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Viewing 15 posts - 46 through 60 (of 77 total)
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  • in reply to: Fixing a Leak on Wooden Mk1 – 12934 #17140
    steve13003
    Participant

    Dunc

    The pictures clear up one point your boat already has the mast step modification. So that is one point in its favour.

    The holes seem to be the limber holes in the frames which allow water to drain through the boat, there should also be a hole under the mast step support to allow water to move from side to side.

    Looking at the pictures your boat has built in spinnaker storage boxes – is it a Duffin hull? these were an optional extra he offered which further help to stiffen boats around the mast and shroud area.

    Your water problem is a mystery without actually seeing the boat, have you checked inside the front buoyancy tank after sailing? could water which slops into the boat while sailing get into the tank? does the bung rally seal the tank.  You could do a simple pressure test on the front tank, insert a length of garden hose into the bung hole, seal it with BluTack, plasticine or similar, blow gently into the tank and listen for and escaping air or brush soapy water around your holes and look for bubbles.

    It is of course still possible that the hog to keel joint has sprung even though the mast step conversion has been carried out, only way to check that is to rig the genoa, apply your normal rig tension (400lbs is normal for a good strong boat) fill the area around the mast step with water and look for leaks on the outside of the boat.  If you do have leaks in this area they can be difficult to fix, first you need to strip off the paint on the outside and the varnish on the inside and the get the wood as dry as is possible.  Then you will need to open up the cracks by applying the rigging load and the inject the cracks with SP106 epoxy resin.  I have also found a single shot marine crack filler Captain Tollys Crack Cure Sealant – not yet tried it in real anger but it is supposed to fill very narrow cracks in all materials.

    Good Luck Steve

    in reply to: Fixing a Leak on Wooden Mk1 – 12934 #16983
    steve13003
    Participant

    As Oliver says there should not be any holes either side of the mast, your boat should have a built in front tank for buoyancy and there will be one or two holes with bungs in the bulkhead in front of the mast.  Have you checked inside the buoyancy tank for water?  If you have leaks around the mast step area have you check for leaks with tension in the rigging? Presuming you have the original mast step with a square fitting at the bottom of your mast. Series 1 boats are prone to splitting the hog / keel joint under the mast step if high rigging loads are used – the preventive measure is to fit a load spreading mast step conversion which distributes the mast load into the centreboard case and forward towards frame 1, but first the leak needs to be fixed before fitting the new mast support (drawings from the GP Office).

     

    Steve Corbet

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Oliver Shaw. Reason: Removing formatting commands
    in reply to: Fixing a Leak on Wooden Mk1 – 12934 #16982
    steve13003
    Participant

    As Oliver says there should not be any holes either side of the mast, your boat should have a built in front tank for buoyancy and there will be one or two holes with bungs in the bulkhead in front of the mast.  Have you checked inside the buoyancy tank for water?  If you have leaks around the mast step area have you check for leaks with tension in the rigging? Presuming you have the original mast step with a square fitting at the bottom of your mast. Series 1 boats are prone to splitting the hog / keel joint under the mast step if high rigging loads are used – the preventive measure is to fit a load spreading mast step conversion which distributes the mast load into the centreboard case and forward towards frame 1, but first the leak needs to be fixed before fitting the new mast support (drawings from the GP Office).

    I have attached some pictures of an old GP No 13003 with the modified mast step, showing the finished work and the drain bung in the forward bulkhead – but you will need to fix the leak before fitting the new mast step. Also once complete you need to have the work checked by a class measurer and the details entered on to the boats certificate.

    in reply to: Composite GP #16759
    steve13003
    Participant

    If you want a new composite boat Steve Parker turns out some very beautiful boats – I was there this week and they were fitting out a new composite in the workshop – not the cheapest but a good compromise between all wood and all GRP.

    in reply to: Repairing Nicks in Milanes Rudder and Centreboards #14999
    steve13003
    Participant

    Hi,

    There is a very good video on the SP epoxy resins web page on how to make the perfect repairs to Epoxy coat foils as are the Milanes foils.  Basically you need to clean up the damaged area, fill with epoxy resin filled with one of the special fillers, supporting the filler with tape, then once hard rub down with progressively finer wet and dry abrasive until smooth.  If wanted to be white a coat of two pack poly white paint (expensive) for a small repair or any other marine white gloss.

     

    Good Luck. Steve Corbet

    in reply to: tiller extension #14998
    steve13003
    Participant

    Hi,

    if you look at the Pinnel & Bax web pages you can choose from tiller extensions by Seasure, Harken or Allen. They will ship or post to any destination,  All are tubular alloy with a composite flexible joint which can be screwed to either a wooden or alloy tiller.  You will need to check what length you need to replace your old one, don’t get one that is too long or it will foul the main sheet when you tack.  As for using the plastic an S glass one yo already have if long enough and it has a serviceable flexilble joint give it a try

    Steve Corbet

    in reply to: Complete Beginners guide to the GP14 rigging #14578
    steve13003
    Participant

    Dave,

    when you chock the mast use thin pieces of wood on either side to keep it central and then move the mast as far back in the mast step as is possible towards the stern and the fill the space kin front of the mast to keep it in place.

    As for how much tension as much as you dare,  racers will measure this with a shroud tension gauge but unless you can borrow one they are expensive toys,  racers will apply about 400lbs tension using multi purchase systems it’s wire halyards,  you won’t get anywhere near that with a rope halyard so just pull as hard as you can.

    Steve

    in reply to: A few carpentry issues…. #14577
    steve13003
    Participant

    Hi,

    Lots of good advice from Oliver, can I follow up on his solution 2 for your mast step problem.  I would suggest fairly strongly that carrying out the mast step conversion is by far the best was forward, I have completed this on 3 different Series 1 boats with good results in all cases.  It is not difficult as the drawing and instructions from the Association are easy to follow and if the bottom of your mast is showing signs of corrosion there is the added benefit that you will be cutting 100mm off the mast before fitting the new mast heel.

    One other point is where to source the hardwood for the new mast support –  if you are willing to look again at your side benches the class rules allow you to take out the inner side benches, to move the outer one inboard.  This gives you more room inside the boat but less seating when sitting inboard, but makes sitting out more comfortable, in my opinion!  The side bench knees also need to be reshaped but this can be done with them in place.  You then have two very nice pieces of hard wood which can be used to form the vertical mast support,  two pieces are bonded with epoxy resin, shaped to fit the curvature of the hog extending forward into the front buoyancy tank and then coated before fixing in place.  Another piece of one side bench is shaped to form the horizontal platform for the new mast step, this piece runs back over frame 2 into the center board case.  You will then have a very strong boat which can take any loads you may wish to apply to the rigging.

    I have some pictures of the mast step conversion I did on 13003 in 2012 along with retro fitting through deck genoa sheeting – but that is another story!  Also some pictures of 12091 showing the inner side bench modification.  If these are of interest send me an email to scorbet@btinternet.com and I will send direct.

    Steve

     

    in reply to: Side bench problem Speed Boat #13564
    steve13003
    Participant

    Having previously owned and maintained five wooden GP’s with not too many problems, I have replaced decks, installed a front buoyancy tank, three modified Series 1 mast steps, removed and moved side benches and even reduced 5he weight of one boat by changing the solid transom for a plywood one. However the problems with my FRP boat and it’s rotten plywood , see above and my other posting, have defeated my diy maintenance skills as the skills and environment needed for cutting out and getting into the areas where plywood has been used to strengthen the boat are new to me.  However at least the experts at SP Boats have – at a cost – been able to rescue my boat, although I did come close to simply stripping off all the valuable fittings and scrapping the old hull.

    I would encourage all owners of Speed FRP boats to check their boats regularly for any signs of problems with the wooden parts, keep the boat well aired, a breathable cover is also recommended to allow ventilation when the boat is not in use, I had always thought the “ plastic” covers were ok for a plastic boat.

    in reply to: Side bench problem Speed Boat #13522
    steve13003
    Participant

    Thanks, a good idea but the water that caused the problem did not enter through fixing holes, it came from water in the underfloor buoyancy tank, and general water in the boat from Sailing spray and capsizes.  The wood went rotten because it was not marine ply, was not sealed or encapsulated during construction of the boat.

    in reply to: Speed 13954 more problems #13395
    steve13003
    Participant

    Hi, to those who have followed the problems with my Speed GP.  I have just picked it up from S P Boats where Steve Parker and Glynn have carried out the major surgery to remove and replace the rotten plywood used in  the original construction replacing it with good quality coated plywood.  The work is not easy,  but I am very pleased with the quality of the work I can’t see the joins where they needed to cut out the hull structure.  Thanks guys you have restored the boat for some more racing.

     

     

     

    in reply to: Boat history,moulders plates,sail numbers #13302
    steve13003
    Participant

    I know it is a simple check, but have you looked under the floor boards in the area aft of the centre board case where should be a plate with the hull / sailnumber or the sail number may be engraved on the hull

    Steve

    in reply to: Speed 13954 more problems #13215
    steve13003
    Participant

    Since writing about the problems with the genoa track supports, I spoke to Steve Parker who suggested I look at some other areas of wood for rot.  The worst rot now discovered is the wood supporting the mast step, echos of the problems we had with the Series One boats when the keel / hog failed under the mast step, at least these were repairable without major surgery.

    Now trusting my boat to Steve Parker for repairs to allow at least a few more years racing.

    in reply to: Foresail fairlead location #12797
    steve13003
    Participant

    Thanks to Oliver for his thoughts, when I retro fitted my last series 1 boat with through deck sheeting I was very careful to satisfy the rule that states that the fairleads and associated cleats must not overhang the outboard or inboard side decks.  I was so what surprised when I later saw that the modern Production boats from Speed, Boon and Winder all have the jamb cleats in board of the side decks.  When I asked how this complied with the rules I was told that’s how they are built, seems one rule for deck mounted cleaning and another unwritten one for under deck systems.

    in reply to: Side bench problem Speed Boat #12596
    steve13003
    Participant

    After sailing last weekend I noticed that the bottom rudder pintle was loose.  When I investigated I found that the piece of plywood which had been placed inside the transom to strengthen the rudder fixing area was rotten and I was able to pull away large handfulls of wood.  The bolts securing the pintle were loose because they had lost their support!  In the short term I have managed to add a spreader plate inside the transom and have tightened the bolts.  Later I will remove the hatch frame to get a bit more space for hand access and will replace the rotten wood with a new piece which will be first epoxy sealed.

    I would suggest other owners of Speed Epoxy boats to check this area and the condition of the plywood strengthening backing to the rudder fixings as this cab a hid stress area.

Viewing 15 posts - 46 through 60 (of 77 total)