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bobola · 02-06-2009, 13:24

Nice list of mainsail insignia's here; http://www.avonsailboats.com/pdf_files/saillogos.pdf

MIC or HIN explanations here; New Page 1

bob perry · 02-06-2009, 13:38

Crealock is most probably not the builder. I don;t think he built any boats. Hiracer is close but I do not think it is the Clipper 26 either. The cabin trunk is wrong and this boat has too much freeboard. I think it could be a Crealock design though.

Hiracer · 02-06-2009, 14:18

If we start assuming it's not a Crealock, then gawd help us. How many 26' - 28er' from the 1970s are there out there?

Nobody does a custom fiberglass boat that size. It had to be from a short-production run. The outboard rudder should eliminate lots of boats. But this is not my genre. I'm out of bullets.

Pose this question to a trailer boat forum. They will know (I hope).

bob perry · 02-06-2009, 15:47

Hi: you are close but I don't think so.
Freeboard is wrong.
Cabin trunk is wrong.

Hiracer · 02-06-2009, 16:29

Bob,

I agree. But I can't ID the boat.

S2 made a bunch of boats in that size, but I can't get this one to fit in.

Maybe it's English or Canadian.

I'm beat. I admit it. Uncle.

bobola · 02-06-2009, 18:27

Am leaning toward buying this boat.

May do a deal on Saturday.

Stay tuned as I will go through every space inside the boat in search of the builder's boat docs.

Bob...

delmarrey · 02-06-2009, 21:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobola

Am leaning toward buying this boat.

May do a deal on Saturday.

Stay tuned as I will go through every space inside the boat in search of the builder's boat docs.

Bob...

Check the inside cabinetry, Make sure it's held together with screws and not staples.

bobola · 07-06-2009, 15:28

I did buy the boat/trailer/outboard on Saturday, but never found any literature on a builder while taking nearly everything off the boat in 2 truck loads to my house.

The daughter of the late owner said he bought the hull in San Diego and had it finished off there, and possibly in Mexico. Assuming it was built in San Diego, that narrows down the search for the builder. Beyond that – nothing.

Things I like about the boat; nice quality spars by Kenyon; sails are good quality and in good shape (main, genny, storm foresail & spinnaker); not one single through hull below the waterline (difficult to sink); very little wood topsides (low maintenance).

The 15 hp Johnson is a pull start and appears to have a generator in it, with remote controls that attach to a stantion near the cockpit. Looked like a long shaft type.

There is a hairline crack about a foot long on the stbd side at the keel to hull joint, but that’s it, and no water stains below the crack - a good sign, considering.

The companionway boards were in backwards, which allowed water to seep inside during a rain – not a good sign.

Nice big plastic water tank under the front of the V berth. The whole aft section is open, which I like, but there no access to it from the cockpit, which is odd. Access is from the stbd quarter berth, which is a double and goes to the centerline of the boat, under the cockpit.

Under the port side cockpit seat sits the small cooking gas canister in a shallow lazarrette, which will probably be cut out and turned into a deep lazarette. And the back of the cockpit has a chunk of plywood covering a similar shallow lazarette where the outboard gas tank lives. That design would help keep the boat from getting flooded in a knockdown, but to have to retrieve something stored deep and aft would be a major pain.

I found a lot of rotten wood so this is going to be a bigger project than I anticipated. The interior woodwork looks average and factory made, which will make easier to remove. The floor has basically collapsed under my weight from dry rot, which is OK as it looks poorly made. I may not reinstall a full floor, which will give me several more inches of headroom. A board cut to fit the deep bilge, with some waterproof legs to hold it flush to the inside bottom of the hull, covered by carpet might work.

Aside from a lot of rotting wood under the galley near the centerline the other big disappointment is the rudder. It’s full of water. No water had been leaking out of the rudder while on the boat, which is a good sign, considering, but a steady stream came out of the lower gudgeon bolt holes when I layed it in the bed of my truck. Now I am wondering how this thing survived 8 freezing winters without bursting and cracking when the water froze – another mystery because the outside of the rudder looks fine and there are no cracks or signs of seepage. Suggestions on fixing this problem will be greatly appreciated, when I get to that point. There are just 2 gudgeons holding the rudder in place. A few more will make the whole thing a bit stronger, and less prone to movement in the gudgeon bolts.

For several years I have done a lot of online research on 'the perfect trailerable seaworthy sailboat', and I think this boat comes very close to that ideal. And the price was very right.

TaoJones · 07-06-2009, 16:14

Congratulations on acquiring the vessel, bobola. I hope you will take lots of pics of your new baby and of the work you'll be doing - surely with more pics from many angles, someone will be able to identify her.

TaoJones

speedoo · 07-06-2009, 16:42

Congrats, bobola. Re. the rotten wood in the interior.. be careful when replacing it to keep the same basic structure as the original setup if at all possible, since that wood may have added some structural integrity to the hull. The hull layup may have assumed stiffening from the interior structure.

**GordMay** · 08-06-2009, 03:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobola

I did buy the boat/trailer/outboard on Saturday ...
... I may not reinstall a full floor, which will give me several more inches of headroom. A board cut to fit the deep bilge, with some waterproof legs to hold it flush to the inside bottom of the hull, covered by carpet might work ...

Aside from a lot of rotting wood under the galley near the centerline the other big disappointment is the rudder. It’s full of water ...
... Suggestions on fixing this problem will be greatly appreciated, when I get to that point ...

CONGRATULATIONS, Bob!!!

She’s got a nice line to her, and won’t give you “vibration syndrome” from grinding & priming.

I doubt that a few inches extra headroom will make enough difference in your case. (on a dock with several resident Bobs, bobola was “Tall-Bob”).

With no visible laminate damage, the water probably got into the rudder through poorly bedded fastenings on the gudgeon/pintle straps.
Prior to re-bedding those fastenings, I’d ensure that the rudder is truly dry. After all seepage from the gudgeon bolt-holes stops, drill a hole (or 2) in the bottom edge of the rudder, and stand it up to drain.
Finally re-bed the bolts, and epoxy the drain holes.
Many people drill a hole every fall at haul out, and reseal every spring, prior to re-launch. The hole provides a pressure relief vent for any remaining moisture.
Was there any vinegar-like smell to the seepage?

Once again, congratulations Bob. Keep us up to date.

Hiracer · 08-06-2009, 11:33

Ya, but what did you buy?

Congratulations.

bobola · 08-06-2009, 12:05

Tao, thanks.

Speedo, I will keep that in mind when I start replacing wood panels. Thanks

Gordo, Thanks. The seepage is green and has an odor to it, possibly like vinegar, and is still coming out this Monday morning…onto my garage floor. When I get the gudgeon bolts off I will start looking at the interior of the rudder from there. Had thoughts of making a foot long or so shallow cut with a circular saw to see what’s inside the rudder. Glassing any holes or cuts I make shouldn’t be overwhelming. I will definitely over-drill the gudgeon bolt holes, fill with epoxy and re-drill later. Will plan to add more gudgeons as well. Structurally the rudder looks and feels OK.

Hiracer, I don’t know what I bought. We have adopted 2 beagles, which were unloved, uncared for & of unknown peerage, so this sort of thing is not new to me…lol. Odd that I didn’t find one scrap of info on the boat from the builder, or any of the boat’s systems. FYI ...I had a 35' Whitholtz steel cutter rigged sloop on the Isle of Venice in Ft. Lauderdale many years ago, where I met Gord May and his lovely wife. He was 2 slips away. Interesting how we have reconnected here.

Stay tuned for more updates….and photos...