I know That This Is A Lot To Ask

[Robert Lemasters]

I have rebuilt my mast with new spreaders, spreader bases and etc. I now have the mast back on my Commander...that was a job doing it by myself with the help of the travel lift at the boat yard. What I need is to see photographs of the rigging on other boats to make sure that I am doing everything right and any advise anyone has to offer on tuning the rigging.
Replacing the mast, I hooked up the back stay first then the back shrouds then the forward shroud followed by the fore stay and the two outboard shrouds from the spreaders. I discovered that the mast distorts somewhat when stored on a shelf for a long period of time and takes some coaching to hook everything up. I had to replace my damaged and stolen turnbuckels with new ones, damn they are expensive.
I have been sailing an Ericson this fall with a friend, that has a jib furler, makes things so easy but I have no plans to replace my hancked on sails, they are almost new, although my wife has hinted that she would get me a furler for Christmas if I wanted... is it worth the expense?

[c_amos]

[size=3]Humm.....[/size]
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[size=3]

... is it worth the expense?

I know I sail more with the furler then I would without it.[/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3]I know I sail more with the furler then I would without it.[/size]
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[size=3]Think what you will of me, but some days when I can only head out for an hour or so there might not be time to hank on a head sail. I know, I know, the purists will scorn me for sayin' so but that is the way of it.[/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3]I get ribbed for going out some times when it may not make sense to do so. When it is cold, raining, or when there is very little wind.... I am sure the furler makes it easier for me to convince myself to go.[/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3]I have a pro-furl, and it is not too expensive but recent problems with the 'maintenance free' swivel bearing that holds the head have caused me to no longer recommend this particular unit to others.[/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3]I understand that CDI is a good furler, and FWIW if I had to do it again I would probably try one of those next time.[/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3]Just 2 cents.[/size]

[Bill]

There is a thread on furlers:

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...hlight=furling

[commanderpete]

I like a furler. But, your hank-on sails are nearly new and you've already stepped the mast. Seems like that project could wait.

You could convert your genoa for a furler, but its gonna cost a bit to add a luff tape and sun cover and maybe a foam luff.

There's plenty written on the internet (and in the Manual) about tuning the rig.

Why don't you just get some beers and have Mike Goodwin come over?

[Robert Lemasters]

Commanderpete, Mike and I have differant schedules, except for Sundays when she who must be obeyed has my day planned. It was Mike who showed me how to step the mast a few years ago, the problem is the yard owner who may or may not be there when he says, it has taken no little time to get the travel lift free. I moved and hooked the mast up myself to the travel lift, that was hard work. When I was done stepping the mast a guy at the yard gave me a Bud light, ice cold, that tasted so good, and I hate light beer.
What I was hoping to see were photographs of the rigging close up. Yeh, I will wait on the furler. However, Mike is building a tender for my Commander in addition to his other projects. I hate taking up his time on things that I need to find out and do for myself. I designed a davit for the boat, but the more I look at it, I don't know. I'm just glad to be able to sail my own boat again. A cancer scare and biopsy kept me out of it these past few months. They had me so worried about that I was looking for fuel a dog and an enemy to take my last sail with, but everything turned out good.

[commanderpete]

Glad to hear that, Robert. Seems like there's alot of that going around.

Stepping the mast by yourself is a pretty good trick, I'll tell you that much.

At the bottom of this article there's a description about how to get the mast straight.

http://www.sailnet.com/collections/a...eid=davisd0011

Once everything is straight and hand-tight you go sailing to make the final adjustments.

The mast should still be straight while sailing. Check to see that the top of the mast is not bent to windward or leeward.

When you finish adjusting, the leeward shrouds they should be just slack and not flopping around.

The whole procedure is pretty straightforward, just tedious. Loosen one side a few turns before tightening the other side. Keep sighting up the mast. You'll be surprised that big old mast does bend.

I wouldnt worry too much about mast rake and prebend for now. You just want to make sure the mast doesn't bend back in the middle. A slight forward bend in the middle is OK or even desirable. The forward lower shrouds should be pretty tight, not the aft ones.

Not sure what pictures would show. Anything you're concerned about in particular?

The aft lower shrouds are a little longer than the forward ones, so the shrouds need to go to their proper chainplate.

Just make sure that you dont twist the cable when your tightening the turnbuckles, use two screwdrivers.

That's all I can think of right now.

[Robert Lemasters]

Commanderpete, you are right on about getting the proper shroud to its chainplate, had the portside wrong untill I figured it out. Lost my best screwdriver to Davy Jones adjustings the turnbuckles. New problem, outboard motor keeps slipping upwards no matter how much I tighten the two screw clamp things on the motor. Lost control of the boat in reverse comming from the travel lift slip, used a long handled pliers to tighten, damn cheap-o potmetal lever broke off. I am thinking of cutting out a thin sheet of stainless steel and screwing in place where I clamp the motor, hope that it will give the motor a non slippery surface to clamp on to. If its not one thing its another. Will be posting pictures of my progress soon, keep forgetting my camera with all of the stuff I have to carry to the boat for my wife: the dog, cooler with ice food and beer, fising gear and bait, the cell phone, extra clothing, snacks, extra ice, etc etc

[SkipperJer]

The first--and last--time the clamps on my motor loosened while I was under power was pretty scary. With the motor running and cock-eyed in the well the boat was veering to port. That didn't help my balance any as I dove for the kill switch. Being dead in the water, in a narrow creek, with a high heart rate on a breezy day was no fun either. Over the winter, I recounted the story to a repairman who was fixing some other problems on the outboard and he quietly pointed to some holes in the mounting bracket that straddles the mounting board and explained their purpose.

It seems nobody tells us sailors until we have a major problem with an outboard that those clamps were not designed to be the only fasteners. The holes in the bracket are meant for throughbolts to hold the motor onto the boat. I keep my motor in the lazerette between trips. When I drop it in the well I have two bolts and wing-nuts that I run through the bracket and the front wall of the well to fix the motor to the boat in addition to the clamps. I assume the clamps are the first line of defense and the bolts are the back-ups. I feel a lot safer with the motor running now but I still check those clamps often.

[Robert Lemasters]

Skipperger, the first time the outboard motor came loose, several years ago, I thought it an error on my part, that I had failed to tighten the clamps. What I have discovered is that the motor no matter how tight on my boat slips upward in reverse over time or right away. The screw threads have corroded somewhat even though I have used a good lube and pentrating oil along with a metal brush from time to time. What burns my toast is the fact that the clamp levers are made of some cheap potmetal and one is now broken. This 6 hp Nissan is only a few years old and wasn't cheap, costs more then my first three automobiles. When I was a kid I had Mercury Hurrican 10 hp that was all but indestructable that was back in the early 60's and the motor was old when I got it (but made in the good ol' USA).What I plan on doing to solve this problem(I hope) is to shape a piece of 1/4" aluminum diamond sheet and screwing it on to where the outboard clamps to the boat.I will also look into bolting the motor on, have any photo's ? On my boat this area has a angled surface and is always wet and slippery. I will also make a cover for the motor well, wasn't someone making well plugs back when. That would be perfect. It's always something, thanks for your imput.By the way I am an old Fells Pointer lived on Thames Street at the foot of Broadway, hung out at the Cats Eye Pub, John Stevens, The Horse You Came In On and The Whistling Oyster

[Bill]

We've not had the "loose outboard" situation, unless of course, someone forgot to tighten the clamp secrws If you have bare fiberglass, that could be a problem. Most A-C's here have a stainless steel mounting flange on which to attach the clamp screws. Here's an example. The flange on the well side goes deep enough to match the legs on the clamp bracket (they will dig into the fiberglass).

[Tim O]

My boat doesn't have one of those but has some wood that will need to be replaced very soon. Good idea on that bracket. Time to go to the machine shop.

[ebb]

338 has massive glass covered marine grade maranti to clamp to. Made location indents in the board where the screw pads go so that if the O B loosens, hopefully with some immediate attention, it can't turn off the clamping board. It also worked out that there is a ledge right under the screws that it would make it difficult for them to turn much with the flop over handles they have. The handles rest on the ledge.

Wonder if new clamp screws can be gotten from the dealer?

[Robert Lemasters]

Here is a photo of the angled surface that the motor clamps to and the 1/4" diamond aluminum sheet that I will shape and screw and apoxy in. It was too windy today to do it. I think that you can also see the pvc pipe I fiberglassed in to repair the old drain tube. I'm still thinking about another way of attaching the motor, something that will lift the motor out or tilt in in somehow. each time I go out I have to lift the motor in place then lift it out again. I then flush with fresh water.