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You didn't find anything in all likelihood because your search was too precise; a more general search will give more irrelevant results but a higher potential for finding what you want – if it's there.
Search "anchor" under "Message" for the broadest results, under "Subject" for a slightly narrower focus. Since few of us (especially me) stay precisely on topic, searching "Message" will give you everything we have, at the price of having to read through a few more items that are less relevant.
There is a long discussion under "<a href="http://www.cc27association.com/f3/toast/toast.asp?sub=show&action=posts&fid=2&tid=1513">Anchor well</a>" that pops up with a search for "anchor".
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
An Association member whose work[/url] has been mentioned before on this site (Related Reading, bottom of the page), Doug Hunter, has put up a site on Georgian Bay called Sweetwater Cruising. Doug lives on the Bay and is a hard-core cruiser (and sometime dinghy racer).
For those interested in maritime history, Doug's new book, God's Mercies, concerning the mutiny of Henry Hudson's crew and the events that fell out of that act, has received a glowing review from the Toronto Globe & Mail this weekend.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
For what it's worth, I've never worried much about water in the bilge over winter. There is some draft to the bilge (it gets wider near the top), so any ice will rise as it expands, rather than muscling the glasswork aside bodily as it might if the sides were parallel. Moreover, there's not that much water in Towser's bilge to begin with, either in fall or spring.
A boat maintenance fellow I knew used to install plugs in all the boats he worked on. He tried to sell me on one, but I said no; I think the goal of a bone-dry bilge vs another hole in the bottom comes out on the fussy side. I'm sorry I can't give you a picture, but here's a page from a guy who really goes whole hog on drain plugs.
Touching on other uses of antifreeze – I read a claim by some fellow from the States that he winterized his water system with vodka (I gather you can buy really cheap vodka in the US – but maybe there should be quote marks around "vodka"?). Said it redoubled the pleasure of opening the boat in the spring. I suppose it beats the taste of that RV antifreeze – aka, pink stuff – which is incredibly persistent.
RCYC Marine Services has used RV antifreeze to winterize engines for the last ten years without problems. They're aware of the "not for engines" warning, but reason that's just to keep lawyers at bay. It doesn't degrade seals, it's cheap and it's environmentally acceptable.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Sorry -- I should have mentioned that an electric kettle (or a nearby hot water tap) is essential for fitting hose, especially when it's cold. Sanitary -- or for that matter any large diameter hose -- is a bear to bend and to fit over barbs when it's cold. With a good splash of really hot water, its manners improve immeasurably.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Noah's. Tell them the diameter of the holes.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I got advice on prop choices from the Flexofold rep in North America, who nailed both the blade size for my A4 and for the Yanmar that replaced it. However -- with the Yanmar he said "this size is my first choice, but you could also try this other size". Fortunately I took the first choice because the second choice would have hit the rudder when folding. Experiences like that -- my own and others' -- are the main reason for the listing of props and people's experiences with them.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Phone South Shore Yachts (don't e-mail) or Noah's (both on the Links and Contacts page) as both will be familiar with C&C teak rails.
Consider also moving to stainless steel rails - no more varnishing. Contact http://www.klackospars.com/ or http://www.klackomarine.ca/ .
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Ah - I mis-read the previous post. I thought you meant in the sink cabinet.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Forgive the ignorance, but does your boat not have a small locker behind the head and just below the deckhead? Or is that space occupied by the recirculating tank? My boat has the locker and I hope to mount the loop in that space.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Marine authors warn of boats sinking regularly from water entering via the head, a warning I was inclined to pooh-pooh as I've never heard of it happening. I read this fall, however, that it most often happens because weed has lodged in the head's valves, holding them open for a trickle of water to enter, etc. glug, glug. Recently, we've had more weed around our club – a lot more – to the point where my engine inlet strainer has been full at season's end, so it could happen, and it could happen to me. So I'm going to put a vented loop on my head this year. At about $27.00, it's reasonable insurance.
Now here's a gotcha - according to Jabsco (who should know), most plumbing diagrams are wrong. Putting a vented loop between the seacock and the head will make the head pump almost impossible to prime; the correct location is between the head's pump and bowl. See this diagram for the correct location. The forum where I found the link, run by Peggie Hall, who calls herself the Headmistress, went on, in part dealing with someone who objected to the appearance of plumbing appurtenances,
"This isn't only true for Jabsco toilets...the vented loop has to go in the same place on all manual toilets that are below waterline.
"The loop needs to be at least 6-8" above waterline at any angle of heel, not just when the boat is at rest.
"A toilet pulls water to the pump from the thru-hull, but it pushes water from the pump to the bowl. Vented loops have an air valve that opens to pull air into a line to break a siphon in a line through which liquid is being pulled, but doesn't let air or anything else escape through a line through which liquids are being pushed.
"So if the loop is between the thru-hull and the pump, the pump will pull air into the line through it that'll prevent the toilet from priming.
"Whether you can hide it or not shouldn't be your primary concern. It's a boat, not a condo...seacocks, y-valves and loops need to be readily accessible so they can be maintained, which you won't do if they're hidden, 'cuz out of sight almost always means "out of mind" too." [Actually, on a 27, you can tuck it away where it's not too obtrusive but still accessible.]
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Following on Scott's remarks, I Googled 'ethanol' and 'boat'. As usual, there's a fair bit of brainless rubbish being talked but I did find a page on ethanol on the Mercury Marine site. (Mercury have always set a high standard in disseminating technical information, so I'm inclined to trust it. Also, a gas engine is a gas engine, inboard or outboard, so 99% of it applies.) Since we're entering our oh-god-no-sailing & layup season, the storage section struck me particularly - http://www.mercurymarine.com/serviceandwarranty/outboardfaqs/ethanol.php#18
Briefly, Mercury recommends removing ethanol/gas mixtures for storage longer than two months (an option I would reject if I still had an A4, as few of us have pumps capable of draining a gas tank safely). The other option is to fill the tank full, so as to minimize the amount of condensation that can form, then add the standard amount of fuel stabilizer. I would also check to be sure that the o-ring on the fuel filler is in good condition (on most boats, the thing has rotted off and not been replaced).
Mercury also recommends that any boat built before the mid-eighties have its fuel line replaced as ethanol breaks down previous generations of hose rubber.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I thought about a foot pump, but couldn't figure out a type of pump and location that wouldn't cause other problems. In the end, I just replaced the Whale hand pump. Since this one actually works (the old one was a pain), I consider the problem effectively solved.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Laurent:
My water tank lost water steadily. The leak turned out to be at the point where the hose joined the bottom of the tank. It wasn't doing much more than weeping, but that was enough to make a noticable difference. I think I just put a bit of Teflon tape on it.
I was going to put an electrical pump in the head for hand-washing, but a friend advised against it. He said his friend had done it and then complained that the water tank always seemed to be empty.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Since this first post was published, we've added quite a bit more about ethanol problems. This thread is no longer simply about tanks but the entire fuel system. Ethanol-flavoured gas is spreading fast, so if you have a gas engine, you should read this thread.
This site has published a number of warning related to the steel tanks used on early 27's. Accordingly, you may be thinking of replacement, possibly with a fibreglass tank (or fiberglass as you say south of the border). Boat/US has published a page, at http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/fueltest.asp#results , that indicates that fibreglass and ethanol don't mix. The results include weakening of the tank and damage to the engine by resin that has been partly dissolved by the ethanol.
Gas/ethanol mix is still relatively rare but it could be coming your way. Read this page before changing out your steel tank.
Any 27 owner might enjoy the Seaworthy pages on this site. There's a good deal of guilty pleasure to be had from looking at the photos of other people's mishaps as well as guides to everything from rig inspection to anchoring. Look also in the Archive pages.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Later addition: I've been advised that ethanol is more common in Ontario than I supposed. Look for a discreet advisory sticker on the pump.
You don't really need a diagram - the text descriptions on the diagram do the job with equal or greater clarity. They say that the forward sling goes at the aft side of the forward hatch and the aft sling goes at the aft face of the bridge deck. However, these basic settings may be modified by the need to avoid setting the slings right at the cradle pads. For a first-time haul-out, you might want to put on temporary marks, then set the permanent marks so the slings are well clear of the pads and the prop shaft (avoiding the shaft is the greatest imperative - you can always juggle the boat a bit with respect to pads, but picking the boat up by the shaft gets expensive).
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Sorry, Gord – sloppy writing on my part. The sentence should have read "valid registration or licence documents". I was using registration in a general sense, that in this context is inappropriate. Clearly, you're not missing anything.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Thank you to all who have contributed to this page.
There is a guide to Canadian vessel registration (the equivalent of documentation in the US) and licensing at http://boating.ncf.ca/license.html . In addition to delivering an overview, it provides links to government pages that answer most practical questions.
None of this deals directly with the issue raised in my first post, the 3-year term of registration documents, but it does make the point that you must have valid registration documents or you are liable to fines in Canada, or more serious problems if you cross the border.
It would appear that vessel licences do not yet expire as registration documents do, but that it is your sole responsibility to keep your address up to date.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
If your boat is tiller-steered, the movement is probably caused by wear on the c-shaped nylon bearing surface under the tiller-head. You can buy one from South Shore Yachts or make your own from sheet nylon as I did.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Registration of a vessel in Canada (equal to documentation in the US) used to be forever. However, while there is no new fee required, your documentation expires every three years and must be renewed. This happens automatically and without payment, as long as the Department of Transport has your current address (Towser just got her renewal, which is why I raise the issue). If you don't have a renewed registration document, you don't have valid ownership documents. If you have moved since you registered your boat and did not notify the Dept. of Transport, your documentation may have expired, which could lead to problems down the road.
This may also be true for a numbered vessel, though I have no information and would welcome informed comment from anyone who has investigated this issue.
Changes in vessel documentation form part of a general tightening of vessel registration/licensing that applies on both sides of the border (some of this is an overdue response to holes in legislation that allowed stolen boats to be traded openly; part of it is probably Homeland Hysteria nonsense).
Perhaps someone south of the border could comment on changes (if any) that would affect owners in the United States? Is there a comparable issue? Is there anything new that people need to do to ensure the continuity of legal registration - numbered or documented status - of their vessels?
Thanks,
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Your boat should not smell of diesel, but your proposal is a band-aid, not a solution and a really bad band-aid at that. By putting a three-inch hole in your transom, you've just lowered your safe freeboard significantly; don't do it. Plus, bilge blowers aren't intended for extended operation - you'll go through at least one of those every season.
You've got a diesel fuel leak or leaks somewhere on the feed or return line, or on the diesel itself. This should be easy to find, despite the minuscule amount of liquid involved. First, if the engine is dirty, clean it with one of those proprietary cleaners they sell at Cdn Tire and let it dry. Run the engine for ten minutes to give the fuel a chance to leak out again. Then locate every fuel entry or return point on the engine (check your manual and don't forget the return), run your hands or a paper towel over each point and smell your hands or the towel after each. Do the same for the fuel line and any connection at the tank. When your hands come away smelly, you've got your loose connection or one of your loose connections. Keep checking until you're sure you've got the lot.
Your smelly connection may simply be loose, in which case you could simply tighten it. Better, however, is to replace the washer at the connection. This will probably be copper and it may be leaking because it has hardened. If you don't want to chase around after new washers, you can remove the offending washer and heat it to just red-hot with a propane torch, then allow it to cool slowly. This will soften the metal and restore its sealing properties.
All the above should stop new drips, but there is bound to be residue in the boat, so you should:
- give the engine area and the bilge a good scrub;
- rent a carpet steamer and clean the cushions over winter to remove absorbed smell (do the carpets while you're at it and your wife will be convinced that a boat is an excellent addition to the household). Store the cushions somewhere they can air thoroughly.
If you still want better ventilation, consider replacing one of the boat's passive vents with one of those Nicro Fico solar fan vents. They are designed for continuous operation and will keep your boat sweet.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Normally a roller-furling sail is cut a bit shorter in the luff than the length of the furler's foil - a foot or more shorter. If the upper swivel is shackled directly to the sail's head, you then have a foot or more of halyard between the swivel and the masthead sheave. It is this length of halyard that wraps itself around the foil and prevents rolling. If, however, you introduce a length of webbing between the sail's head and the swivel, the swivel can rise right to the top of the foil, leaving minimal halyard to entangle itself, so you can furl at will.
How long a strop? Go for a sail and mark the halyard for your usual least halyard tension, then your maximum halyard tension. Record the difference between these two settings. Back at the dock, unroll the sail, unshackle its tack and raise the sail as far as it will go. With a reasonable amount of tension on the luff, measure the distance between the shackle and the tack. That distance, minus the luff tension adjustment distance you measured earlier, is the length of the strop you need.
Once you have the strop (good strong webbing, from a sailmaker or canvas shop), shackle it between the head of the sail and upper swivel, re-hoist the sail and you're off.
No photo, but we change between full-hoist and roller sails every week, so if occasion presents, I'll try to take one.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
This is a two-part post. The first part is the announcement of an addition to Black Arts that talks about inexpensive hardware and its dangerous limitations. It's the product of a discussion between me and Scott Schoeler (Scot-Free), who is a marine surveyor and passionate on the subject. We hope it saves you some grief.
The second part talks about what I think are legitimate low-cost projects to create shroud rollers and a whisker pole this summer. The background is:
1. a comment by a sailmaker that any boat like the 27, with forward lower shrouds, should have rollers on these to speed tacking;
2. the desire to have a decent whisker pole for our weeknight races, which are necessarily white-sail as we are not allowed to fly chutes in Toronto harbour, a desire that is tempered by the observation that many of the people who have whisker poles don't actually use these $500 toys that much.
The search for shroud rollers came up with a zero, until I asked Nick Genco at Genco Marine. He hadn't seen rollers in ages, but after I expressed disappointment, he suddenly said, "Wait a minute," returning with a length of grey plastic electrical conduit. We quickly established that this conduit's inside diameter is the same as the inside diameter of the smallest size of shroud turnbuckle boot. Since Nick sells these separately, I was able to buy one for the top and one for the bottom for each roller. With the conduit, total cost was under $10. They're not beautiful, but I don't care - they work and the genoa now comes across much more quickly.
The whisker pole was pure serendipity. I was in a paint store and noticed a fibreglass painter's extension pole with a twist lock. Hmm - 12.5 feet long, just two feet less than a PHRF-legal whisker pole. As no one was looking, I extended it a few feet and balanced on it for a few seconds. Okay, it will hold my weight, at least briefly, and that should be more than good enough for light air, which is when you really want a whisker pole. I bought the pole and once again, Genco came through with a length of aluminum tubing whose inside diameter was appropriate for a Holt pole end fitting, and that just fitted over the end of the painter's pole. I glued the aluminum tubing to the painter's pole with epoxy and voila, I have a whisker pole. It's a foot shorter than the maximum allowable, but it was $70 total, not $500, so I won't feel I've been profligate if I don't use the thing. By the way, I have used it and it bends wildly, but it's light and it hasn't slipped yet.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
We were offered the option of a halyard restrainer when we had similar problem with our Harken furler. I didn't want to limit the hoist with a restrainer, though, so our sailmaker proposed an alternative, a strop between the head of the sail and the upper swivel, which allows the upper swivel to rise to the top of the foil. This effectively eliminated the problem for us.
You need to leave enough room above the swivel to allow you to max out the halyard tension and in use, you may find that you'll need to ease the halyard tension when furling, but that's better than giving away a foot of hoist.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Mike,
Totally a stab in the dark, but do you think it's possible that the whole HIN procedure wasn't fully worked out when introduced and that they then revised it to differentiate boats built outside the US? Alternatively, could it be possible that early HINs identified a sales organization rather than the builder - so if there was a C&C Yachts sales subsidiary in the US, the CCY referred to that company?
I'm with you on the numbers - they don't mean a lot, except when they present a puzzle like yours or the out-of-sequence number we've been kicking around. Sometimes there's a story, as with the Nonsuchs, but sometimes it's just bureaucratic folderol.
I wouldn't worry about red tape. It is a 30+-yr-old boat, plus I presume you have a bill of sale and a state licence to indicate that you didn't sneak in from Nova Scotia via Cuba. As long as they don't catch you sailing around with 50 kilos of white powder secreted in the bilge, they'll probably leave you alone.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
The Association's information is that the numbers are:
Niagara-On-The-Lake (ZCC): 001-169
Rhode Island (CCY): 500-610
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV