The sad demise of Ensign 796

Last week's winds took their toll around the lake including poor Ensign #796. She came off her mooring ball after sawing through two new 1/2" three strand painters which were properly routed through the chocks. The sustained winds wre 35 mph for two days with tons of gusts in the 50s and some tickling 60. We had to wait a couple of days for it to calm down enough to recover the boat. the owner loved the boat and is just sick about it.
News report - http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1811280.shtml?cat=127

This thread should be posted with a "graphic images" warning. My condolences to the poor owner. That is really sad.

The damage - those gaping holes are truly scary.
How could they have happened like that? I mean they look like somthing from Jaws!

But fiberglass is fiberglass
Reconstruction is certainly possible.

Add a little extra reinforcement here and there so that that kind of damage can't happen again.
Chafing gear and proper rounded chocks*, oversized cleats.

I'd be interested to read second thoughts on this tragedy.
How would the chafing gear be different .... that would survive a blow like this?
How to rig it.
What would be ideal to have on the bow....for the next one?
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* the original aluminum chocks found on our boats are thoughtfully proportioned and sculpted.

In bronze, and slightly larger imco, they'd be perfect for anchor warp.
They're probably also called skene chocks because they are handed,
but are far advanced from the trash available these days, even the 316 'investment cast', high-end and sharp cornered models found at Bosun's Supplies, eg.
And would be equally desirable on the stern quarters.
Indeed I've seen fotos here of the old cast aluminum skenes used on our bowed stern, and they look like they belong there.

How sad. I've developed a real appreciation of the Ensign since my friend Hans got his, thanks to Mike (Big Bird). Ensigns used to be very plentiful around these parts of Long Island Sound. Ensign Fleet #1 was out of the Larchmont Yacht Club. I think there are two left, neither of which I have ever seen sailing. They used to have ladies racers. Did they sail with white gloves?

I agree with Ebb about chafing gear. I now know a sustained storm will chew through a dock line in a matter of hours . Find some old rubber garden hose or something fancier from the marine supply.

Sad indeed, that poor vessel took a pounding. I know people hate them for their looks but I think a 1/2"-5/8" thick u-bolt through the bow below deck with a solid chunk of white ash backing plate is the only way to tie off a boat if it is going to be left unattended. People claim it ruins the appearance and the lines of a boat,makes it look like a trailer sailor, etc. etc. Me thinks it would allow me to sleep better at night!!
Ebb I admire your ambition to view this boat and say it could be repaired. I suggest watching Craigslist for a very cheap or free replacement. I found an Electra for $20.00 in CT, an Electra in GA that had been in dry storage since 1987 for $500 and an Ariel in MA for free. As we have seen on this site a wood cradle and a Uhaul trailer will get it home. I wish the owner the best of Luck.

Carl, I see it as there is a finite number of the original boats built by Pearson.
Altho there are maybe three times more Ensigns than Commander/Ariels combined,
the number is finite at 1776.
There is a Classic Ensign built to order at a modern custom price.
I've read that Ensigns are the largest racing keelboat class in the world.
I've alson read that some consider Carl Alberg as not the most 'adventurous' designer
as most of his boats look alike.
Most were designed to the racing design rules of the time, and the idea was obviously to produce a product and make money.

Alberg designs are the best 'of their kind' ever made.
Cosidering thier time in small sailboat history coming at the end of wood and the beginning of fiberglass, they definitely are the best and with some exceptions still are the best 60s and 70s decade boats you can own.

I think the Electra in question should be restored and its number kept active!

Ebb, I certainly concur with your post, I think the Ensign, Electra, Commander, Ariel and Triton should all be in the hall of fame. However when I see so many of these boats being scraped out with relatively no damage just years of neglect and reckless abandonment, it makes me think in this case anyway a suitable rescued boat could be the answer for this owner. Look at the number of Ariels and Commanders that turn up here scraped out because of soft decks, which I think is very sad indeed. I've spoke with several owners who junk these boats simply because they don't want to pay storage any more. One in CA cut his up because it was swept onto a sandy shore in a storm and got beach sand in it, another in TX cut up his because he didn't want to store it any longer, he cut everything up including the mast and hauled it to the landfill, excluded the lead which he sold. I have chased down four of these boats to try and save them, even the free, or almost free ones cost me $400 to $1400 just to get back home. It's my opinion this boat needs extensive repair just to float, several who post here, ( you ,Tony, C227, etc) could easily ( well maybe not easily) make the needed repairs, reconstruct bow, hull-deck joint split from the bow to shrouds, rudder gone etc. Sometime I think a boat like this could salvage her good parts to maybe make several other boats seaworthy and useful again. Wouldn't that help the Ensign fleet?
I enjoy this dialogue, Thanks, Carl

Her may be a boat to replace this Ensign with..... "72 Pearson Ensign 22 Sailboat Cheers

Happily the owner of 796 decided to have repair her instead of sending her to the landfill. (although I would have squirreled her away in the back lot before I let her go the graveyard)
The project ended up running something like $8,500. The boat was not insured and he wanted an Ensign so his reasoning went like this:
He loved the boat, and we had already done a bunch of rigging and other work to her.
The britework, mast, sails and rigging were for the most part undamaged.
Another serviceable hull would likely be $3,000. and thats about what it cost to patch up the existing hull.
Any other hull would certainly have some soft spots on the decks and rotten plywood in the cuddy,(they all do). Painting the freeboard and waterline would be the same on either hull once the repairs were done.
Although it was a rare wind storm that broke her free we did add a bow eye for safer mooring (fool me once......) The repair was pretty straight forward glass work, we made a couple of molds from an intact hull to get the shape right.
Any way its all good. Another Alberg saved, happy though poorer owner, happy and less poor me.

stings me nose and blurs me eyes!:D

Absolutely wonderful.:cool:

Now, what can we wish for those two guys Carl mentioned?:mad::mad:

C227, You did this repair and kept it a secret all this time.... very nice reconstruction. she looks new. If you have a couple of minutes could you list the order you took to make the repairs? I have come back many times to view these photos trying to figure out where to start, I assumed it would be the Hull /Deck joint. Thanks, Carl

Carl,
First thing was to remove all the damaged glass and rubrail, then the edges were tapered back 18" or so from the inside and outside to give the repair plys plenty of surface area.
Next was to get the deck and hull shape right and get the hull/deck joint solid. (easy as we could just stand up in the hole and reach everything)
Then a mold was made from the bow of another Ensign and screwed onto the front of 796 with a barrier so it would come back off. Then glass was layed up from the inside, the mold was removed and after some clean up and shaping the repair plys were laid up on the outside.
The damaged toe rail amid ship was repaired in the same way.
The repair went very well and 796 is stronger than ever.
Mike