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"from Stem to Stern"
Modifications-—Page 2-Mast/Sails/Engine/Electrics
3. MAST ITEMS
a) Mast steps were installed right from about 2 feet above the boom to the top where they were doubled to give purchase while working. These were the aluminum triangle type steps and were riveted on. A 3/16 line of black nylon was run on the outside of the steps to prevent fouling of halyards and such.
3. MAST ITEMS
a) Mast steps were installed right from about 2 feet above the boom to the top where they were doubled to give purchase while working. These were the aluminum triangle type steps and were riveted on. A 3/16 line of black nylon was run on the outside of the steps to prevent fouling of halyards and such.
b) The spreaders were redone and the mast pockets strengthened. Rollers were set on the outboard ends.
c) The sail track was replaced with a wide stronger version.
d) A flag lanyard was run from the starboard spreader down to the lifeline.
e) All the sheaves in the mast head were replaced with new.
c) The sail track was replaced with a wide stronger version.
d) A flag lanyard was run from the starboard spreader down to the lifeline.
e) All the sheaves in the mast head were replaced with new.
f) One new deck light was mounted on the port spreader with switching in the cabin.
4. SAIL MATTERS
a) A new boom was built. The old one had a bit of bend in it and could not carry anymore hardware.
b) The main was a fully battened one with the Dutchman flaking system and 3 reefs with a "shelf" before the first reef.
i) The first reef was run at the mast by using a reef hook and reef lines set on the boom.
ii) The "shelf" was set by reaching up to near the end of the boom where a line and cleat were mounted. I never used the shelf feature.
iii) The 2nd and 3rd reefs were controlled from the cockpit by lines leading through blocks at the mast base and deck organizers to rope clutches on the cabin roof. A 2 line system was used on each - one line for the downhaul and one for the leach. Lines were long enough to reach the primary winches in case muscle was needed.
iv) The main halyard and boom vang control was led aft as well.
v) The sail had standard cloth to metal sail slides.
vi) Outhaul or foot tightening was controlled by a line on the boom.
vii) leach lines were standard.
c) A Z Spar rigid boom vang was installed
d) The head sail was best described as a "Yankee". See my comments on this in the FAQ pages about the staysail.
i) the halyard was run to a mast mounted winch.
ii) Harken headsail furling was controlled my a single 1/4 inch line running through blocks on the stanchions back to a cleat on the port side of the cockpit.
e) An inner forestay with staysail was installed. An indispensable addition for offshore. See comments in the staysail section of the e-mail page.
f) I carried and used a poleless spinnaker or genniker or whatever name you use. This was kept bagged below complete with sheets and dousing sock. It was very light weight and ideal when the calms hit.
5. ENGINE AND MACHINERY
a) Some years before going offshore I replaced the Atomic 4 with a Yanmar 2GM fresh water cooled diesel
b) The installed tank in the boat did not seem large enough and in addition, my new cockpit box blocked easy filling. This was not a concern for a big fill but a pain for topping up. I installed another tank - 41 litres - at the end of the port quarter berth with the fill hose coming out on the cockpit seat. The berth was still plenty long enough for me (I'm 5'10").
c) A MaxProp was put on and I was able to demonstrate a full 1/2 knot improvement in speed on most any point of sail. Also improved control under power.
d) I carried a Mercury 3.3 outboard which I found very reliable. It was also light to lift around.
e) In addition to the Cape Horn wind vane system I started out with a 5 year old Navico tiller electric autopilot. It failed in short order. My wife brought a new Autohelm unit with all the remote toys with her to Tahiti when she visited.
6. ELECTRICS
a) A complete Ample Power system was on the boat and all worked well except the regulator which failed totally. I ran into 2 other boats with a similar experience and one had a professional electrician on board so there was no doubt something was amiss with this unit. I thought the rest of installation was well worth having and certainly I had no shortage of power even when I had prolonged light airs even though I was running a refrigerator, radar some of the time, radios and lights.
b) One regular deep discharge battery was dedicated for back up starting.
c) Three gel cells provided over 300 amp hours of house batteries and I never was short. These were installed in a new battery box built into the engine compartment forward of the engine. There was room for 2 of the batteries in line on the port side and the other across the forward part of the bay. The back up battery slipped next to it. It was all very tight but it worked and being tight I had no fears of the batteries ever moving around on me.
d) The solar panel provided some power but not so much as I hoped. It was shaded too often mounted on top of the dodger.
e) The big producer was the Air Marine wind generator about which see My Gear page on this.
4. SAIL MATTERS
a) A new boom was built. The old one had a bit of bend in it and could not carry anymore hardware.
b) The main was a fully battened one with the Dutchman flaking system and 3 reefs with a "shelf" before the first reef.
i) The first reef was run at the mast by using a reef hook and reef lines set on the boom.
ii) The "shelf" was set by reaching up to near the end of the boom where a line and cleat were mounted. I never used the shelf feature.
iii) The 2nd and 3rd reefs were controlled from the cockpit by lines leading through blocks at the mast base and deck organizers to rope clutches on the cabin roof. A 2 line system was used on each - one line for the downhaul and one for the leach. Lines were long enough to reach the primary winches in case muscle was needed.
iv) The main halyard and boom vang control was led aft as well.
v) The sail had standard cloth to metal sail slides.
vi) Outhaul or foot tightening was controlled by a line on the boom.
vii) leach lines were standard.
c) A Z Spar rigid boom vang was installed
d) The head sail was best described as a "Yankee". See my comments on this in the FAQ pages about the staysail.
i) the halyard was run to a mast mounted winch.
ii) Harken headsail furling was controlled my a single 1/4 inch line running through blocks on the stanchions back to a cleat on the port side of the cockpit.
e) An inner forestay with staysail was installed. An indispensable addition for offshore. See comments in the staysail section of the e-mail page.
f) I carried and used a poleless spinnaker or genniker or whatever name you use. This was kept bagged below complete with sheets and dousing sock. It was very light weight and ideal when the calms hit.
5. ENGINE AND MACHINERY
a) Some years before going offshore I replaced the Atomic 4 with a Yanmar 2GM fresh water cooled diesel
b) The installed tank in the boat did not seem large enough and in addition, my new cockpit box blocked easy filling. This was not a concern for a big fill but a pain for topping up. I installed another tank - 41 litres - at the end of the port quarter berth with the fill hose coming out on the cockpit seat. The berth was still plenty long enough for me (I'm 5'10").
c) A MaxProp was put on and I was able to demonstrate a full 1/2 knot improvement in speed on most any point of sail. Also improved control under power.
d) I carried a Mercury 3.3 outboard which I found very reliable. It was also light to lift around.
e) In addition to the Cape Horn wind vane system I started out with a 5 year old Navico tiller electric autopilot. It failed in short order. My wife brought a new Autohelm unit with all the remote toys with her to Tahiti when she visited.
6. ELECTRICS
a) A complete Ample Power system was on the boat and all worked well except the regulator which failed totally. I ran into 2 other boats with a similar experience and one had a professional electrician on board so there was no doubt something was amiss with this unit. I thought the rest of installation was well worth having and certainly I had no shortage of power even when I had prolonged light airs even though I was running a refrigerator, radar some of the time, radios and lights.
b) One regular deep discharge battery was dedicated for back up starting.
c) Three gel cells provided over 300 amp hours of house batteries and I never was short. These were installed in a new battery box built into the engine compartment forward of the engine. There was room for 2 of the batteries in line on the port side and the other across the forward part of the bay. The back up battery slipped next to it. It was all very tight but it worked and being tight I had no fears of the batteries ever moving around on me.
d) The solar panel provided some power but not so much as I hoped. It was shaded too often mounted on top of the dodger.
e) The big producer was the Air Marine wind generator about which see My Gear page on this.
Pulling away at the Royal Vancouver