Crowther 43 project

[dennisail]

Originally Posted by colemj

If that is a Yanmar saildrive, those Volvo props should fit with no problem. What do you mean by loose on the spline? Do you mean there are gaps in the spline spaces (prop wiggles around), or that the prop hub slides up and down on the spline? If the latter, and they are not going on all the way, do you have line cutters or a spacer installed on your present fixed props? The folders could be hitting this.

Mark

The spline count is correct and they slide on OK, but the gaps between the splines and hub is big enough that they wobble way too much for my liking. To me it would seem that there they would not line up correctly with this much movement. Also to fit I would need to ADD a spacer with the volvo props as they contact the zincs on the saildrives. I could have turned the spacer around the wrong way that I use with the fixed blades, and that would have worked. However the props did not seem like they would have been aligned due to the massive play. Perhaps the hubs need resplining?

twofast, the "release" is very gentle on our design (about twice that of the catana 50 that was besides us). We get a bit of a rooster tail happening. Our sterns are not underwater at rest, we are more bow down at rest.

[DWT]

Originally Posted by two fast

Hi at 8 knots it's around 2900 rpm with a clean bottom
I prefer to run 1 motor hard than 2 slowly

Not to hijack the discussion but I would also like to know the difference in noise level and vibration of one engine running at 2900 rpm vs two engines at a lower rpm maintaining the same speed?
I assume the fuel economy is also a factor?

[two fast]

From all I have read it is better to run my Yanmars 4jh4s at a high RPM than not, the noise is a little more but it's only from one hull not 2
I also use less fuel and fewer hours
Vibration isn't a Issue

[SearenitySail]

dennisail,

Thanks for posting the thread so completely and with all the pictures. I have been thoroughly enjoying reading the entire thread.

While there was/is surely quite a bit of work to be done, the boat looks great and I am sure you won't regret your decision to "multi" task!

Good luck with your boat and smooth sailing.

Marshall

[dennisail]

If that is a Yanmar saildrive, those Volvo props should fit with no problem.

I would love to get to the bottom of the issue with the folding props. Why they were on the boat, and why they are so loose on the splines.

[dennisail]

We now have a fully functioning boat! Its now ready to be cruised on and that is what we have been doing for a week.

All the major systems are working and we even went sailing. The pops make a huge amount of drag. We pick up about a knot by having them freewheel, but it makes a hell of a lot of noise and I am sure its bad for the saildrives long term.

Thanks to 44c for giving as a hand sorting out the main. Max speed so far is about 8.5K in 11K apparent downwind. Looking forward to some reaching and hoping for some stronger winds in the next few days.

[44'cruisingcat]

Well, there's more wind today! Getting up around the 25 knot mark. Make sure your reefing system is working properly before you head out the river....

[dennisail]

Should of checked that post before we left

We had lightish winds and hoisted the full main in the city CBD, after a while we were getting 20+ and we hit 10.6K upwind against the current. There were plenty of rain squalls and I thought we were overpowered and it looked like the wind was here to stay.

The boat really lets you know when its time to reef. It gets bad weather helm thanks to the huge boom finishing right above the rudder posts. We were not even right out of the river by that stage. Shane skillfully pointed us to windward with the engines trying not to gain much forward ground thanks to the confines of the port of Brisbane.

I tried to get the first reef in but that stupid single line reefing system was still not set up right and it would not pull the clew down. So after 10 min stuffing around with it I gave up and set the conventional 2nd reef (sail only has 2 reef points). It was actually way easier to get in than the single line reefing on my hunter even though the sail is half the size. I am glad I went with that reef anyway as winds stayed at 20-25 for most of the trip to Tangalooma. We were doing 8.5-9K upwind (45deg) the whole way over and it was a heap of fun! We then got hit by a squall which went to 30K and we stayed at 13 + for a few minutes and hit 14.3K. Very glad I set the second reef. Looks a little windy today. I think I may have fixed the first reef and hope to try that out back to Scarborough this arvo.

The mainsail is pretty bad now. Huge crease lines pointing up from the second reef point where the sail is delaminating. I'm pretty heavy handed and good at breaking stuff, so that's not surprising. It still good enough for the bay for now, but I am sure big performance gains are to be had with new sails. Which will happen eventually but I want to hold it off for a while.

Those 3 blade fixed props have to be slowing us down a lot but I am still very happy with the speeds considering the large accommodations of this boat.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Dennis,

Glad that you are enjoying the new boat... sounds like a fun ride, and new sails are always a great upper (once the cheque has cleared!).

I expect that we will be in the Moreton Bay area sometime this coming fall/winter, and hope that we can cross wakes and have a gam.

Cheers,

Jim

[dennisail]

Sure thing Jim.

I just checked my opencpn log and we hit 16K in that squall.

[dennisail]

What size ground tackle should I be using on this thing? It has a 80lbs CQR and about a 50lbs? delta on the bow. The chain is heavy gauge (need to measure it) and long. So what anchor and chain sizing would be safe for:

1: World cruising? (which is the whole point of this boat, but not for a couple of years)
2: Bay cruising? (which is what we will be doing until then)

Moreton Bay is shallow and sandy, easy anchoring. Can I get rid of the 80lbs CQR and use the 50lbs delta in the bay? I have a 30m length of 5/16 HT chain, so I could setup an anchoring system specifically for the bay. Our other boat the 40 hunter weighs more than this boat and we crossed the pacific with a 55lbs delta and 5/16 HT chain and it was great. Would 5/16 HT be considered to small for this boat for world cruising? Also this will be a PITA with the windless probably?

[dennisail]

This weekend I fixed the holding tank and flushed it and took some other gear out of the bows, but there is still a lot up there and around 100kg of stuff in the port aft birth. The sterns are now certainly clear of the water by few CM, and the anti foul line is out of the water at the bows by about an inch rather than under by and inch. Probably only about 50-70kg of loose items the bows though.

[44'cruisingcat]

Switching chain size would almost certainly need a new gypsy for your windlass. I didn't pay real close attention to it, but think your chain was 3/8 inch. That's the same as we use, it's pretty much right for your boat.

IMO you'd be OK with the Delta 99% of the time.

Looks like a few of us may be going to Cat cay again on the weekend. You busy? Could maybe have a look at your saildrive boots.

[dennisail]

Hey mate. I cant go out this weekend Got plenty of other stuff on otherwise I would be in. I want to get my props sorted too so I can get than done when I look at the boots.

I will have to confirm the chain size. Do I just use a vernier to check it link diameter or are there other measurements I need to get a 100% ID on what chain I have?

There is no substitute for a good strong heavy chain, but for what I will be doing for the next 2-3 years I dont need something heavy and 60m long. I took my 60m length off Knotty Lady when I got to Brisbane and switched to a 30m chain and rope. The bow came up a fair bit and its not as sensitive as Bedar to bow weight.

At a minimum I will change over to the delta (which will work great in the bay I am sure) and put the CQR in the shed at home and leave a smaller danforth in a cockpit locker as a spare/stern anchor. I wish Shane did not get rid of his Fortress already! I was kind of kicking myself that I did not buy it off him, but who would have though I would have cat so soon?

[Askeeta]

Dennisail,are you still in durum,would like to chat about your Crowther