Prout Questions

[Sea Wolf]

We live aboard out Prout Quasar 50. She's a '79 boat and we did a complete refit from 2000-2002 and are just in the process of finishing up the last of the things we wanted to change/upgrade. We love the boat, but did find a major manufacturing 'problem' when we gutted her. The starboard side stay that holds the mast and is attached to the cabin top was not bolted through to the hull bulkhead. The fittings didn't align, so they just didn't make the connection and just covered up the problem. It's amazing that she went back a forth across the Atlantic a couple of times without incident. That was the only problem we found, but it was certainly a biggie!

If you're interested in seeing the refit you can visit our website (The Cruisers Life - Home) and click on the SeaWolf link. If we can be of any assistance, let us know. We live in Miami... for now.

Loree
Aboard SeaWolf
CruisersLife.com

[Herbseesmoore]

Fishing for info,
1968 Prout Ocean Ranger Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com
could someone verify, my guess is solid glass, any other comments.

[Talbot]

Some of the very earliest Prouts were made from wood. They then moved to fibreglass with solid construction on the hulls, and cored for the decks. Towards the end, they were using core in the hull above the waterline on the Escale and probably the 38 and 44 as well.

With the date of your interest, I would expect it to have a solid hull, and some core on the deck, but I do not know the particular model, just interpolating from what facts I do know.

[Eleven]

Just an update. I bought a 31' Prout, 1968 Hull No 41, at Xmas this year.
Very pleased with her. As a new sailor I've been able to take her on without 'experienced' assistance. She's been good to me.
There are difficulties in this route, learning to trim sails for optimum performance from a book for example. There are benefits too, I get to identify problems and find solutions.
e.g I've put quick release clips on all three corners of the stay sail making deployment easy. I rigged it to slide along the curved bar across the top of the cockpit so it's self tacking. Comments please!
Hauling the main is hard work, is it just a wire brush in the groove and wash well?
Play in the (morse cable) steering prevents the auto pilot from working!
There aren't any other problems at the moment. I've logged a hundred hours mainly in Southampton Water and the Solent. Done the Needles passage four times.
I get up to seven knots (hull speed) sailing in twenty five knots and reef after that.
In winds under ten knots are embarrassingly slow but I'm hoping sail trimming improves that, and there is a spinnaker when I'm ready.
Accomodation is good, three cosy doubles and a (2) big doubles in the day cabin.
Otherwise there is the continual little changes to make her more suited to us, and recovering her original standards. The boat looks very original and shows signs of a previous extinct tonneau cover and various drilling and marks in the body work.
There is a drive problem. The coupling broke off the engine leaving us adrift in the Medina. Poor engine re-installation when a 43 hp was fitted a couple of years ago.
Are they underpowered with the 27 Yanmar?
Mine has flat decks all round, there's a 34 here with steps either side of the cockpit which look awkward. The bigger ones seem to double their price for every three foot extra length.
I hope you found what you were looking for. There's not much wrong with the older Prouts, especially if they are still around after thirty years! Of course they have lost some strength. Look at the rear bulkhead for cracking and double its thickness around the cabin doors if it's not been done already. Allow for hydraulic steering and add a hydraulic ram to the drive leg slewing.
Mine came with electric winch for the anchor. I'm considering a demountable electric bow thruster as cross winds and currents make pontoon mooring really difficult. Perhaps it will get easier with practice but with a single engine manouvreability is POOR at lowpeeds.
Love to hear from othe Prout'ies.

[Talbot]

That is a BIG engine for a 31 - sounds like the Previous Owner liked to motor more than sail.


That will add quite a lot to the weight, The 31 is more sensitive to too much weight compared to the 37 elite.

If raising the main is hard work, you need to take a look at the top pulley, You may need to whip the top of the mast (and the bottom) to look at the pulleys. Top should be a lot easier than the bottom, so guess where I would start first!. Either end needs the mast down anyway (winter job) if the pulley turns easily on its own. Is it sized for the size of rope you are using or is it a wire pulley that is jamming with the rope (older boats used to use a combined wire/rope main halyard, but not necessary with todays rope technology.

Bottom line. The prout main is a little piece of cloth that should be possible for a 10 year old to pull up.

Is your single engine connected to the single arm lever that allows you to vector the thrust from the engine. If not, this will make berthing soooooo much easier!

[Eleven]

Thanks Talbot.
Will check the main pulleys.
Leg does steer but very stiff. Bending to haul it across while berthing makes every one nervous 'cos they can't see me.
I'm 15st and 6'3". I pull my weight for a while but getting the main up in much of a breeze takes time.
Question seventeen. I have a track on the front of the mast. What is it for. Genoa halyard tension?
Otherwise the boat looks after me. Easy to manage though the strain of skippering is tiring after a long day. My sailing buddy is an accountant!

[Talbot]

steering leg should have a device on it which locks it in position. Its a long time since I saw one, so it may just be turning the knob on the top of the lever.

Could be that the bowden cable neeeds to be replaced. - But before you do that make sure that you can lock the lever in one place or another cause other wise you will not motor very far with the leg turned out of vertical.

The track on front of the mast is almost certainly a spinaker pole track.

When I did my yachtmasters, the boat I had was very very hard to raise the mainsail. All the others complained like mad and said that the pulley was jammed.

I used a pair of binoculars and discovered that the pulley was actually missing, as was the pivot pin, and the main halyrd was cutting through the mast - we changed boat (the second time) On the first boat, the echo sounder was not working!

[Eleven]

The boat came with a spinnaker pole. I didn't think they were needed on a Cat.
I have trouble getting a good angle on the sheets to the 150 Genoa. The sheets are too wide but only just run outside the main stays.
A narrower 'clew' using that traveller as an anchor point would help close hauled performance.
A wider 'clew' when downwind would also help in lighter or troublesome winds.
The drive leg slew works OK disconnected, but I think the leg was upgraded with the bigger motor.
I have a climber and will check the pulley out when the wind eases a little.

[Pa La O La]

Good day,

I use the forward mast track on my Elite for a wisker pole to fly the head sail out going down wind in light air. Because yes in light air she can be a bit of a dog. Please don not tell the girl I said that for I so love her. We have lived abord for over five years now and have stared full time cruising one month ago. I added a new slide track in the mast grove and now the wife can take the main all but to the top. The old slides would stick up or down. Could be a pain and impossible unless head to wind.
good luck and fair winds.

Gary