Haida 26 Owners Group

[rubyjean]

Originally Posted by Ecohawk

As I have no power at the dock where I am tied up, I will move the Haida to my place in the next couple of weeks. It will be about 50' from my shop and will have lots of heat.

I will pull the mast next week and have been looking at how it is stepped. It would appear it slides down over a 'stub' of some sort, that is fastened to the deck and the supporting bulkhead. From inside, I can see that there are a few electrical wires, including a heavy (#4?) gauge ground cable that enter into the 'stub' (I presume). There are no wires entering the mast from outside the boat.

My main question and concern is this: will I be able to have the crane lift the mast up to some point where I can then disconnect the wires, at a connector or terminal strip inside the mast base? I don't see any breaks or connectors on the wire, inside the cabin.

I guess it might be possible that when the mast was erected it had long wires inside it that were fed through the 'stub', before putting the mast into the 'stub' and then wired in below? In that case I will have to cut these wires, if there is enough slack to lift the mast up that far. Other wise, I will have to make the cuts inside the boat.

Any advice or information will be welcome.

Stephen

I cut the wires on the inside of the cabin, Hard to splice inside the mast. The heavy wire is most likely the radio coaxe cable, leave enough length to make a splice. Hope this helps... Michael..

[Ecohawk]

Thanks Michael. The heavy gauge wire is bare copper and I suspect it is part of a lightning arrest system. I will cut the wires as you did. It will be easier to splice them back together inside anyway.

Stephen

[Ecohawk]

I am pulling the mast tomorrow and inside the boat I cut two small gauge wires that had been previously spliced.

But, the 1/4" bare stranded copper wire had not been cut and runs without a break to a bolt on the keel. I'm quite sure this wire is intended to deal with a lightning strike.

What I don't know is whether it connects to the mast base or to the mast itself. I don't want to cut it if I don't have to.

Stephen

[Steelhands]

Just bought hull 61 in Sequim WA. Need to do some work on her. Sweert, sweet sailing vessel. And strangely fast. In light winds, I was lounging in the cockpit keeping up with a 32 foot shiny boat, both on a close haul. Any help or ideas appreciated.

[egapevets]

Hello,
I am about to venture into the world of boat ownership. I have an opportunity to purchase a 1971 built 26' Haida.
I know nothing about them, but from what I have read here it sounds like a reliable sail boat.
If someone could check this link 26' Haida Sail Boat
and provide your thoughts...on price, and the sort of maintenance I would be facing in the coming months.

Any advice or help will be very much appreciated.

Steve

[Steelhands]

Did you get the boat? Also, what part of the country are you?

I love mine, though still working on her some. Her current name is "Win'a'Wil". Hope to take her to the San Juan islands soon.

Sam
Ps. The link is not allowed until you post a certain amount, so I never saw the boat.

[K Heart]

Hi everyone. Just found this forum.

I am a new sailor and a first time boat owner. I took a sailing class and one of the instructors mentioned they were selling one of the training boats at the community boating center in order to get a matching J24 for their training fleet. The boat is a 1969 Haida 26, the Kailana. It had been owned by a young man who died suddenly and the family/community donated it to the community boating center in 2013, I think. At any rate, I bought it. I figured I needed something to practice on and all the sails/rigging were in place and useable. The cabin had been completely gutted when they took it to the boating center to be used as a charter boat. The only thing left inside (aside from the walls/structures) is a coat hook....They must have missed that!

So, I got the keel wheel wired and repainted the bottom and put in in the water a few days ago, went shopping for a used motor and have taken it out the last couple of days. I really love it. I am having to buy everything for the boat since it has nothing. Expenses are adding up fast. Several people have suggested that I should (already) sell it and get a boat that has everything already and I would save a lot of money. But, I don't know, there is something about this boat I really like...maybe I would say that no matter what boat, since it is my first boat. But I like the design. Other boats look kind of boring.

It needs a ton of work on the interior and plywood decking....I don't really know anything about any of that...but it sails really well (according to me, who actually knows nothing). So, I am just taking it one day at a time.

I have heard through the grapevine that this boat did sail to Hawaii, not sure if it is true. I read in the forum about finding the hull no., so I will look for that. Is there anyway to find any history on a boat??

Thanks for being here.

[Ecohawk]

Welcome to the world of the Haida 26!

I have a Haida 26 and she has been in my front yard for about 18 months. If you have a wood core deck and it has issues, then you may well be taking on a lot of headaches. Mine has the deck/cabin designed by the boat's designer, and is all solid fiberglass. There are others here that can speak to restoring your deck.

Haidas have been sailed in a lot of blue water. I know of one that sailed from British Columbia to Australia/New Zealand. There is one in Coos Bay, Oregon that survived a storm off that coast with 70 knot winds.

You do not mention having the boat surveyed, but it might be a good idea to get a boat surveyor to look at the deck, and maybe a few other critical areas.

Boats can be seductive. And there is more than a little truth in the old definition of a boat: "A hole in the water, into which one throws all of one's money!"

Keep us informed.

Stephen
In BC, Canada

[K Heart]

Stephen,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am totally hearing you. The great love affair...then money money money....hahaha

Well, I did not get it surveyed but I did have two different experienced sailors have a look at it for me (one who has refurbed boats and is a master wood worker...and who has sailed his whole life) as well as the teaching staff at the boat center. I probably should have had it surveyed...but I didn't actually know what that was and no one mentioned it to me!!!

Right now I am looking at all of cost as "tuition" into the school of sailing/boating/life.

Right now, I just want to practice sailing and have as much time on the water as possible to learn and see where all of this will take me. I do feel a little crazy...yet strangely on the right track.

I have lived here in Puget Sound and Bellingham Bay for years and have yearned to sail, yet never have. So now my daughter is off to college and I yearn for some freedom....that is pulling me out to sea.

It would cost a small fortune to restore the woodworking on this boat and restock it with all the goodies. So for now, I bought a new motor (a yamaha 6 hp...for 1700....this was after buying an old used honda for 500...and soon realized that I did not have what it takes to nurse an old motor along...too many new things for me to learn) and safety equipment....and, as I said, all of the sails/rigging is in great shape. Even though the cabin is stripped, it is dry, with only a couple of soft spots near the hatch that I will replace.

I think I will just "camp out" if I take it overnight. So far, I have just sailed it 3 times as we just got the new motor in today.
But it was a DREAM. I took an experienced sailor friend with me and he was delighted at the ease of handling and the sailability of it.

So, I have dropped some money into it....more that if I picked up an outfitted sailboat....I am sure....but live and learn. I paid 1,ooo for the boat, 1400 to get the keel wheel wired and bottom repainted and transducer/depth sounder (400) installed to plug a hole (an old speedo was there)...1700 for a new motor plus....various miscellaneous stuff that adds up...maybe 300-500 more.

But the boat is sound, very stable, supposedly an excellent "starter" boat.....except for some cosmetics and the couple of softspots I mentioned. Would I choose to buy this boat over again, knowing what I know now.....I am not sure. Time will tell.....

I am still very new. I do know that I was looking at "sailing vacations" as in paying to go out with people....it was in the thousands of dollars!!! That sort of led me to buy my own boat and go out myself.

I will post pics soon.
Thanks for the input.
Mica

[Ecohawk]

Mica,

While I can sometimes give good advice, I often do not "do as I say". I had decided to buy mine before I even saw it, based on the research I had done. No survey. I did not even take my sailing buddy with me. When I went below I was struck by the dingy, dirty fuzzy liner on the inside. Hence, I did not notice that the chainplates came through the deck and attached to rotten knees and bulkheads!

Once I hauled her out and had her near my home/shop, it did not take long to cut out the rot and rebuild/replace the rotten anchor points.

This is when I made the classic decision. I figured that while I was at it, I could make some 'improvements' and add some things to make it easier and more convenient and safer to sail.

So, she not only has a mostly completed pilothouse, but also a manual anchor winch I cut from stainless and had welded, the same for new SS bow rollers and new SS stanchion bases. The stanchions will be taller Schedule 40 3/4" SS pipe with a toprail of the same material. This will give you only a taste of how I manifested the 'Law' of boat restoration: " If you have 10 tasks to do and finish 6, you only have 12 more to go!"

If your deck issues are only a couple of soft spots in the deck, you may be able to deal with that easily. Others, here and on other forums can advise you on that. Be prepared for the 'small' spot to actually have the core rot covering a much bigger area. And then you might chase it into other areas that did not yet show as soft, like into a cabin bulkhead. This I mention from my experience with 40 year old wood boats.

I say, sail the boat, camp in her (a hammock is a traditional sailing bunk) and add things to the interior over time. A friend of mine, Brent Swain, built one of his origami steel boats, put some lumber and tools in her, and built the interior as he sailed to the South Pacific!

If you sail up this way, give me a shout and we can swap tall tales.

Stephen

[Steelhands]

Here are some thoughts from a sailor who has been many a sea mile aboard a Haida 26.


Need to protect the windows
the original rudder fittings are weak( broke rudder off half way to Hawaii)
Check fittings- welds at top of mast
Check for compression at base of mast- should put a plate in to spread the load
Built dogger over hatch as is very big
If still using original outboard well it may leak where screwed through when loaded down
In very heavy weather 50 knots plus the boat will take care of its self by just lying a hull

[Ecohawk]

Originally Posted by Steelhands

Here are some thoughts from a sailor who has been many a sea mile aboard a Haida 26.


Need to protect the windows
the original rudder fittings are weak( broke rudder off half way to Hawaii)
Check fittings- welds at top of mast
Check for compression at base of mast- should put a plate in to spread the load
Built dogger over hatch as is very big
If still using original outboard well it may leak where screwed through when loaded down
In very heavy weather 50 knots plus the boat will take care of its self by just lying a hull

Steelhands,
It is always extremely valuable to have feedback, such this. While at age 76 I probably could handle going offshore, but doing so as a singlehander would be pushing it a bit.

Going through your list:

-- The opening ports on my Haida were probably original and were cracked and crazed and leaked like a seive. Now they are fixed acrylic.

-- Yes, I keep looking at those rudder fittings. At some point I will pull the rudder and install a trim tab, both for self-steering, but also to allow 'jog stick' steering from inside my pilothouse. I will beef up the rudder fittings at that time. The jog-sticksteering is only useful if I do put on an outboard.

-- I 'tested' my masthead by letting the mast get away from me when removing it. The cast aluminum masthead assembly broke in one place and I sistered 1/4" alu angle to both sides and am confident it is sound. I also shifted the upper end of the forestay up to the masthead fitting, to stabalize my repair and to move the Genoa up so my homebrew furler's drum was higher to clear rigid lifeline top rail.

-- I suspect you have the flushdeck version? I have the 'special' cabin and the mast base seems well supported by the skookum interior bulkhead.

-- I built what was initially intended as a wooden dodger, but is now closed in and will have an aluminum 'door' for the main hatch, ala Brent Swain.

-- I am not sure if or how my well might differ from yours, but it does not seem have any screwed bulkheads. I may not have an engine as I have sailed engineless on the BC coast for years. I will build a yuloh and I already have a sculling oar.

-- Yes, the Ruby Jean (the boat of the originator of this Haida 26 Group) was in a heavy blow off the Oregon coast and reported the boat took good care of him.

Much of my inspiration and design comes from my friend Brent Swain and his book. Highly recommended.

Stephen

[Steelhands]

Just for clarity, it was not me who sailed those miles. It was another sailor who so far has not posted his extensive experience. I'll leave that up to him but wanted to make clear that it is someone else (who knows a heck of a lot more than me) who wrote that list.

I apologize if I mislead.

Steelhands

[Ecohawk]

Originally Posted by Steelhands

Just for clarity, it was not me who sailed those miles. It was another sailor who so far has not posted his extensive experience. I'll leave that up to him but wanted to make clear that it is someone else (who knows a heck of a lot more than me) who wrote that list.

I apologize if I mislead.

Steelhands

Steelhands,
Getting good advice is always valuable, even if second hand.

Two questions: Was the boat the Aquila? Did the owner use the online name Brent57? The Aquila was mentioned in this group on Oct 19, 2014, as having circumnavigated. On another forum, I think it was Sailing Anarchy, there was a post by Brent57 that mentioned sailing from Victoria, BC to New Zealand and that he had built a 'doghouse' over the flush deck main hatch. He did not respond to further questions from me.

A couple of years back, there was a Haida 26 for sail in either New Zealand or Australia, that had a doghouse over the main hatch.

The brother-in-law of the owner of Aquila said its owner was a man of few words. He was going to email him, but we saw nothing further.

[Ecohawk]

A bit more research shows me that the Haida owner you were quoting is on this Cruisers forum and is Brent57. I found 4 posts by him and one being the list where you found your info.

Since he says he made a circumnavigation I suspect his boat is the Aquila?

I am a retired forensic investigator and old habits die hard!

Stephen