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Jeez, we keep getting these newbies who don't read what's already on the site...
There is one Mk V owner with a Gori who says he's happy with his prop <http://www.cc27association.com/fixes/props.html >. The others have reservations. My own experience with the fellow at Flexofold has been solidly positive. He already knew the right prop for a 27 with an A4; when I put the diesel in, he nailed the diameter and pitch, so the boat hits hull speed with a little in the bank. If your friend is feeling flush, he could spring for a Gori 3-blade <http://www.cc27association.com/fixes/props/props.html >.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
E-mail instructions are on their way.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
You're slightly ahead of the curve here, but the Association has a scanned and OCR'd (hence searchable) pdf of the manual for members. If you're a member (I don't have immediate access to the database), it's yours to download (about 30MB) for the asking.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Here's what I have been told, by someone in the upholstery business who wouldn't have seen me as a potential customer, so I'm inclined to believe it. There are doubtless other opinions.
Someone who specializes in marine upholstery should have better foam and a broader selection of boat-appropriate fabric. A hidden issue is the quality of thread. My informant told that while most thread is now artificial fibre and thus immune to rot, there is a range of quality, that it makes a big difference and that a good marine upholsterer won't risk his reputation on cheaper thread.
Towser's cushions were made by a specialist and they are both comfortable and very good-looking.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Spreader over, nicopress under.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Towser has little stress cracks in that area. I ignored them (on the advice of an experienced glass worker).
As noted in the Black Arts item on windows, Sikaflex has a hatch-gluing system that I used for the portlights in the head. I don't know if that's suitable for the main ports. I'd call Sikaflex and ask.
The alternative is to rent a special methacrylate glue gun from South Shore (they had it on display at the boat show). They make you pay a huge deposit -- the value of the gun -- but methacrylate may be stronger.
Digression: Current Corvettes are put together with methacrylate glue. This means that in 20 years or so, all Corvettes will leak or fall apart or something, just like our windows.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
By seating, I assume you mean the coachroof itself (f'glass & gelcoat) and frame, the aluminum frame.
There is bound to be some stress cracking in the gelcoat of this area. As long as it's not a flag to the star cracks and softness that you see in the pics of Critical Path in the section on deck repair it's probably okay. And filling stress cracks is a waste of time. They will just come back unless you can also remove the reason for the local stress (as for instance, when stanchions are reinforced).
The cracks in the frames are more of an issue, long-term. At this point, with the season about to begin, I'd either put them back in and watch them to ensure that the cracks don't get bigger. Or call South Shore (in Contacts) and ask for replacements to be sent, quickly.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
> yanmar diesel...has not started in three years the yard owner says he will "resurrect it" for $159.00...Can't imagine him doing much for that price.
I'd make this a core element of the sales negotiation (ignore the $159.00 offer). Either the current owner gets the diesel running to the satisfaction of your independently hired mechanic before the sale or the replacement value of a new engine goes into escrow in case the current one proves not to be revivable.
Otherwise you could be in for an expensive surprise.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
The advice I passed on referred specifically to the original-equipment pushbutton switch supplied on C&C's own panel for the Atomic 4. Given that these switches have no waterproofing and are a minimum 25 years old, you can't exactly say they've failed prematurely. I know nothing about the longevity of Yanmar switches (though the switch on my recently acquired Yanmar has a cover and seems well encapsulated).
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I presume that you weren't getting enough reverse thrust, so this is what made you uncomfortable. Is this right? Do you know what make the old folding prop was (more grist for the mill)?
Thanks.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
At a seminar on engine maintenance at my club, our head mechanic noted that the push-button switches used to start an A4 on a C&C are getting old; he is regularly called on to attend to boats that "won't start" and finds the switch at fault. He suggests carrying a spare. They're made by Cole-Hershee and you can get them at most chandleries, including West Marine.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I modified mine slightly to use a smaller diameter of shift cable (the Yanmar diesel does not require much shifting force, plus the cable run is too tortuous for an A4-diameter cable), but that's hardly a rebuild. You can see a photo of it in Black Arts under Hyperion's New Engine. It all seemed fairly straightforward, though. What are you concerned about?
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Prop sizing is a popular topic every spring, so I've pulled together every comment, positive or negative, that people have made about their props that I could find in the Forum and tabulated them with the relevant <a href="http://www.cc27association.com/fixes/props.html" target="blank">data</a>.
If you have commented on your prop in the past and would like to expand or correct previous remarks, or if you have comments on your present prop, please help us build a comprehensive picture. For instance, there was much discussion of Indigo props, but no diameter & pitch and no comments beyond the reduction in prop-walk. We need boat mark, engine including gearbox ratio if that's a variable, plus prop diameter & pitch to make your info meaningful.
Thank you.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I think you're right about the bird. I always thought they were buffleheads but my new bird book (I'm not a "birder" - funny word that, I would have thought "birdwatcher" made more sense - but I like to know what I'm looking at) makes clearer distinctions. Kath Timmis is peeved that new "sensitivities" have deprived that bird of its original name of oldsquaw.
Do not mislead your wife about "popping over" to see the breeding range on Ellesmere. That's 2600 miles north of here (go to http://gc.kls2.com/ and check 80° N 86° W - YYZ); Galveston is only 1300 miles south. And she won't see much in Toronto during the summer other than seagulls, Canada geese and cormorants. Supposedly we have an "urban wilderness" on the landspit that forms the outer harbour, but birders' protests have stymied attempts to restrain the population growth of seagulls and cormorants so the latter, in particular, are destroying the trees that other birds want as habitat.
Spring and fall are a different matter. Three weeks ago, there was a bald eagle on Toronto Island that attracted droves of people (I think I may have seen it, or perhaps it was a low-flying airliner with flapping wings) and a couple of years ago I got <a href="http://www.troubleshootingphotos.com/about/format.html" target="blank">him<a> (a merganser?), scooting out from under a dock.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
The Administrator will accordingly attempt to illustrate (tho' this might be seen as usurping the function of our memorable Membership Secretary).
Yes, it is that magic time again, when the air is redolent with the vernal scent of VC-17 and the long night of winter is awakened by the whirring of rollers and the metallic clang of credit cards maxing out. The masts shall rise from their slumber and skippers shall dream anew of not being beaten like gongs at every start.
And hopefully, once again the cheques (or checks from south of the border) shall begin winging their merry way to the Association coffers so we can all keep blathering at one another about our boats.
Happy spring to one and all,
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Well most of the ice is gone from the harbour, but we're not in mosquito season yet, as you can see from the background to this <a href="http://www3.sympatico.ca/dweatherston/other/DSC_0012fm.jpg">little fellow</a>, photographed yesterday, 18 Mar. I'm not a birdwatcher, but these little birds, which migrate through Toronto at each end of the sailing season, have always delighted me.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Inside the through-hull opening, you'll see two tabs or raised areas. If you can engage these with a piece of metal (sometimes the handle of a wrench will do) and hold it immobile against the turning force being applied to the valve body, you can avoid breaking the seal between the through-hull and the hull, and save yourself a bit of work.
This may, on the other hand, be a non-issue, depending on whether the threads on your new valve match those of the original through-hull.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I believe that smiles should be written in to the Constitution as a one-design feature so everyone can stop worrying about them. For myself, I have decided that since they are (roughly) aligned with flow, they are a non-issue as long as the bolts are not visible.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Your advisor is right about not using a torch down below, though my primary concern would be dropping it and not being able to pick it up because of being in such a contorted position.
I have used heat to loosen things, but I've used an electrical paint stripper gun, which apparently gets up to 300 - 350 degrees -- not as hot as a torch but hot enough to loosen many fastenings. The key to using one of these near the hull or anything else that might be damaged by heat is to cover anything you want to protect with aluminum foil. shiny side out. A lot of the heat will be reflected but as aluminum is such a good conductor, any heat absorbed by the foil will be diffused through the sheet.
Brass and bronze expand very fast when heated; preheat the heat gun, get it right on the threads for a minute and try loosening again. I expect you will find that any threadlocking compound has been softened and that the valve body has expanded that tiny bit that lets you loosen it.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
If you have the present wire, don't measure it -- take it in to the rigger and let him do it. That's what I did because I reckoned it's the best way of ensuring that there are no surprises.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
The time you take depends on what you mean by "rework". I've covered this in "Bottom Blasting" but I'll precis with an emphasis on the time element.
Since you've never done this before (I have, and I do not believe that anyone should experience the misery of stripping a boat by sanding), I'd suggest you either accept the yard's offer at $1,000 or the Peel Away option at about C$300. If you let the yard do it, you'll just show up and paint the bottom. The Peel Away option should take about a day, depending on temperature. (There are a lot of accounts of using this stuff on the Web - Google for them -- one is at http://www.geocities.com/bill_dietrich/BoatPainting.html . There is still a review of bottom strippers on Practical Sailor, Sept. 2000.)
I assume you are going to replace the barrier coat on the bottom. (Which reminds me, we've never discussed why you want to take the existing VC-Tar off -- is it failing over the whole bottom or is there another compelling reason?)
I used Interprotect, which requires 6 coats. You can put on these on without sanding between coats if you put another coat on before the previous is fully set. I think that's about 8-10 hours, so I was able to do a coat, go to work, then put on a second coat in the evening before going home. That took parts of three days. On a fourth day, I lightly sanded the Interprotect and rolled on a couple of coats of VC-17. Done.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I don't want to sound like I've got a franchise for Peel Away, but since Larry has raised the issue - the environmental issue is one of the great advantages of the Peel Away product. All the stripped material ends up bonded to the peelable material (I think it's paper but not sure), that you just roll up and deposit in the trash or toxic materials bin, depending on how 'green' your club is. Therefore, you don't coat your surroundings or neighbours in toxic material.
The other advantage is that you don't end up wearing this material yourself. Someone at my club sanded down a large boat over the course of about 5 days -- he must have taken 15 lb of red lead and copper off its bottom. A lot of us didn't know whether to be annoyed with him because this stuff had blown all over the place or just go over and shoot the poor guy right away to curtail his obvious misery.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
A heat gun or torch might also help destroy your hull laminate.
I had the failing VC Tar removed from my boat by sandblasting. There is also an environmentally friendly product called Peel Away that I nearly used. You'll find a long discussion of this topic at 'Bottom Blasting' (use the Search function for the thread name or search 'vc tar').
If you don't like any of those alternatives, try calling the support line at Interlux - they're very helpful.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
Have a look at the thread, "Tidal Grid, Bottom Paint" <http://www.cc27association.com/f3/toast/toast.asp?sub=show&action=posts&fid=2&tid=2296 >.
As you will see, the owner decided the whole process was too iffy. We were all very disappointed as we were looking forward to the photos.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
I contemplated putting in an electric water pump when the pump in our head sink failed. A friend suggested that I get used to being out of water on a regular basis. People use pressure water like water at home, he said, which means they leave it on constantly while brushing teeth, rinsing dishes, etc., no matter what you say to them. I replaced the manual pump.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV