Looking for Reinell sailboat info...

[RonRico]

Hi All:
Just bought a 1974 Reinell sailboat, 26' w/ 8' beam.
Was a project w/ non running 2 cylinder I/B, & broken kicker.
Has 2.5 ' draft , 3800 lb displacement, nice sturdy boat.
Came w/ all sails and full live aboard capabilities.

My problem is the paperwork is no help figureing what I/B engine is used in Reinells of that time. Also no manual on boat. There are no visible tags on engine anywhere.
Anyone know of any links or books or any library that has a manual on the engines. Any other reinell sites would be appreciated too.

THX for your time....hope toget some answers

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Ron,
Johnson/OMC is what is in there.
I don't know where you sail but don't take your boat to bluewater whatever you do. Your hardware will deteriorate quickly in saltwater and the rig is not set up for bluewater work. Most all the deck hardware was designed to go on powerboats in freshwater so the earliest you can change thinks out the better. When you remove a piece of gear make certain you use good bedding compound when remounting because Reinell didn't and they start to leak like crazy. Also, check your winch bases because most Reinells I know of used short screws to mount them and what you need is stainless through bolts with backing plates.
I believe you have cored decks so if there are any soft spots its because freshwater has gotten in there and is rotting away the core. You can dig it out from underneath after removing the headliner and then replace with good marine ply and epoxy it in place.
When sailing, stay well clear of other boats when you are using a large headsail because of the rudder size and keel size the boat responds slowly.
Good luck to you and let us know where you sail.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Ron,
Johnson/OMC is what is in there.
I don't know where you sail but don't take your boat to bluewater whatever you do. Your hardware will deteriorate quickly in saltwater and the rig is not set up for bluewater work. Most all the deck hardware was designed to go on powerboats in freshwater so the earliest you can change thinks out the better. When you remove a piece of gear make certain you use good bedding compound when remounting because Reinell didn't and they start to leak like crazy. Also, check your winch bases because most Reinells I know of used short screws to mount them and what you need is stainless through bolts with backing plates.
I believe you have cored decks so if there are any soft spots its because freshwater has gotten in there and is rotting away the core. You can dig it out from underneath after removing the headliner and then replace with good marine ply and epoxy it in place.
When sailing, stay well clear of other boats when you are using a large headsail because of the rudder size and keel size the boat responds slowly.
Good luck to you and let us know where you sail.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

...and besides all of that, they are "nice study boats".

[OldSarg]

JohnnL must be a fun guy to have around at parties. Woo Hoo!

[Celestialsailor]

Actually, he is being honest. Being in the same sailing club here in Hawaii, we have a Reinell. He has many hours on it and unfortunatly has had to put untold hour fixing it to keep it going. We are currently in the process of retiring it. It was suggested we sell it but thankfully the rest of the board decided to "scrap" it instead given the nature of some of the graver problems it has.

[Southern Star]

First of all Ron, welcome (although at the moment it may not seem like that). As you have already seen, Reinell's don't have the best of reputations. That being said, I suspect that your investment was not huge and it will give you an opportunity to get out on the water and to develop some skills both at boat maintenance and sailing.

The key here is not to spend too much on a repairs/refitting. If the work you do while learning the ropes is not cosmetically perfect it won't matter - your resale value will remain quite low. If you bump the odd dock etc., so be it.

I would try to do what I can with elbow grease more than high cost. If you have areas of the deck that are delaminated (soggy), understand that many boats of that vintage with better reputations will have the same failings. Repair where absolutely needed and again, don't sweat the cosmetics.

The engine is indeed likely an OMC 2 stroke saildrive. The good news is that the power head is the essentially the same as their outboards of the same size and parts should be readily available (perhaps even swapping the engine for an old but functional OMC outboard if the engine is bad enough).

If you have specific questions about specific repairs this is really an excellent site for advice/recommendations. And don't let the fact that your boat has been slammed by some discourage you - you are still going to get out on the water and likely for less money that some people are spending on a professional awlgrip paintjob on their boats.

Brad

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Ron,
I hope you didn't take what I said as a personal slam. I really was trying to be helpful because of my experience with Reinell.
Unfortunately a friend was duped into buying one for $8500 by a local surveyor. As soon as it was sold the surveyor skipped town. You can guess that this surveyor was not one that I would ever recommend.
You will gain lots of experience on the Reinell and if she is in the water and you are sailing her then that is a big plus.
Again, good luck.
Kind Regards,
JohnL
PS: I think there is an owners group on the internet somewhere. You might want to do a search.

[RonRico]

WoW!...BIG THX for warm welcome...guess i should clarify that I/B engine is a 2 cylinder and looks like lawn mower type. I knew Reinells had a poor rep, but got boat to make into power/sail Hand Troll/ crab trap work boat (my sea pickup truck) not for speed but for stable work platform thats cheap sail troll. Also porta potty, galley, out of weather area (important in Puget Sound),and ability to take on weekend trip to Port Townsend or Vancouver.
Anyway, a little more info on engine is still needed as its a 2 cylinder,and found a name on a brakett "Baldwin Marine"

[scotte]

I don't know if it helps, but last fall there was another thread on Reinell's, maybe of those folks is still around and has some info? You could always try an email from their profile... http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...boat-9199.html

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Ron,
Ok, I think it is still pretty much Johnson/OMC. We were able to pull the power head off the boat while it was in the water but decided to not repair it and just cut the transom down and reinforced it to install a larger outboard.
So what I'm saying is that we did the same thing with our club Reinell and it did pretty well as a powerboat and on the water storage.
Again, I didn't mean to make you feel unwelcome to the forum. I was just trying to caution you about using your craft as a sailboat and possibly putting yourself in danger. Sorry if it was a bit off putting.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[GordMay]

The OMC Sail Drive (also known as the "Zephyr") was built from 1977 thru 1984. It utilizes a 32 cubic inch powerhead (which commonly powers the Johnson/Evinrude 20/25/30 hp outboards).
Some parts are getting kinda scarce for these drive units, but maintenance type parts are reportedly still available. You may find certain gaskets will have to be custom made.
A service manual which covers all model-year sail drives is available under p/n 983669 (about $45). Any Johnson/Evinrude dealer can order it for you, just see the parts manager and give them this p/n. Also, the computer system indicates they're ONLY AVAILABLE thru the main warehouse in WI, so make sure the parts guy knows this.

OMC SAIL DRIVE BULLETIN #11:
OMC Sail Drives

OMC Sail Drive Parts Catalogs: OMC Sail Drive Parts Catalog
including:
1978 Sail Drive 15S10S & G
1978 Sail Drive 15S11C
1983 to 1984 Sail Drive
1980 to 82 Sail Drive

[RonRico]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The OMC Sail Drive (also known as the "Zephyr") was built from 1977 thru 1984. It utilizes a 32 cubic inch powerhead (which commonly powers the Johnson/Evinrude 20/25/30 hp outboards).
Some parts are getting kinda scarce for these drive units, but maintenance type parts are reportedly still available. You may find certain gaskets will have to be custom made.
A service manual which covers all model-year sail drives is available under p/n 983669 (about $45). Any Johnson/Evinrude dealer can order it for you, just see the parts manager and give them this p/n. Also, the computer system indicates they're ONLY AVAILABLE thru the main warehouse in WI, so make sure the parts guy knows this.

OMC SAIL DRIVE BULLETIN #11:
OMC Sail Drives

OMC Sail Drive Parts Catalogs: OMC Sail Drive Parts Catalog
including:
1978 Sail Drive 15S10S & G
1978 Sail Drive 15S11C
1983 to 1984 Sail Drive
1980 to 82 Sail Drive

Sorry forgot to mention that boat was made in 1974

[wlshor]

Hi;

I have a Reniell 26' sailboat. I have refitted. I have the orginal owner manuel. Send your E-mail and I will scan you a copy. wordofhope@bellsouth.net

Wlshor