Mahe 36: Buying a Mahe

[DtM]

Congratulations on your purchase.

We have really enjoyed our Mahe (Hull #29). Although many of the changes relate to ventilation we have had very little to complain about on that score even here in Australia.

As to the bimini, is your issue that it is too low? We have a relatively simple solution to that (as do others). The factory bimini is a liability even for those who are vertically challenged. What does the factory want for a bimini these days. Getting drop down sides is also great.

daniel

[Edmund]

I don't know the 2010 factory price on the Bimini top, as it was included in the package offer I got. The sides are Eur 1350.

My main complaint is the missing shelter over the helm station. I've tried the Lavezzi 40, which had an OK solution over the helm.
The factory argument is that there is not enough height on the Mahe under the boom to make an equivalent solution here. I don't quite agree on that. It will of course be a compromise, but it's definitely possible.
Here on the west coast of Norway we have 2-3 meters of rain every year, and every second day is a rainy day, in average. So we are desperate for good biminis...

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

Hi Edmund,
Join the club.
Some advise on commisioning the boat:
Take one full day at least, without others present.
Systematically fully inspect every part of the ship for damages and functioning. Make a good list.
Example: with our boat the furler drum probably fell on the concrete cay when the mast was mounted by FP. This produced a dent and scratch on the lower disc of the furling drum. Not a big issue?
The lower disc detached after a few months. This was all handled excellently by warranty, but it would have been nicer if we had discovered it at commisioning. It would have saved much time and worry.

The bimini is good but has one stupid problem. The mainsail sheet touches the port rear side of the bimini, causing the stitching to wear through in your first year. We have put plastic tubing on the rear, however this also causes some wear to the cloth of the bimini.
What Fountaine Pajot should do is modify the bimini. Or cheaper: to make the boom some 10 cm longer, so that the mainsail sheet does not touch.

Some recommendations what I would do:
- Ask for a 6-fold Spinlock clutch on the roof, or two 3-folds. I recommend 6 clutches: mainsail sheet and halyard, outhaul, 2 reefs plus one for the 3rd reef you will put in your sail, or your next sail. (Our insurance requires 3 reefs for world coverage, not so for European insurance). You will have to put some extra of those grey 60 blocks on the mast, but you can just buy these in a shop in La Rochelle.
Make sure that the clutches are mounted on the right position, on the non-sandwich part of the roof.
- Seal the wooden floor in the cabin with some sikaflex or whatever. This prevents salt water running under the wood. I would do this before sailing.
- I would recommend purchase of a pan holder for the stove. If you don't have this it is difficult to cook when sailing. In France this is called a serres casserolles. You might order it from Fountaine Pajot, it is mounted on the bigger ships. Or you could order it from the La Rochelle branch of Bigship. Here is the product:
Serre casseroles pour réchaud 2 feux encastrable - Eno - SC4320 - Accessoires de cuisson - BigShip Accastillage - Accessoires pour bateaux
Costs maybe 100 euro.
- If you don't want your mattrasses to become mouldy: maybe you could purchase Ikea Sultan Lillaker bed systems, 80 cm wide, for the rear beds. It's cheap. And take a saw with you to shorten the battens. Maybe Ikea is stopping the Lillaker bed system, I did not see it on the website anymore.
- You will need to buy a pressure regulator. It is difficult to find other gas bottles that fit in the gas bins. Camping gas bottles are cheaper in France.
- Purchase anchor and anchor chain of your choice. The winch takes 10 mm chain. We swapped 2 components of the anchor winch to accomodate 8 mm manganese steel chain to reduce weight (69 iso 119 kg for 50 meters)
- We took a car radio and some car speakers to La Rochelle.
- We took a 50 m shore power cable. Original is too short sometimes.
- We purchased a Handy Duck from Sweden. When you go to England / Ireland you really need this to be able to grab the moorings using your bridle. The Mahe is too high to reach low moorings.
- We puchased one round fender, I think 45 cm the biggest that fits through the front hatches. We use this on the rear, very useful.
- I recommend the FP bowsprit to be able to mount a big foresail. With or without the sail. We have the spifurl, which is really useful to get a good speed downwind. But for the cost of the spifurl you might order a simple gennaker plus a code zero maybe.

It would be nice if we could meet on the way. We will depart from the Netherlands for Norway around July 2. From Norway we will go to Scotland, then Ireland, then the Scillies islands, Bretagne, and back to the Netherlands somewhere 2nd half of October.
You could send me a private email through the forum to exchange contact details like phone number.
Kind regards
Jef

[vayacondios]

Hello Edmund,
Congrats on your Mahe, we just took possession of our FP Mahe Hull 111 (Vaya con Dios) in Mooloolaba on January 15th and love it. We had a binimi made to go over helm station, looks quite nice like it belongs there.
Happy sailing!

[Edmund]

Hello vayacondios,

Congratulations to you also! The sun is shining in Norway, and I wish it was me sailing just now.
Do you have a picture of your bimini-solution? It would be much appreciated.
If your hull #111 was delivered in Australia in january, my hull #108 must be produced even earlier than I thought.

Edmund

[Edmund]

Thank you very much Jef and others for all your info, good advises and the "nice to have" list. Very useful.

Thank you all
Edmund

[Edmund]

First to Cotemar/Mark: Thank you for your big effort on dividing the thread. The whole thing ended up just perfect!

I ordered 3 blade folding prop's on the D1-30hp, price close to 2000 Euros over the std setup (i.e. 2500 Euros including norwegian vat...)

Is it worth the money? Maybe a bit late to be asking, but still it would be nice to hear your opinions. I'm not even sure what they deliver as standard prop - fixed 2/3 blade, or perhaps folding two blade?

[Cotemar]

Edmund,

The VP D1-30 HP engines allows you to motor with just one engine running 2,200 RPM at 7.5 knots or 2,500 RPM at 8 knots. You will put less hours on each engine and use less fuel by using one engine. In a 6 month season I only put 50 hours on each engine using this method.

The 3 bladed folding props are 17" Dia. X 12" Pitch Left Hand (Counter Clockwise)
These 3 folding blades have less vibration than 2 bladed props and the folding allows you to run on one engine without the drag of the other static prop.

So to answer your question if it is worth the cost. Yes, absolutely worth every penny.

Mark

[DtM]

With hindsight I would have gone with the 30 hp/folding prop option but who knew then !!

[Edmund]

Thanks.

If the Mahe can do 8 knots with only one engine at 2500 RPM, I would say the 17x12 propellers are a bit light? Expecially if you also manage max RPM 2800 running at only one engine?
I understand the max speed is somewhere between 9-10 knots with both engines at full throttle. High average motoring speed is important to us because of our local geography, (there may be many miles to go before you can find good wind) and if there is more speed to gain by getting 17x13 props, and the engines can handle it, I would certainly order them.

[Cotemar]

Edmund,

Volvo Penta does not carry a 17X13 folding prop.
I think VP really has it dialed in for the D1-30 Engine/Prop.
I can get my engines up to 3,100 Full Throttle (3200 Max).
All my numbers came in when the VP mechanic came on board to do my First Launch Checkup.

_________________SIZE __Blade kit__Blade Engraved part #
VP D1-20 engine__16x11 __3583386__3583374
VP D1-30 engine__17x12 __3583388__3583376
________________18x12 __3583389__3583377
________________18x13 __3583390__3583378

Mark

[Edmund]

Would 18x13 or perhaps even 18x14 be possible? I guess there is more than room enough also for a 18?

[Cotemar]

Edmund,

You may want to wait and use your Mahe before you make a 18 Dia. X13 Pitch or 14 Pitch upgrade. There is plenty of clearance space between to hub and hull to allow it.

1) You only want to approach your dock as fast as you want to hit it. When docking with both engines going she moves really fast with the 17X12 prop, so you do have to put her in neutral a lot as it is.

2) If you over prop the engine you will get black smoke out of the exhaust from unburned fuel and possible long term damage from carbon build up.

Mark

[Edmund]

Mark,

1) I understand what you are saying. My previous boat was 30 foot and had 2x200 diesel hp. Lowest possible speed with both engines running was around 5 knots. Not good, but it's the price you pay.

2) If you can run max RPM with only one engine running, you have a lot of unused power with two engines running. I think the risk of overloading and create black smoke is low. And if so, I would have to find the RPM the engines can handle.
However, when running on one engine only, I agree. The risk of making smoke will increase a lot with a heavier prop.
I also agree that I should try out the 17x12 first, but I risk the extra cost of changing later.

I will discuss this with my dealer. If I decide to change props, the experiences will be posted in the Prop -thread.

Thank you again for good input.

[Edmund]

Originally Posted by DtM

With hindsight I would have gone with the 30 hp/folding prop option but who knew then !!

Have you considered upgrading? I would think the value of your "old" engines still is high enough to give you a good start?