Getting A Boat Ready For A Delivery.

[Seafarer]

A friend and I will be doing a delivery from Tampa Bay, FL to Vermilion Bay, LA early next week. We went to the boat today to meet with the new owner who will be joining us, install a GPS, and generally inspect things.

The first thing I did was check all the rigging at deck-height, and what I found appalled me! Almost none of the turnbuckles had cotter rings in them! Some were taped over so they couldn't even be inspected until I cut the tape away. Worst of all, instead of a cotter ring holding the forestay pin in place, a copper screw had been hammered into it! The pin is just a little too short so not the entire hole is available, so the screw didn't even go all the way through. We tried everything to get it out, and finally resorted to using an extra halyard cranked tight as a temporary forestay and loosening the turnbuckle on the backstay. We cut the protruding portion of the screw off and twisted/hammered the pin out. After reinserting the pin some vice-grips clamped the fitting tight enough to get a cotter ring through the hole (which was still a royal PITA). Then the halyard was slacked and the back-stay re-tightened (tape had been used to mark its previous setting). Next time I am going to put my climbing harness on and have them winch me up the mast to check everything else out. We'll probably take the boat out for a trial sail that day as well.

[MMNETSEA]

Might be an idea to check all the hoses AND their clamps,seen enough rusted through worm drives while the stainless strap was in good nick.

[JeanneP]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Might be an idea to check all the hoses AND their clamps,seen enough rusted through worm drives while the stainless strap was in good nick.

and make sure there are 2 clamps on all hoses.

[MMNETSEA]

Another area of concern while checking the standing rigging would be that part of the chain plates that are not readily visible. This would often means getting into cupboards and looking for corrossion staining. In many designs the chain plate passes trough the deck and sealant is used to stop water intrusion - but over time the sealant hardens and comes away from the stainless chainplate - then salt water gets in and sits doing its work.

[Seafarer]

The Morgan Out Island 33 has external chainplates so these were easy to inspect.

I wasn't impressed with the interior layout on this particular boat, but had the chance to go aboard another one in Panama City and like that much better. Also, the one in PC had an emergency tiller fully ready to go right at the back of the cockpit- very cool! Our boat had much better access to the engine and steering components, which turned out to be very useful.

Overall, I was impressed with the build quality of the boat. I also thought putting a 50HP diesel into a 33' boat that can't sail to windward worth a damn was a great idea.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by Seafarer

I also thought putting a 50HP diesel into a 33' boat that can't sail to windward worth a damn was a great idea.

Won't 50 HP be over kill? - when the max needed would be no more than 25 HP to achieve Hull speed.

[Spike_dawg]

Means you are on a boat where someone cut corners, even on the most inexpensive of hardware items. Scary.

[MJWarner]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Won't 50 HP be over kill? - when the max needed would be no more than 25 HP to achieve Hull speed.

It's not the speed, it's the tourque. Being able to gain an edge off a lee shore in a blow, or keep the bow pointed into a gale wind is what the extra HP is for. Most times you never need it, but that one time you do....

[babylonlarry]

Pins have the advantage of being easier to remove in an emergency than rings.
I'd suggest that the new owner have a qualified rigger inspect the entire standing rig BEFORE going offshore.

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by babylonlarry

Pins have the advantage of being easier to remove in an emergency than rings.
I'd suggest that the new owner have a qualified rigger inspect the entire standing rig BEFORE going offshore.

Don't you mean the opposite? Our pins have the ends bent back around so that it takes a set of needle nose pliers to bend them and then remove. The rings just spin off easily once you get it started.

Pin at top of pic, rings in the turnbuckles themselves.

[babylonlarry]

I only slightly spread my cotter pins that retain the clevis pins at the chain plates, theoretically making it possible to quickly remove the cotter, drive the clevis half way out and pull it the rest of the way with a claw hammer or pliers. Turnbuckles, I bend them around like in your pic.

[cheechako]

Originally Posted by babylonlarry

Pins have the advantage of being easier to remove in an emergency than rings.
I'd suggest that the new owner have a qualified rigger inspect the entire standing rig BEFORE going offshore.

I have had rings fail several times. They seem to be fine and then you look one day and a couple look like spaghetti! I assume it occurs in a hard blow.. they get all twisted up...