SO WHAT DID YOU DO WITH OR ON YOUR C-DORY TODAY??

Pat Anderson · Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 6:39 pm Post subject:

Well, we got Daydream washed over the last two days, and amazingly, I got the sucker backed into the garage on the first try!

Larry Patrick · Posted: Sat May 23, 2015 12:56 pm Post subject:

Installed batterys and Murphys law made it harder. These Lifeline battery positive bolt is 3/8s diameter negative is 1/4 inch,had to locate bit ,that I didn't have,go get one and drill out cable holes. Never saw a battery bolt this big.

srbaum · Posted: Sat May 23, 2015 5:20 pm Post subject: What I did with my C-Dory

Last week, I installed a Blue Sea Systems fuse block (# 5025) into the aft starboard lazarette. I glued (using 5200 polyurethane) a piece of mahogany to the inner starboard freeboard and then screwed the fuse block to it. This was installed to eliminate the inline fuses that went to the Wallas and to the forward circuit block. I also got rid of all of the cheesy ground wires that went from this point to the batteries (total of 5 small grounds wires removed) and installed number 8 battery cable (+) to the battery switch and ran number 8 battery cable (-) to the batteries. I found that the Wallas' ground wire was almost cut in half where it lay in the rear of the boat.
Just as a follow-up, I had previously installed new hatches on both lazarette hatches to eliminate water leaks in these spaces, every time it rained.

Yesterday morning I went for an overnight trip down the Dismal Swamp Canal with my grandson and had a wonderful two day adventure. This morning, with a low temp of 54 degrees, the Wallas did not let me down and the hot coffee (hot cocoa for the grandson) and breakfast made on the stovetop also was a pleasure that we both enjoyed.

localboy · Posted: Sat May 23, 2015 8:42 pm Post subject:

Installed a new starter battery and I began a good cleaning/waxing. Scrubbed down the entire cockpit followed by Collonite fiberglass cleaner and wax. Still have the entire cabin, top and hull but it's a start. Amazing how nasty the boat is after winter, even under a Sunbrella cover. Crying or Very sad

hardee · Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 2:13 pm Post subject:

This morning I finished my rear view camera for the boat, for use when trailering. I used an "EyeBall" backup camera, removed the battery and made a battery replacement wire with a Cig lighter plug in to power the camera. Now I have to either leave the power on when towing or change a cig plug to have power always (which I think I will do), and now....

I have a view of the cockpit and whatever is following in my lane, plus I can see to each side lane right up to the back of the boat. The camera hangs inside the door and looks through the window. I'm going to like towing through traffic much better now.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

hardee · Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 2:21 am Post subject:

Sometimes I procrastinate. Sorry but it's the truth. About 4 years ago, I bought a radar reflector "kit". It was the round style, 3 aluminum disks that mount together, intersecting, and then you hang it in a rain catcher angle and whalaaa, you show up better. It didn't come with the parts to keep the discs at 90 degrees and I just put it on the shelf, sort of forgotten for .... until I was looking for something else last week when it popped up. OK, so now it is finished, and will be hanging on my aft rack, under the Inflatable, and is still able to be collapsed at will, to flat, and put into a drawer for trailering.

Thanks Barry, I knew it would work -- sometime.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

rogerbum · Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 10:29 pm Post subject:

This weekend I completed the install of a new HDS7 gen 3 chart plotter. I hooked it up to our Standard Horizon 2200 AIS/GPS radio and confirmed from my driveway that I was picking up the AIS targets. I took the pressure washer to the bilge areas and got what I could reach with the high pressure stream washed up. I cleaned out the screens on the bilge pumps and confirmed both were working. Also confirmed that both fish box pumps were working. The pumped about 10 volumes of fresh water through the fresh water system to flush out the RV antifreeze so the fresh water pump is working. I ran some into the shower to flush the RV antifreeze out of the sump and confirmed that the shower sump pump is working.

I played with the new GPS and confirmed that it was seeing both the new Simrad autopilot (installed by EQ earlier in the year) and the heading sensor. I now get radar overlay.

I also made some progress on the washing/waxing project. The roof and the brow are all polished back up - started with McGuire's oxidation remover and then hit it with the fine polish. Still will add some wax on top of that. Also got the outside of the cabin on the front and the entire starboard side done. Still have the lower parts on the bow, the port side and the stern to do. I also pulled the Wallas stove out for delivery to Scan Marine tomorrow.

Joyce washed the slant back canvas and treated it with 303 fabric guard. She also washed the inside of the windows. It won't be too much longer until it's good to go for the summer.

ghone · Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 12:28 am Post subject: Visiting

While still at Newcastle the other day, Chuck and Penny on Two Bears came in. We had a fun evening on the dock visiting and decided to head into the Gulf Islands to avoid the weekend party crowd at the park. We slow cruised in company to Pirates Cove Park on De Courcey Island and enjoyed the park. They headed south the next day and we went in to Ladysmith to see the facilities for July's gathering. They are very nice with interesting history of logging and mining early days. We headed back to Nanaimo and had Nomad with Andrea and Martin join up near the harbour. Another nice evening at Newcastle Island with Bill and Dorothy of Blue Skies joining us for a while. They spotted us from thier balcony and saddled up to come visit. So nice to have friends! Nomad made a good run Monday afternoon to Comox in calming seas. We've had a great week with our mini gatherings. Next is a couple weeks north of Desolation Sound in June.

Salmon Fisher · Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 11:04 pm Post subject:

Finally got out for some spot prawns in the San Juans on Saturday with Kim. Tried on Friday, but was all 3' slop out there so nice dice.
Stayed at Cornet Bay overnight and Saturday was beautifully calm with no current, a recipe for success. Yes, finally!
Relieved that rail on 25 will handle pulling heavy pots with the Ace Line Hauler. Kim is a great skipper as I'm hauling. Gotta teach her to haul! Very Happy

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 12:31 am Post subject:

I rebuilt my Jabsco wash down pump for the umpteenth time.
The one in my boat all winter went "gunny sack" over the winter.
I had two other pumps/motors and pieces in a box of tricks. I was able to come up with another working pump for this season. The 3rd pump motor in my box of tricks works fine so probably will be able to scrounge up another for next season.

As we live in the boonies up here parts are not readily available. 40 miles of ocean water to the west and 45 miles of woods in the other 3 directions. No wash down pump stores.

Anyway.......mine works now and life is good and the salmon are running yet.

larhayden · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 2:07 am Post subject:

Over the weekend we practiced boating skills and survival drills on DoriDaze to get ready for a trip to Alaska. It was 3 to 5 ft waves in the St. Helena sound (South Carolina)

Took on a lot of water and had quite a bit in the cabin. Looks like water is running between the gelcoat (where is has delaminated) and the fiberglass--so starting to prep and paint the anchor locker and all places below decks that can be reached today. Lots more to do in the next 20 days until trip time.

rogerbum · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 9:33 am Post subject:

larhayden · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 1:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the note. Over the past year we have had fresh water in the cabin after a rain. But last weekend was the first time having salt water in the cablin---about 5 gallons every 2 hours for about a day.

We are suspecting water was coming through the windlass and into the anchor locker, which was partially blocked from draining. Water was seeping under the port bulkhead where some gel coat had peeled off and then into the cabin

It is frustrating to have all this water in the cabin, especially after making a lot of improvements to the boat. The fiberglass seems sound, so we are not sure what else is going on. I have researched this site many times to see how folks have dealt with water in the cabin. But thanks for the note. For the Alaska trip, we are going to cover the cabin floor with dri-dek to help keep our feet dry. Let me know if you have any other ideas. Thanks.

Sunbeam · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 2:30 pm Post subject:

Given your description of how the water is getting in, I would want to give the anchor locker bottom's tabbing a good look over. Where you see "peeling gelcoat," might actually be the tabbing come loose (not uncommon), which would allow anchor locker water to drain below the locker bottom into the boat.

More about tabbing:

In most fiberglass boats, when two areas are joined, tabbing is used. This is a strip of fiberglass that spans the joint between the two areas and bonds them together. Picture a piece of masking tape joining the side of a cardboard box to the bottom, only make it fiberglass wet out with resin.

Tabbing can fail, for various reasons. A spot that didn't get prepped, making it take a sharp corner (it prefers a gradual bend, for which "fillets" are often used to fill in a corner and make it more gradual), some extra stress, slightly poor fit of a panel initially, resin added to other resin after the chemical bond stage is over, but without enough sanding, etc. etc.

So, if you see something that looks like thick "tape" bonding the bottom of the anchor locker to the hull side or to the bulkhead that separates the locker from the V-berth (you'd see a slight "gap" or "slit" around 2" up from the corner), then you likely have a small failure of tabbing. It can be repaired.

There can also be a similar problem (at least on 22's) where the anchor locker drain exits the boat. On the 22 it goes through a tabbing area to do this, and sometimes there was a gap, and a resultant leak.

Of course it may be something completely different, but this is something that is not unlikely.

Another thing is that when on boats likely to take green water or heavy spray over the bow, I've always had a canvas windlass cover (Sunbrella or other fabric). This helps to keep salt/water out of the windlass, and also away from the hole where the rode goes into the boat. I also like to mount a windlass on a slight "pad" to keep it from being right at deck level, but the cover is easier to retrofit (I like both though if possible).

Jazzmanic · Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 3:06 pm Post subject:

Sunbeam,

Thanks for your thorough explanation of tabbing and fillets. I've always wondered what these terms meant. Thumbs Up

Peter