Intro and some questions

khofmann · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:05 am Post subject: Intro and some questions

Hi folks, I just became a "Dory"ito with the acquistion of a 1985 22"Angler. I intend to operate in Puget sound/San Jaun De Fuca straits from Port Angeles. I have a couple of questions for the group.
1. Is there any vendor that specializes in C Dory specialty items?
2. I "think" I want windshield wipers. Any thoughts about the value of having them? Powered or manual prefrences? Sources?
3. Best place to mount a thru hull transducer?
4. Best place to mount a bilge pump?

Any and all comments appreciated.

flagold · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:48 am Post subject:

Welcome. Can't answer the rest of the questions since our hulls are a little different, but wipers are a must have for me. If you're running quarter into waves, they'll give your windshield a light mist every time. I have powered wipers, thusfar they've been reliable (3 years).

katkt · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:58 am Post subject:

Welcome
Power wipers, yes. Specialty items? Do you mean like Nike sneakers or Abrcrombie and Fitch(spl???) for your new boat. Smile

Sawdust · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:16 am Post subject:

Wipers? In Port Angeles? Whew. Gotta have 'em. Born and raised there, fish there, buy my raincoats there.

Brand is important with P. A. wipers, cuz they get lots of use Laughing

.

If you will send me a pm with your email I'll be happy to give you what little I know - after five C D's.

Welcome aboard,

Dusty

Captains Cat · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:24 am Post subject:

It doesn't take special stuff for the C-Dory. The factory buys stuff just like we do (although since they probably buy in bulk, a lot cheaper) and uses it. You can always ask them what they are currently installing, they might even be willing to sell you directly what they have. As for the bilge pump, for a long time, they used the Rule 1100 with an automatic switch built in. That's what I have. In the automatic position, it comes on every 2-3 minutes and if it doesn't find water, it shuts down. In the manual position, it stays on. I leave mine on, it can run a whole season without running a battery down. Find out where the water pools in your cockpit and mount it there. My boat has a little well on the centerline at the transom where mine is installed. The overboard is high above the waterline on the starboard side of the transom.

As for the wipers, I've got the manual ones. Electric ones can be had from West Marine (Boat US) and many other places. There are some pictures in the photo albums that show them, you'll have to hunt, much faster if you have a broadband connection. When you get them, I'd recommend the pantograph type of blade, it's a mechanism that keeps the blade perpendicular to the cabin top and sweeps much more of the glass.

I think your hull model is very flat at the stern, much flatter than my '94. Anywhere aft is a good spot for a transducer but if I were you, I'd not use a thru hull but a transom mounted one. Lots of info on the threads here about that too. Easy to make a bracket with starboard (plastic lumber) and glue/screw it to the transom. Some transducers have a built in mounting system, mine does. I just have an aversion to drilling through the hull, especially with a balsa core. If you do it, be very careful to seal the hole well so you don't get any water intrusion. Even if you mount it externally on the transom, be sure to use a lot of 3M 4200 or 5200 in the holes to seal it tightly.

Welcome to the fold, I think you'll find us a friendly and informative bunch, willing to help all we can...l Laughing

Charlie

colobear · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:49 am Post subject:

Welcome. Congratulations on the Angler. Along with everybody else I say a definite yes on wipers but in addition you might want to put a secondary intermittent switch for the port wiper over on that side of the bulkhead. That way, whoever is over there can control their wiper. I just had Les at EQ put one in on C-Cakes to cut down on the "Dear would you do my wiper?" queries. I am too new to C-Dory's to know your layout but I have two Rule 1100 bilge pumps, one between the fuel tanks at the rear of the cockpit and the second in a fiberglass "bucket" on the cabin side of the bulkhead dividing the cockpit from the cabin. There is a narrow slot under that bulkhead allowing water into that "bucket". I would avoid thru hulls if possible, just another hole in the hull that could fail at an embarassing time.

DaveS · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Intro and some questions

therrick · Guest

khofmann,

About an hour ago, my wife and I put the 'for sale' sign out in front of our home here in Kentucky. Our destination is Port Angeles as soon as it sells. I recently acquired a 1984 Classic/Angler that needs a bit of work to operate in those waters. Other than a little boat work in Annapolis in the mid-70s, I'm a real novice on the water.

I don't know which wipers would be best, but they are on my list as well. My transducer is mounted outside on the transom and I like it there, so I'm no help on a thru-hull model. In regard to the bilge pump, I like the approach taken by Greg on Redfox. He relieved the cockpit floor under the motor well and created a low spot for water to pool, then mounted his bilge pumps there. Here's a link to one of his Web sites showing that approach

http://groups.msn.com/C-DoryRedFox/bilgepump.msnw

I need more experience with the boat before I take on that project, but it looks promising to me.

Can't wait to get out of this part of the world and out to where I can breathe again.

Tom Herrick

flagold · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:37 pm Post subject:

I did the same thing (my boat has a small pocket where the plug is) using one 1200gph Atwater float switch pump (all in one unit) wired to both batteries (it doesn't draw unless running), and routed my discharge hose completely overboard. 20 gpm X 8 = 160 lbs being removed if pooped so I'm thinking of installing another. That one pump did keep my cabin dry while I rode out the last hurricane and water was coming into the cockpit so fast it looked like people were pouring buckets into it (overcame the drain completely and the 1100 Rule wouldn't have cycled near fast enough to handle it) so the installation already paid off.

Captains Cat · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject:

Quote: "the 1100 Rule wouldn't have cycled near fast enough to handle it"

Not sure how your Rule works Flagold but if it's like mine, it only cycles to check if there's water. If it finds it, it will pump until it runs out of water. That should be enough to handle all but a major leak which, if you have one of those, it's time to put on the life jacket and push the distress button on the VHF. Shocked

Charlie

flagold · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject:

Works the same way. It would have pumped the little pocket, shut off, and I've had been flooded in the time it took to look for water and turn on again. The 1200 ran steady at one point.

The cuttout that everyone loaths will empty enough water to give a high gpm pump a chance to empty the cockpit and prevent another wave aboard if you have the pump and it will stay on (ie a normal float switch pump). No life jackets for me, I'll keep mine floating . . . (it has flotation).

khofmann · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:11 pm Post subject: Thanks for all the feedback.

Lot's of good info there. You guys are great. I am looking foward to getting on the water with this boat and looking foward to customizing to my tastes.

Thanks again
Ken

gljjr · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject:

Ken,

Congrats on the "New" boat!

FYI: It if were me, I would mount the wiper motor above the windsheild if possible. That way you will have less of a problem if you decide to put a compass on the dash. Of course that means that you will need a way to hide the wires but overall I think it is a much better way to install the wipers.

I've actually been toying with the idea of seeing about making a retrofit windsheild washer system too. When ever I head out fishing I invaiably get a small amount of spray on the windsheild that just isn't enough to worry about. After 4 or 5 times of this you end up trying to "clean" it off with the wipers and then you end up with a badly streaked windshield. Having something to rinse the windsheild with would be really nice at that point!

As to the Thru Hull VS Transom Mount. I can see benefits both ways. Personally I hate Transom Mounts as they are constantly getting bumped and tipped out of the way. FYI: Your hull MIGHT be old enough that it has a plywood core instead of Balsa. If that is the case it should be pretty straight forward to install the thru-hull. As to where? I haven't a clue. I'll be trying to find that out in a few weeks myself if I go that way. I'll need to do it before putting the engine back in!

rogerbum · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:40 pm Post subject:

My sounder is through hull - centered about 3-4" in front of the plug.

khofmann · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:05 am Post subject: Thru-hull transducer

Rogerbum: how did you protect the transducer top and wire from being stepped on?

GLJJR: Both of your suggestions make real sense. My last boat had the wiper motor a good distance from the compass and presented no issues so I had not even considered the possibility of interference. It may be easier to relocate the compass. I will look at both options. Windshield washer is easy enough.