Things you're happy with, things you're not

[tjspiel]

I've had "Mad Baby" for 4 seasons now and have made many changes and boat related purchases. Though not a complete list, here's a few changes/purchased I've made that have worked out well, and some not as much.

Worked Out Well:

• Furler
• Flying Scott Jib
• Sunbrella anything. The stuff holds up
• Minn Kota 55 lb thrust "Traxxis" trolling motor

Didn't Work Out Well:

• Minn Kota 50 lb Thrust "Vantage" trolling motor
• Extra Boat Fenders. Almost never use four. Two is plenty

Jury Is Still Out:

• Cockpit Cushions

The Vantage trolling motor was worth a shot. The electric "deploy" (up/down) feature was what enticed me but does not have quite enough travel for a sailboat. Didn't drop the propeller as deep as I'd like. Reverse on that motor was also awkward. To make it even worse, the up/down feature, which is known to be finicky, quit working. Hoping to fix it by next Spring so I can at least get my money back (purchased used).

The "Traxxis" mount on the motor I just got at the end of the season is not as nice as an electric deploy but the one hand stow and go makes it easier to deal with than the standard Minn Kota mount.

The extra fenders were kind of an impulse purchase at West Marine. There's a "raft up" tradition on our lake on the 4th and I've never participated because I was always out of town. Was really looking forward to it this year but thought I might need more fenders aside from the two I use when tying up to the dock. Alas, the weather was terrible on the 4th until evening so the raft up didn't happen. And I've been carrying these extra fenders on the boat that I don't use ever since. I've heard there's such as thing as inflatable fenders and maybe a couple of those as spares would have been better.

I knew this was a likely outcome, but the cockpit cushions didn't get a ton of use either. I'm happy with the way they turned out but they take up space in the cabin. They're nice when I have guests onboard but personally I'm quite comfortable in the cockpit without them. I never bother with them when it's just me.

What does your list look like?

[talbot]

We've got most things ironed out. I like:
  Main sheet disconnected from backstay.
  Main traveller.
  Adjustable backstay.
  Double-reefing main.
  135 Genoa.
  Dyneema standing rigging.
  Larger galley table
  Micron Extra bottom paint.

I am still not satisfied with my mast raising system. I change it some every year. Everything works, just not as smoothly as I'd like.

I agree about cockpit cushions. They're OK
in gentle breezes, and I like them at anchor. But when it's tippy, they slide around and I'm always afraid they will blow away.

[DBthal]

I'm starting to feel like I've got my P-165 dialed in the way I want it.

What worked:

• Re-bed jib track.
• Mast gate.
• Deck padeyes.
• Line organizers.
• Boom mounted bungie to stow sail

Not so much:

• Ratcheting mainsheet block

Jib Track - I removed and re-bedded a leaky jib track last Spring. Works well and no more leak.

Mast gate - my home made mast gate worked well. Occasionally a slug would hang up on it when raising the sail, but its easy to clear.

Deck Pad eyes - I added some cast SS pad eyes on deck near the rails. They are in line with the mast tabernacle. I use them to connect conduit baby stays when raising / lowering the mast (usually done solo). This stops the side to side mast sway.  The eyes are also a good place to attach fenders.You cannot view this attachment.

Line Organizer "hooks":  nice and flat, so they don't snag jib sheets.You cannot view this attachment.

Bungie with hooks mounted under boom -  this has worked great to gather the sail easily instead of using sail ties.

Ratcheting Mainsheet Block - it's a nice Harken block and the ratcheting feature works well, but I'm reefing earlier now and the ratchet wasn't needed to easily handle gusty winds.

Dan

[tjspiel]

I'm starting to feel like I've got my P-165 dialed in the way I like it.

What worked:

• Boom mounted bungie to stow sail

Do you have a pic of those? I think Tim did something similar. Sounds like it would save me some time too.

[talbot]

Tell me about your baby stays. Mine have never worked well. They are in line with the axis of the mast pivot, but because on the P21 they are on a different plane, they are loose when th mast is down, too tight when the mast is raised. Just opposite of where they need to be to prevent sway. I used them last year, but went back to a sliding A frame that self adjusts in the sail track. Very effective, but takes me too long to rig.

[DBthal]

a sliding A frame that self adjusts in the sail track. Very effective, but takes me too long to rig.

Talbot - I'm using a sliding A frame made of conduit and half of a door hinge that goes in the track.

[Riggerdood]

Hmmm ... need to think about that. This is my 8th "season" with Rum Line. I put season in quotes because we really don't have a season per se. Obviously, the best improvement I've made were the new sails in '19. Another was replacing that PITA Merc 2-stroke with the Nissan 4-stroke. This boat came with a lot of bells and whistles, and there weren't many things I felt needed to be added. I do need to replace the bimini canvas, and yes it will be Sunbrella. Just need to schedule some sewing machine time down at the Skydive Perris loft. As far as cockpit seat cushions, some SO-PAC ones cut to size came with the boat, but I prefer to use them on the cabin sole, and use one of those West Marine folding stadium seat type things in the cockpit.

Other things on the current to do list:

Come up with a better companionway hatch.
FINALLY replace the CB pendant. Probably would have done that at the Channel Islands trip last month, but had to go to OH instead.
Make better bins for the storage areas under the quarter berths.
Install a second reef in the main. More sewing machine time needed!

[Riggerdood]

What worked:

• Boom mounted bungie to stow sail

Do you have a pic of those? I think Tim did something similar. Sounds like it would save me some time too.

Yes, I did Tom, and so far so good. Much easier than sail ties. Here's the link:

https://duckworks.com/balch-boats-stow-a-way-sail-tie-system

[Macsp21]

Great post with the end of season upon us and pondering fall and xpring projects it good toget imput from other folks onwhat is working and what needs improving..
New for 24 bimin3 or 4 bow with side sun screens
Permently mount transducet
Biggest improvement new aails 2 seasons ago
Cockpit cushions are original but had to replace foam for back restsi hang throw cushions to lifelines 3 oneach side pondering padded stern seats
Mast gate home made dont know how i ever sailed without it
Raising and lowering mast with a home maid gin pole system i used on my hobie getaway,sidw stabilization using parachute cordand s  hooks always good to have a 2nd set of hands for raising and lowering but can be done solo

Thursday looking like sailing conditions are 70 degrees winds 8 to 10 wife and sister say theyre ready could be season finally   thanks again for the post  mac out

[DBthal]

Tom,

Here's the bungie install on the bottom of my boom. I'm still playing with how tight or slack the bungie should be.  Seems better when slightly loose.
You cannot view this attachment.

I tried to get a photo of the whole boom, but the image was beyond the allowed size.

BTW - I use Dick's Sporting Goods stadium seat foam cushions to sit or lean on.

Dan

[Riggerdood]

I agree Dan, looser is better (to a point), and I think mine are too tight, even though I didn't cut off any of the length of bungee. I'm thinking of moving the aftmost padeye forward a bit, or bypassing it altogether, since there's not much sail bulk back there to be contained.

[Shesaidno]

Many good improvements listed in this post, several I plan to borrow/steal!

On my P165, now sold after 6 years, the very best improvements were a new laminated jib and mainsail as well as a laminated genoa. The lighter weight and improved performance were well worth the cost. They were still in good shape, the main, for example after nearly four years.

About four new batteries, moving from the original 12 volt auto battery, then to sealed batteries, then to the final LiPo4 batteries, two connected in parallel. Loved the light weight and no maintenance.

Another good improvement was a second roller furler allowing me to mount the genoa on the bow pulpit, then easily switch between it or the jib.

I also got a lot of complements on the boat, I think because the P165 is just pretty cute, but also by the wide red stripe on its side and completely new graphics including the Precision name, registration numbers and home port. Of course, I received lots of laughs and comments about my boat's name, She-said-no, so much so that my new boat's name is She-said-no II.

Things I was less happy with are few, the PlasTeak that I added because I was so tired of trying to keep the cockpit sole white. It tended to still get kind of grubby looking and collect dirt in the edges. I also tried various versions of a traveler, none of which seemed to improve performance. I never really came up with a decent mast-up cover, but used an oversized motorboat cover that was quite ugly but covered most of the boat except the front of the bow. It worked fine in dry boat storage where there is no beauty contest. 

The P165 was a great little boat, now at a new home in New Mexico.     

[Quantico Frank]

Talbot - I'm using a sliding A frame made of conduit and half of a door hinge that goes in the track.
[/quote]

Dan, what do you connect the bottom of your A frame to? Thanks.

[DBthal]

Talbot - I'm using a sliding A frame made of conduit and half of a door hinge that goes in the track.

Dan, what do you connect the bottom of your A frame to? Thanks.
[/quote]

Frank,

The bottom of the 7' conduit legs have eye bolts. I found simple cord worked better for the attachments to the pad eyes on deck than a carabiner or quick link.
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The half door hinge is wrapped in duct tape so it doesn't scratch the mast track.
You cannot view this attachment.

Dan

[Straander]

Oh man. Been making so many upgrades each year, its going to be hard to remember them all.

Let me rank the ones that have worked in order of how useful they've been to me.

-Quick release shroud levers. combined with running the jib halyard through a block on the stem fitting has made stepping the mast sooo much faster (and safer when solo) then when I got the boat.
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-Jib downhaul and halyards ran to cockpit. Any task that can be moved to the cockpit makes sailing easier and safer when I'm usually the only experienced sailor aboard.
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-Large capacity battery installed in bow compartment, and 86lb thrust electric motor. Outings are sooo much more pleasant when you dont have to struggle with a gas motor, and can actually talk with each other during motoring sessions. And the 52 lbs up near the bow helped balance the boat and keep the transom from dragging in the water.
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-enlarged mainsail and jib. Both of my sails are larger then stock by about 10% which is pretty useful in the regular wind I'm dealing with in lake washington.

-Miscellaneous: swiveling jibsheet blocks. AC shorepower outlet. Cunningham replace downhaul. outhaul and reefing line horn cleats replaced with clam cleats. cigarette lighter outlet and usb ports added to fusebox aux-circuit.

Now for the things that didnt work:

-My hatch mounted solar panel. I installed it, but then never figured out how to wire it so that the wires stayed out of the way when opening/closing the hatch. And the panel was in the zone where the mast would squash it when lowering if I didnt close the hatch first. wasnt long before the panel was damaged beyond use before I ever used it.
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-My combination topping lift/flag halyard. Never worked well in low winds or in downwind legs when I couldnt properly tension it. The length of shock cord at the top wasn't enough to keep it taught in  most situations. And i think having a flag so close to the mainsail trailing edge kept it from flying well in all but high wind situations.
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