Spring 2024… what’s everyone doing?

[Frank]

So many members, so few posts...

What's everyone doing?

Spring boat projects?
Cruise plans?
Boat shopping?
New gear?

Don't ge afraid to share...... ad a picture too...

You won't turn to stone 🤣

[wolverine]

Boat Projects: currently refinishing all the exterior and interior teak on our Compac 19. Sail loft called today and the new sails are in, will pick them up tomorrow. After traying out the new sails, all the deck hardware will be removed for re-bedding then the hull prepped for paint. 

Cruise Plans: 1st overnight cruise May 3-5. May 16-19 Florida 120. June 17-20 sail to Ocracoke. June 24-28 Carlyle Lake Rendezvous in southern IL. August 12-16 Apostle Island cruise.

Boat Shopping: constantly.

New Gear: Depth meter, Stack-pack, running rigging, O/B carburetor, 12V fridge, solar panel and controller, deep cycle battery.

[Frank]

Awesome 👍
You've been busy and will be busy!
Nice improvements and great plans.
Take full as of trailersailing !
Enjoy yourself!

[s/v necessity]

Boat shopping with the intent to get out on the great lakes for 4+ weeks this summer.  (Kids are growing up fast, and this summer might be my last chance to get out and spend that much time with them)

[CapnK]

(Kids are growing up fast, and this summer might be my last chance to get out and spend that much time with them)

That's a huge priority! I don't have my own (other than Barque) but watching nieces and nephews, wow how fast they grow in the flying time!!! :)

[Bubba the Pirate]

Sometime before hurricane season, I'm going to head back to the Carolinas from Stuart, FL. The plan is to make it in a few jumps offshore.

Last year, I only made it as far north as Washington, NC. I'd like to get farther this summer but Washington is a good base too.

Pic of the neighborhood at Pendarvis Cove

[CapnK]

Sometime before hurricane season, I'm going to head back to the Carolinas from Stuart, FL. The plan is to make it in a few jumps offshore. <snip>

Holler at me if'n you will be stopping by G-town! :)

[s/v necessity]

So I did score me a budget boat last friday (C&C 27).  Got her launched and the mast stepped by saturday, and picked up the sails from the owner on sunday.  Headed back up tomorrow to start shaking her down.  Boats name is Nessie, so that kinda clinched it for my wife (project boat is named Necessity)

Hopefully I'll have some updates to post here in the coming weeks.  She needs a few things for sure... (like she aint got a single functioning bilge pump... gonna fix that asap.)

[Frank]

Congrats!
I'm assuming the original C&C27? (not the mid 80s lighter version)
First boat I ever sailed on was a 1976 - 27
Crewed with a buddy in 1977-78... they are extremely good sailing boats! Weatherly and reasonable stiff as well.
You'll love it!
Pictures when ya can.
👍👍

[s/v necessity]

Yes, this is a mk3 (1977).  We are thick in sussing things out and shaking her down.  Dont think the alternator works (like it's definitly not putting out!)...  So I pulled it thinking it would be best to have it tested, turns out nobody in the area can test it.  It's too old for their new fangled testing equipment.  So I've just woke up on the boat and after I locate some coffee, I'll be reinstalling the alternator and testing her more thouroughly.  I'm guessing I'll have to order a new one, and perhaps a different size belt and another tensioner bracket (Atomic 4), got some sussing to do.  And it takes a few days longer for things to arrive here (Apostle islands area) than I'm used to...

Todays list of stuff to do is: Install Alternator and likely order a new one.  Tension rig.  Try and figure out what this rats nest of bungie cords and poop is on the side of my mast... (lazy jacks?  Dont know anything about them.)  Finish installing a bilge pump (OMG and I thought I would just run these wires and hose, by poking and shoving them aft...  It's really turning into a not so fun job)

[Norman]

Since you seem to have an alternator problem, a good time to radically upgrade the capacity to 100 amps, plus, depending on what is a close mechanical fit.
Running the Atomic 4 to bring the battery back up will take half as long with a twice as large alternator, but the loss when simply running it is not noticeable.

Modern expectation of power use is much higher than when your boat was built, and before you spend money on the existing alternator is the time to make the decision.  More modern alternators have much superior voltage regulation as well.  Finding a replacement if a failure occurs in an out of the way place will be much easier for a modern unit.

First look, that is a fine boat, and I hope you have many hours and days on her cruising.

[Frank]

Have you sailed her yet?
They are awesome sailing boats!

[s/v necessity]

We had several short outings in light air (where we only sailed for a few minutes with one sail) and a couple days of motoring in no air.

Yesterday I left out expecting no air yet again.  Flags were just moving.  Marina gauge indicated 4 kts. Guy at the marina said it was supposed to keep dying down. I had a bunch to do but wanted to get out of the marina.  So I decided it would be motoring out to an island.  Another boat comes in as I'm headed out, complaining about the lack of wind.

I haven't run reef lines in the main yet. Nor installed the battens. The boat is an absolute mess topsides and down below.

So I get just outside the breakwater and kill the engine and raise the main.  She's sailing pretty well!  I'm really impressed (4kts over smooth water). Clearly I won't need to motor. 

I'm having fun but thinking she isn't pointing too great.  Perhaps she needs a headsail?  So I unfurl the Genoa.  Now both sails are making one heck of a racket.  And I haven't sailed in 10 years, so I'm fixated on trying to make adjustments to quiet them down.  I'm not really looking at the big picture.

Next thing you know I'm rail down in the water and confused as heck.  And then the boat starts to go. (And all that stuff down below?  You know like the 25# anchor sitting on the settee?  Guess how that worked out...)

So I'm literally just holding on for dear life for what seems like minutes.

Eventually I got the Genoa furled back in.  Got things sorted out.  And then let out about 4' of the Genoa.  The wind reduced down to 15 kts and I sailed for many hours.  So I got to test her out in wind from 2-20 yesterday and she seemed to do fine in all of them.  She scooted right into the Anchorage over glass smooth water making just over 2.5 kts

Without a doubt the best sailing boat I've ever sailed (that's a short list though!)

I'm currently at anchor. Just about to get started on some work.

[s/v necessity]

Norman,
   I found a loose wire on what I'm assuming is an external voltage regulator, and that seems to have fixed the immediate issue.  But for the reasons you have mentioned I will be upgrading before next season.  Thanks for the excellent advice.