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Vince, Thanks for the reply.  I did as you recommended with a shop vac and I got the bilge reasonably dry. 

My concern relates to water that might enter during the winter so I am building a frame to support a 30 x 20 tarp to keep the snow off and the water out.

Is there anything else that I should be doing to keep my boat safe during the cold weather?

Deb,  Thanks for that explanation.  I plan to go a bit overboard myself.
Regards

JordanH,

Thanks for mentioning Entec West.

The K-34 is a nice motor little motor. I can start it by hand if the batteries are low, it barely uses fuel, and I would like to keep my boat as original as possible.

I had been hoping to find a source for a new Yellow River diesel motor but Farymann USA said they were no longer importing the single-cylinder diesels and parts were scarce. 

I just checked the Entec West web site and saw a notice that Farymann is discontinuing manufacture of replacement cylinders for the K-34.  I called and was told that they have the parts in stock now so I placed an order.  They will be sending me a new head, cylinder, piston, and top end gasket kit. 

My little motor will be all freshened up and it should last a while now that it will be kept in fresh water.

Thanks again

A few more images of the exposed bottom casting;

Scott,

I had considered inserting a Vetus bladder type tank that would fit inside the existing tank structure as a support/enclosure.  That would have allowed me to remove the whole thing for cleaning.

However, I have taken a different path: I removed the head fixture and all related plumbing.  That enabled me to remove two through hull fittings and glass over the holes in the hull.

Now I use a porta-potty that is cleaned after every use so my boat always smells fresh and clean.

The tank space that was formerly used to store waste might now be used for other purposes.  I have considered an additional battery, a toolbox, chain anchor rode storage, and canned food lockers but no decisions on that yet.

I recently completed building a custom trailer for my C-26.  My previous trailer with its lighter capacity 3,500 lb. axles was, in my opinion, just barely adequate for yard use and short local trips at low speed. 

It has been built to higher specifications and has 6,000 lb. axles but the 6 bolt hubs I used drop their capacity to 5,200 lbs. so I end up with a 10,400 lb. load capacity. The trailer weighs 1,200 lbs. so everything works out fine with a margin to allow for gear, full tanks, etc.

My new trailer rides flat and is as stable as can be.

I would definitely recommend using the higher capacity axles and springs.

I share your concern over getting the balance and tongue weight right. 

That is why, instead of welding the spring seats directly onto the trailer frame, I welded them to lengths of of angle iron that are bolted to the trailer frame with large U bolts.

This allows me to slide the suspension fore and aft to adjust the balance point to achieve a tongue weight of 600 lbs.

It also allows for adjustment to accommodate changes in weight distribution from full/empty tanks, extra gear, the dinghy, etc.

I recommend that you use "sliders" for your suspension mounting.

Hope this helps.

Well, The trailer question has been answered.

I did get bids from several reputable builders but after considering them I decided to build my own.

The result is everything I could want;
galvanized 5" x 3" rectangular tube frame
suspension on sliders for easy balancing of load for correct tongue weight
leaf springs with equalizer bar
two 10,000# 3" drop axles
6 lug hubs with 2" electric brakes
6 upright supports with adjustments for post angle and adjustable pads for height

It was a real learning process and the result is everything I had hoped for.

However, I really did not save any money.  There are several trailer builders who offer a quality trailer for a Contessa 26 at a fair price so, if I were to do it over again, I would probably have one built to my specification with articulating upright supports, etc.

Christopher,

So far, the OEM arrangement has worked fine but, as a matter of principle, I like to have easy access to all the important parts.   

You are correct about the removal of the cover being a fairly quick process because I have replaced the screws with hex-head fasteners and I can remove them in a jiffy using a simple speed wrench and socket.

However, if a loose object, like a propeller shaft free of its coupling or an alternator broken free from its mount, damaged a drain hose in rough seas, seawater could flood the bilge faster than I could remove the cover and close the valves.

Also, I have replaced my other through-hull fittings with proper seacocks with flanges that are through-bolted to solid fibergalss backing plates and I have been seeking a way to do the same for my cockpit drains but maybe a mushroon fitting and a 90 degree elbow is good enough.

I am looking forward to seeing your solution.  It sounds like upgrading the parts in the current configuration might be the best idea.

Keep us posted.

Thanks,

Dave