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Haul out - and starting the Winter Projects again.

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shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2014 : 17:27:00

I've been neglecting my work on the boat. I finally sealed off the scuppers with epoxy, and painted them. Next step was to put the flapper scuppers covers on.

Makes them look neat no?

Did yearly maintenance on the winches... easy peasy.

Ok, now about prior owners (we all have had them)... what was the point of THIS?

I popped the bolts out... started to work on the mast crane. Was running a COAX up for the VHF (and removing the topping lift)...

I blocked off the top of the mast after I pried the kink out a bit. The blocking is pressure treat, and temporary... but will work for a season until I build a more permanent solution with starboard or something. it looks significantly more oval shaped now:

Edited by - shnool on 04/19/2014 17:33:52

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/19/2014 : 17:35:37

Oh, and I stopped by the lake... looks to be they got my dock in already (mine and the gas dock)... maybe another week and I can put in (oh geesh I'm not ready).

Edited by - shnool on 04/19/2014 17:35:52

kc5dlo
1st Mate

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USA
71 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2014 : 06:16:38

Why not just a couple of sleeves over the bolt at the mast crane?

Edited by - on

usa 63
1st Mate

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USA
42 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2014 : 07:03:22

Ouch that mast head looks bad. If you don't want to spend the time or effort of a mast head fitting you may want to look at this, it's what's on my boat. http://catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1913/masthead-for-cp-26-c-270-early-tall-rig-c-250.cfm I too haven't been able to put as much time into the boat this winter so were planing on keeping her our of the water and working on it until the fall which is the best sailing time of the year down here. The scuppers looks great, I may have to add them to my to do list.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2014 : 07:30:00

Yes sleeves are also an option, and not a bad one! The crane otherwise is in good shape.

So now I have to scramble to come up with $300ish to get a proper Class IV hitch extension. This is what I am thinking:
http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Reese/RP45018.html

Also I am going to repack bearings on the trailer... but I am looking to splash next weekend (if the dockmaster is ready for me).

Edited by - shnool on 04/20/2014 07:32:02

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2014 : 19:02:36

Just unpacked the EPsails 135.. looks terrific!

Ok back to projects, the prior owner relocated the electrical panel to the port quartberth aft bulkhead (2 feet under the seat)... I had to move it to somewhere more USABLE.

The cable routed through the deck, and sealed off with butyl tape, and screwed into the deck.

Just to give an idea how poorly located the electrical panel was.. look at this 4 year old picture, see it all the way under on teh port quarter?

Edited by - shnool on 04/21/2014 19:15:04

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2014 : 07:30:12

There should have been a compression sleeve on that bolt at the masthead, just as there should be between the spreaders. Although, there was probably no need to crank down the nut to the point of doing that, if it was a nylock. I suspect the P.O. was expecting more resistance as he tightened it.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2014 : 08:03:44

Dave agreed... I hadn't even noticed it had gotten so bad, until I went to run the VHF coax up the mast. Fortunately there didn't appear to be a permanent wrinkle in the aluminum. Every time I go to work on the boat I find something else that "just ain't quite right." Ah well, I suppose that happens when a boat has had 3-4 owners over 30+ years. I am quite sure others will be unhappy with what I did to bring it back to functional. I'm going to replace the wood with compression sleeves, makes more sense to me.

I noticed the other day I'm approaching due to replace the forward bulkheads (just getting a dull thud now out of the port one near the floor)... that aft bulkheads I keep expecting to have problems but so far seem fine.

I believe the forces on the mast crane are nearly 100% straight down. Very little forward and back, and even less side to side. I suppose some with backstay tension, but still. I know if he had permanently crinkled the mast that it'd have compromised the integrity of the top of the mast (hard to do I know since aluminum is pretty forgiving), but still possible.

Edited by - shnool on 04/22/2014 08:05:03

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/23/2014 : 03:45:27

Ok, well last night I tackled the wheel bearings. No pictures (I know probably a first).
I started on the front left side, worked my way around. The bearings looked all new, by the time I got to the last one I wasn't going to work on it. I perfected my technique for removing the rear compressed ones by the last one, and really didn't think I was going to do that last one (front right).

Well, I did remove it, and wouldn't you know it, as it popped out, the race blew apart! WOW talk about luck! Ok, as I was picking up the bearings, I looked up our local advanced auto, found the part number, showed they had 1 in stock. I called them, $6 for the rear, they closed at 9, and it was 8. Went out got the bearing took the wife, took her out to dinner, came back and finished my work! All done.

Some comments... my brakes are all but GONE. I don't think they've operated in forever. I used to use a 2500 to tow the boat, now I have a diesel 3500. Typically I tow a 16,000lb horse trailer with my truck, so when I tow the boat, honestly, stopping it is HARDLY a problem. This is no excuse I know. Either way for my short 25 mile trip I am good (for this time). However, I think this justifies my prior desire to replace ALL the axles with disc brakes, new actuator, and new lines. So this is my new "summer project."

Anyway, I am SOOOOO GLAD I decided to do the bearings. A+ for the bearing buddies though, they've kept what looks like perfect bearings otherwise, that I KNOW haven't been touched in probably 6 years.

My ONLY trailer concern really now is how old the tires are (I dunno). Tires LOOK fine, but who can tell how old they are?

I want to say that as a kid (21). My father and I blew a wheel bearing out on our 23 foot Kells on the "Blue Route" in PA. It was the most miserable place on the planet to lose a trailer bearing. 3 hours banging the race off the axle (it melted). Filing down the axle that got trashed in the process. Then the scramble to find 2 bearings late on a Sunday... Just stunk. Oh and the opposite side bearing went the same day after we got the boat in the water.

Plus with our horse trailer we had what looked like new tires on our trailer... had a blow out... had the tire dealer look at the rest of the tires... they said the rest looked good it was just a road hazard, 2 weeks later, blew out another. $1200 later, 5 new tires, problem solved! So YEAH I am a bit paranoid.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2014 : 17:20:07

Boat came out of her shell.

Pressure washed, and cleaned up. Ready to go to the lake (soon).

Edited by - shnool on 04/24/2014 17:21:26

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 04/26/2014 : 15:11:49

Ok, I upgraded (beefed up) the front swivel dolly supports on the trailer. Again, once I am sure this works, I'm going to have this all welded up and build with solid metal. I had a successful launch and retrieve with the rig before, but it bent, so I was out to make it more "rugged." Here it is after I realized the one wheel won't hold air (so I removed the wheel).

Most important upgrade thusfar...

Also 2 more CRITICAL things I did today...
I moved the spinnaker topping lift to starboard side (with the spinnaker downhaul, and spinnaker halyard).

And I moved the port side headsail halyard to the farthest position to port, with the starboard side headsail halyard next to it.. where it makes sense to have them both...

These two things were a PITA to move (long story), but now that its done it should better make use of the turning blocks, and keep the controls for the spinnaker for my spin trimmer all together.

Keep in mind a couple weeks back I removed the mainsail topping lift and reused the space within the mast for my VHF coax. I'm going to either rigid vang or boomkicker (likely kicker).

ONE LAST project was done today... I installed my XM portable dock into the boat. It's a small "toy" but was neat to get working in the boat (you know when I get bored of the same 500 songs on my SD card). Also once the mast is up the VHF antenna is shared with the FM stereo so I should have radio available too.

Productive day, although I had hoped to have splashed today (dockmaster isn't really ready yet).

Edited by - shnool on 04/26/2014 15:20:34

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2014 : 12:03:10

UPDATE DOLLY WHEELS:
The upgraded dolly wheels were a HUGE success... no bending, and the trailer just rolled down the ramp with the strap launch (very smooth). I noted that Tractor supply now has higher strength 8" wheels (these are 6")... I can likely eliminate the blocks of wood (which are a bad design), and put the 8" wheels on (with higher load rating)... But worked great!

UPDATE SCUPPERS:
Best I can tell my scuppers aren't leaking (can't see how they could). The flaps on the back sufficiently keep most water from rolling in while surfing downwind! That's huge! So I'd call it a success even if the tubes themselves weren't used for this, the aft portion of the scupper upgrades were (I just glassed in the actual scupper tunnel, like in the last mainsheet articles). I am still getting a small amount of water in down below (very small).. I think it's rainwater, and directly related to the windows leaking (even under my whole cabin cover. I think I am going to bring a tarp for the boat, and see if that is truly where it's coming from).

UPDATE DRINK HOLDERS:
Come on really? These things are STELLAR! hold a drink nicely to 30+ degrees of heel... good enough for me.

UPDATE VHF ANTENNA AT TOP OF MAST:
The moving of the antenna to the top of the mast has worked flawlessly. I've gotten/responded to a number of radio tests on the water, at low power I am reaching at least 2-3 miles, which is good enough for me.

UPDATE OF ELECTRICAL PANEL MOVE:
What can I say, but I should have done that ages ago! I can actually reach in, throw the switch, and turn on/off anything I need quickly now. I also relocated the VHF radio to the storage area by the step... it puts the microphone RIGHT at the companionway, so it's handy. I can easily reach the microphone now while in the captains seat!

UPDATE ON 135 HEADSAIL:
I put in the water early to get good winds, and nice sailing, with an empty lake. The 135 has been used almost exclusively... with 2 days when even the 135 was too much (with me sailing solo)... we had winds to 30+ at times and I had to reef the main and use my reefable old dracron 130 (reefs to like 90)... I think I might JUST invest in a Dacron 94 from EPSAILS, very happy with the new 135!

UPDATE ON WINCHES:
So far both primary winches have worked very smoothly. The cabintop winches needed to be done and for some reason I didn't do them... I might just do them on the water... its really easy work once you know how they come apart.

So far I've had some great sails... hoping for a good wind season! Look at that black water coming my way!

Edited by - shnool on 05/12/2014 12:03:27

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