Welcoming myself to CF

[Fishzine]

Finally getting around to posting my new member into

I have read CF for several years now, and just recently picked up my first Sailboat. A 1968 Columbia 36. Figured it was time to sign-up and officially join in the fun. Community has already been helpful figuring out insurance issues with a good old boat.

So a little about the boat.

First lets get this out of the way, Yes she was an Ebay BoatAngel purchase. So I bought her off of a description and a handful of photos. Once I was able to go inspect her she was well represented on the ad and I completed the purchase. She had been on the hard since November 2019 and was never launched in 2020 because of covid concerns. I spent the next week giving her a through inspection, figuring out 'MOST' of the electrical system and checking out the relatively new Yanmar 3GM30. She was then launched from the VERY expensive boat yard in Annapolis Maryland, and we moved her just over 22 miles north to her new home in Sparrows Point Maryland which makes her a much easier compute to and from my home. She is now back on the hard for the winter.

The good:
The Yanmar 3GM30 and transmission performed perfectly! Paperwork on boat suggest they were installed new around 2006. She does vibrate more then I would like at idle. This winter I will be checking engine mounts and confirming engine shaft alignment. I suspect this is more of an issue of the mounts sagging a little since install. Stuffing box drips a little more then I would like so this will be done at same time.

Interior is in excellent condition. All cushions were professionally made and are still in excellent condition. Have all cushions for both interior and cockpit.

Nice two burner Force 10 stove/oven combo and stern rail mounted grill. All prefect. Propane locker is in cockpit and likely get moved and locker box is showing its age.

Has what looks like pretty new install of Vacu-flush head with holding tank. I have not tested as wiring to head hasn't been figured out yet. Or any of the water pumps tanks.

Came with two very good condition sails (head and big head sail) and one old falling apart main. With matching mainsail cover in good condition (assume done same time as cushions) and bimini canvass.

Standing rigging looks prefect and I suspect was done when sails and engine were done.

The not so good, but as expected list.

Running rigging is tired and needs replace. Also looking at running if aft.

Tracing down a bunch of rainwater leaks in deak. Started address these and plan is to rebed most if not all deck hardware.

Bilge is wet and has looks like it has always been wet. Bilge pump leaves about 3 gallons in, Shower drains to bilge, cooler box drains to bildge, pretty much everything drains to bilge. You get the idea which lead to.

Keel bolt nuts are rusty and tops of some of the keel bolts show results of prolonged exposure to bilge being kept wet. Prelimilary inspection looks like replacing the nuts is going to be all that is needed. Most of the nuts are incased in epoxy and look good, but some areas look pretty rusty. Keel to Keelstub joint look perfect from the outside. No leaking, no smile, Keel is solid and doesn't show any signs of movement while the boat is in slings. I am 99% sure keel stub is solid fiber glass so not worried about wet core causing hidden corrosion of keel bolts. So plan is to remove nuts one by one and replace and tighten down. I don't expect a problem, but this is biggest question mark at this point. If a problem if found will go from there.

There are a couple bulkheads where the tabbing to hull has started to pull away. Worst areas is under galley and in aft locker. Will be re-inforcing these area and redoing the tabbing.

Topsides was paint but boat was shrinkwrapped the last year is was on hard for covid. Resulting in a whole lot of small paint blisters where the shrinkwrap was in contact with hull. Purely cosmetic issue and not very noticeable in water. Will like be staying as is for next season at least


Ok, lastly my WTF was the previous owner thinking. because every boat (especially a boatangel boat has to have these)

Wires for depth sounder, speed and wind where cut above engine with a section of each wire removed. I rigged up the depth sounder for the marina move and it function prefectly. So no idea why all these were cut. Boat has some older Autohelm Depth/Speed gauge and an Autohelm wind gauge. No idea what word and doesn't expect the depth does since reconnected the wire.

DC and AC electrical system had recent work done. New DC switch panel installed in galley, originial maybe DC circuit breaker still in place in engine area. New AC breaker wired in with shore power plug and battery charger installed. All the electrical work looks to be professionally done. But much of it was disconnected when I got boat. I am still going thru everything to confirm so far I just to to figure out head and freshwater plumbing.

Newer plastic diesal tank installed in aft locker I assume when engine was installed, is mounted on a piece of plywood which got wet and need replaced.

Drains and more freshwater leaks. Two drains on the sides drain to thruhull with the main cockpit drain. Hoses were not properly attached and leaking and hoses from side drains to the thru hull looks like cheap pool hose and it sags and traps water. Also access panel in cockpit floor is held down with four screws, only one isn't stripped out and no seal on access. It leaks bad... I fixed with duct tape for now but need re-engineer this access hatch.




So enough about the boat. A little about me. As I said this is my first sailboat, but have some experience. Boats main purpose to introduce the better half to sailing and see if it is something she wants to do a lot of. My long-term sailing hope is to go cruising fulltime in next 5-10 years. but she has zero experience so this boat is to get her comfortable with the idea. Otherwise, I am an extremely DIY kind of guy. Almost finished doing a frame off pickup truck restoration in my garage and do all make and type of DIY projects. When my house need a new heating system, I DIY'ed removing the oil furnace and installed new high efficiency Heatpump.

[Nauticus]

Hi and welcome from Ontario Canada

Beautiful sailboat and possibly the cleanest engine I've ever seen. I can't wait to hear of all the adventures she takes you on.

Fair winds [emoji569]

[marshmat]

It's great to have you on board, Fishzine.

It looks like you chose well. The engine's one of the biggest risk/expense points on a boat like this, and finding one that's already been repowered with a good diesel is nice.

A rat-nest of disconnected and dead-ended wiring is the norm for boats this age. Hastily done one-part paint (purely a cosmetic issue, of course) is also common. Our C&C 35-2 came the same way, and we're gradually getting it cleaned up to modern standards.

Running rigging is easy to replace. Re-bedding hardware is tedious, but again, not difficult.

Keel bolts are always a bit of fun. It sounds like you can access them readily, which is good. Taking the nuts off one at a time, cleaning them up, checking for corrosion and cracks, etc. is, I think a good plan. It was fairly common in that era to use good stainless steel for the studs, but then use a crappy steel washer and stainless steel of either a good or a poor grade for the nuts. The hard part is getting them torqued up correctly again later. Depending on the size & type, you could need anywhere from 200 to 800 ft.lb (precisely controlled; no impact guns) to apply proper pre-load tension, so you may need to get your hands on truck mechanics' tools for that.


If a boat was designed with a drip-type stuffing box and things draining into the bilge, you're likely just going to have to get used to bilge water. A diaphragm-type bilge pump can be much better at getting those last 3-4 inches out than a centrifugal one will.



All in all, it sounds like a good starter cruiser to whet your appetite for manageable-scale boat project and get your partner used to the wonders of waterborne life

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Fishzine.

[Sparx]

Welcome aboard.

My first cruising boat was a Columbia, which was built very robust. Definitely a go any where boat. At times I wish that boat was still under my care.

I think you have chosen well for an intro to cruising boat. Sounds like you are well prepared for bringing this boat into good shape. Thus boat will be very nice on the Chesapeake and beyond.

[Fishzine]

Originally Posted by marshmat

If a boat was designed with a drip-type stuffing box and things draining into the bilge, you're likely just going to have to get used to bilge water. A diaphragm-type bilge pump can be much better at getting those last 3-4 inches out than a centrifugal one will.

I am debating plan for the drip stuffing box water, but the bilge's normal state will be dry, bone dry if I can manage it. Again, I go back to boats primary purpose of getting the better half interested in sailing. If it was just me, I would agree with you. Howerver, I know her well. any amount of water inside the bilge of the boat is going to be extremely counter-productive to that goal.... Both smell and her knowing it is there is going to be an issue.

Right now plan is to installed shower sump and try to get any 'normal' water draining to that. Stuffing box and Anchor locker will require most creative plumbing. But is needs to happen. When I am ranking my winter to-do list, safety items come first, followed by things to make her more comfortable. Right now getting bilge dry ranks just below a simple, smell free, easy to work head.....

Was at boat today finally got the original water tank opened up. It isn't plumbed into system so I assumed it was empty.... Yeah, not so much......Some seriously nasty water in there.....