Messages

1

Interior / Re: Dodger

« on: November 15, 2020, 10:46:35 pm »

Our boat was a Walkthrough so dimensions and landing points for the hard dodger supports will be different.  Anodized aluminum is plenty strong, light weight and will retain its luster much better than mill finish.  The hard dodger was designed to remain up in a Cat 1 or 2 hurricane providing the boat is not in an open roadstead exposed to significant wave action.  Half inch expanded PVC works very well for the top.  Light weight, easily worked with woodworking tools, no additional fabrication required and no rain leaks.  Just a day's work to cut and install.  Paint when you get a chance.
Dave

2

Systems / Re: Mechanical auto steering

« on: November 03, 2020, 05:57:40 am »

Hi Darrin,

We submitted have two articles in Ocean Navigator on catamarans, and we have a Powerpoint slide show on our website under Presentations titled Evaluating Modern Catamarans.  If you can get your email address to me I can send you articles as attachments. 

Dave

3

Systems / Re: Mechanical auto steering

« on: November 02, 2020, 02:11:06 am »

Darrin,

Your CSY 44 is a big heavy monohull.  It requires a powerful wind vane steering unit, especially if the boat is not perfectly trimmed.  Servo pendulum units have the most steering power.  We used a Monitor on our 44 WT for about 20 years.  Based on that I would recommend a servo pendulum unit like the Monitor over others.  All control lines can be run above deck where you can see them to the cockpit. I would not recommend drilling holes in the transom of your boat and then running lines under the overhead and through the aft SR forward bulkhead to the engine room.  See the Scanmar website for more info and several other options.  Also, our website has info on our installation here:  http://www.svsoggypaws.com/CSY/steering.htm#selfsteering
Dave

4

Systems / Re: Insolating, UV tolerant, Machinable Material

« on: May 28, 2020, 10:07:29 pm »

We have mounted 800 watts of solar in 4 panels on top of our cockpit cover.  One important solar panel mounting requirement is that the cells be mounted in such a way that there be good ventilation both above and below the cells.  So we have the cells mounted in an aluminum frame positioned about 2" above the fiberglass cockpit cover.  Maybe that would solve your problem.  Try mounting your cells above your PVC top.
 Dave

5

Systems / Re: Insolating, UV tolerant, Machinable Material

« on: May 27, 2020, 10:20:10 pm »

I am not familiar with 'foamed PVC'.  We built a cockpit cover for our CSY44 WT about 15 years ago from .5" Expanded PVC.  I did not get to paint it for about 4 years, but during that time there was no UV impact.  One advantage of Expanded PVC is that you can paint it with any paint.  Another is that you can use common PVC cement on it.  A third is that you can work it with common plywood tools.  It is still on the boat and doing fine, but now has two coats of polyurethane paint on it.  See details of our cockpit cover construction here:  http://www.svsoggypaws.com/CSY/cockpit.htm

6

Hull and Rig / Re: Keel leak or blisters - any idea what this is?

« on: May 01, 2020, 09:32:05 pm »

I was the owner of a CSY 44 WT for 20 years.  It had significant blisters to start.  Your problem does not look like any blistering I have ever seen. 

Are these leaks in line vertically with the bilge sump?  Do they line up horizontally with the bottom of the sump or are below it?  Are the leaks petroleum products like oil?  If so I would recommend thoroughly cleaning the bilge sump and have a good look for penetrations into the fiberglass walls or bottom, like screw holes or a crack.  You will eventually need to grind out the exterior leak sites and seal them.  But first you need to find the source and extent of the leaks, flush a cleaner through them, and then seal them from the inside.  It's important to get rid of as much of any oil as possible before making the repair.                                                                                                 
Once you have done the sump cleaning and found the source you might consult with an experienced blister surveyor regarding other repair options.  He will charge you for his time so do the cleaning and looking yourself first. Good luck and keep us posted.                                                                                 Dave      SVSoggyPaws.com

7

Hull and Rig / Re: New caprail and external chainplate project started

« on: January 30, 2020, 09:13:15 pm »

Doug, I did not use the originals as backing plates.  I had pulled them earlier and they were badly corroded.  The slotted alum rail was available through a Miami aluminum extrusion company.  I did not install a new caprail but rather multiple layers of fiberglass.  All that should be on our website.

8

Hull and Rig / Re: New caprail and external chainplate project started

« on: January 28, 2020, 10:34:47 am »

Hi Doug,

I did a similar replacement of chain plates and cap rail about 20 years ago.  Description and pics here on our website:
http://www.svsoggypaws.com/CSY/rig.htm#Chainplates

Dave

9

General Discussion / Re: cleaning the bilge

« on: June 22, 2019, 06:35:03 pm »

Hi Marlene.  Ahhh the joys of boat ownership, especially those CSYs with the deep bilges.  I pulled a  butket full out of our 44 bilge after I bought it.  Of course it is easier if you don't have all those bilge pumps in the way.  While you are at it it might be worthwhile to remove them, clean them up, replace the hose clamps and test the float switches.  Good insurance.  I used a dock fresh water hose with good pressure, lots of commercial grade bilge cleaner and a brush on a long handle.  Multiple applications will get most of it out.  Then the fun part is getting your torso down into the bilge with a brush and rag to get the remaining slime off the walls and bottom.  If you are really anal you will clean it up real good, patch any screw holes and then paint it with a good bilge paint or better, multiple coats of epoxy and then the paint.  Your reward will be a shiny bright bilge, bilge pumps you can rely on and you are ready for white gloves inspection.  An agile male friend might be of some help with this project.  Dave

10

General Discussion / Re: Trip Harrison painting

« on: May 25, 2019, 05:53:34 pm »

Definitely CSY 44 from charter with heavy hard dinghy.  Looks like walkthru with big cabin windows. Not Marathon as no hills there.  Maybe Roatan as buildings look right.

11

Hull and Rig / Re: Staysail boom

« on: May 20, 2019, 07:16:33 pm »

ChrisK, if you are going cruising with that boat you would be much better off getting rid of the staysail boom, getting a roller furler for it and rigging sheets aft.  You will use the sail much more, it can be reefed as a storm jib and you will not have to worry about it hitting you if you go forward in a storm.  I did mine years ago.
 There has been much written on this subject in the past.  Try doing a search for the posts.  Dave

12

Hull and Rig / Re: Installing New Life Lines

« on: May 20, 2019, 07:11:37 pm »

Marlene.  I did ours years ago because the white plastic coated lifeline wires had cracks in the plastic and I had read horror stories about sailors falling overboard when their lifeline hardware broke.  SS wire inside a tight plastic looks good for a couple of years but is asking for trouble later on.                                             In order of preference the options include Spectra/Dynema inside a Polyester sheath, bare but UV coated line, bare SS wire, and plastic coated wire.  My first choice and what I used is polyester sheathed Spectra/Dynema as it is as strong as the wire, does not corrode, is easy to tie knots in, resists UV degradation, is easily replaced, no fittings needed, can be made very tight without turnbuckles, and is inexpensive compared to the other options.  Ours was 10 years old and still looked good when we sold the boat.  Email me if you decide to do this.  Dave

13

General Discussion / Re: CSY 44

« on: October 07, 2018, 10:27:13 am »

Hi Marlene,
Big difference between a CSY 44 and a 33.  For one person a 33 should be fine as a liveaboard coastal.  For long distance cruising bigger is usually better because of the load carrying capacity, but it is a lot of boat for a single hander.  Both are excellent boats if in good shape--look very carefully at any purchase options.   Your ability to handle docking on either depends on how good you are at it. They are both very heavy boats for their size.  Our 44 cat weighs half what our CSY 44 did.                                                                                                                                              No need to buy a separate manual windlass as most electrics come with manual back up and they are pretty reliable.  A single hander will benefit from a wireless remote available on the internet for about $15.  Marine versions are $200.  I recommend Lofrans Tigres for the 44 and next smaller Lofrans for the 33.  I have extensive experience with both.                                                                                                                                                    If you want to discuss in more detail see us in Melbourne after about 17 Oct.                                               Dave and Sherry

14

Engines and Drive Train / Re: Secondary fuel filter adapter replaced... Works great.

« on: March 04, 2018, 11:45:29 pm »

Doug,
I rarely had to change fuel filters because I cleaned my tank periodically and used Biobor JF additive.  But when I finally changed that one for the first time that was enough.  Complete Yachts, the Perkins dealer in Ft Lauderdale, sold me a spin on adapter for my 4154 for $35.  That was 1998.  They are still in business and I suspect still sell the adapter kits for most Perkins models. 
Whoever designed the original should be banished from engine design.

Dave

15

Underway / Re: Hurricanes Irma and Maria

« on: October 23, 2017, 01:25:32 pm »

Matthew,

The new Rocna Vulcan came out after we had bought the Spade.  The two look almost the same.  Maybe because the Spade patent ran out in 2016.  Can you tell us what you think of it?  As good setting as the Rocna?
Dave