Cole 43 Yachts

[captncruise]

Hi welcome to the Cole 43.
I first saw Fowl Play about 20 years ago. She was moored next to my Endeavour 26 in Brisbane Water Gosford. I just loved how she looked, going fast while standing still.
I believe the owner then was the owner of Chickadee Chickens, hence the name.
He later bought a motor cruiser and it was named Fowl Play also.
She had a very distinctive paint job in red and white.

After doing a major refit on the Endeavour I found the lack of headroom too uncomfortable for me so decided to look for something bigger. We found Bacardi the first Cole 43 to come out of the mould in 1970. She had been owned by Peter Cole.

About 10 or 12 years ago we organised a Cole 43 regatta in Pittwater and had 13 boats attend. At that time we believed Fowl Play was in Coffs Harbour but the owner didn't reply to our invitation to attend.
Every time I have passed through Coffs I have had a look for her to no avail.

I have no knowledge of her circumnavigation but I know Tony Mowbray did a non stop solo circumnavigation in 2000, wwwsailsolo.com.au

My wife and I have logged many miles up and down the east Coast in Bacardi, but unfortunately we have been restricted over the past 2 years with an arthritic hip joint. I have recently had a total hip replacement and hope to get back to cruising later this year.

Regards

Graham Jones

[tackdriver]

I met a fellow Aussie in Plymouth, Massachusetts on a Cole 43. It used to be 'Global Challenger' I think, now its Bowtie Lady. The current owner Peter has single handed from Aus through the Indian Ocean and over to the US. I first noticed the boat because of the sweet deck lines, and only after a few minutes did I realise he was another Aussie. He helped me take my boat down the Jersey shore as the family weren't keen to do that leg. He's just written a book that's available on Amazon called "The Splendid Indian". Great guy, we spent a couple of weeks together in Boot Key Harbour (what a terrible place that is).

JMB

[captncruise]

Yes Bowtie Lady is the old Solo Global Challenger. Solo Globe Challenge 2000 - Tony Mowbray sailing non-stop single handed around the world will give you a lot of information about her non stop solo circumnavigation as well as the story of their knockdown in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart.

Tony Mowbray is now doing Antarctic trips on a steel yacht. Search for Tony Mowbray to find more.

Graham Jones

[plane sailing]

Hi again, well got the big girl out at the moment and scraping what looks like 20 years of Antifoul off.. arms feel like they are full of concrete. chiselling is quite effective its just hard damn long task. my question is regarding the prop shaft... its angled toward the starboard side, is this intentional? i want to replace the cutlass bearing on the back of the shaft. I have an Autostream, it looks like i might be able to undo the shaft at the engine end and slide the whole thing back and out. has anyone had experience with this replacement?
cadence is different under water profile to other coles i have seen, she has the back bearing on an arm. if i can work out how to post pics i will, any suggestions greatly appreciated. Paul.

[sildene]

Hello Paul, yes, a picture would clarify what you're asking. I replaced my cutlass bearing situated in the bronze strut by decoupling at the engine and pushing the shaft right out (actually, I had to cut the coupling open with a grinder (destroy) because the set-screws were too well rusted in). Are you talking about a bearing inside the stern tube, or inside the strut?

Martin

[plane sailing]

Hi Martin, Yes photo ...how do i do that? the shaft seems to be angled
a couple of degrees to starboard. the coupling is only a couple of years old
i was wondering if i undo this is the shaft angled so that i can remove prop
and shaft as one peice? i dont really feel good about dissasembling the prop.
do i then drift out the bearing and just drive in a newie? where would i get a bearing in melbourne? WOW maybe tooo many questions..sry guys. Paul.

[sildene]

Paul

I'm no expert in these things, so read my comments in that context.

When I removed my shaft, I had to undo the propellor to get the shaft to slide out past the skeg. The shaft was offset to starboard, but not enough to get the propellor past the skeg without removing it first.

A shipwright removed the bearing from the strut - he basically split it "in situ" with a chisel and then hammered it out with a drift (some controlled violence involved).

I know you can build a type of "press tool" to press the bearing out without removing the shaft at all, but that assumes the bearing is not seized to the strut. Id' like to see that with my own eyes one day for a well-bedded bearing. There is a recent thread in this forum about a sailor that built such a press tool and removed his strut bearing with it (search the forum threads; includes nice photos).

In my view it's all a trade-off in respect of time and potential for aggravation. If my shaft would easily come out of its coupling, I would seriously consider removing the prop and slide out the shaft before trying to remove the bearing while the shaft was in.

Regarding a source for the bearing - I'm in Sydney and got a fibre bearing brand name Maritex. You need to measure the shaft dia, the ID of the bearing holder (i.e. strut 'pipe') and length, and approach any propellor or engine shop, like "Prop Shop Marine" in Melbourne. They should be able to supply or refer you to someone who can. It will not be hard to get at all, should be in-stock and it won't cost much either.

Martin

[captncruise]

Sorry to be a bit slow replying to thread but I am travelling for work and don't have regular internet access.

When we bought Bacardi she had a Perkins 4107 that faced towards the stern. The gear box drove through a V drive and out through the lowest part of the bilge. The shaft was joined but universal joints that made a heck of a clatter noise. The other problem was any oil or fuel that leaked finished up in that part of the bilge and softened the rubber on the stern gland. There was always oil leaking from the Perkins.

I believe this arrangement was to get the weight of the engine further back. The prop was a small folding prop and the shaft hung from a P bracket. Adequate for getting on and off moorings but it was like steering a grand piano astern.

After we almost sank in Pittwater when the stern gland rubber came off, I decided to bite the bullet and turn the engine round and take the shaft out through the original stern tube which had been plugged. Fit a 3 bladed fixed prop in the aperture cut in the skeg in front of the rudder. This turned out to be a very expensive exercise. Handling was much better and she turned almost in her own length using the paddle wheel effect of the prop. We lost about 11/2 knots sailing though.

A few years later the gear box died. We had to remove the engine to get to the gear box so I decided to invest in a new Nanni 43hp, with new shaft and Hydralign self feathering prop. Another expensive exercise. Well worth it though. The only draw back though is if we had to remove the shaft when it got bent after picking up a fish trap. This entailed lifting the engine.

[plane sailing]

Well, thanks to all the info from the forum..
It all went well the Autostream only needed to be partially dis-assembled (enough to get past the rudder post) we had some small problem getting the shaft thru the stuffing box (dripless) because of a burr on the shaft, a bit of filing helped there. the cutless bearing was driven out with a short peice of round furling foil. used as a drift (perfect). now awaiting parts then the reverse will hopefully happen. Also waiting for decent weather to paint the hull with 2-pack primer before the 2 coats of antifoul. Footnote: quote was 4000 to soda strip. i chose the chisel method and although hard work and result not as good i have 4000 to spend on deepheat for my shoulders.
One last question for the moment.....is there a bolt in anode on the Yanmar engines? i cant locate any. its a 4j?????

[sildene]

CaptCruise, very interesting account of the highs and lows of diesels in sailing boats; thanks for sharing. I also considered repowering with a new diesel, but in the end, I just liked the slow throbbing sound of my 36hp Bukh so much I had its rings and bearings rebuilt and re-installed after a good prime and paint. Very heavily built block, and the rebuilder felt it would last a long time with moderate maintenance. Did not have to change engine beds or shaft, though I had a fibreglass lift muffler custom made and replaced the entire exhaust line using silicone hose. Probably cost in the region of 6 - $8k. To contrast that, I would be interested to know what the all-up ball park cost of your Nanni purchase and install was.

Plane Sailing: I'm sure your Yanmar query will be eagerly and quickly answered in this forum if you posted it in a new thread mentioning "Yanmar", where some of the many Yanmar experts will notice it.

[captncruise]

All up cost of turning engine around was quoted at $2000, finished up at $9000 due to unforeseen problems. Should have bought the new engine then!!!

6 months later a piston seized and spent $3000 having engine reconditioned in Yeppoon. Did most of the pulling out and re install myself.
Sailed back to Mooloolaba when an almighty bang made me look closely at engine and found that 3 out of 4 bolts on the end of the crank shaft had come out. Not my work as this was done by the re con company. Got it fixed under warranty.

The new Nanni, shaft, dripless stern gland and prop came to $20,000. I got a good mates rate price on engine through a contact I worked for in UK.

The engine has now done a bit over 1,000 hours and I have to replace salt water pump seals when I get back to Sydney. I am working in Port Macquarie at present and Bacardi is on mooring with sea cocks shut off.

I will be in Adelaide four 4 weeks in July so may get a chance to see Fowl Play.

[plane sailing]

Captn. "Cadence of Adelaide" prevoiusly FOWL PLAY is in Melbourne (Geelong).
So perhaps when your in Melb. but you wont find her in S.A. Thats her ship registered name, I have changed ownership and home port but left the name as is.. sorry for the
confusion.

[Cherp]

Hi. We've got an Adams 12 CC which ticks all the boxes for us. However, I think the Cole 43 epitomises the designer's art as far as aesthetics go.

[plane sailing]

[plane sailing]