Plastic Classic Forum

Duncan

Wow that was a quick response. I would say that's what it is, although this one had a swing keel. They must have made them with swing keels at some point.... I'll second that on the quick response, especially from a partial view of the boat! I believe the Victoria is based on the McVay Minuet, and ...

Duncan

Don't discount that the battery is simply drawing down on it's own. For your test to be conclusive, let the battery set with nothing hooked to it. Thanks, Carl.Your point about the battery fading on its own is a good one. Maybe it just won't hold a charge. I did a little test last night, by chargin...

Duncan

Thanks, guys, for your replies. 1) As I tried to express, there should be nothing drawing current. I figure, since the voltage is dropping, there is either a fault in the circuitry, or the panel is discharging the battery. 2) I know the panel's output is tiny: it's inexpensive and experimental. My g...

Duncan

I recently started using a very small "battery maintainer" solar panel (1.8W, 125 Ma). The user's manual claims that it has a blocking diode, but I am seeing more voltage loss in the battery it is connected to than in the other battery. The solar panel is plugged to the 12V socket ("c...

Duncan

While I know most of the craftsmen and women here probaly eschew the idea, does anyone have experience with Poli Glow as a hull treatment / restorer? Practical Sailor magazine gave it high marks for notable visual improvements at modest cost with easy prep and application. I am not ready to spend t...

Duncan

Joe, what's the reason for the white material on top of the box?
I've seen dorade boxes on other nice boats, notably Hinckleys, with plastic tops as well.
Is it because the top is the first place the varnish goes?

Duncan

I would varnish it, then protect the varnish with a Sunbrella tiller cover, as Rachel suggests. It will last for decades that way, without the complication of epoxy. My reasoning is that epoxy needs varnish protection anyway, since UV would otherwise break it down. The epoxy adds nothing, since the ...

Duncan

Sounds like a plan, Ric, thanks for the guidance.
The terminals are pretty well sealed, but I think I can jumper them for testing.

Duncan

Very distinctive boat. There's one in our mooring field, and I'm always impressed with how capable it looks. I was down the St. Lawrence a couple of seasons ago, and saw three more of them as I got out toward the bigger water. Might be a cult or something? Must be slow as snails, but what a great li...

Duncan

Dave, thanks for(yet another) very articulate post. (I know it doesn't pay well, but I am sure you could contribute some fine articles to the boating press) Sorry I chopped your words up, but it was convenient for me to respond this way: ... the use of leet speak vs. proper writing... What is "...

Duncan

I inherited one of these with the boat, and I liked it great until it quit working a couple of years ago. It's black rubber, it plugs into the cigar lighter socket, and it gives a good beam (which are the three things I like about it). I'm posting to try and find out: 1) Why it ain't working? 2) How...

Duncan

captphil416 wrote:I have a scoop from my triton; Bronze but very rough, Unfortunately the screw lid is missing. Its your for postage if you are interested. Phil

I have a single dorade vent, so if ILike Rust is looking for matching ones, I'd be very happy to have your single one!

Duncan

...Because I am deleting the V-berth on my rebuild I have been mulling around the idea of a couple of pipe-berths...just haven't figured out where to stow the pipes yet... I have a factory-installed pipe berth on my Cape Dory 27. Both pipes stow in the outboard hangers, one on top of the other, wit...

Duncan

Yes, that's a roller for your boom.
You can get just about anything for your boom and mast at Rig Rite.
Why change what you have, though?

Duncan

I'd second the choices Dave and Galley Wench recommended (Dolfinite or butyl tape). This is because I recently had the experience of removing Sikaflex (or a similar polysulphide) from my teak rub rails. The join to the hull came apart relatively easily, but the stuff was pretty hard to remove from t...

Duncan

Very striking, is that that "Aubergine (eggplant)" colour that Britton specified for his boat?

Duncan

SteveA wrote:I'm working on a Triton and will be building a outboard well in the lazaret....anybody got any design ideas?

James Baldwin did this and wrote a good article (with photos)
http://atomvoyages.com/projects/outboard.htm

Duncan

A chisel turned out to be the key - it worked very nicely at getting under and cutting through the thickest parts off the Sikaflex. When I saw how well it went, I knew it was going to be a much better day today. The routine ended up being "push with the chisel, pull with the carbide scraper, an...

Duncan

It could be a lot of things. But the fact that it is rubbery and elastic means it has cured. I doubt any solvent will help now. It has to be physically removed. Heat gun, scraper, sandpaper, curses, etc. are the tools for this. It is just another of the many tedious jobs that make up boat maintenan...

Duncan

I'm a marine maintenance newb and not up on all my marine goops, but have recently successfully removed from the attachment points of my cockpit coamings a bunch of rubbery stuff fitting the description of what you're dealing with with a heat gun. That may indeed be your best next step. Thanks, Jer...

Duncan

Guess I spoke too soon. It turns out this stuff (if it is Dolfinite, which I am still guessing) is tenaciously attached to the teak. Very rubbery, stretches, and then snaps right back. It gave way fairly easily when pulling the rub rails off, and scrapes off ok from the gelcoat. It does not want to ...

Duncan

I don't think either of those solvents will hurt the teak any. But mineral spirits is much safer for you. I think you will find that it comes off very easily with the mineral spirits as well. Dolfinite has virtual no tensile/adhesive strength at all. And because it never cures you will find it dilu...

Duncan

( cross-posted from Cape Dory Board ) I got my rubrails off today(!), and now I want to get the Dolfinite off the back of them. (I presume it's Dolifinite,sort of pinkish brown, still sticky after all these years). I'm guessing maybe mineral spirits, since that's already in the product at low concen...

Duncan

I have heard that the paint sold for plastic outdoor furniture works well.
I believe Krylon and Rustoleum were both mentioned as giving good results that last well.

Duncan

Those photos were certainly worth waiting for!
I'll also vote for leaving them natural, just so that it's a landslide ;)

Duncan

JohnD wrote:... I just like the look of the wood and was wondering if it was possible to keep it that way. I guess not, but I'm glad I asked

If you don't paint it, I imagine the wood would show through a thin layer of fiberglass quite nicely.
Epoxy resin is food-safe, so isn't it just as good as paint?

Duncan

Hey, nice boat, nice photos, welcome back. Looks like a Triton on steroids ;)

Duncan

I would sand down the discoloured areas, and rebuild the finish as described. That's fine on solid teak, but be very careful on the plywood. The veneer is not very thick. Lemon juice is a good oil cleaner. Make sure it is not sweetened though. Thanks, good point, although I imagine the pieces menti...

Duncan

...The transom/stern area on a CD 28 is pretty "chunky" compared to a Triton. I'm sure anything can be done to anything, but I wonder if it would work out anywhere near as well or easily on a Triton with it's more svelte shape in that area? Is this one of those "does this rudder make...

Duncan

There is quite a good guide to oil finishes here . There's also a good one in The Hinckley Guide to Yacht Care (which is a much more down-to-earth and practical book than the snooty title might suggest). I would sand down the discoloured areas, and rebuild the finish as described. A lot of people ju...

Duncan

...That will give me time to properly think through the design and rebuilding of my own rudder. Now that you've got time to think about it, here's an alternative rudder arrangement Fred Bickum came up with on a very similar Alberg boat (Cape Dory 28) - CD28 Fenix Rudder . It's a more complex projec...

Duncan

...overglop...droozling... I think these are charming additions to the language - I could tell exactly what the consistency of the goop must have been, by the way it glopped and droozled! Is there a trick to these type of sloped holes? Did you consider making your excavation holes larger, so they e...

Duncan

John, the curing depends on temperature as well as which epoxy and hardener, but it sounds like you should treat it as a secondary bond at this point. It sounds like you are doing a careful job, so better to not take any chances. ...I like to don three disposable nitrile gloves on each hand, and the...

Duncan

Semco is one of those pigmented "treatments", like Cetol, and is available in 5 different shades. I would not make that comparison, it is an oil, not a surface material like Cetol. And there is a clear that has no pigment, or there was when last I used it. Other teak deck oils include Dek...

Duncan

Figment wrote:Just how hot do we imagine these constantly-immersed-in-seawater surfaces ever get?

Surprisingly hot, I'd say! This is based on the shakedown cruise of a friend, where water wasn't getting into the dripless shaft seal. We ended up pouring cupfuls of water over it to cool things off.

Duncan

Hirilondë wrote:No oil I have used turned teak black. Semco like Mike has suggested works well to delay greying.

This got me curious, so I looked it up. Semco is one of those pigmented "treatments", like Cetol, and is available in 5 different shades.

Duncan

If keeping a brighter look than grey is important then a deck oil could be used. ... Doesn't the oil turn the teak black when it's used outside? I told a sailing buddy before he oiled his exterior teak. He went ahead and did it, but sure enough, it turned black after a single season. Is there a tri...

Duncan

Well, that was a quick response and to the point. Decision made! Thanks for that Tim, I guess I knew that all along but the Admiral thought it would look "pretty" - I shall compromise a little by coating the 3" wide outside boards where it's unlikely anyone will be placing a foot. It...

Duncan

Congratulations, Brodie, I think you have excellent taste in boats!

I was interested to see that the dimensions of your new boat are very close to those of a Cape Dory 30.

Duncan

Ric in Richmond wrote:...So now I am the owner of a small (650 lbs of cast iron from the 60's) milling machine..:

Cool tool!

If we send you drawings, will you mill things for us?

Duncan

...Second is the seems to be a weak spot comment. Who has determined that it is a weak spot? What criteria is this comment based on? The after approximately half of a Renegade keel is open all the way to the bottom and I certainly would not consider it weak. I guess I just don't understand how this...

Duncan

Has any one ever tried tuning a rig by measuring the frequency of the of the tone made when the rigging is plucked?. Is this so that you could accompany yourself, while delivering a rousing version of Frigging in the Rigging ? Could you change keys by using a backstay tensioner? Would using Spectra...

Duncan

... Robertson ... I don't know what you mean by self centering. Sorry, I meant the driver automatically centers on the screw, not that the screw automatically centers in the hole. This, I think, is my biggest frustration with other screws, because I have to keep the driver exactly lined up on the s...

Duncan

Well, I am Canadian, so I have to put in the point that Robertson head screws are far superior to slots or Philips. The screw will tend to stay on the driver, which is a great benefit when working in tight spots, and it is less likely to "cam out" (i.e. slip out) when installing or removin...

Duncan

Tom Young wrote:...Any idea where this shape started in boat(car?) port(window) design?

I always think of those as "Alden ports". Here's a variation, on the Alden 50 (built by Cheoy Lee).

Duncan

Hello Everyone, I am getting to the point in the rebuild of the Far Reach that I need to start thinking about interior hardware . . . options for interior hinges, latches, knobs, drawer pulls and mechanisms, and other such hardware. With ABI defunct I am wondering what sources other sailors/builder...

Duncan

I'm planning on using varnish, unless you say different

Duncan

Great points, Dave, thanks very much.

Duncan

We're leaning towards using a traditional varnish (spar?) with 10 coats. Can this be done before installation, or would the bending damage the varnish somehow (e.g. crack)? If varnishing before is not recommended, how about the combings (the don't bend nearly as much)? Also, how many coats (if any)...

Duncan

[insert various brand names of old diesels here]. These are simple fishing boat engines that are reliable and last a long while. Unfortunately, it has been a long while, now... Excuse me, but can I borrow that line? But, of course, Rachel. I'm flattered. Following up on that, and tying in your thou...

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