The Shake down cruise

[NorthernMac]

Hey all,

The survey went well but I knew I'd have a list of snags and improvements on the boats fist outing with me (about 800nm on the ICW)

Overall she's been good and actually faster under sail and power than I expected, got boarded by the coasties and aside from a throwable that they said should be replaced, which I had planned anyway, they were happy.

The bad.

The second time unfurling the yankee jib, which two owners back removed the UV strip to look more vintage, I got a 3' tear inward. This is the one sail I was going to replace anyways, just thought it would get me to FL.

I'm debating having a new sail quick turn made by evolution sails, or having them repair this one, I don't have a table or anything to fix it, nor have I mad the opertunity to learn the art of sail mending.

I've also decided I need to get a furling system for the staysail (using a boom) jib, debating a Harken or furlex, as single hand having a sail turn to a pile of slop on the deck isn't good, not even with the autopilot. I can tackle this once I get to the boats new home base in FL

Second item, not sure if this could be a result of a small amount of ATF getting spilled in the bilge (like maybe 1/5th a qt, but one of my two rule 1000 bildge pumps started running continuous, the water level in the lowest point of the bildge was normal (very low), I disconnected it and was going to take it apart, shortly after the second rule 1000 started doing the same thing, again water level didn't change and I didn't see any discharge from the pump. I don't know
the age of these pumps.


I'm not super surprised with the one old sail with the UV strip removed getting a rip, and I don't know the age of the pumps, the last owner didn't sail her too often, SO what say the hive RE the yankee jib and the bilge pump(s)??

[billknny]

Trying to mend sun-rotted dacron sailcloth is a fool's errand. It will not hold stitches, and will just tear again in the same spot, or another, or both.

Time for a new jib.

I guess the previous owners didn't know that a layer of sacrificial sailcloth makes as good a suncover as anything else, and looks "vintage."

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by billknny

Trying to mend sun-rotted dacron sailcloth is a fool's errand. It will not hold stitches, and will just tear again in the same spot, or another, or both.

Time for a new jib.

I guess the previous owners didn't know that a layer of sacrificial sailcloth makes as good a suncover as anything else, and looks "vintage."

Thanks for the reply

The owner from before they guy I got it from actually, the guy who took it off was actually a USCG master capt he was going to use it to take people out of say sailing, ended up getting a smaller boat with wood spars.

So a new jib is the way to go, it will but me a little behind and have me staying at harbor for 2-3 before I can continue south. But going 10hrs a day, averaging 5kts or better, that's 50 a day from the southern VA boarder to Ft Pierce, guessing 14 days out once I get underway, again lol

Thoughts on the bilge pumps?

[Empty Pockets]

If your pumps are the automatic type, they’re prone to failure just the way yours have. Don’t know if it had anything to do with the ATF. Try the type with the independent float switch.

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by Empty Pockets

If your pumps are the automatic type, they’re prone to failure just the way yours have. Don’t know if it had anything to do with the ATF. Try the type with the independent float switch.

Diaphragm or impeller?

Also what about the ones that kick on every few minutes and test capacitance for water?

[Empty Pockets]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

Diaphragm or impeller?

Also what about the ones that kick on every few minutes and test capacitance for water?

I’ve only used impellers for bilge pumps. Any of the “automatic” types scare me. The float type switches, while not perfect, are pretty foolproof.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

Hey all,

The survey went well but I knew I'd have a list of snags and improvements on the boats fist outing with me (about 800nm on the ICW)

Overall she's been good and actually faster under sail and power than I expected, got boarded by the coasties and aside from a throwable that they said should be replaced, which I had planned anyway, they were happy.

The bad.

The second time unfurling the yankee jib, which two owners back removed the UV strip to look more vintage, I got a 3' tear inward. This is the one sail I was going to replace anyways, just thought it would get me to FL.

I'm debating having a new sail quick turn made by evolution sails, or having them repair this one, I don't have a table or anything to fix it, nor have I mad the opertunity to learn the art of sail mending.

I've also decided I need to get a furling system for the staysail (using a boom) jib, debating a Harken or furlex, as single hand having a sail turn to a pile of slop on the deck isn't good, not even with the autopilot. I can tackle this once I get to the boats new home base in FL

Second item, not sure if this could be a result of a small amount of ATF getting spilled in the bilge (like maybe 1/5th a qt, but one of my two rule 1000 bildge pumps started running continuous, the water level in the lowest point of the bildge was normal (very low), I disconnected it and was going to take it apart, shortly after the second rule 1000 started doing the same thing, again water level didn't change and I didn't see any discharge from the pump. I don't know
the age of these pumps.


I'm not super surprised with the one old sail with the UV strip removed getting a rip, and I don't know the age of the pumps, the last owner didn't sail her too often, SO what say the hive RE the yankee jib and the bilge pump(s)??

If the jib has spent much time on the furler w/o UV protection then the cloth is probably damaged the whole length of the leech. It will tear again. Your sail maker might decline to repair it if it is bad enough.

A quick repair to get you going is to sew a dacron panel up the leech to reinforce the leech and prevent further failure. It won't be pretty but it could work while you wait for a new sail if you can find someone willing to do it.

If the bilge pumps go on spontaneously without discharging water or much water evident in the bilge then you need to look at the float switches. Some water lever may be higher where they are or they may be stuck or possibly just being jiggled a bit might make the mercury in them make a connection. If the float switches are internal then perhaps you can take the cover off and clean the pivots. Might work.

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by wingssail

If the jib has spent much time on the furler w/o UV protection then the cloth is probably damaged the whole length of the leech. It will tear again. Your sail maker might decline to repair it if it is bad enough.

A quick repair to get you going is to sew a dacron panel up the leech to reinforce the leech and prevent further failure. It won't be pretty but it could work while you wait for a new sail if you can find someone willing to do it.

If the bilge pumps go on spontaneously without discharging water or much water evident in the bilge then you need to look at the float switches. Some water lever may be higher where they are or they may be stuck or possibly just being jiggled a bit might make the mercury in them make a connection. If the float switches are internal then perhaps you can take the cover off and clean the pivots. Might work.

I’m waiting to hear back about the jib, they said they might be able to do a quick turn and have her done by Tuesday, beefed up a little for some blue water, sunbrella, $2k

The current pumps are these, they run but nada on the flow. One thought, the boat didn’t sail much before I got her, when I took her out the winds were light, but it kicked up to white caps (15kts or so) and she did wash her sides a little, maybe that, though not even sporty to the point of me thinking of reefing down, might have pissed the old straight and level pumps off?

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The current pumps are these, they run but nada on the flow. One thought, the boat didn’t sail much before I got her, when I took her out the winds were light, but it kicked up to white caps (15kts or so) and she did wash her sides a little, maybe that, though not even sporty to the point of me thinking of reefing down, might have pissed the old straight and level pumps off?

Take the hoses off the pumps and see if they "flow" without the hoses. Then go from there.

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Take the hoses off the pumps and see if they "flow" without the hoses. Then go from there.

I’ll give that a try

[roverhi]

Really don't understand why anyone in a sailboat would take the ditch unless weather intervenes. So much faster to sail offshore. Sail as long as you can stay awake then heave to, get a few Z's and continue on. Should be able get a knot or two counter current closer to shore and average more than a 100 miles a day.

Wouldn't waste any money on a sail that's been left up without uv protection. Check Ebay and Bacon's to see if you can find a used sail. If you can find one that fits, should be able to get on your way for $500 or so.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by billknny

Trying to mend sun-rotted dacron sailcloth is a fool's errand. It will not hold stitches, and will just tear again in the same spot, or another, or both.

Time for a new jib.

I guess the previous owners didn't know that a layer of sacrificial sailcloth makes as good a suncover as anything else, and looks "vintage."

Not to sure about that.

I thought these sails were well past being a bin job 5 years ago yet the owner is still sailing up and down the QLD coast with them as I type.

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Really don't understand why anyone in a sailboat would take the ditch unless weather intervenes. So much faster to sail offshore. Sail as long as you can stay awake then heave to, get a few Z's and continue on. Should be able get a knot or two counter current closer to shore and average more than a 100 miles a day.

Wouldn't waste any money on a sail that's been left up without uv protection. Check Ebay and Bacon's to see if you can find a used sail. If you can find one that fits, should be able to get on your way for $500 or so.

Heave to as in anchor?

My thought was because this is a shakedown cruise and since I’m single handing it, I’ll take the couple kt hit and take the ditch with a marina at most any turn.

Didn’t find anything used, and also since the main and staysail are in really good shape, having a zero time sail would be nice. I’d like to get her to the point I’d have no issue taking her off shore in 6mo for the trip back up north.

I might go off shore after getting the new jib, and fixing/replacing the pumps and a little further south.

Also how does this look paramerters wise for a 15hp Yanmar, seems to match 10psi per 1k RPMs, seems she’ll push along under power a 5.5-6kts

[datapete568b]

The ATF oil fouled the sensors
Soak in dawn dishwashing soap
Worked for me when I had an oil spill in bilge
West marine also does free replacement
For rule with out receipt
Try to return at marine supply house
They never last forever and I return them
When they quit

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by datapete568b

The ATF oil fouled the sensors
Soak in dawn dishwashing soap
Worked for me when I had an oil spill in bilge
West marine also does free replacement
For rule with out receipt
Try to return at marine supply house
They never last forever and I return them
When they quit

Ha! Would have never thought of exchanging at westmarine, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but do they own rule or something? Wonder why they’d do that?

Also as far as dawn and the bilge, would I squirt a table spoon of dawn in the bilge and have the pumps pump it out?