35' Steel "Colin Childs" refit

This is my project "Contingent Sea". She is 35' hard (single!) chine cutter built in 78' in New Zealand by "Faulkner & Co" and designed by one Colin Childs. She has done at least one circumnavigation (then "Solmar") under captain "Jao Mendez" in around '84.

This at least what I could piece together from the papers left on the boat

I hope - if you will permit - over the next few years of her re-fit to photograph and post every repair and alteration, design and solution. I have no formal N Arch training but a fair idea and a stack of books. I have decided not to commission a designer, after all this is a learning project for me so if anyone has a comment or suggestion I hope you will voice it

 

photo?

and for the life of me I cannot get my own attachments to work, can anyone see my photos?

 

The Plan

Basically I would like to enclose the cockpit and add a bowsprit. I want to add timber as accent points such as hatches, rubbing strakes etc and to get a retro look overall.

My reasons for enclosing the cockpit are:
I dont fancy being in the middle of the ocean on a cold night in bad weather in the open
I want all my instruments and controls next to me and a comfortable bunk behind me

My plan is to enclose the cockpit entirely with access from hatches Port & Stbd. Headroom will be seated only (sardine?) with a hatch over the wheel for standing observation. The main sheet track will be on the roof and aft will be a tall pushpit/davit for all my electronics and to ship the dingy for securing also on the roof.

My compromise is I have lost any swimladder/acces at the transom and I am adding a fair weight high and aft on relatively fine stern

The bowsprit is mainly for looks but also to draw the jib forward of the staysail to allow it to tack easier, but also weight high and forward.

I am worried about weight but she does displace over 10 Ton

 

Cleats n fairleads

She had around 8 deck cleats made from what looked like reinforcing rod, I plan to reduce this to two forward, two heavy bitts aft and mayby two amidships

I have put together a prototype cleat and fairlead - again trying to get the retro look, the cleat is around 300mm long

 

Sprit

I want a traditional looking bowsprit, but I also want a bowroller that the CQR will stow securely on. I have seen designs achieve this by creating a short flat sprit with the roller centrally situated. But I wanted the spar itself prominent so what I am trying is to raise the spar on a central vertical steel stem with multiple rollers either side. The anchor would foul a bobstay so I am using two (whisker?) stays (shrouds?) either side from just above the waterline to get the triangulation. Stainless clamps allow the spar to be adjusted into the stays and avoid rigging screws.

The spar is 80mm diam, the stem is of 8mm steel. The central roller shaft is 32mm diam and the other two 18mm

Talk to me guys, I am either doing everything right or I am past redemption

 

Bein a sailor myself, single hander, I follow your thoughts about the protection of a doghouse.
The way you want to do it however, won't work in the long run. But, that sort of things you have to find out by yourself.
One of the major advantages of a sailing boat is the freedom you experience; the fresh air, the open sea, the contact with your environment. The half-open dog house is ideal for protecting your instruments and to keep your head dry on a rainy day (or night) when you ly in you sleeping bag stretched out on the settee of the cockpit.
I like to adjust the sails, to look every 15 minutes to the horizon in a 360 deg
circle and watching the wind and waves.
If you are closing yourself up completely, like being in a submarine, with only a hatch to get fresh air in, what's the use of sailing? Try to sail first, then bit by bit you feel the shortcomings of your boat - if any. Then correct them.
Start with the interior, electricity and plumbing. Simplify things instead of making them more complex.
Go back to the basic things - read Tristan Jones books, the Windwards Sailor of all times!

 

thanks D'Artois - your comments are much appreciated

 

Power?

This is the existing powerplant, a 1958 Standard Diesel 23C rated at 37Hp.

This motor was notoriously hard to start, weighs a whopping 300+ kgs and I will be lucky to get 33Hp at the prop, well under 4Hp per Ton.

However ... this motor was in the little Grey Fergusson tractor that colonised most of the world, spares are not only available but the cheapest I have ever seen. I have a detailed workshop manual and much of the engineering required for repair or even re-build could be done at sea. Although the Horsepower is low the torque on this motor is not. There is a mod to install glowplugs to help the starting and even the possibility of a turbo..

I think I might just keep it ..?

 

On a big boat the wheelhouse is OK to live in but in a 35 footer you should have the cockpit open with a collapsable shelter , you don't say what you intend to do with the boat?

If its local coastal Motorsailing in colder climes then your wheelhouse may work, but if you plan to sail to warmer areas then all you will be wanting is a shade awning and no walls fore aft or side.

As the correspondant Dartois said, It is not possible to sail well from a wheelhouse , it removes you from the deck and contact with the working side of things.

also in rough weather on a smaller boat in heavier weather you will fing it vastly preferable to helm out there in the elements with the wind and spume in your face, rather than going green in air conditioned comfort. In rougher weather you will find that people who are not asleep will be in the open cockpit just for the malaise reducing fresh air.

The reality of the ocean is not what many people expect and you would be well advised to grab some ocean passages before designing things yourself, Or listed avidly to the experienced ones on this forum. Above all be aware that ocean passaging is not coastal daysailing.

All the best
Jim

 

Thank you Jim - much obliged

 

Penreg

Looks like a project.

The gearbox looks like a 1:1 you will get a better result if you can find a reduction box to fit and find a matching prop. Lose the universal joints, they are a disaster waiting to happen.
The engine if it runs will be fine. Auxilliaries get little use and tend to die from causes other than wearing out. Heavy engines will generally outlast the newer lighter ones.

I am concerned that you may not have considered the stability issues with your proposed refit. You cannot just add substantial deck structures without jeardising stability and hence safety and sail performance. For every kilo you add to the deck you will probably need to add to the ballast along with the required trimmer ballast to get her back on her fore-aft lines.

If there is a local naval arch or engineer you will probably want to get them involved. Or post here and hope for some help. Best to involve the designer if he can be found.

Do you have the plans, details, particualrly displacement, ballast type, and righting moments ?

 

Thanks Mike - fair comment

What you dont know is this motor develops max torque at a stately 1600 revs. I would love to lose the universal but the shaft and motor are not in line, and cant be without substancial re-engineering of the stern tube.

Weight is my largest concern and I have a strict limit, I have already removed a fair amount with the existing (solid!) pushpit rail and unservicable wind vane self steering.

A number of very experienced voices have favoured the open or half open cockpit, but I have a unique opportunity to try something different. If I dont I will always wonder what if, as you say some things I must learn for myself. Please do not think I am ignoring your advice

These are my rough sketches, the proposed construction is 40mm thick of Japanese Cedar frame, 3mm int marine ply skin, 1,6mm aluminium ext skin with bonded polystyrene core - and some skeptical spectators

 

What happens to the igloo when it gets side swiped by a large wave breaking on your quarter ?

 

Diesel Tankage

These are the diesel tanks – I estimate around 200 ltr and 300 ltr respectively. The keel is simply enclosed and becomes the tank, I wonder if there are any new regulations on this ..?

Initially I wanted to drop in purpose made stainless tanks but now I think I am going to restore it as is. At least if you hole the keel you just lose your diesel

Cutting into them is a bit of a challenge. There is a tip in McAfee’s book to use the shop vacume on blow to vent them, in addition I rigged the garden hose to give a continuous spray into the tank and onto the cut (disk not torch)

I plan to install access hatches in both, containing feed, return, fill and pumpout hoses and sender units – Nigel Calder’s book has a good diagram

The Cr*p that came out of these tanks is indescribable – this surely must be the worst part of the refit

 

Welsh Plugs

Started re-assembling the motor.

The pinhole in this welsh plug must have caused a headache over a fair period judging by the corrosion below it. I will have to have these early plugs made - I believe the BMW motors used bronze for thier plugs?

I wonder at the logic of introducing dissimilar metals in an important component like this.