather not discover. But if you want reliability, you have to face the bottom eventually. That’s why we hauled.
The Island Gypsy Aft Deck 40-Foot Trawler
Why this trawler feels bigger than 40 feet
The Island Gypsy Aft Deck 40 is a classic trawler layout that prioritizes livability. The aft deck is the signature feature. It’s basically a sheltered outdoor porch—protected, spacious, and naturally the social center of the boat.
On a trawler like this, the aft deck becomes everything:
Coffee in the morning
Dock talk in the evening
A gear staging area when you’re diving, fishing, or cruising
A practical “work zone” when you’re restoring systems
If you own a project boat, you quickly realize that you need space to set parts down, lay tools out, and move between interior and exterior without turning the salon into a workshop. The aft deck gives you that buffer zone. It’s where projects live while you’re mid-repair. It’s where hoses get run, fittings get staged, and boxes of parts can exist without taking over the entire boat.
Inside: simple, functional, and made for time aboard
The interior of the Island Gypsy leans into trawler strengths: straightforward spaces that work. Typically you’ll find:
A salon with wide windows and comfortable seating
A galley arrangement that’s usable, not an afterthought
A forward stateroom and head that are efficient and practical
These boats were designed for coastal cruising and island hopping. The vibe is “steady and dependable,” not “fast and flashy.” You don’t buy a trawler like this to win races. You buy it because you want to go places at your own pace and be comfortable doing it.
Handling: not speed, but confidence
A 40-foot trawler like this isn’t about sprinting—it’s about range, stability, and comfort in rougher water. The hull form and weight distribution favor a steady ride, and that matters when you’re cruising instead of running home at 30 knots.
For a project boat owner, the payoff is huge. Once you sort the core systems—fuel, cooling, electrical, steering—you end up with a platform that turns weekends into mini-expeditions. It becomes the kind of boat you can actually depend on.
Why Dry Dock Is a Big Deal for a Project Boat
Hauling a boat is like taking your car to the mechanic and getting access to the entire underside at once. It’s the chance to see everything you can’t see in the water.
On a project boat, it’s even more important because the bottom condition is often unknown. You might know what’s going on inside the engine room, but you don’t truly know the state of:
Through-hulls and valves
Transducers
Running gear
Zincs
Shaft seals
Rudders
Prop condition
Cutlass bearings
Blisters or laminate issues
Old repairs hiding under paint
Dry dock is where those answers become obvious.
Taking a Boat to Dry Dock for Bottom Cleaning and Paint
Step 1: Scheduling and prep
The process starts with scheduling the haul-out at a yard with a travel lift. Before the day arrives, you’ll want to confirm:
Boat length overall (LOA)
Beam
Approximate weight
Keel type and draft
Anything unusual on the bottom (stabilizers, outdrives, fragile transducers, etc.)
It’s not just paperwork. The yard needs correct info so they place slings safely and block the boat correctly.
Step 2: The haul-out
On haul day, the yard slings the boat with straps and lifts it out. This part is always a moment. It’s exciting—but it also makes you realize how much boat you’re actually dealing with. Once it’s out, they set it on blocks and stands and secure it.
Now you’re officially in the “real work” phase.
Step 3: Pressure washing
The first thing is pressure washing to remove slime, barnacles, and loose paint. This step matters because it reveals the surface condition. You can’t assess anything accurately while it’s covered in growth.
Pressure washing is also when you get your first honest look at:
How much growth you had
Whether your previous paint was still doing its job
Where the hull has hotspots for fouling
Step 4: Inspection (the most valuable part)
Once it’s clean, you inspect everything. This is where project boat owners find both good news and bad news. You check:
Through-hulls and seacocks/valves for corrosion or movement
Any signs of weeping or staining around fittings
Zincs (are they consumed evenly?)
Shafts and props for dings, bent blades, fishing line, or pitting
Rudders and rudder posts for play
Cutlass bearings for wear
Any cracks, blisters, or delamination signs
Transducers for damage and proper sealing
A hull survey at this stage is extremely valuable because it can identify structural issues early. If something is wrong, you want to know now—not after you’ve painted and splashed.
Step 5: Prep work (scrape, sand, mask)
Bottom paint is only as good as the prep. Depending on what’s already on the hull, prep can include:
Scraping flaky paint
Sanding/scuffing for adhesion
Feathering edges where paint layers are uneven
Masking the waterline and areas that shouldn’t be painted
If the hull has bare spots, repairs, or unknown paint compatibility, you may need primer or barrier coat touch-ups. Project boats often have “mystery layers” from past owners, and you want the new paint to bond correctly.
Step 6: Painting (antifouling)
Then comes bottom paint—rolled or sprayed depending on the yard and your setup. Application matters:
Correct thickness
Correct number of coats
Extra attention around the waterline and leading edges
Extra coats on high-wear areas
Bottom paint isn’t just about cleanliness. It can affect speed, fuel burn, and engine load. A dirty bottom can make engines work harder and reduce your ability to hit rated RPM—especially on a trawler that depends on efficiency.
Step 7: Touch-up and splash
After painting, the yard may reposition blocks so you can paint the pad areas. Once cured, you:
Replace zincs
Recheck fittings
Confirm valves are sound
Final walkaround
Then she splashes back in—cleaner, faster, and better protected.
Why Valve Replacement and a Hull Survey Are Smart Moves
Bottom paint is the obvious reason to haul, but the real benefit is access.
Through-hull valves are one of the highest-stakes items on a boat. They sit below the waterline. If they fail, you don’t get a slow leak—you get an emergency. On a project boat, replacing questionable valves and confirming the health of the hull is one of the best investments you can make.
A hull survey in dry dock is also where you get confidence. It gives you an honest assessment and a baseline. Once you know what you’re working with, every future improvement is built on solid ground.
The Bigger Picture: This Is How a Project Boat Becomes Reliable
This dry dock trip is more than “maintenance.” It’s part of turning ForTuna from a project into a platform we can trust.
Project boats don’t become reliable by magic. They become reliable by:
Inspecting what you can’t see
Fixing the systems that can sink you
Restoring performance basics (bottom, props, valves)
Building a maintenance baseline
Repeating the process until the boat stops surprising you
That’s the real win: fewer surprises.
Closing Thoughts
The Island Gypsy Aft Deck 40 is built for comfort, range, and real time aboard. The ForTuna is a 1987 example that’s getting the love and attention it deserves—one system at a time.
Dry docking at Hurricane Cove was a major step: bottom cleaning, paint prep, repairs, valve replacement, and a hull survey. It’s the kind of work that isn’t glamorous, but it’s exactly what makes a boat safer, faster, more efficient, and more dependable.
If you’re working on a trawler or project boat, let me know what your next “big step” is—haul-out, engines, electrical, fuel system, or something else.
#Trawler #Fishing #Yardwork #DryDock #HullCleaning #HullPaint.
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