Cole 43 Yachts

[Polaris5527]

Originally Posted by Capt Simon

Past or present Cole 43 owners:
Anyone know what the ideal backstay pressure should be with the hydraulic backstay adjuster?
I have Taurus and just preparing her for a long sail from NSW to Thailand for a refit...
Thanks, Simon

G'day Capt Simon,

Congratulations on having Taurus; I own Polaris. I replaced the original hydraulic backstay adjuster with a linear model after a failure during an offshore race. Be aware that your original setup is probably fairly old now and you need a backup plan if it fails; it is extremely difficult to replicate the required pressure using a simple tackle. At the very least have a backup strop in place so if the hydraulics let go you don't lose all the tension. Without a good backstay your forestay will sag and that will ruin your pointing ability.

In terms of pressure; you're looking to put enough bend in the mast to suit the way your main is cut, and to keep good forestay tension. This would vary from mast to mast; too many variables to give an exact number. Crank it on until it looks right...

[Capt Simon]

Thanks Polaris,

Kinda what I had in mind ... wing-it until it feels right!

Understand about possible failure. It does lose some pressure over a few days, but no noticeable hydraulic leaks. For some measure of piece of mind I've installed dyneema running backstays and use them religiously. (Yes, I know the forestay will still bring down the mast if the backstay gives - but the runners do help reduce the backstay tension). The rig will be pulled and serviced/replaced during the refit. The strop's a good idea thanks, I have more dyneema so I'm digging out the fids after this post.

I sailed out of Pittwater several weeks back with an unknown rig, 6m S swells and 20-30kn from behind - at night! Trial by fire, 12.5kn surfing the swells! I have far more faith in the rig now than when I started this trip.

Of interest re the pressures - I pump it up to around 600psi when at rest gives enough of a feel of a loose, but tensioned, backstay. Then to around 1500psi under way. In heavy winds it tops out around 2000psi with acceptable forestay sag.

But ... what great boats huh! Where's yours?

[Capt Simon]

PS, I ran into Dave at Southport on CADENCE!

[Lindsay1948]

Originally Posted by Capt Simon

Past or present Cole 43 owners:
Anyone know what the ideal backstay pressure should be with the hydraulic backstay adjuster?
I have Taurus and just preparing her for a long sail from NSW to Thailand for a refit...
Thanks, Simon

Hi Simon, sorry I can’t help you with backstay pressures as it is too long ago
I owned Taurus for 17 years and bought her off the estate of Peter Taylor who was killed on “BP Flying Colours”.
Have sailed since I was 10 out RMYS, St Kilda, Melbourne.
You have in my opinion after sailing and owning a number of yachts the most beautiful balanced sailing yacht, she is truly a one of a kind with a wonderful history
When you refit her make everything super strong—- check out her ballast ratio!
Good luck and fair winds
Lindsay White

[Capt Simon]

Hi Lindsay, good to "meet" you!

I've just changed her onto the Aus Shipping Registry (for international travel) and had to do a full owner's history as part of the process so I was familiar with your name and Peter Taylors (although my research did not reveal his unfortunate accident). Finding the past owners in the first decade or two was quite easy via the CYCA archives and S2H race results!
I assume you sold to John Freeman? (the documented history dried up, ironically, around the early days of the Internet).
John had grand ideas but apart from removing all deck fittings, rails, winches etc, nothing more was done by him.
Did you install the Volvo? Any idea of the age of the rig? Would love to talk with you further if you're interested. And really need someone to show me how to use all the bloody bloopers on board! Maybe you should come and join for a Kings Cup regatta after the refit?

BTW, during the change in Rego, with some small tinge of reluctance due to the yacht's provenance, it has been renamed to OO-WAH. Which is Thai language loosely translates to BULL5H|T, thus keeping a vague connection to Geoff Lee's original name!

[Lindsay1948]

G'day Simon
Thanks for your reply, I will endeavour to answer some of your questions.
Yes I did install the new Volvo engine after the anti syphon valve failed and allowed water to back drain into the old engine which had 4000 hours and was in good condition---so please lift that valve further around and high, maybe under the cockpit combing might be a good idea
Yes I did sell the boat to John Freeman and also he received books on the history of Taurus, so I hope it has all stayed with her.
The rig, which I doubt John replaced is the boats original, the previous and first one was a fractional and to quote Geoff, it has an unfortunate accident and fell overboard after being launched--- she was then set up with the current masthead rig.
Having sailed since 10 years old from Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron and having owned a number of yachts I can say without any doubt after owning/racing and cruising her for 17 years, she was the best sailing boat I have been on---no vices, a witch to windward (almost unbeatable) and a great surfer.
You should note that all her fittings are oversize as this is related to her ballast/displacement ratio, meaning she will carry her sails into the highest wind range and put enormous stress on fittings and rigging---don't go for cheap and light---she will blow them up---I have bent winch handles over the combing, ripped metal winch bases in half and even blown the odd nut off winch bolts.
I did plan to buy her back from John and do a full refit but business then retirement and age got in the way.
I still love her, I hope you do too and that she talks to you the way she did to me
If you want to contact me or if I can help with anything during the refit I can be reached on 0411887633
Kind regards and good sailing

[Capt Simon]

Having now sailed her from Sydney to Lombok, through a wide range of wind and sea conditions, I am certainly enjoying her sailing prowess. I do intend to do the social/cruising races around SE Asia, I suspect she will perform well particularly with the old-age handicap (that'd be applied to me and the boat)!
I hear what you say about her ability to carry a lot of sail and the forces involved. I'd already re-attached the deck gear with titanium bolts and stronger backing plates, and upgraded most sheets and halyards etc with dyneema.
I'm a Lloyd's Surveyor and Naval Architect, and been involved with superyacht refits in Myanmar and Thailand for the last 25 years, so I certainly plan on doing this refit "right".
BTW, how have 5 owners over 50+ years survived without a windlass? That was the first thing I installed before leaving Sydney!!!
Did you by any chance investigate fitting a saildrive with the Volvo to replace the hydraulic motor? Looks like it should be an easy enough install with the engine staying put under the cockpit floor (much better than middle of the saloon/galley as with most of the Cole 43s). I think this would be a very good upgrade?

[Lindsay1948]

Simon ,Simon,
With your experience I would have thought you know the answer to the anchor winch problem--- there never has been a problem
Taurus has raced her entire life and when crewed I always sent the worst crew member or the one that currently annoyed me most to go and haul the anchor up.On cruising ventures I always referred to my wife as AW----- like I said it never was a problem and kept her just a little lighter
A little trivia-- in my last year of racing Taurus missed out on club champion by 1/2 point in the last race
Volvo sail drive-- yes a good idea if it has to be replace ( having to non align a motor is always a plus) however her hydraulic drive has a track record better than any sail drive-- and that motor down the back is the only place in a Cole -- you will know this in big seas and she is heavy surfing and then she buries her bow, that motor in the rear gives bow bouancy that is impressive
You did ask previously about the bloopers-- I did not use them that much but they were helpful but temperamental but that could have been our inexperience with them.
Taurus was able to carry and perform mind glowingly well with a shy spinnaker using our triradial in quite high winds--- gave us a big advantage
Have been meaning to ask--- were you able to get rid of the osmosis on her bum--- I dried her for 6 months encapsulated with heaters on and did not know if it was successful because I sold her shortly after this (and not because of)
Kind regards