Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
I am starting this thread for the forum with the intention of having a running topic for people to post the recent hard work they've put into their Cat 25.
I will lay down a couple rules that should help keep this relevant, helpful and interesting..
1) Please put a "Title" at the top of each post that generally covers what was done. Ex: <b>Repaired Leaky Windows</b>
2) Follow with what you've done, or however you'd like to go about it.
3) Pictures always help! Not necessary, but keep it in mind.
4) Try to keep responses and comments somewhat limited. This thread is not meant to become focused on one or two things but become a "running tab".
5) If there is interest in particular job, request that person create a topic for it so that we can all indulge.
That should cover it. Please keep in mind that I am not trying to be a forum nazi or anything like that, but have seen this work before and become a fun thing. Any suggestions are appreciated!!
Stopped by Annapolis Performance Sailing after work yesterday to see if I could find a new spike end for my whisker pole. Last time I used it there was duct tape involved . They did not have the specific type that fit my 6-12' Forspar pole but thankfully I brought it in to try to fit others. We measured a 1" inner diameter of the pole and finally found something that I felt would work better then the standard spike(although quite pricy). The fitting ended up being 1-1/8" and fit better then anything else after a little sanding. I table sawed off an inch where the inside of the old spike was broken and stuck. I tried everything to get it out before resorting to the saw, but it worked perfectly. JB Welded in the new fitting and lubed up the pole to slide better and now we're back in business!!
After all the complaints last year that climbing back onboard after a swim hurt their feet, I found some old rope and wrapped up the transom ladder. Seems more comfortable and easier than drilling holes in stainless steel rungs.
After all the complaints last year that climbing back onboard after a swim hurt their feet, I found some old rope and wrapped up the transom ladder. Seems more comfortable and easier than drilling holes in stainless steel rungs.
Really nifty idea. I went swimming off of a friend's boat last summer and dreaded having to climb back on board using a similar ladder. This is the first summer I own my boat. I can only imagine your rope idea being a vast improvement if all it does is widen the rungs a bit. Kudos!
Today, kinda rainy, I found a cheap way to add lifeline cushions for the cockpit. Only $4.95@ at Toys-R-Us. I had to remove the pelican clips but they went on easily and now I can lean back on the lifelines when I am healing.
Now, if I could just get her back in the water I would be set.
I'm adding brakes to my 35 year-old C-22 trailer. Found a never used actuator on Ebay for $50 plus s/h, a DICO Aero-6000, got it installed at a welding shop yesterday. A friend who replaced his disk brakes gave me the ones he took off his trailer, only a year old. We went to the C-22 Nationals in Ft. Walton beach, FL last year and he didn't rinse them enough. One locked up. I bought a rebuild kit for one caliper and replaced the other. I cleaned the old grease out of the hubs this morning, re-greased the bearings, and plan to install them next week and add the brake line kit. Yesterday, I replaced the blade mandrels (spindels) and belt on my lawn tractor. Works a whole lot better now.
I ordered in and was in the process of replacing the original toilet the other day and while disconnecting the old hoses I notices a nice crack in the old holding tank. Explains why the old owner said he stopped using the toilet because it stank. Anyhow, ordered a new TODD replacement tank and refitting a new support and going to plumb most of what I can with PVC to hopefully never have stink smell. Pictures to come.
We began our major refit of Serendipity yesterday. We are thinking we will be on the hard all of this year with launch in the spring so that we can take our time and do a good job. All of our vacation time and holidays this year will likely be spent in the boatyard, weather permitting. Home repairs and teardrop camping will be on hold. But we're off and running and looking forward to the process.
Yesterday we began stripping the layers of bottom paint off. We're using Franmar Soy Strip. We have used it in the past and have found it to be pretty effective and a lot better than scraping/sanding. We have some blisters. Not horrible compared to some boats we have seen. We opened all we saw. The stripping and opening of blisters will take a few days as we're doing it in manageable sections. After it's all stripped and blisters ground out we will just let the hull dry good over the summer before we start repairing it.
Our boat had been unattended, in the water, closed up and damp inside for over 3 years so there is mildew on EVERYTHING. We threw away everything that wasn't part of the boat on the day we took possession of it. Yesterday I started the process of scrubbing and removing all the wood from the interior. I am bringing it all home to clean, sand and varnish. After I get the scrub down (probably multiple scrubdowns) done on the interior I will decide if I am going to paint it or not. Those accordion doors went into the trash. I will replace them with curtains, if at all.
Our rudder is a mess and had several holes in it by the pintles. The way it was mounted was screwy too. Lance took it off and brought it home to assess the condition and see if it is worth repairing or if we should replace it. The tiller was beyond saving. We have already purchased a replacement.
Back to the boatyard today. Love seeing the progress. She is going to be so beautiful when we are done!!
. . . We began our major refit of Serendipity yesterday. We are thinking we will be on the hard all of this year with launch in the spring so that we can take our time and do a good job . . . Back to the boatyard today. Love seeing the progress. She is going to be so beautiful when we are done!!
Lance, Becky, sounds like a very serious endeavor! Hats off to you! Don't forget the before and after pix!
I did not do all the superstitious stuff so hopefully the gods will not be angry. I got the letters made at the boat show in Norwalk and they went on easily.
The sensor is under the stove and drops out some at speed with the motor. Havn't sailed with it yet. About the only time I use one is when I anchor. In wax so I may move it forward, but may not.
Stopped by APS yesterday to work out a good way to raise the 110 up the forestay for some more visibility. Rather then going wire, they talked me into some high-tech line with a loop spliced on both ends. At first i was going to have it attach to the deck snap shackle then add a shackle on the other end to attach to the tack of the jib. Instead of that we decided to go double the length, go through the tack and have both ends attach to the shackle on the deck there. This would eliminate the need for another shackle. All in all, it should raise the sail 18" and give plenty of visibility. I'll throw the 150 deck sweeper on if I dont want to see anything ahead of me, which I have yet to use. Im picking it up after work today, hopefully it gets the sail in a good position!
Spin Rigging
Also, been planning and working out the rigging to get the spinnaker flying. It came with the boat and I am not sure exactly what type of spinnaker it is. It has a snuffer and looked some what symmetrical but I couldnt really tell the brief amount of time I had it out of the bag. All I know is that there is spin winches, cars, sheets, a pulley on the base of the forestay, a crane etc. etc.. but no spin pole or track on the front of the mast. I do have a whisker pole which I've been attaching to eyes on each side of the mast and works well for straight runs but not sure if that is strong enough for the spin or if it would rig correctly.
Im planning on testing it out this weekend to see the overall shape when its up to see if I can run it like an assym or if it is an assym. For ease of handling, that would be nice. Was planning on testing tomorrow but with 25+ knot winds... I can wait.
Stopped by APS yesterday to work out a good way to raise the 110 up the forestay for some more visibility. Rather then going wire, they talked me into some high-tech line with a loop spliced on both ends. At first i was going to have it attach to the deck snap shackle then add a shackle on the other end to attach to the tack of the jib. Instead of that we decided to go double the length, go through the tack and have both ends attach to the shackle on the deck there. This would eliminate the need for another shackle. All in all, it should raise the sail 18" and give plenty of visibility. I'll throw the 150 deck sweeper on if I dont want to see anything ahead of me, which I have yet to use. Im picking it up after work today, hopefully it gets the sail in a
Connected masttop VHF antenna The cable to the masttop antenna was worn and the antenna was shot. Rewired and replaced it while I worked on the mast and trimmed back and connected the radio lead to it yesterday. Got at least 30dB signal to noise improvement on the ch 24 radio check service. Woo-hoo!
O/B motor controls For Tohatsu I have 3 mods to the outboard that make life easy . 1 & 2 The pull rope is below the stern so a horizontal pull is impossible so small pulley leads rope vertically The gear lever is connected to a length of electrical conduit ,bent to suit ,that brings the control into the cock pit
3. A short length of plastic pipe fits over the throttle and brings it up to the cockpit
Caught a garbage bag around outboard in San Juans which caused Honda to shut down: horn,slow to idle and shut off. Removed and continued on but last season outboard would only run for 5 or 6 minutes and again shut down. New impeller but would only run 10 or 11 minutes. Ordered new pump and compaired. Stainless steel cup for impeller had melted pump base and allowed cup to turn just slightly. Problem solved but after talking to Honda shop they also replace thermostate. History has shown over heating could affect thermostate. Today the new thermostate is in for this season. Bottom line is the shut down feature of outboard saves the outboard but not the pump and maybe the thermostate.
Looking good but I see a lot more unfinished wood. Where did you get the replacements?
Yeah, I hope to pull that all off this weekend to replace it if the weather holds.
I got the 'new' crib boards from craigslist. The latch is not even close to where it needs to be, but for a hundred bucks they look pretty nice. www.catalinadirect.com has them as well (unfinished) but they don't have vents on the top piece like mine.
After checking prices for whisker poles I decided to build one myself. I got a seemingly sturdy fiberglass / aluminum 8' to 16' painters extension pole at Home Depot for @ $33:
I had an old 5' whisker pole someone had given us years ago just sitting in the garage that I cut off the end was luckily able to attach it securely to then end of the painters pole:
The other end is more of a challenge. I bought the best 4" paint roller frame at HD ($6.00), took off the roller part and hope it will hold up when I run it through the pad eye which I got on E-Bay ($16.20) which I will run on a track from WM on the front of the mast.
Less that $100 total. Now, all I have to do is get her in the water. They are moving very slow at the College Point Marina getting the boats in the water.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.