Crowther 33 Buccaneer

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Tom Mark Page, Jun 9, 2021.

  1. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    bruceb Senior Member

    That is a pretty nice looking 33, too bad it has rot. It looks to be built with oval cross beams joined near the hull. I would just slice them at the joint with a thin blade saw, then drill out and remove the wooden plug that joined them. Try and save the waterstays complete, they would be harder to source. The beams inside the hull are probably ok , if necessary to remove them they are cross bolted to the boat inner structure. PITA but Bucs are simple boats and can be rebuilt. When you can inspect the boat take plenty of detail photos of any damage you can see. I have quite a few extra sails and some extra used Buc parts if you get to that point.
    B
     
  2. Neil C Kahn
    Joined: Jul 2021
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    Location: Costa Rica

    Neil C Kahn New Member

    Hello Bruce, What do you mean by joined at the hull. Is there a visible joint and just a block of wood inside? I'm still not sure if I am going forward with this project. Currently lacking spousal support. We work in tourism and it has been a long slow year and half down here in CR. Is there any way we can speak. my email is nnnkahn@gm--l.c-m maybe through there we can share phone numbers or whatsapp. I can call USA numbers. if you are willing to have a chat.
    How many people could one comfortable put on this boat. I have a Searunner 25 and have opened the cockpit to the max and comfortably carry 6. Also, it took me a while to design them but I figured out how to put bow nets on the searunner and I'm sure it would work on the buccaneer. Anyway, my mind is having a tough time not thinking about this boat. I know I could fix her and she is about as close to a fantasy boat as I'll ever get. Big enough to actually go somewhere if I ever get the chance and small enough to park it at the house if I'd be gone for many months. and Fast. Enough cabin to hide from a storm. Multiday sailing lessons etc etc. Sailing here is beautiful. check out our site www.kayakjaco.com
    I'm rambling on. Waiting on back tax info to determine actual purchase cost. A Costa Rican thing, The owner has a large list of sails and goodies for more money. as to be expected. I don't understand when he described that the board just floats up in the trunk. Anyway, its a full day to go see it. But I'll get there soon. Can I post a video here. I'll try. I can't figure it out. I can send some videos of some folks who took a look via whatsapp. The interior looked not very moldy, It looked clean. The amas have some issues but thats not that big a deal.
     
  3. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    Location: atlanta,ga

    bruceb Senior Member

    Neil, Lots of questions, I will try on some of them here, and also get in touch with your email.
    The beams are joined a few inches out from the main hull, you can see the thru bolts near the main hull. If original, yes, there are well fitted wooden plugs inside the beams, and they are probably well stuck. The beams are mostly in compression so the wood only keeps the inner ends lined up.
    My boat easily carries 6-8 people for day sailing and can be set up with 4-5 bunks with a decent galley and a enclosed head forward, the access to the head is tight for anyone not skinny and fit. The 33's are certainly seaworthy boats for their size, but loading has to be limited for offshore. They could be fitted with bow nets but you cannot carry much load forward, the 33 is fine forward and fairly light. I have light weight nets forward to catch sails and I carry water toys and sometimes a light inflatable there but not crew. Weight needs to be kept in the middle. The main nets are large enough for a two man camping tent to fit well and are a great place to sleep in warm weather. I also rig a bimini over at least one side net in the summer as well as one over the cockpit. The dagger boards are usually built to float and might need something to hold them down, I use a shovel handle with a pin at deck level- it works fine.
    Rot in the floats is common and not too hard to fix if they are not too far gone, The floats weigh about 400 lbs and can be dropped for repair and transport with the boat's own equipment, problems in the main hull are more serious, and if very extensive the boat should probably be avoided.
    B
     
  4. Neil C Kahn
    Joined: Jul 2021
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    Location: Costa Rica

    Neil C Kahn New Member

    Thanks for the intel, hopefully I can go see the boat later this week. I've arranged a place to haul the boat and get it off the beach without taking it apart, at least immediately. That spot is about 250 yards from my business. So it is relatively convenient. She is currently 150 miles away and would need some emergency TLC to make her seaworthy enough for the trip. Which would entail exposed Pacific Ocean coastline and crossing a 30 mile wide gulf. The whole thing just sounds like fun.
     
  5. Sand crab
    Joined: Feb 2011
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    Location: Montana

    Sand crab Junior Member

    Tom, I had a Buc in the PNW but with wood/glass beams. FWIW there were quite a few built that way. That boat was a good one with no rot or soft spots and dry dry dry bilges. I only had her up to 15.5 Knots but I'm a puss. The current owner broke his leg and said he might be selling it but that was in May. He was also going to haul her out in Port Townsend, Wa for a bottom job, etc which is where he lives. We haven't talked since then. I can check with him if you like.
    Bobber
     
  6. Dambo
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    Location: Auckland, New Zealand

    Dambo Junior Member

    Opening an old thread - sorry.

    For my sins, I have purchased one of the Akl/NZ Buc's as a project - I've had other projects over the years so this doesn't scare me.

    However I need some info from other Buc owners:
    Is the little wing deck able to support the boat?

    I'm looking at hauling the boat out asap to get on with the jobs and run into issues finding a yard with the machinery. I want to demount and replace the beams. There is a cradle that is only 2240mm (inner) wide, so it would be either side the main hull, but would be lifting the boat under the wing deck as opposed to under the beams, and the main hull is not supported/sitting on anything.

    The alternative appears to be craning it out and sitting it down on blocks supporting the main hull with struts under the wings.

    Does anyone have an answer?
     
  7. redreuben
    Joined: Jan 2009
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    Location: South Lake Western Australia

    redreuben redreuben

    Bruceb is your man. See above posts.
     
  8. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    Location: atlanta,ga

    bruceb Senior Member

    Dambo, the wing decks will not support the boat if they are built as usual, but the crossbeam stubs will. I am assuming your Buc is built with removable outer beams. I am kind of busy this week but I will try to check back and help you if i can. My 33 is out of the water right now for a bottom job and some other repairs, including replacing part of the port wing deck. I support mine while it is on the trailer with the beam stubs.
    Bruce
     
  9. Dambo
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    Location: Auckland, New Zealand

    Dambo Junior Member

    Thanks for getting back to me Bruce. By beam stubs, do you mean the water stay stubs? The mounting points of the water stays? Perhaps you could post a picture.
    I appreciate the your time.
     
  10. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    bruceb Senior Member

    Dambo, not the waterstay stubs, on most 33's, the crossbeams have a stub that sticks out from the main cabin about the same distance as the side decks. The beam stubs can support the total weight of the boat. I took some photos of mine over the weekend and I will try to post a couple tomorrow.
    B
     
  11. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    bruceb Senior Member

    20220521_143530.jpg My 33 on its trailer. The four screw posts can support the boat completely, the two chain slings can also support it, for actual travel I would block up from underneath also, but I keep it clear for painting like I am doing now. The straps are important to stabilize it.
    If you have any other questions just ask.
     

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  12. Dambo
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    Location: Auckland, New Zealand

    Dambo Junior Member

    Thank you Bruceb you've answered that for me well - I was calling the stubs the wingdeck, but of course there's the extra wee deck that is definitely not structural.
    Okay, so I can haul out on the narrower cradle I think. Which is great, because I need to replace the beams.
    Speaking of: my beams are straight through, 7m long sections. I'm considering modifying the boat to make these socketed/4x 2.5m beams instead - mostly because nobody sells the old 6"x8" section here anymore. I've read various threads about socketed beams or two sections coming into a plug. What is the arrangement in your boat?
     
  13. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    bruceb Senior Member

    If you blow up the photo, I think you can see my solution. My beams were three piece, joined just past the wing decks. The inner crossbeam was still good, but my outer beams were badly corroded where the float saddles were in contact, I think the movement there combined with the saltwater soaked wooden saddles destroyed the beams. I could put my hand through them in several places. The oval tubes are not available here either- I am pretty sure they were custom rolled from seven inch tubing on mine, some people used mast sections. I used 6" x 1/4" pipe and pressed the inner ends to a size that would insert into the inner beams, then I used thick wall aluminum pipe to pin the beams together. Sort of questionable on the spot engineering but they are holding up well. I am on a fresh water lake so they don't get quite the abuse you would in ocean waves, but we do have wind and waves and I have raced it pretty hard. I am comfortable with my system. I do have 45 degree dyneema lines that help brace my floats from fore and aft loads. I would add them to any tri, they really help keep the rig tight too. The original beams used a short wooden plug to join the beam sections, I think my solution is at least as strong. the beams "should" just be in compression. Buc 33 are quite strong.
    Not that you need to find more issues, but when you have cut your crossbeams off, look for corrosion damage right where the beams pass into the main hull. It is another area that can have damage from salt and wood contact. It will show up as pinholes around the beam. If it were me doing yours, I would start by only cutting off enough of your outer beams to get past the damage and them decide how much to replace. A 4' or 5' piece on each beam end might be all that is necessary. Are your water stays in good shape? If not, it might be a nice time to increase the beam some, a couple of feet more is a nice modification.
    Good luck
    Bruce
     
  14. Dambo
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    Location: Auckland, New Zealand

    Dambo Junior Member

    Ah, I was looking at your arrangement and trying to work it out. My beams aren't corroded to the point of being able to push through them, however they have actually developed holes. Unfortunately the corrosion is right where the beams go into the stubs/hull.
    The water stays look about as rusty as yours :D
    Thank you again, this is all very helpful.
     

  15. bruceb
    Joined: Nov 2008
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    Location: atlanta,ga

    bruceb Senior Member

    Dambo, sorry about the damage, that was the area that I was describing. The retained saltwater in the wood in the cabin side has done the damage. Aluminum is fine when it is exposed to air and water but when there is a wet area that does not dry out, combined with the slight movement of the beam, the results are bad. Mine had slight damage there, but it started life in fresh water on Lake Ontario so it had not been exposed as long. I have tried to wrap all parts the the beams and water stays with isolation tape where ever there is contact between alloy and wood or stainless. Time will tell if I have improved the lifespan of the beams.
    IMO, on yours, I think I would just treat the damaged beam area at the cabin side as the joint, cut them there and install a wood or metal splice plug and put it back together. It should be just as strong as the original design. I also recently rebuilt a Dragonfly 800 (25' ) tri and I have done something similar with an smaller diameter mast section through the old crossbeam with the outer beams slid onto it. It is working well. Don't be afraid to get creative.
    Of course, we both could replace our beams with wood, fiberglass or carbon fiber beams, but it would be very expensive and would require a lot more time and effort. I would prefer to be out sailing.
    Bruce
     
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