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Viewing 15 posts - 46 through 60 (of 75 total)
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  • 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.

    in reply to: Foresail fairlead location #12399
    steve13003
    Participant

    Jonathan,

    The rule is as it says that the foresail fairleads MUST be fitted on the side deck, if as with modern boats and conversions applied to older boats the fairleads or the first turning block is under the side deck it still complies with the rule to be fitted on the side deck.  The jamb cleats may overhang the inside of the side deck and if fitting under deck sheeting the cleats are sometimes fitted to the thwarts.  Fitting the fairleads on the thwarts may be ok for Wayfarers and other boats that do not have overlapping foresails as these can be sheeted inside the shrouds but the overlapping genoa used on the GP14 needs to be sheeted outside of the shrouds.  If you are using a midi genoa or one of the original jibs thes can be sheeted inside the shrouds and you would need to fit a second inboard track for your fairleads if you want the option to use either type of foresail, or you could just fit a track as close to the inboard edge of the deck as is possible.

    One other point to note is that it is essential that the foresail tracks are bolted through the decks with a piece of wood under the deck to spread the loads.

    Steve

     

    in reply to: 13462 restoration #12282
    steve13003
    Participant

    Sven,

    i will try to give you some answers based on my own experiences of many years maintaining various Series 1 GPs.  I am presuming that with hull number 13462 yours is a Series 2 hull with built in underfloor and side tank buoyancy.  Duffin boats normally have a white or very pale stip inside the outer gunwale of mahogany, this pale wood is usually obeche, if you can’t get obeche any other straight grained softwood can be used.  Make sure you seal all old bare areas and all new wood with epoxy as you rebuild to make sure your new work is durable.

    Fitting through deck sheeting can be done, much easier if you have the decks off and are replacing the ply.  You will need to fix a track with a block set vertically under the slot that you will cut in the deck.  The slot normally runs along the line of the old track but is much shorter than most tracks.  You then will need one or two turning blocks and a mounting for the jamb cleat at a suitable position.  The best way to plan is to go to your local GP club and look at the arrangements on some newer boats, there are several arrangements.  I have done the job on a Series 1 boat and have some pictures showing how I went about the project, I can send these if you email me scorbet@btintetnet.com

    Steve

Viewing 15 posts - 46 through 60 (of 75 total)