Rudder Maintenance

The part of the Drascombe design that does not quite live up to the standard of the rest of the boat, is the rudder. I'm surprised that is not possible to buy a replacement made out of a lighter material. I'm sure it is not beyond the capability of a small manufacturing company to produce a copy made from anodised aluminium or even use stainless steel.

The aim is to take the rudder apart, clean it and re-paint using Galvafroid. When re-assembling the rudder the plan is to use two large washers, which will be glued to either side of the rudder blade. Drilling the pivot pin out revealed a bush in the blade. This was loose and the hole in the blade slightly elongated. The decision has been made to make a new bush, which will be an interference fit into the blade. A new pin will also have to be made.

The washers have been made from 0.5 mm thick Polypropylene sheet and these will be glued to the blade using an impact adhesive. A nylon washer will also be added to shaft to help prevent wear on the top bearing.

Galvafroid is a zinc rich paint that is ideal for protecting steel. It can be painted over if a different colour or finish is required. It's easy to obtain on-line or at a good builder's supplies.

The hole in the rudder had become oval in shape, so this was reamed to 5/8 inch, before a new bush was machined out of stainless steel and press fitted into the hole. A new pin was also turned with a small shoulder one end. Once the rudder and stock have been painted, the washers glued in place, the plain end of the new pin will be riveted over. This should then provide a long lasting solution.

Galvafroid paint does need stirring well and can be applied quite liberally. I used a thin piece of wood wrapped in kitchen paper to paint the inside faces of the stock. Three coats later it seemed to be finished and I then added two coats of smooth Hammerite onto the rudder blade. Once the blade and stock were painted, it became very clear that the plan to add the two washers was not going to work and in fact the blade was now a very tight fit into the stock.

There was need to use some force to get the blade into place, which did remove some paint and when a new layer of Galvafroid was added, it soon became clear that this would cause the Hammerite to soften and bubble. The only solution was much rubbing down and repainting in some areas. Waterproof grease was packed with the blade and stock and although I'm sure it will wash out in time, it did help with the final assembly and will keep it lubricated for a while. The pivot pin was riveted over and another coat Galvafroid added to outside of the stock.

A washer was added to help prevent wear on the upper bearing. This was made from some 40 mm dia. nylon and hopefully will also make the rudder smoother in use.

  

Rain and varnishing !

The weather has not been ideal for varnishing over the last two weeks. I've managed to get some coats of varnish on, applying them early in the morning - while it is still dark, using a head torch to see! I'd hoped this weekend would provide the opportunity to get the final coat applied and the fittings secured. However, the forecast did not look ideal, so a temporary shelter was the only solution and with colder weather on the way I wanted to get on with the job.

 

I've used the Deks Olje system, which so far I've been pleased with. However, the real test will be after a seasons use and how well it stands up to "wear & tear". Both the oil (D1) and the varnish (D2) are quite thin in viscosity, so many thin coats are needed, as is a cloth soaked in white spirit. Once dry both D1 & D2 are quite difficult to remove. Applying the D1 was very easy and I had every confidence it got into all the gaps and difficult to access place. On a couple of occasions I have used some "wet n dry" to smooth out any imperfections, it seems best to leave the D2 for a few days before doing this and then leave this surface another day or so before adding another coat. On one occasion I tried to sand and varnish the day after I'd applied a coat, the varnish still seemed soft and the new coat seem to soften any edges of the previous coat, which I just had to do it again! I think just being patient is the thing to remember.

A new tiller

The tiller that came with the boat is just a plain length of hard wood. Looking at other boats and having recently sailed in another boat, it was clear that a curved tiller made by laminated wood, provides a more attractive and user friendly solution.

After some initial research, including looking at the cost of buying one, I decided that it would more sensible to make one.

A simple former was made out of an old shelf and two blocks of wood. The tiller was made by using seven layers of alternating wood, each 5mm thick. After an initial dry clamp to check the shape, the layers were glued together and left overnight to dry.

 

Once unclamped the laminated wood could be shaped. The nominal cross-section size was 35mm sq. The width was tapered down to 25mm so it was more comfortable to hold. The most difficult part was the shape the new tiller to fit correctly in the head casting. 

 

 

The start of winter maintenance

Having decided that I will not be able to sail again this year, the decision was taken to start some maintenance. The list is long! Not serious work but more preventative really. Where possible wooden parts have been removed, which makes sanding and re-varnishing a much easier job.

 

 

The gunwales have been stripped back to the wood, after any fittings were removed. This also gives the opportunity to replace any brass/bronze bolts with stainless steel ones. I also removed the top of the centreboard case and was relieved to see all was well with the winch and centreboard.

There are couple of cracks in the transom board, I'm hoping that after sanding and re-varnishing they will not increase in size. The cracks  do not seem to go through to the other side, so I'm thinking they can't be too serious.

I've decided to use the Deks Olje system. Before using it on the actual boat, I tested it on some of the smaller parts I'd previously removed. The previous owner had been pleased with the results and so far it appears to be very successful. It does tend to darken the wood but I like how it soaks in to really protect against the elements. However, time will tell how successful it really is.

Along with the lots of smaller jobs, the larger tasks include: cleaning and repainted the rudder with Galvafroid, fitting a small battery with a solar charger and making a new curved tiller, which will clear my knees!

Ullswater - Old Gaffers Assn.

It's the Old Gaffers Association 50th anniversary this year and they have been holding a series of events during the year. The last of these was held at Glenridding on the shores of Ullswater, in The Lake District, over the weekend of 13 - 15 September.

A few of us managed to get a short sail in on Friday, before it got dark, as the forecast was for very poor weather on Sunday, so we were keen to get as much sailing in as possible. The wind on Saturday never really settled and although there was a couple of races, it was just very pleasurable to sail in such a wonderful location. We managed to sail around to Howtown, where there is a free public slipway. However, the parking is very limited and it is accessed down a single track road, that runs from Pooley Bridge, past Ullswater Sailing Club and on to Martindale. If you went early in the morning you would be fine. Another option is to camp at Watersideside House Campsite but the slip here is quite small and although you'd be fine with a smaller boat, a Coaster may be a touch too big. You can use the facilities at Glenridding at other times, but it's not the cheapest. Another option is to join Ullswater Sailing Club as a temporary member for £38 for a week, which seemed a good price, with plenty of parking, good facilities and concrete slipways, although limited mooring.

There were a few other Drascombes present during the weekend, but only one Coaster to keep Kathleen company. The other boats were a varied mixture but many had been built by Character Boats, in Lytham, Lancashire. These are traditional styled boats, based on the local fishing boats, built using modern materials. The one thing that nearly all the boats had in common, were tan sails. The Saturday evening was a very relaxed affair, with a prize giving and communal music. Many thanks to the OGA for organising the weekend.

Norfolk Broads

Having not visited the Norfolk Broads for 30 years, it seemed an ideal time to return. Kathleen was launched at Martham Boats, with the car and trailer left there. They also sell the Broads Authority Licence for a 7 day visit. Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere are the most relaxed and quiet places.

I made a lightweight mast support, using a piece of plastic drain pipe with a wooden wedge in the lower end, for passing under bridges. Once under Potter Heigham bridge things start to get busy! Although most of the motor boats were keen to help and appreciated being told which side to pass.

 

Once past Ludham, the River Bure opens out and provides good sailing. There is slip at Thurne which has a courtesy box, £5 in and another £5 out. It was not locked when I was there. Not really big enough for a Coaster and it did say no boats longer than 5 metres. However, there was some parking on grass near the public toilets and someone had left a roller trailer there. There are showers in The Lion pub at Thurne for £2.

Meeting local boat owners was certainly interesting, especially the owner of a "Rover" design of boat. It was wooden, cold moulded hull, 16 feet long and designed by John Westall of 505 fame. You could see the similarity in the two boats. The owner felt there was only 14 ever built and he sailed around the Broads, spending over night stays under its forward cabin. It appeared to sail very well in the light airs of the Broads.

 

For my final night I was moored alongside two Lysander cruisers who used Swallowtail Boats to launch at Ludham. The owners explained that there was a new slip and good parking, all at a very reasonable price

Chichester Harbour

Chichester Harbour is a ideal place for small boat cruising. A number of Drascombe owners based themselves at the Marina and day sailed, over the August Bank Holiday. The Marina is very well equipped and a good price was negotiated for us, arriving on Thursday and departing Tuesday.

As well as good sailing, an excellent number of social gatherings also took place. A full range of weather, from thunderstorms to blue sky was experienced. The sail through the moorings at Itchenor was a little close at times, as was the anchoring space off East Head on a sunny Bank Holiday Monday !

 

 

With the weather not always being sunny, I did find the opportunity to try out the tarp I'd bought. Although various designs of tent are available, non are cheap and many do not let in much light. A transparent tarp from Bradshaws provided a simple solution, that provided more space and didn't darken the cabin.

 

This meeting provided an excellent opportunity to discuss all things "Drascombe". It was clear that nylon rollers were not recommended, as they do not provide any cushioning for the boat, when it is loaded on the trailer. However, with the boat in the water, I raised the front roller by 1/2 inch. This seems to relieve some of the load on the centre roller. It seems to have helped, as it is now possible to push the boat off the trailer, when launching. Previously there had been a need to initially "back winch" the boat when launching.

Hinges on rear lockers

The hatches on the rear lockers are only held in place with a piece of rope that is fastened from within the cabin. Many other owners have added hinges to improve these hatches. This seems an easy job but like all things it takes a little longer than planned. Some of the bolts need to be carefully shortened so they don't rub on the edge locker, also it may be necessary to remove the polystyrene blocks so you can  get easier access to fit the nuts on the underside. Currently I'll continue to use the rope system to hold the hatches down but will explore different catches to make an even more secure solution.

Coniston Water

We took Kathleen to Coniston Water and became temporary members of the sailing club there, who made us most welcome. We spent a week living on the boat and learning how to sail her, in a variety of conditions.

This time also gave us chance to look at how we could change things to make life easier. Several small ideas were completed before launching but the three key items are i) adding a 12 volt battery and solar charger to provide a simple electrical supply, really so the VHF and other devices can be recharged. ii) an opening hatch to replace the round porthole, to aid ventilation. iii) Re-profiling the bumpkin, so it can be fitted by sliding it out from in the boat, rather than hanging over the transom and sliding it in the from the back.

One of the centre rubber trailer rollers had deteriorated, so while the boat was on the water this was replaced with a new one. It wasn't until after doing this did I realise you could buy nylon replacements, which are recommended for salt water use. So another change seems a good idea. One longer term project for the winter, will be to look at getting the rudder re-galvanised.

Bringing Kathleen to Lancashire

We collected Kathleen last week, from her previous owners on one of the hottest days of the year, stopping at Hilton Park services on the M6 to allow the traffic to reduce and everyone to cool down ! Although the temptation to go sailing is great, we are heading further north to the West Coast of Scotland for a couple of weeks sea kayaking, which will give us some time to think about her before our first sail.