Yorktown Sailboats

[rustygun2]

I do note about Yorktowns in that many/most were sold as kit boats the importance of who in fact did the finishing work.
I feel the Hull and resigns used to be extremely durable and keel design to be well thought out.
What I lack at this point is sail time to put my theory to test.
What I don't lack is time in the cabin where I am finding a strong leaning toward
cheap panel wood and lack luster fittings.
I do trust however that all well be sorted out in time and this one will make a trip NC to the Islands early next year.
The sad part in my case was I bought the boat before the economy tanked and I'm seeing bargains all around me making it harder to swallow as I resole, arch, and outfit this project. By the time I'm done I'll for sure be in deeper than the resale vaule, if not already.
Fun is fun and I'm having a ball.
My latest project is cutting out the rear bunk area and making a storage locker as well as installing a generator.
I also have been replacing this cheap panel board with teak...This already heavy boat is getting heavier with every project for sure but comfort to me is more important than speed.I also am learning to live with a 6.5' keel in an area with very shallow water. N.C <Southport> and have spent a couple nights grounded waiting for the tide. Ha!

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by rustygun2

My water in the Keel isn't a result of a leaking Keel however any water entering the Boat will first run to the keel before building in the bilge.when filling the water tanks and realizing it was cracked and leaking out about 5 gals I'd estimate went into the keel where the cement has broken down toward the rear under the engine area. It's not a good thing but I'm aware when I haul it out I'll need to drain it to avoid freezing thus the idea to add a plug. I doubt I could reseal the top of the keel where it meets the timbers to stop this water draining so I live with it and dry vac as much as I can.

Have you tried using the self levelling concrete. It is a product that is made to adhere to older sound concrete and raise the level of the concrete. since there is know structural value to the keel concrete I can't imagine how it would be a problem. A couple bags and you would have more then five gallons of volume.

[rustygun2]

Thanks for the suggestion of using self leveling cement over my exiting Keel to address my pour problem..I have looked into using Alcohol tohelp dry out the keel until it goes dry dock again and I'm able to install a drain plug and the idea of adding a new seal weather it be cement or a rubber roofing compound I have looked into...either way it will be tricky as the offending area is toward the transom mostly directly under the engine area and getting to it is difficult at best.
For now I'll take a blind eye and tend to the hundred other issues I have.
I would like to add I really am enjoying this project and have developed a fondness to Hank's design. I also enjoy hearing from others who have Yorktowns as well
Thanks Again

[rustygun2]

Yesterday I poured self leveling cement across the top of the Keel area from the rear Transom area to the valley leading up to the Bildge . It poured well and when I return this week end hope to see that it sealed well.
Regardless it should clean up the offending surface which contained a lot of loose gravel and separation causing water to flow down into the Keel.
I also have begun the process of removing the rear bunk area along the engine where I hope to install a generator as far back and to the center as possible.
I then will Box the area and make a Storage Locker. In my plans I'm always aware of weight distribution and given the weight of this Onan generator and storage area I may find the weight uneven, we'll see.
I also have temp plated the floor area and am cutting out a Nu Teak Floor system in Flex material to sole and hope to see a new look to an old Floor when completed. I also have decided to remove the old stove and replace with a portable as well as update the fridge with a more compact and lighter self contained version. As to the old Tile in kitchen area and bath room I have started the task of removing it all and have not yet made a dission as to replacement material. I do wonder why when viewing other Yorktowns the materials such as tiles and woods all appear to be the same. Where these items included?

[Pjo-]

Hey Rustygun2, How do you like the Nu Teak Floor system? I have redesigned my galley and will soon be done with this and on to the sole of the boat. A boat neighbor told me about Nu Teak and I'm just wondering how you like it?

[joehixon]

We bought a Yorktown 33 from a charity auction for about $.21/pound. I figure with 5k of lead in the keel I'm ahead of the game. I repowered it with a Perkins 4108 off of Ebay for about $3k. What an adventure so far. I put a loose footed main on it and the first good blow broke the boom in half. But I've grown kind of fond of her. I think the boat is fundamentally sound with a good hull design. It handles heavy chop with ease. It's heavy and points well. Very roomy below and since it was originally a kit boat, access is pretty easy.

The aluminum windows are now 38 years old and should be replaced. I have't found a good solution for that yet. Any ideas?

Any other Yorktown owners out there??

[zeehag]

yorktown never used lead in keel. hank used steel/iron in early 33 footers and in the enclosed keel versions he used concrete with stuff added. learn what kind of keel you have before adding concrete unless you already know is concrete, you may be hampering keel bolt inspection which is important in his steel/iron keels.
about half the yorktown yachts built were factory built--they looked like mel's diner inside.

[CapnMe]

Originally Posted by RRivit

I have recently bought a Yorktown sloop, design by Hank McCune,and have to say that although I've heard people who have had Yorktowns that were not so good, mine seems to have been overbuilt, and by someone who obviously knew what they were doing. I have head stories of other yorktowns and the build results,and I got luckier than many. If anyone out there has hard factual information regarding Yorktowns, or if they perhaps own one, I would like to hear from others regarding their experiences with them. as for mine, I have sailed it in fair weather, and weather not so fair (20ft swells, 12sec intervals, driving rain, 35knot windspeeds, gusts to 45), and I have been first, amazed by the handling and stability. like a tank, I'd say. Never a leak sprung from hard sailing, never even once did I feel any structural issues, and the first time I came through a storm, and out the blue side, I knew for certain that if Yorktowns were all built like this one, they would have cult followings...I know I am not the only one with a superbly built Yorktown. Please, if there are other Yorktown owners out there who feel the quality of their Yorktown, let's hear from you. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know which ones are good, and which ones to run from..

I just purchased a Yorktown 39 and from first clean out and inspection she definetly seems to be one of the well built. I have not had her out for bottom job and will be doing soon. The keel seems to have been redone or originaly different from what i am hearing. My bolts are bigger than the 1/4 most have and are atleast 3/8 maybe 1/2. My family is moving up from a 35' Erickson Mk11 that has been fun but not the room to go the long haul.

I am very intrested to here any info you or anyone else has with the Yorkies!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, CapnMe.

[ssanzone]

Originally Posted by zeehag

yorktown never used lead in keel. hank used steel/iron in early 33 footers and in the enclosed keel versions he used concrete with stuff added. learn what kind of keel you have before adding concrete unless you already know is concrete, you may be hampering keel bolt inspection which is important in his steel/iron keels.
about half the yorktown yachts built were factory built--they looked like mel's diner inside.

now now... lets not get crazy.

i have owned 2 yorktown 41 one of which i took a sledge to the keel to recover the lead at the end of the chop down. i pulled about 400 lbs of lead out of the concrete. the keel is a sign of the building budget as the lead was everything from block to used automobile wheel weights (loose) to tin cans full of mixed / loose lead.

both of mine were built like tanks and have different problems.

the 1st had 14' of tile counter tops in the galley including. i needed a forklift to move the 3 55 gallon trash cans worth of it when i ripped it all out.

the 2nd was just unpredictable...i started cutting out a bulkhead which was glassed 3/4" ply in some areas and an 1" of solid resin (sometimes with cloth, sometimes not) in others.

both needed attention around ports and hatches as there were prone to leaking and rigging... well... yeah.

if you get tired of sailing her, you could throw a square dancing party inside... they are just huge and built for giants with close to a 7' span between sole and head liner.

they ride pretty high in the water and tend to pitch and roll a bit (which i think is generally the case with a center cockpit but dont know that for sure).

this is a great boat for traveling with kids (or people you dont really like) because there is so much room for their size and a lot of privacy.

making a list for you from my experiences...

1. check the chain plates
2. check for leaks and resulting soft decks around deck hardware
3. search out the 'non-marine' quality hardware (plastic ball valves on thru-hulls etc)
4. play a game where you scratch your head and guess why the builder / PO did whatever craziness you discover.

i have torn down both of mine and can answer a lot of questions...

gl.

-steve

[robwilk37]

where to start...

a couple of years back I rescued my Y39 aft cockpit from the chainsaws. the boat was an unfinished kit version that had sat in a field for its entire life. what fit-out had been done was piss poor with minimal tabbing, CDX, grossly out of plumb bulkheads etc. I got the impression it was being built as a marina queen and not as a serious cruising boat.

but I could see the potential and just accepted the fact that it would be a gut-and-rebuild kind of project. gotta say im really happy with how its coming together. major repairs and mods completed to date are:

ballast keel/floors - the concrete over lead had separated from the inside of the keel shell opening a gap of about 1/8" both sides. I measured the volume of the crack by pouring acetone in one gallon at a time till the level came up into the bilge. 16 gallons!. drilled small holes at the bottom of the shell to release said acetone. did this 4 times til it ran clear. waited several months of hot weather to be sure all had evaporated then filled the gap with epoxy/fibers. 18 gallons in two pours re-attached the ballast to the inside of the shell and permanently sealed the bilge from future water ingress. later will tie the bilge into new laminated ipe floors and hull with about 100oz of biax/epoxy beyond the turn.

raised/extended cabintop - im 6'3" so need clear standing headroom at least in the saloon and galley. bumping the saloon cabintop 4" and dropping the galley sole accomplished this. also extended the cabintop in the forepeak and extended the saloon aft with new cockpit bulkhead. very roomy interior volume now and still an 8' cockpit.

transom extension - really just a proper counter transom for propane locker/lazrette and folding swim step.

raised gunwales from minimal toerails, added scuppers, redesign cockpit for tiller stearing, added 3' sprit and foredeck hatches, about to start new rudder build. interior is gutted out to glass and 7 primary BHs and ringframes for now, im waiting for winter to get back to interior work.

what ive learned so far:

the basic hull and deck appear to be well built although the deck mold was asymmetrical, not enough to see with the naked eye but when measuring with a laser its obvious. the glass appears hand laid, no chopper gun and no mat other than the outer layer under the gelcoat. 1/2" thick above the waterline and 5/8" below, appears to be 22oz roving throughout. everything else in my boat was demoed. ive only heard/read the same anecdotal tails about these boats but certainly as "kits" you are at the mercy of the guy who did the finish work. for whatever reason it seems a lot of the yorktowns were finished by less than professional builders while other kit boats like the westsail42 where done by qualified boatrights. might have something to do with name band designers. mccune a relative unknown, crealock more attractive to professionals, just an idea.

no reason the boat shouldn't sail well, but not going to win any races. very fine entry, dead flat exits, long keel with deep cutaway, large aperture with balanced semi skeg rudder. should be a good balance of strong/seakindly/maneuverable. should heave-to well yet still go up wind, should be relatively quick to surf (for a 9 ton cruiser) and should be capable of careening on a soft beach when needed. all in all a thoroughly utilitarian cruising platform. and even though im not wild about the pronounced flair in the bow it does open up some deck room forward and should make for a dryer beat.

happy to meet another owner and talk boats if you are in socal...

[Terra Nova]

Yorktown's are generally amateur built on too low a budget, near the bottom of the food chain, with a face only a mother could love, IMHO.

[Sailor Shawn]

Live aboard our 1973 Yorktown 33 and love it! We wanted a boat we could buy for cheap while we save up for our lifetime boat. I didn't think we'd get this nice a boat in the price range we were looking in. It's the most spacious 33 ft I've been on and the bilge is bone dry. We live in Washington and I mean zero water leaks from anywhere. It sails easy and handles weather well. Our interior was finished nicely and the webasto heater (someone installed) piped for forced air nearly runs you out. The 4 cylinder Perkins runs great and sips fuel. It's not going to win any races but if you want comfort and safety you got it. We just love this old boat!

[GuitarBrian]

We own Yorktown 33' 1973 hull. Finished in 1979 in San Diego.

Bought in 1993 in Baja. Due to unknown reason (we never met the last owners... dealt with the original builder) part of the interior was missing. So we did a lot of work refinishing the first year.

I grew up with my brother on the boat... In the Sea of Cortez until 2000, then Central America, where it is now.

Our builder Capt. John Evans, spent $58,000 building the boat in 1970s dollars. ($258k in 2015)

He added stiffeners to the hull. 6 on each side. 6 water tight bulk heads. (chain locker, sail locker, Head, Salon/main cabin, engine room, aft cabin) As well as three more bulk heads in the main cabin, where the chain plates come through. 2 100 gal. built in water tanks, 2 68 gal. built in fuel tanks. These are under the cockpit along the hull. 1 water, 1 fuel on each side. 4" space between with access hatch on top. No pass through to aft cabin. Engine is 1975 Volvo MD3b.

The keel has 7,000 lbs of poured lead. Then cement encased. The bolts are large. Not sure on the exact size, at least 5/8 bronze. The keel-hull joint is fiberglassed with 14 layers of 16" wide mat. The hull-deck is 7 layers of 16" mat on the outside, and 7 layers of 12" mat on the inside.

There were modifications done by the builder to the keel and rudder. As we understand it... the keel is now a "Modified, cut-away 4 foot" the rudder has a full skag.

All the bulkheads are 1" marine ply, sturdily glassed in place.

As far as the workmanship... Capt. John Evans did a painstakingly through job. It has held up amazingly. There are some small blisters on the bottom. These are in the section that he modified. The original hull is blister free. We haven't done a bottom job in 10 years. And 1996 was the last time we really did any serious bottom work...

Only issue for the bottom is we hit a rock... and the repair (1996) adhesion is failing after almost 20 years.... I need to find a piece of wood to go knock on

We have had it in the tropics (200+ in. of rain a year) now for 15 years. It is showing signs of age. The woodwork we did in 1993 has some issues now. The hull needs to be repainted. (Last painted in 1996) But that is cosmetic, not affecting anything, so we just let it go. The teak rub rail around the hull-deck has mostly rotted away. We keep filling and painting it.

We replaced the ports with (5/12 and 7/14 Beckson) many years ago. These are still available, so we have kept buying replacement parts.

We have been in all kinds of weather. 12'+ steep seas with 60 kts of wind, on the nose... for 2 straight days. The boat handled fine. But the old ports were poorly designed and leaked. Hence why we replaced them. Installed with 5200... they don't leak now.

As others have noted... it is a large boat for 33'. Most people assume it is 37-40 based on storage, head room etc.

It has been a GREAT boat. Best thing to happen to our family.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Brian.