Where do I start?

[njoynthewater]

Nigel Calder has a number of very good books that you should find helpful.

[ranger58sb]

Another thing that's helped me is taking copious notes as I do/complete projects.

Some of that is about explaining to myself what I just did. (If you can't explain it to a 6-year-old...) Some is about critique; what worked, what didn't, what could have been better, how, and why. Some is just for reminders on what tools to use next time (e.g., 1-1/8" socket on an electric ratchet drive to remove our main engine impellers, etc.).

In our case, my notes are within my maintenance log, actually an Excel file with several focused worksheets within.

-Chris

[Winf]

Another point, and some may disagree with me here, but we certainly haven't got everything perfectly right the first time. I don't think you can beat yourself up over not knowing everything or driving yourself crazy trying to know everything.

We have found stuff that needed fixing and fixed it so that it was better than before, safer than before and an improvement only to later find out a more better way or a "best" way.

Take electrical connections and joins. We had multiple 12v wire joins that were just wire twisted together with a bit of electrical tape. You don't need a degree in electrical engineering to know that is dodgy. I bought a reasonably decent crimp tool and some reasonable quality crimps and ordinary heat shrink and replaced joins with that. That solved most of the electrical problems. Later I found out there is heat shrink with glue inside to seal the joints better. Now I'm in a more serious refit I am rewiring the whole boat to eliminate splices, unnecessary joins and aging wire and have found a source of very good quality heat shrink terminals and use them exclusively.

Oh and check out Maine-sails site. https://marinehowto.com

Rod knows his stuff and I have learnt heaps from his site and have bought stuff from him to support this resource. His how tos are readable and full of gems on how to do quality work and understand boat systems.

Winf

[LauraleeG]

So great--all this information! I am relieved that nobody went..OMG ARE YOU INSANE?? DONT EVEN TRY TOO MUCH TO LEARN AND YOU AINT NO SPRING CHICKEN!!
Thank you for helping me see--that its never too late to learn.

[ranger58sb]

Another: Find and download every manual for every on-board system. The exploded diagrams can really help you visualize how a (thing) works, and the names of varies pieces and parts (in case you need to order replacements). They might also include service tips, too, for those systems that might be serviceable.

-Chris

[sailorboy1]

BTW - if you are in a cruiser community location there is probably some cruiser there with nothing really to do that knows to how fix your problem and is more than willing to help you do it, all for just a ....................... beer.

[Cheechako]

"...he has tools and understands mechanical and electrical systems in general...but not for boats. Where do we start?"
It sounds like you are good-to-go to get started. Boat systems are simple. 12V DC is simple compared with the complex cars and other things now days.
I would start by going through your boat stem to stern and understanding everything, what it does and where it is.
Check hoses, clamps and seacocks to make sure they turn etc.
You will find things that aren't right or don't work. That's where you start!
Get a copy of Nigel Calder's book: Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual.
Before taking off have the fuel in your tank "polished" (filtered) You'll be glad you did.

[Ken Pole]

Landfall 38 is a great boat; stable, responsive to the helm and sails really well. However, a 38 friends and I once chartered in the North Channel had myriad deck leaks (a weakness with balsa-cored decks which were common to C&Cs). The leaks were so bad that she was withdrawn from the charter fleet a short time later. That said, if the deck is in good shape, she'll take you anywhere. I'd own one in a heartbeat if she passed survey.

[Tingum]

Lots of good advice but here is mine. DO NOT sit on the dock working on the boat continuously! Sail it, motor it, use it! This way you will learn what works and what needs fixing or changing. You may even find out that something that you were worried about is something you can do without. Good luck and have fun.

[stormalong]

As already said, start with books about boat mechanical and electrical systems.

Then make a project wish list. Prioritize them with safety first and simplicity second. Start with simple projects. Nothing builds confidence like successfully completed projects. Every job looks a lot simpler when you break it down into manageable steps. Even the most daunting projects are simple if you can break them down into easily done steps.

For example: Replacing a VHF radio. Steps: Disconnect antenna and power connections. Remove radio from bracket, remove bracket. Mount new radio bracket, mount radio, connect power and antenna.

Yes, this is a simple job but breaking it down to even simpler steps makes it a good example. Any job can be broken down into manageable steps, even an engine replacement.

Stare at your project and think it through before you begin. When I replaced my engine I spent more time crawling over the old engine and planning the job than actually doing the job. Good planning made that seemingly daunting job go very smoothly.

There is also a wealth of knowledge on this forum and probably with your neighboring boaters in the marina and boatyard. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

[stewie]

Take one thing at a time, otherwise it will all be too much. Start with cleaning and making it a live on board and take it from there - one thing at a time as it comes up and needs fixed or whatever.

[TrentePieds]

Hello, Lauralee - and welcome :-)!

Too early for you to feel overwhelmed - save that for later, for that comes to us all sooner or later, though with lesser and lesser intensity as the years go by ;-)

If your boat has a good survey, it won't sink. You and tkeithlu can continue that discussion, if you like. So if the boat won't go gluck-gluck at the dock, what's to worry about? No boat is EVER perfect. What really counts is whether it is ADEQUATE. And the C&C38 is MORE than adequate for what you say you want to do. Almost - though not quite - regardless of condition.

The first thing you do is send off to Amazon [hate Amazon, but that's another story :-)!] for Don Casey's This Old Boat. It'll set you back forty or fifty Canuckibux for now, but it will save you THOUSANDS of Yankeebux - let alone "boatbux" over the years. When you get it, read it. Not from end to end, but picking the things that interest you. Soon the dots will begin to connect. Stick it under your pillow at night and let the stuff osmose. Go sailing. Let some more dots connect. Read some more. Sail some more. Next time you haul 'er to tickle 'er bottie, don't farm out the dirty work. Do it yourself.

While you are sailing, determine what you like and what you don't like about the lay-out. Within reason change the things you don't like. The ones that a LOT of trouble to change, you live with. It took me five years to work out just how I want my new nav station that's happening now. Changing the nav station meant tearing our some electrics. Sensible, then, to make sure the entire electrical system is up to present standards. No sweat. Not difficult. Just tedious. A lot of this sort of thing you can do one circuit at a time while you are on the hook in a lovely cove. I like to get up early and do an hour or two of such work, leaving the rest of the day free.

You see my approach. So go buy Don Casey's book. And don't forget that CF is always ready to help with specific problems you may have.

So in specific answer to your thread caption: You've already started - you just don't know it yet ;-)!

All the best!

TrentePieds

[Augi]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Luckily, most things won't break all at the same time... so you don't have to learn everything at once.

There are courses (on diesel engines, for example) and books (Nigel Calder on electrics, for example; softcopy books are nifty for on-board libraries). YouTube videos can help, especially when you have to be learning the jargon at the same time, too (What's a "flange"?). It helps if you have or can find builder's documentation on your specific boat. Forums like this are good for generic, often brand-agnostic, advice, and sometimes a specific brand owners forum for mutual support (do searches first, then ask if necessary or for more clarification). Dock neighbors can sometimes help. Paid labor will often let you watch, sometimes they'll even teach... so you won't need them next time.

Make it safe first, make it clean (spotless, including the engine room, bilges, etc.) next, make it yours after that, then deal with individual problems as they arise. When that happens, fix it right -- and even improve that "thing" if you can -- so it won't need your attention again prematurely. Eventually you'll get to where you can see a problem coming, and head it off at the pass.

(That "clean" part is partly about aesthetics, partly about health... but mostly about a) learning the boat inside and out, and b) creating a condition where deviations (e.g., a small leak) are obvious and lead you to troubleshooting faster. Anyway, you'll learn lots about the boat as you clean the various nooks and crannies.)




Indeed, X2.

-Chris

I second the above:

Nigel Calder's books are excellent. If you are good learning from books Calder addresses in depth most of the technical issues you are inquiring about. There are all types of short classes offered on most of the topics. For example Marina Sailing in California offer a number of short courses about the topics you are inquiring about. At Sail Boat Shows like Annapolis short courses are offered. Youtube is excellent. You can find "how to" about almost anything. Brian of Sailing SV Delos on youtube from time to time has on the video the process to trouble shoot a problem and repair it.

As it sounds like you have already figured out the key is know enough to know what you don't know, and know enough about your boat's condition so you can plan your sailing to not be at too much risk of having a bad experience. Then follow as the many good comments suggest here and learn as you go.

[LauraleeG]

Originally Posted by Ken Pole

Landfall 38 is a great boat; stable, responsive to the helm and sails really well. However, a 38 friends and I once chartered in the North Channel had myriad deck leaks (a weakness with balsa-cored decks which were common to C&Cs). The leaks were so bad that she was withdrawn from the charter fleet a short time later. That said, if the deck is in good shape, she'll take you anywhere. I'd own one in a heartbeat if she passed survey.

Thank you! Yep...CS is like that too! From the forum I have learned to be there when the survey is done. Hopefully she passes. Thanks for your comments!!

[hamburking]

HI!

Is this your boat:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-sailboat/kin...ationFlag=true

Its right here in my hometown!

I bought old boats when I was younger, and had no clue what I was doing. You don't need to be an expert to buy a boat. You become an expert by owning a boat. The hard part is....to try! Given that you have time to do some problem solving when things come up (and they will), and you have a modicum of common sense, combined with 10 working fingers (each), then you are in great shape and should not hesitate to buy your C&C landfall.

For example....reading about diesel engines on these pages, one would think that you need to be a diesel machanic at the very least, and that these engines are constantly breaking down. Nothing could be further from the truth. I've owned a yanmar 2gm, 3gm, and volvo penta 2002. All of them ran perfectly on the day I bought them, and perfectly on the day I sold them, each after several years of faithful use. I changed the oil and filters, and didn't run at WOT. Started every time. Diesel engines are actually very reliable and long lasting. You only read about the problems.

If you can find a boat you like that gets a good survey, get the best price you can and dive in. First thing to do is take EVERYTHING OFF THE BOAT and CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN. This will teach you a lot about your boat. Then put back just what you need onto the boat. I swear, 90% of sailing is just knowing where to find everything! I think you are very smart people...it comes across in your post...now is your chance to use those smarts to own a boat and have a great time. And if you get stuck...well...CF will be here to answer your questions.

Best of luck to you!!!!