Orakei
Registered: 30/08/09
Posts: 3
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Reply with quote | #1 |
After at least 5 years in the drive at home undergoing various refurbishment (hampered by the arrival of 2 children, 3 job changes and a distinct cash flow problem for a while), Orakei is now afloat and happy on the sea. I've not had the sails up yet but I'm looking forward to doing so next week or the week after. She's a Halcyon 23 of 1969 vintage.
High points of restoration included total renewal of the woodwork lining the port side of the main cabin. Also, I was stunned when the 1964-vintage (apparently; I am suspicious of this estimate, as this is older than the boat itself) Yanmar NTS-70R engine chugged into life with its liberal dosage of easy-start and acrobatic decompression-lever lifting.
To those who do this regularly the bits that were most scary will appear mundane but launching, and raising the mast, were easily the most stressful. With about 2'10" of falling tide left to launch on (coincidence that this is the reported draught, eh?), she was still half-stuck on the trailer. "She's gotta go, boys, this is the point of no return". She went.
The mast was raised in the dark with a wind blowing it sideways. Two brave hearties supported it sideways while another hauled on the foresail halyard. I attached the stays as she went up. All's well that ends well.
Lying on a mud berth, she heels alarmingly when the tide goes out. Must do something about that (like put her somewhere else).
I look forward to sailing her at last after all this time. The home driveway seems empty without her, but my wife tells me that's a Good Thing.
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sawdoc
Registered: 26/11/08
Posts: 19
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Reply with quote | #2 |
keep an eye on the alarming heel especially under all wind conditions. If there is a significant slope on the seabed, you could end up with a very wet boat under particular conditions. Have you the weight distributed fairly evenly internally? Ideally she should sit fairly level. |
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Orakei
Registered: 30/08/09
Posts: 3
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Thanks for the advice. I'll be moving her next weekend to a more level location. Where she is, it seems that dependent on the wind direction when the tide goes out, she can sit fairly level or she can bury one of the bilge plates in the mud and settle on the hull on that side, which is awfully uncomfortable not to mention disconcerting, for those aboard. It must be putting a nasty shear on the keel bolts when that happens too, which I'm not happy about.
The most alarming thing is that there is always a large amount of fresh water accumulating inside when she's left for a week. It must be rainwater and I think this is why it's happening: I can't leave the rudder attached as it would foul the aft mooring line, so there's always an aspect of nose-up when she settles. This means that water in the cockpit goes aft. As the aft locker lid doesn't seal properly, said water ends up in the bilge. Additionally, the cockpit drain seems to get airlocked and doesn't work properly so water in the cockpit footwell seeps through the poor seal (and the gear lever hole) in the cockpit floor. I'm still working on fixing this - does anyone else with a H23 have problems with the cockpit drain, and any advice on making it work?
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lythambelle
Registered: 07/09/09
Posts: 8
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Reply with quote | #4 |
Don't know about H23, however I have a similar problem with my H27. Rain water collects at rear of cockpit sole and drips through the "seal" of the cockpit floor.
I just don't seem to be able to get this sealed properly and a fair amount of water comes in when heeled over whilst sailing, due to cockpit drain being at sea level it never seems to drain there's always a pool at the rear of the cockpit sole and this also passes through floor into bilge.
The bilge pump sorts it but i'm not happy about it, can't glass the floor in because you need access to engine and stern gland.
How do people get a satisfacory seal on the cockpit floor?
Mud:
When I first brought her to her new berth, also mud, there was quite a slope. Moored bow on to pontoon with stern to a boy in mid channel of a creek, Tied rudder amidships however this was moved as she slid back as tide went out eventually all the weight of the boat was put on rudder/tiller breaking the tiller.
Had awful problems for a few weeks until she settled in properly and dug herself a hole. |
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