Save-A-Boat - The Forum for Plastic Classic Rebuilds!

I purchased the boat about a month ago and have been stripping the interior and various items from the boat. at this point i plan to move the galley to the fwd bulkhead stb. side. the ice box has been removed as well as the fuel tank and galley. the floors were cut up to gain access to the bilge to install a water tank. the installation was not up to my standards and the floor was cut crooked so i decided to start new. my plan with the floor is to make larger removable sections rather than small access hatches. the engine is the original universal and plan on keeping it until i can find a suitable replacement.

I am planing or removing deck hardware to re-bed and fill any holes i am wondering what the track is used for that is just outboard of the fwd large port. i believe the jib sheets in at the toe rail track partially seen in this pic but I'm just not sure what the other track is for.
thanks

The short inboard track is for sheeting a non-overlapping working jib, if you have one.

...though it's far more commonly used as a toe-stubber.

the previous owner informs me that the jib tracks are a little too far back for practical use with the jib anything but all the way out. i know the best thing would be to wait for the spring step the mast and raise the jib and determine the best location. But i just don't think I'll be able to go that route. so I'm wondering if anyone can give me some dimensions as to the location of there jib track maybe from the aft shroud chain plate and also the length of the jib track.
any help is greatly appreciated
thanks
Brandon
guess i should mention i am talking about the jib tracks mounted on the toe rail.

I suggest you wait to install your tracks till you're at the point where you're ready to launch and step the mast. Then, set them up properly according to your own sail. What works on one boat might not be ideal for another.

Popeye1865 wrote:the previous owner informs me that the jib tracks are a little too far back for practical use with the jib anything but all the way out.

That doesn't add up.
If the sheeting angle is correct in the first place, then furling shouldn't change it that drastically.
If anything, one would WANT the (relative) sheeting angle to move aft when furling, to aid in depowering by twisting off the upper part of the sail. Open the slot, lower the center of effort, etc.

EDIT: Unless by "all the way out" you mean "sheets very much eased" not "sail completely unfurled". Then nevermind.

But yeah, wait until you have it rigged, evaluate the sheeting angle for yourself, and either move the track or have the sail changed to suit.

I had a similar problem on my Sea Sprite 23. I had a new RF jib made that per my request had a foot that was "as low as practicable" The result was that I needed to move the lead about 1 foot forward. The sail maker offered to change the lead of the sail but I told him to leave it alone. Instead I replaced the 3' track with a 6' track adding 4" (one fastener) aft and gained over 2 1/2 feet on the forward end. It worked great. It appears that your tracks are about 6'. You could either replace them with longer ones or add a few feet forward. The primary reason for replacing the entire track is to more evenly distribute the load, the secondary reason is to eliminate a "catch" between the two tracks but if you are not racing and do not plan on adding an adjustable jib track system, you could add 2-3 foot sections in front of the existing track. Moving the existing track forward would result in potential problems. As it is, the track looks to be in "Ok" condition. If you remove it, you may find that some of the bolts are corroded to the track and you may end up damaging the track trying to remove it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

yea i agree with the longer track idea as long as i can get one with the same hole spacing. i just don't feel like removing the old track grinding/reglassing all of the holes. I know they'll be plenty to do in the spring and I'm trying to eliminate as much as possible now.

Measure the hole centers and you should find (not guaranteed) that they are on 4" centers which is still the standard. Again, not guaranteed, but likely.

The tracks are in the correct stock position. The sail for the forward tracks is an overlapping sail, but just barely at 107% on the L.P. The jib is cut 28' on the luff 25.5' on the leech and 10.4' on the foot. When sheeted in hard the clew of the sail will be just about between the cap and rear shrouds. This is a very practical sail to fly on the Triton and very fun and easy on the cocktails. You will notice small brass pad eyes on either side of the lower coach roof just before the rise of the upper coach roof, these are to be used to terminate the bitter end of the sheet onto with a block clapped onto the clew - this allows for a greater inboard sheeting position. Obviously this arrangement would not work to well for short tacking work but on a long beat it is very nice.

i just don't feel like removing the old track grinding/reglassing all of the holes.

You could just fill them with thickened epoxy. Don't bother applying a finish since you will be covering them over with the track anyway.

2 minutes....

okay, 5 minutes...

Okay, two hours -- but still not that bad, and probably worth doing.

well my girlfriend has left for Costa Rica for a semester abroad so i will be ramping up progress on this refit. most of the project so far has been removal but I'm finally starting to fill hole and build a few things.
I plan to move the running lights fwd to the pulpit i just don't think they work well where they are. I ground back the area and put a few layers of 1708 and then some peel ply for a smooth finish when kicked off.





Old antenna mount



i had bunch of older epoxy i wasn't happy using for any repairs i cared about so i decided to mix up a thick batch and use it to fix my bilge unevenness hard to see in the pic but now the bilge is fairly level and free of large voids.

I plan to move the running lights fwd to the pulpit i just don't think they work well where they are.

You mean completely blocked from view by the overlapping genoa doesn't work well? :-)

haha yea what he said

here are a few more. the idea of a shower inside the boat really appeals to me so i decided to make the floor board removable so that you can stand up fully in the head. i glassed some half round tubes in to allow drainage from the fwd bilge aft. there will be two vertical bulkheads to keep water contained at either end of the shower sump"


I began making templates for the fwd/aft sections of the bilge sump area.



I removed the ice box earlier and had a funky hatch to deal with in the cockpit so i cut the coaming from the hatch and used part of the old hatch top to re-glass the opening after this pic i put about 3 layers of 1708 and then some chop mat to finish it off




on a side note i picked up one of these radiant heaters from home depot for $11 they are great for kicking off epoxy in smaller areas they heat a larger area than any heat lamp ever could. they are usually designed to be mounted to the sealing so i just mounted it to two pieces of plywood so i can stand it up or hang it. P.S. always use acetone cans for stands for your heater!



I didnt' realize how much wasted space there was under the fwd bunk but after cutting an access hole i'm sure i can find some gear that will live nicely there

I spent some time earlier in the project getting the boat level to the lower scribed water line so that reconstruction of the interior would be made easier. earlier this week i purchased one of those lazer levels used for hanging pictures. i hung the level where the Eng. would be and shot fwd. after getting it level and at the height i wanted i just scribed a line on either side fore-aft it worked great and made positioning the floors very easy. i also put a level between all floors fore-aft and side to side while gluing them in place. the three floors aft that are supported only by the sides of the hull are bedded with microfibers and cabosil and tabbed in with three layers of 1708 on either side. I also used a piece vertically to support them making a tee so they won't flex. after all Of this i finally got the reward of painting the bilge some of the lazarette the v-birth bilges and the anchor locker what a big psychological difference feels like the project is finally moving.











after sounding most of the deck the only de-laminated spot i found was near the port chain plates i chose to drill and fill the area because i just don't feel like cutting and rebuilding the deck

I've been logging a lot of hours on this project here are a few more pics of progress
I put the engine back together after replacing the head gasket lapping all the valves and reaming out coolant passages i ran acid thru the cooling system to clean out the remaining rust/scale. i decided to try converting to fresh water cooling and mounted a small pump on the side driven off the alt. PTO. i had a spare 80A yanmar alt i had laying around from a re-power i did so i threw that on well see how long this system lasts. i plan on re-powering with a diesel as soon as i find a reasonably priced one in my area.



I've been talking to the electronics guys at work and should be getting some updated electronics for cheep so i filled the existing speed indicator hole. I should be getting raymarine st40 wind direction/speed and depth/speed and a chartplotter.





I finally got the fuel tank installed i had to glass over the old fill and move it fwd the fill is just fwd fo the winch now.





I have also painted the v-birth and head/hanging locker areas as well as removed/re-installed the head seacocks to be media blasted and lapped and re-bedded to the hull. the head and holding tank are now installed and plumbed but i regret i don't have any pics at this time.

[/img]

Full size toilet

holding tank plumbing pump out and Y to overboard


Clean painted bilges!

Beginnings of galley fwd starboard side. Small dinette for two on the port


Sitting at her mooring in Jamestown