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Maiden voyage

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sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/02/2013 : 10:37:08

well gang, My wife and I took the boat out this weekend for the first time! drove it down to Lake Pleasant just north of Phoenix where it was nice and warm. Didn't get too many photos, but here are a few. Took us a little over an hour to raise the mast and get her into the water. it was blowing between 0 and 6 knts the entire time so it wasn't a big sailing weekend, mostly just a chance to try everything out and relax a little in the warm desert (it was foggy and a high of 38 most of the weekend up in Flagstaff at the house) Anyway, the list of repairs/upgrades has begun.....
I would like to build a better system of raising/lowering the mast. When I bought the boat last month I quickly built an A-frame out of 2X4's and just tied them to the base of the stantions. It works, but a smoother/quicker/stronger/more stable system is in the future. I also used the forestay/CDI furler to raise and lower the mast, which I don't like doing. would rather have a separate stay for this purpose. I don't like the idea of using a halyard either. What do you guys do?
I also want to come up with a better way of transporting and supporting the mast when it is down. CatalinaDirect has a support pole that telescopes and has a roller and looks like a good idea... Except it attaches to the gudgeons, have any of you used one? I am a little concerned about the gudgeons. Can they handle the weight of the mast bouncing down the road? it doesn't seem like they are designed for that type of vertical load. Anyway let me know what you think. I might make a telescoping pole that rests on the cockpit floor instead.

The CDI furler needed some help furling/unfurling the jib, there was not a lot of wind but it sure seemed like it took a lot of force to rotate it. the manual says no maintenance necessary-ever, but is that really true? what can I do to the FF4 to make it operate more smoothly?

Lastly, the marelon sea-cock for the head pump out under the port settee was leaking ever so slightly. It was not leaking at all when I inspected the boat when I bought it, but after further inspection it looks like there is evidence of a little standing water under the settee that has evaporated in the past. an intermittent leak? It was not leaking at the through-hull, but at the hose connection, even when the ball valve was completely closed. The holding tank is completely empty. anyway I will remove the hose and the sea-cock this weekend and inspect the ball valve for damage and rebed. fun project, I guess I would rather play around with the head system when it is cold out rather than hot.

Anyway the replace/repair/upgrade list has begun..... Unless any of you want to just send me your list, and save me the hassle of finding all the little things on my own

Scott
'88 WK/SR #5727

Edited by - on

sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 11:30:04

Edited by - on

ftworthsailor
Captain

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USA
279 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 11:31:59

Looks great, Scott! Nice looking trailer, too.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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1511 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 12:33:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">well gang, My wife and I took the boat out this weekend for the first time! <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Congratulations!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">When I bought the boat last month I quickly built an A-frame out of 2X4's and just tied them to the base of the stantions. It works, but a smoother/quicker/stronger/more stable system is in the future<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I am using EMT conduit for the a-frame, constructed with hinges (bolts/nuts) that connect to the forward lower shroud attachments.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I also used the forestay/CDI furler to raise and lower the mast, which I don't like doing. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I’ve used the forestay with the CDI furler attached to lower and raise the mast well over 1000 times and have not had any problem.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The CDI furler needed some help furling/unfurling the jib, <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
CDI sells a ball bearing kit for the furler, you might see if yours is equipped with it.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Lastly, the marelon sea-cock for the head pump out under the port settee was leaking ever so slightly.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
My boat doesn't have this......
It does have a through hull fitting for water to enter the head under the v-berth.

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sdpinaz
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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 13:04:33

Thanks Davy J for the info. I will check to see if the bearings are in the drum and if so, that they are in good condition. are they a sealed bearing race that can be replaced if needed?
My boat has an overboard discharge attached to the holding tank.... I guess for those times when I am circumnavigating south america or something......

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Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 13:19:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">are they a sealed bearing race that can be replaced if needed?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
There isn't a "sealed race", they are just loose, captive by the drum. Bearing instructions down about page 16. Here is a link to the manual:

[url="http://www.sailcdi.com/sailpdf/FF2%20manual%207_06.pdf"]CDI FF2 Manual[/url]

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 15:07:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by sdpinaz
 I also want to come up with a better way of transporting and supporting the mast when it is down. CatalinaDirect has a support pole that telescopes and has a roller and looks like a good idea... Except it attaches to the gudgeons, have any of you used one? I am a little concerned about the gudgeons. Can they handle the weight of the mast bouncing down the road? it doesn't seem like they are designed for that type of vertical load.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">CD also sells [url="http://catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=301"]upgraded gudgeons[/url] that have little knee braces. I never figured I needed them to support the rudder (which would float off if not cotter-pinned), but this might be where they're useful.

The original method of fastening them is machine screws that thread into a bronze plate on the inside of the hull. I would drill through those holes and use fender washers and lock-nuts inside. To do that for the upper gudgeon, an inspection port needs to be added in the cockpit. CD also has a kit specifically for that, and will sell or rent the hole saw.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 12/02/2013 15:18:55

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 16:50:14

Is your rig tensioned in the last photo where the forestay is so slack? When you sail you want the forestay on an F4 as tight as you can get it, the weight of the extrusion will cause enough sag without adding forestay sag as well.
There is an easy art to controlling the furling line tension on a CDI FF4. You will get it on your own as you realize that tension controls how the line wraps in the drum. It can be wedged into its own turns if too tight and might essentially freeze up on you at any point. Too loose, as in just let go and let the wind pull the sail out at its own pace, can result in loops getting sucked into the drum and they are really hard to deal with.
Check for a "fair lead" to the drum and back to your contact with the line. Are you pulling it through a stopper of some kind or is it just coming out of a nice big eye strap on the stanchion base? What do you make it off to?
The bearing kit helps a lot but cleaning the inside of the drum and the nylon puck helps as well and is free.
Furlers are an interesting indulgence, they take their pound of flesh in frustration at times but the boats that sail the most have furlers.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 16:57:15

I had a "mast-up" at the front and back. I raised them to this height with a plastic 4x4 fence post at the mast step when I put the big tarp on for winter. Otherwise they traveled quite well in their lowered position.

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WesAllen
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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 18:53:52

I have to agree with Frank on the tension of the forestay. I have the Harken furreler on mine and have noticed if I didn't have the forestay adjusted properly that it was harder to operate.

P.S. Nice looking trailer.

Edited by - WesAllen on 12/02/2013 18:55:11

sdpinaz
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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 21:23:09

Thanks Frank, I did tention the rig before we launched. that photo was taken before I did this. I might not have gotten it tight enough though. I will try to tighten it more next time and see if that helps as well as a thorough cleaning of the drum.

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sdpinaz
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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 21:35:45

I know what you mean about the evil goodness of a furler. This is the smallest boat I have ever sailed that had a furler. I have been contemplating eliminating the furler all together, it would save some weight aloft and since I will be dropping the mast after most outings anyway it doesn't really help me much. or I could get one of those barebones furlers with no foil and hank on jibs. can't roller reef with them, the sail is all the way in or all the way out, but I could roll it up from the cockpit when I needed to rather quickly. crawling to the bow to douse a sail in unexpected weather isn't much fun. anyway, just a thought....

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2013 : 23:54:46

Is that a 1/2 ton truck in the pictures? If so, how did it handle pulling the boat?

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sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2013 : 07:32:20

Gary,
The truck is a 1/2 ton chevy and it did great. I looked at getting a 3/4 ton truck, but decided that the 3% of the time that I would be towing a trailer didn't justify the added size/expense. I also looked at many 1/2 ton trucks that I felt would not handle the load, it was all in the specs. My truck is not the base model and is a bit beefier. The base model has a smaller V8 engine, 4 speed tranny and a towing capacity of 6,500 pounds. My truck has a larger 5.3L V8, 6 speed tranny, beefier rear end with 3.42 gears and traction control and a stiffer suspension package for towing, it has 4LO for backing in/out of the boat ramp and a towing capacity of 9,600 pounds. I live in Flagstaff at 7,000 feet and the lake is at 1,700 feet with several mountain passes over 6% grade for up to 20 miles. The down hill was great! I just manually shifted in to 5th or 4th and never even had to touch the brakes. The trailer has hydraulic surge drum brakes and they were quite warm at the bottom, wish I could do something about that. The uphill was a bit slower, but I just tucked in behind the 18-wheelers and we all snaked our way up the hill between 35-55mph with our blinkers a-flashin' I could probably have gone faster, but not fast enough to justify moving into the fast lane and upsetting everyone going 70 just so I could pass the semi. I averaged 11MPG down and back. I could easily of punched it on the uphill and gotten home 6 or 7 minutes earlier with probably a MPG of about 9. not worth it. The stopping and stability of the truck were my focal point, not the size of the engine. I aint rich so I ended up trading my daily driver and my old beater pick-up in for this truck and could not justify getting a big 3/4 ton diesel for driving 100% of the time, although it would probably be nicer! I bike/walk to work and groceries in my small town so atleast I don't feel too guilty.
Also for the weekend we didn't take mcuh gear with us. Empty water tank, empty holding tank, not much food, and no camping gear. I will be interested to see how it handles the extra weight when we go to the coast of California for a week or down to Baja for two weeks with all the extra stuff involved for a longer trip. But the mountains around my house a pretty good testbed and I felt very safe, if slow, with this set-up.
Cheers,
Scott

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Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2013 : 09:33:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The trailer has hydraulic surge drum brakes and they were quite warm at the bottom, wish I could do something about that. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You might want to look into electric over hydraulic brakes. The trailer brakes are only activated when the tow vehicle is braking.

I recently completely rebuilt my powerboat trailer’s brakes and considered changing to it, my powerboat and trailer are pushing 9000lbs, but, I don’t trailer it very often so I kept the surge brakes.

IIRC, the electric actuator was something like 400-500.00. Mostly the reason I stayed with the original surge brakes.

Edited by - Davy J on 12/03/2013 09:36:59

ftworthsailor
Captain

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USA
279 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2013 : 13:30:45

Gary, I towed "Sea Legs" from Daytona Beach, Fl to Ft Worth, Tx with my Ford 1/2 ton pickup (as pictured in my signature block) and other than not having the boat properly balanced on the trailer, pulled without any issues. The balance part was when I had the truck put the boat too far back on the trailer creating hardly any tongue weight....which in turn became a fishtail issue at speeds above 50mph. Once we moved it forward so there was appropriate tongue weight, the trailer handled fine. I think that as long as you aren't pulling your boat at high speeds, the truck doesn't have any issues. BRAKES, are an absolute MUST. I have surge brakes on my trailer however I found out that the brakes were not functioning (hydraulics weren't even connected to the brake sysytem....Yikes!!!) Going to fix that one soon. R

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azguy
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2013 : 07:31:06

I'm glad to see you sailed her. What did you do about the outboard...??

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sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2013 : 09:15:05

Hey John!
The outboard did ok..... I have a 2008 honda 9.9 that I use for work so I brought that along with us, but I didn't have to use it. I cleaned up and serviced the outboard that came with the boat a little bit before we took the boat out and it seemed to do OK used it for about 20 minutes total that weekend and while I will definitely want to replace it before I go sailing out to the channel islands or something, it will hopefully last long enough for me to save my money for a new one......Or maybe I will get one of those Mastervolt electric inboards, how cool would that be!! then I could eliminate the outboard from the transom all together.

John did you get a boat yet? I would be psyched to see it if you did.
Cheers,
Scott

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