You could build wooden walls 3" from the sides and front, then mix up and pour in self expanding foam liquid. It would flow into the areas that you can not get to.

52

(7 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

If you have a Yanmar, do not forget to check the anode inside the engine.

I agree. My outlet is on the transom well above the waterline. Another thru-hull below the waterline increases your risk while you are trying to decrease your risk by installing the pump. If you get a big high volume pump, do not forget that you need lots of battery capacity to run it.

I used a back handed solution. I put a quick release mechanism on my cockpit engine hatch, so it is not such a hassle to get to the engine area. Still not a nice as a quick peek from under the stairs.

If I recall correctly, (from 10+ years ago) the guys at Holland Marine told me that the rubber hose connecting the stuffing box assembly to the cutlass bearing assembly should not be the usual black hose with the wire in it. Since it is subject to movement and vibration, the wire will eventually wear the surrounding rubber and come to the surface. They sold an identical looking hose specifically for that purpose that did not have the wire. They also stocked the cutlass bearing.

Mine just has a pin that sticks up from the top of the tiller. But the mount for the fixed end just outside the coaming is elevated to keep the unit level.

2 blade would have less drag that a 3 blade of the same diameter, but if you use a 3 blade then you can use a smaller diameter. So it's not a clear cut answer. You need a certain amount of prop to absorb the horsepower you have available. Since we only have a limited space in the rudder cutout, we are limited in the diameter of prop we can swing. You can absorb power with diameter, number of blades and pitch within limits.  You may be forced to go to 3 blades in order to use all the available power. I use a 12x13 3 blade prop on a Yanmar 1GM10. There is a program online somewhere that takes basic info about your boat and engine and makes suggestions. Your dealer probably has that program and can give suggestions for 2 and 3 blade props.

59

(19 replies, posted in Technical)

Mine (JJT 1976) also has a drain in the keel. port side. very bottom aft corner. Its a 3/4" brass set screw hex head. Great for cleaning and draining the bilge after haul out.

60

(6 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

The lower pennant on my storm jib is about 4 feet long, so it should not be a problem leaving another sail hanked on.

Deb, I have not been sailing on Georgian Bay for 20 years. Now I just day sail in Barrie.

61

(6 replies, posted in Sails & Rigging)

I completely agree with you. I have used my storm jib offshore alot in the past and love it. I still carry it with me eventhough now a days I only sail around in circles in the local bay. It takes up no room and you never know when you will need it. Almost everyone here only have a large furled genoa and when the wind gets above perfect conditions they are all left flailing along trying to go upwind. I also carry it when I motor the 25nm across the lake with the mast down on the way to and from winter storage. Its useful for a jury rig and I never like having an engine as my only option.

Install it so that it points straight down, not flush with the hull and pointing off the the side.
Avoid voids in the glue joint. One method is to make a four sided box and glue it to the hull. Then fill the box with construction glue and stick in the transducer at the correct angle. Since you will end up with a widge of glue, the box holds in the glue in place and avoids gaps in the glue.

64

(12 replies, posted in General Questions/Comments)

I have a Yanmar 10hp and can do 5.5kt at cruise power (8hp ?). If I throttle back to 4.2kt then fuel consumption drops by half. So you can assume I am using about 4hp to go 4.2kt.

I believe I have a  3-blade 12x13. Your prop supplier will have a program that inputs some basic data about your boat and engine and then spits out a prop recommendation.

I did the route from NY city to Lake Ontario (Osewgo) and it took 7 days. I had a crew with me to help in the locks but it could be done solo if required. Th locks in the US are very good without much turbulence. Not a difficult trip, just lots of boring motoring. Rig up a tarp over the cockpit to protect you from the sun and rain. I used the electric auto pilot 95% of the time. I put a piece of 2x8 wood across the cockpit so that I could comfortably sit and still see over the dodger and reach the course correction buttons on the autopilot.

If sailed hard, the deck under the mast can flex down a bit. Not a real problem. I installed a 2.5x2.5 inch beam under the mast inside the cabin that bolts to the top of the bulkheads. Not really an issue for normal sailing. I have never heard of a Contessa having a serious issue from this. Only slight flexing that requires the rigging to be tighten after the first hard sail.
My liner has some deformation as well, but since the deck is not deformed, I think it is caused by trying to fit in a thin large one piece liner that is not structurally glued to the deck rather that resulting from stresses after construction.

68

(3 replies, posted in Repairs/Modifications/Upgrades)

If your sail is also ancient and in need of replacement, be careful about making too tight of a fit. My cover fit my old main great, but when I got a new crispy sail, the cover no longer fit and I had to add a strip along the bottom. Apparently a mainsail made of cloth like wet toiletpaper packs up smaller than real dacron.

69

(7 replies, posted in Wanted)

My cradle is  44" tall, 52" wide, 111" long. When using a cradle on a trailer remember that there are two types of cradles. Storage and transport. The storage cradles are designed to mainly hold the boat up. Most of the weight sits on the keel. A transport cradle needs to resist much more side loads when going around corners.
The trailer I used was the standard maximum width. I forget the max allowed on the road without a special permit, but I think the beam of the boat was a little wider than th trailer. When on the trailer, the load looks very top heavy but with 50% of the mass in the keel the center is gravity is really only about 3 feet above the bottom of the keel.

70

(9 replies, posted in Technical)

Mine is the type with a greased 1/4" rope material that is squished by a nut like thing. Sometimes it will leak a bit after launch in the spring. I just tighten down the nut a bit. I check to make sure that it is not too tight by turning the shaft by hand. If the stuffing material is too old then this may not work. It is not a big job to replace it every 5 or so years. You just need two big wrenchs and a dental type pic to get the old stuff out. It is better to do it on the hard, since it will be running like a tape once you remove the old stuff and if you have problems getting the new stuff in then you can not take a trip to the store or think about it over night without the risk of sinking the boat.

An old register name is ok, but if she still registered under old owner you may need to fake a signature to update the registery.  You must use the government's form for the bill of sale that is needed to change the owner on a registered boat.

72

(9 replies, posted in Technical)

It is cheap to replace and much easier when out of the water.

I did the same swap. I had to remove the mounting rails in the boat and glass in new ones. The metal mounts between the engine and the rubber mounts needed to be modified to make the engine sit low enough. I made a plywood cutout of the engine by blowwing up the side/top/front view diagrams from the manual. The plywood model was then suspended from the cockpit floor to determine the new mounts and rails dimensions.

Mine (1973) has a floor in the keel that is about 12" below the cabin floor. There are two hatchs in the cabin floor. A small one to access the two 12v batteries down there and a three foot long one to access the storage. The floor runs from the front of the keel to the back where is opens to the bilge below the engine. It provides good storage and seals the keel from the hull incase the keel is opened up in a grounding. Probably along the seam in the leading edge of the keel.