Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 68 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: Looking for a Bell Woodworking Builder's plate #18429
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Arthur,

    I thought I had a salvaged builder’s plate “somewhere in the garage” and it has finally turned up.  The lettering is clear apart from “Ltd” and you would need to clean it (having learned from your previous experience).  If you want it send contact details to norman.jeanday@btinternet.com

    Norman

    in reply to: Jib Halyard Sheave #18036
    norman
    Participant

    Hi,

    I don’t think the Association will be able to cross-reference the builders plate with the  Association registered number and Googling shows the boat builders federation to have  disappeared.  Some old fibreglass boats had another plate with the registered number, this may be near the mast gate, on the centreboard case, or on the aft face of the cockpit (or it might have been removed/fallen off!)

    It looks from the photo as though there are rebates in the sides of the pulley slot.  I have seen sheaves with a stainless strap which slid into the rebates thus transferring the load from the screws to the mast, but it’s a long time ago.  Looking for an old IYE mast may be your best option.

    Good luck,

    Norman

    in reply to: Floor Boards #17687
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Art,

    I built a Bell kit in the early seventies and went straight to plywood floorboards.  However some of the original boards are still in my garage (in the original polythene wrapping!) and I would guess that the wood is parana pine; the grain lines are the characteristic reddish colour and the wood has a yellowish tint.   Google tells me it is an endangered species and likely to be expensive!

    Norman

    in reply to: Towing Weight of GP14 and Trailer #17621
    norman
    Participant

    Hi,

    Not sure of the exact weight but, if it’s the typical combi trailer, it will be well inside your 450 kg limit.

    Norman

    in reply to: Mast tension MKII GRP and Rodents #17516
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Cookie,

    It may be too simple a question, but do you have someone pulling hard outward on the forestay when you are initially tensioning the genoa halyard?  It does enable you to get a bit more tension than a simple pull on the halyard.

    Norman

    in reply to: Can't get sails to black bands #16959
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Dave

    No doubt one of the keener racers will read the forum and explain.  Failing that, you could ask the association to put you in touch with the owner of 14103 or the sailmaker whose logo I don’t recognise.  As Oliver says, the usual procedure is not to attach the gooseneck until after the sail is fully hoisted, when it takes a reasonably hard pull.

    Norman

    in reply to: MAST FOOT LOCATION SERIES 1 BOAT #16895
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Maurice

    I think you will get the technical detail from the members’ section, Class rules page 4B, GRP hulls previous to 13115. items 3.4 & 3,5 which add detail to Oliver’s comments. Interestingly it makes no mention of the thickness (height) of the block Oliver describes, nor of the depth of the mortice.  Leave sufficient thickness beneath the mast foot to take the loading of the rig tension, probably 15mm of good hard wood.  Allow channels for drainage and coat with epoxy.  Make the “square” a snug fit for your mast foot, the 90 mm is for wooden masts.

    Norman

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by norman.
    in reply to: New to GP 14’s #16840
    norman
    Participant

    Hello Tony

    Panels of plywood, 2′ wide by 8′ long (requiring  half of a standard sheet) will meet your requirements.  Be wary of using too thick a panel as getting it into position may involve a bit of fiddling threading it between the aft deck and the thwart; it will require to flex a bit to follow the curvature of the hull.  You then need a strip to fill the gap from the centreboard case back to the aftermost frame, not necessarily ply, unless you have a bit to hand.

    Consider how you will secure the panels to permit reasonably easy removal.  One approach is to attach a slightly greater than”floorboard thickness” block, oval or rectangular in shape, to the lowest frame which I think is beneath the thwart.  This engages with a similar-shaped hole in the floor panel to provide location.  The panel is secured down by a turnbuckle screwed to the block.  You will also need to cut holes to access the self balers.  Unsecured ply floorboards will float if you are unfortunate enough to capsize!

    Enjoy

    Norman

    in reply to: Stripping Spark #16770
    norman
    Participant

    It’s probable that there will be some screws that break or cannot be extracted, so their replacements will need to be offset a little.  Would it be too unprofessional to adopt this approach for all of them, using the correct size screws in new locations and filling the original holes with epoxy filler or plugs?  I’m not sure if a cutter will produce plugs 3/4″ long, mine are nearer 1/2″, so there might not be grip for the full depth of the thread if that is considered to be critical.

    Norman

    in reply to: screws #16754
    norman
    Participant

    From memory (but it was over 40 years ago) the panels were attached with No 6 screws, I’m not sure whether they were 3/4 or 1″ long.

    Regards

    Norman

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by norman.
    in reply to: Buying advice. #16667
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Tony,

    Two answers: 1, excellent choice for your intended use.  2, depends on how the boat has been stored. Starting from the stem, the mast foot area can soften and is subjected to stress from rig tension, there is a recommended modification to overcome this.  Sometimes there are problems around the bottom of the centreboard case, perhaps less easy to rectify.  Sometimes boats are left with the transom sitting on soil or with water inside, so rot can occur around the hull/transom junction.

    I’m sure Oliver, who is the chief guru, will also give you his ideas.

    Good luck with the examination, if the boat is currently being raced, I would hope all should be OK.

    Regards, Norman

    in reply to: Don Marine Rudder Stock #16362
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Les,

    My distant recollection of what I thought was a Don Marine cast rudder stock is that there were no lines.  The blade was held down by a spring-loaded plastic roller which engaged a cut-out somewhere in the upper part of the blade.  I borrowed one at Campbeltown many years ago.  Unfortunately, on a high speed plane it tripped and bent the stock so I have no experience of the uphaul arrangement!

    Norman

    in reply to: Rigging question #16257
    norman
    Participant

    I’m sure that one of the vintage enthusiasts will have appropriate photos but yes, the cleats may be secured on the sides of the centreboard case, I’m not sure if there is any particular convention as to which goes where.  Before the days of highfield levers and other tensioning machines, one approach for the jib was to attach a toothed rack between the mast sheave and the cleat perpendicular to the run of halyard and to apply exta tension by displacing the halyard out of line after getting the maximum initial tension direct on to the cleat.

    Enjoy,

    Norman

    in reply to: Tiller question #15880
    norman
    Participant

    Sorry, careless proof-reading, it should read”split pin”

    Norman

    in reply to: Tiller question #15879
    norman
    Participant

    Hi Nick,

    On tillers of the period the holes in tiller and stock were for a stainless split, usually attached to the stock with a short retaining cord.  The poor fit suggests that the stock and tiller were not originally paired and could have been mixed if the boat was one of several in a fleet or a replacement had been acquired.  The answer is to carefully reduce the tiller end to give a tight fit with suitable clearance above the stern deck (remove some material from the back of the lower edge of the tiller,  and slightly increase the insertion depth so the holes line up.

    Norman

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 68 total)