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"from Stem to Stern"
Modifications—Page 1-Ground Tackle/Foredeck
In The Gear Page I comment on some of the equipment on Renewal Time. As best as memory serves, the next 4 pages cover all of the modifications made to her over the years. There were many but all are within the skills of most owners (I ain't no pro). Some worked well, some not so well and some were not worth the trouble. I hope this list gives you some guidance and I welcome questions.
In The Gear Page I comment on some of the equipment on Renewal Time. As best as memory serves, the next 4 pages cover all of the modifications made to her over the years. There were many but all are within the skills of most owners (I ain't no pro). Some worked well, some not so well and some were not worth the trouble. I hope this list gives you some guidance and I welcome questions.
1. GROUND TACKLE
a) 2 anchor rollers, one each side of the headstay leading straight back
i) The port one was a Danforth style roller to accommodate the Fortress anchor. This anchor was
a) 2 anchor rollers, one each side of the headstay leading straight back
i) The port one was a Danforth style roller to accommodate the Fortress anchor. This anchor was
stored below in the long shallow bilge under the cabin floor. The rode was 30 feet of 3/8 inch High Test chain followed by 300 feet of half inch nylon 3 strand. This was fed into the original chain locker through the original hawse hole. The bitter end was kept from flying out by tying a length of 1/4 inch line to the end and leading this to an old 2 bladed prop that would not go through the hole. The 1/4 line
was used to give something easy to cut in an emergency. The hawse hole was normally capped and sealed with duct tape except when needed.
The anchor was a Fortress FX-37 designed for boats 45 to 51 feet.
This anchor and rode were for emergency use only although they might be brought out in conditions where a Danforth style anchor was preferred.
The rode could also be used to deploy the sea anchor.
ii) The starboard one was a Bruce bow roller to accommodate the 10 Kg, 22 pound Bruce anchor stored while cruising in the roller but stored in the V-berth when passage making. The rode was 300 feet of 1/4 inch High Test chain. This was fed into a new chain locker built under the V-berth just in front of the fresh water tank.
This locker was a fairly simple box with a "V" bottom to fit the hull shape and constructed of 3/8 inch marine ply and then epoxied for strength and durability. A new hawse hole was cut directly above it. A piece of heavy duty hose (like radiator hose) was fitted over the bottom of the deck pipe fitting in the hole and secured with a C-clamp. This hose led down through a hole cut in the round hatch in the V-berth (covering the box now) so that it was about 3 inches through the hole when the hatch was in place.
The chain fed from the anchor back to the Simpson Lawrence Anchorman 700 vertical windless through the hawse hole, down the hose pipe and into the locker. A thin plate of stainless steel about 6 inches wide and 4 feet long was secured to the deck for the chain to run on without damaging the deck.
The electric windless was controlled by an up and down foot switch to port of the windless and an up/down switch in the cockpit coaming box. The windless assembly under the deck was covered with a wooden box secured to the underside of the deck in the V-berth.
iii) To properly operate the system was simple. A piece of 1/2 inch shock cord was fixed to the near the bottom of the hose pipe and led to a cleat on the starboard side V-berth shelf with some tension in the cord. A 1/4 inch line was fixed to near the bottom of the hose pipe. It ran to a small block on the bulkhead near the door of the V-berth and then it could be taken by hand through the hatch to the deck. When taking in the anchor, I lifted the round hatch so it was free to move back and forth. I simply pulled and released the line with the result that the chain was flaked in the locker box. This is really necessary or the chain piles up, falls over and jams next time. Letting the anchor go required no such work as the chain was nicely flaked and fed out fine.
iv) The main reason for this arrangement was to move the weight of the chain back in the boat. It gave more room to hold the chain then the original locker ever would provide. Further it meant that if I ever wanted to use the V-berth (I carried the cushions), I could disconnect the Fortress anchor and drop the chain into the box and remove the pipe. The V-berth looked normal again. Go to Top
v) For each of the bow rollers I fashioned a bolt to go through the slit in the top edges. These could be put in to stop the line jumping out of the roller but I never used them.
b) In addition to the primary anchors, above, I carried:
a) a 33 pound Bruce stored under the cockpit floor at the stern where the hull slopes down to the bulkhead just astern of the engine. A 5 Kg and a 7.5 Kg Bruce stored in the starboard cockpit locker as kedging anchors and lunch hooks. I had all 3 of these anchors left over from other boats and just took them because I had them. They were never used.
b) The Fortress, broke down for storage and I had the "mud palms" installed on it. It was never used.
c) Rope rodes were marked with plastic tags through the braid. The chain rode was marked with paint in a code. The paint proved to be durable and I do not think it would need a touch up more than once a year.
d) I carried 2 further 300 feet lengths of nylon 1/2 inch line - 1 braid and 1 3 strand for whatever?
e) I had one of those plastic GunkBuster chain cleaners but never used it.
f) A bag full of chafe covers made up and ready to go for the anchor and the sea anchor. Made most from a length of discarded fire hose and they worked very well.
was used to give something easy to cut in an emergency. The hawse hole was normally capped and sealed with duct tape except when needed.
The anchor was a Fortress FX-37 designed for boats 45 to 51 feet.
This anchor and rode were for emergency use only although they might be brought out in conditions where a Danforth style anchor was preferred.
The rode could also be used to deploy the sea anchor.
ii) The starboard one was a Bruce bow roller to accommodate the 10 Kg, 22 pound Bruce anchor stored while cruising in the roller but stored in the V-berth when passage making. The rode was 300 feet of 1/4 inch High Test chain. This was fed into a new chain locker built under the V-berth just in front of the fresh water tank.
This locker was a fairly simple box with a "V" bottom to fit the hull shape and constructed of 3/8 inch marine ply and then epoxied for strength and durability. A new hawse hole was cut directly above it. A piece of heavy duty hose (like radiator hose) was fitted over the bottom of the deck pipe fitting in the hole and secured with a C-clamp. This hose led down through a hole cut in the round hatch in the V-berth (covering the box now) so that it was about 3 inches through the hole when the hatch was in place.
The chain fed from the anchor back to the Simpson Lawrence Anchorman 700 vertical windless through the hawse hole, down the hose pipe and into the locker. A thin plate of stainless steel about 6 inches wide and 4 feet long was secured to the deck for the chain to run on without damaging the deck.
The electric windless was controlled by an up and down foot switch to port of the windless and an up/down switch in the cockpit coaming box. The windless assembly under the deck was covered with a wooden box secured to the underside of the deck in the V-berth.
iii) To properly operate the system was simple. A piece of 1/2 inch shock cord was fixed to the near the bottom of the hose pipe and led to a cleat on the starboard side V-berth shelf with some tension in the cord. A 1/4 inch line was fixed to near the bottom of the hose pipe. It ran to a small block on the bulkhead near the door of the V-berth and then it could be taken by hand through the hatch to the deck. When taking in the anchor, I lifted the round hatch so it was free to move back and forth. I simply pulled and released the line with the result that the chain was flaked in the locker box. This is really necessary or the chain piles up, falls over and jams next time. Letting the anchor go required no such work as the chain was nicely flaked and fed out fine.
iv) The main reason for this arrangement was to move the weight of the chain back in the boat. It gave more room to hold the chain then the original locker ever would provide. Further it meant that if I ever wanted to use the V-berth (I carried the cushions), I could disconnect the Fortress anchor and drop the chain into the box and remove the pipe. The V-berth looked normal again. Go to Top
v) For each of the bow rollers I fashioned a bolt to go through the slit in the top edges. These could be put in to stop the line jumping out of the roller but I never used them.
b) In addition to the primary anchors, above, I carried:
a) a 33 pound Bruce stored under the cockpit floor at the stern where the hull slopes down to the bulkhead just astern of the engine. A 5 Kg and a 7.5 Kg Bruce stored in the starboard cockpit locker as kedging anchors and lunch hooks. I had all 3 of these anchors left over from other boats and just took them because I had them. They were never used.
b) The Fortress, broke down for storage and I had the "mud palms" installed on it. It was never used.
c) Rope rodes were marked with plastic tags through the braid. The chain rode was marked with paint in a code. The paint proved to be durable and I do not think it would need a touch up more than once a year.
d) I carried 2 further 300 feet lengths of nylon 1/2 inch line - 1 braid and 1 3 strand for whatever?
e) I had one of those plastic GunkBuster chain cleaners but never used it.
f) A bag full of chafe covers made up and ready to go for the anchor and the sea anchor. Made most from a length of discarded fire hose and they worked very well.
2. FOREDECK ITEMS:
a) My lifelines were only singles but from the pulpit back to even with the forward face of the dog house I installed netting (2 inch nylon fishing net) with 1/2 inch lines across the bottom and at an angle from the pulpit top to the stanchion bottom.
b) I installed 2 stainless rails - looked like big towel racks - through bolted to the deck. They were positioned just inside the rail of the boat, parallel to it and running from just back of the pulpit for 3 1/2 feet. These were to give me something firm to hold onto
a) My lifelines were only singles but from the pulpit back to even with the forward face of the dog house I installed netting (2 inch nylon fishing net) with 1/2 inch lines across the bottom and at an angle from the pulpit top to the stanchion bottom.
b) I installed 2 stainless rails - looked like big towel racks - through bolted to the deck. They were positioned just inside the rail of the boat, parallel to it and running from just back of the pulpit for 3 1/2 feet. These were to give me something firm to hold onto
when working on the foredeck and to give my feet purchase so I would not slide off. They came in very handy to tie all sorts of things to as well.
c) The old fore hatch on the Cal 29 was a poor affair which was weak and leaked around the edges. I replaced it with a very good Lewmar Ocean series hatch which pretty well dropped right in.
d) I replaced all the larger windows for which see the FAQ pages.
c) The old fore hatch on the Cal 29 was a poor affair which was weak and leaked around the edges. I replaced it with a very good Lewmar Ocean series hatch which pretty well dropped right in.
d) I replaced all the larger windows for which see the FAQ pages.