DIY Mantus Bow Roller

[alansmith]

Thanks for posting up your pics. I have a 29 foot traikerable Sharpie. I have no current set up for retrieving anchor. The boat is rigged as a schooner and the fore mast is so close to the bow that it creates a very awkward situation for things to do with anchoring. Hope u post up your San Juan trip. It is high on my list.

[Jarel Design]

Hi Alan,
Good luck with your boat... Quite a "puzzle" figuring out where to place everything! LOL! (I'm now trying to imagine lowering our jib and not having it in the way during anchoring operations... We don't have a roller furler (andI'm of the mind set that most are not reliable (at least those that we can afford), although now I can see it being very convenient... Planning to have a jib down hall and thinking for now of creating a jib to life-line/rail lashing system (person going forward to lower anchor gathers and ties the jib to the side...).

Not going to think about that until this is all in place and we can un-tent our boat, raise the mast and see what's what...

I've done so much research here on CF, I'd love to post photos etc of our trip... Not sure which forum would be best here... I'll include photos/videos of getting her ready, re-fitting as well as the trip, where we stayed, how the anchoring (and other systems) faired and what I might do differently...

Just received a couple more boxes of "boat stuff"via UPS! Pro mariner dual bank 8A charger, crab pot and accessories, 12v laptop charger, MC4 solar plugs and wires! Yeah!!!! Read the pro mariner instructions and eager to install and test it out, but more to do before then. (Maybe I'll hook it up to the batteries sitting on one of my work benches and follow the charging with my meter.)

Just completed all maintenance on our main O/B: Replaced the impeller, changed lower end lube and engine oil, gapped and replaced the spark plugs AND, the lower unit fit right back in per the Youtube videos!!!! The transmission is also aligned! Whew!

OK... going back into the shop, cutting and epoxying our new companionway hatch slides and begin cleaning and re-greasing our manual windlass. Waiting for our son to come over and help me fit the real Mantus and bow roller to the bow,(Oops! Guess I'll have to assemble it before he shows up! LOL!) so I know the tip of the anchor won't touch our hull and I'll know where to cut the anchor locker hatch and begin that work! LOL!

Well... I've been saying the list never ends, but with the amount of work I've been doing, my yellow highlighter is turning our lists all yellow!

Of course, this will start all over when we get back and continue our upgrades for a hopefully winter trip to the Sea of Cortez or at least to Marina del Rey (Old stomping grounds with lots of invites from old sailing buddies to come stay at their yacht clubs (That would be decadent and nice!)... We can do a trip or two to Catalina...

OK... back to working on the list....

Richard

[Delancey]

Nice work, thanks for sharing. I always appreciate seeing mock ups before work on the final product. My guess is you have worked on some creative projects before.

I am curious to know what type of finish you are planning on and series of aluminum you used? I would prefer anodizing to protect all that nice work from corroding away to white dust. Hope you used the right filler rod so the welds won't turn black.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Richard, consider the below tip a "tax refund" brought to you by the USMC. Thanks to a math teacher of mine in High School, a former Major.

For your work list, buy; a Blue highlighter, a Pink highlighter, & multiple different colors of ballpoint pens & pencils.
Now you can "upgrade" the urgency of a Yellow item to Orange, or Green, simply by using the other highlighters. Ditto by assigning different colors of underlining to put underneath of them.

And when you make a new list, start fresh, with everything on it written in pencil. And draw up the most versatile, interchangable color coding system you can come up with. One that instantly tells the limbic system of your brain which items need attention now, & which can wait til 2019.
The trick may help your son too, it surely did me as a student.

On the roller, remember to mount it out far enough so that you don't ding your topsides too much when you're stowing it on the bow as you pull it up. And even in accounting for that, you may wind up installing a skid plate on your forward topsides. Jim & Ann Cate know of some great material to use for that, even if at the moment you think you'd prefer metal. But I can't recall the name of the thread right now.

[Jarel Design]

Thanks for the kind words.

Actually I design and fabricate prototypes for a living.

Motion picture special effects, toys for Hasbro, Mattel etc....

Nice shop and studio at home with lots of tools.... Been doing this work for 25+ years (- Jarel Design - )

Not sure about the final finish.. For now, probably just use a rattle can clear finish (It will only be a month), until I do the final work.... Anodized would be nice (need to price it).... Another thought was using a bullet proof 2-3 part paint. A close friend is a painting expert and has helped me before... I created a 20' + kinetic sculpture for downtown Medford (subjected to the salts leaching off unfinished concrete pool and a 24/7 fountain...) 8yrs+ and it still looks like new.... I'll ask him what he thinks... I'd love to give it a clear coat after polishing, but choosing paint is not my strong point...

Not sure about the rod/wire used for welding. I had a local welder who specializes in marine aluminum welding...

I "believe" the aluminum was 6061-T6 (but again, not sure as I paid $6 from unmarked remnants.... Felt like it though as I worked on it by hand...

OK... most of the teak hatch rails are cut, one final one to go then I switch to epoxy (which is one of my strong points. LOL!!)

Richard

[Jarel Design]

Uncivilized:
Thanks for the tip!
I used a system I learned when I ran a free clinic in LA.... modified it after working with a therapist who helped me realize a d"normal job" was not for me. I thank her for her support when I got into motion picture special effects.

part of the problem with the medical "to do list" and your approach, is instead of being the master of my list(s), my lists became the master of me! LOL!
I print out my lists on the computer and the yellow highlighter filling the pages give me "feedback" to help remind me that I'm doing great (... or not).

Hope that makes sense?

I number each item as a priority/follow/next to do item and each task is broken down to a very specific, single task.... The outboard work had about 5 items...

This approach helps me to keep things in order so I don't paint myself into a corner.... I use this method a LOT in prototype work as some things need to be designed and built first before another item can be fitted...

The bow roller began with measuring the width between my bow fitting and the starboard stanchion mount... This gave me the absolute (do not exceed) width. Then I took the largest item in my ground tackle (The Mantus swivel) and made sure there was plenty of inside clearance.

I'm not concerned about my deck and anchor damage. What I am concerned about is my bow as the anchor comes up... I won't know until I try it on land when it's on the trailer... (I don't want to extend the roller out too far due to stresses incurred while at anchor...) If I have to, I may install a SS bow guard (sheet metal). I've seen on other boats for this very same reason...

Something I've learned over the years, is that I can "try" to get it perfect, but "perfection" can often be a myth.... Just have to do as best I can within a limited budget and time frame... I have about 65 days left! Eeek!

OK.. back to work...

Sorry if I'm not addressing all replies and/or ideas... My head is spinning as I finalize installations (I'm lucky of I get 4 hrs of sleep!), building and integrating systems (Example: batteries, solar and shore power charging... I know it won't be exactly the way I want, but I will make sure it's safe and functional so we don't run out while we're out there... In the electric department, I plan to do a complete overhaul when we get back, integrating what we'll have "for now", with what I want for a permanent installation.

OK... needed this break, but I have to go back out and do my final cuts (Of course it's the most critical! LOL! As it is, I re-measured our original hatch slide rails and re-drew the new ones (holding about .010" tolerances in design... holding about .005 in cutting... LOL! I have to remember that this will not be sent for manufacturing by client standards! LOL!

PS: Thanks again for your list organization method! I'm kind of doing that and yes, trying to teach our son the same, but mostly what he's getting (and that I want him to get), is to set your dreams high at first then work towards them... He's watching as the "impossible" becomes our reality!