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The World According To |
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The World According To |
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Bill Shaw answers the mail |
| I am writing this letter in the hope that you can provide some assistance for a repair problem I face. I transport my P424, #22 from Lake Michigan (about 70 miles), on a sail transport trailer that I own. During haul-out last year, a 2x10 which normally rests under the full length of the keel moved forward and the edge came to about the middle of the keel sump area behind the ballast. The area does not have the structural strength to support the boat on what is essentially a knife-edge. The result was a fracture which runs longitudinally on both sides of the sump for approximately 18 inches. During inspections, I also identified some structural problems around the bulkheads under the aft bed due to the tabbing loosening. I believe that a repair project is critically important to the safety of the boat and would make the following plan for the repairs to be made. Could you please comment on my plan and provide as much input as your busy schedule will permit. I love this boat and with a limited budget will do whatever it takes to get her back. My Plan:
Any assistance would be very much appreciated. — Dennis Home The best advice I can offer is to have Palmer Johnson of Manitawake, WI take a look at your boat. We were familiar with their work and I feel confident that they would be able to make the best recommendation to you as to how to proceed. Thank you for sending The Pearson Current issue with the article on Pearson keel bolt replacement. Unfortunately, the article addressed keel bolts for a P26 and my boat is a P38. I am in desperate need of some advice on this problem and wonder what the best way to get some input from a knowledgeable source is. Four of the eight bolts have experienced what is apparently crevice corrosion (a phenomenon that occurs when salt water is present and there is no oxygen), three severely one only slightly. The scary part is that this corrosion occurred only in the area where the nuts covered the bolts and therefore would not be seen unless the nuts were removed. The other bolts showed no corrosion whatsoever. The distinction seems to be related to the ample presence versus absence of marine sealant around the part of the keel bolts where the nuts were in contact. Other Pearson 38 owners may be interested in this insidious problem. Jeff Granville of the Marine Service Center in Anacortes, WA (360-293-8200) and I have discussed an approach to replacing the corroded bolts. It involves drilling out the existing bolts and drilling a 1.5 to 2-inch hole horizontally in the keel a foot or so down from the top surface. Threaded rods would be inserted in the drilled out holes and turned into a bar inserted in the horizontal hole and that has been tapped to receive the threads of the rods. For added safety, a cotter pin could be placed in the end of the threaded rods to prevent any chance of the rods from turning out. The holes would be resealed with epoxy and/or lead. What I need is as much ammunition as I can get to convince the insurance underwriters that a solution along this line (or some recommended alternative) that the boat is insurable. Any input or suggestions would be appreciated. — Lance Johnson There are some parts of your letter that are not clear to me. For example, it would appear that where the bolts have sealant around them the corrosion is minimal. If true, it would suggest that encapsulation of the bolts and nuts might be a way of reducing and/or possibly eliminating the problem entirely. Replacing the existing bolts is no small job. We used "J" shaped bolts that were placed in a jig over the keel mold into which hot molten lead was poured. Why not cut off the existing corroded bolts and then drill a new hole near the old bolt. I would suggest that the new rod be threaded top and bottom only a few inches and not the whole length. I like the idea of the horizontal hole intersecting the new vertical hole. This system was often used on wooden boats and the nut was placed in the horizontal hole. The threaded rod was then screwed into this nut. It appears that this problem can be found on a number of different boats. The system that seems to work well is to cover the threaded area of the bolt with a good sealant. When the nut is run down, it forms a gasket on each thread. After it is tightened, more sealant should be applied covering all portions of the bolt. In addition to covering the bolt with sealant, I can never over emphasize the extreme importance of keeping the bilge dry. |
| You might consider installing a dam around the nut that is inside the boat. It might look like this:
My 1987 P31 has a bilge pump switch on the breaker panel. But the switch controls a bilge pump located under the cabin sole near the mast that, when activated, pumps water from forward in the boat to aft where the manual pump can remove the water. Is this really a factory solution? I’m interested in a more effective installation with a dedicated thru-hull for more efficient removal of excess water. Are there any recommended retrofits? — Paul Wood pgwood@bellatlantic.net Pearson did not install the pumping system you describe. You would need to reconsider installing a thru-hull below the water line for this discharge. Sailboats don’t go fast enough to develop the necessary suction for this type of discharge. They are usually used on powerboats. Since you would never start a syphon action, you must always discharge above the water line. You will also need to add an anti syphon valve and an automatic bilge pump aft with a discharge at or just above the water line.
We would like to cruise more on our 1984 P34 but need to increase water and battery capacity. We now have two 23½-gallon flexible tanks, one under the port settee aft and one under the starboard quarter berth. I know the space under the starboard settee aft originally was used for water tankage and is now open. This was a change Pearson made. What would be the recommendation for water and extra battery capacity? Your help would be most appreciated. — Frank Rutigliano We would need to know how much more water and battery capacity you are seeking to install to answer this question fully. The design of your boat however, can easily handle any reasonable weight increase without any alteration in its sailing characteristics. It is generally best to keep any new weight as close to the centerline of the boat and as low as possible. We have owned Pearsons since 1982—a Coaster and a 1974 P39, #65. We redid both boats and put 75,000 miles on the Coaster without any trouble. She’s a fine offshore boat and we would sail a Coaster anywhere but the screaming 50s near the Poles. We’ve weathered seven direct hurricane and typhoon hits while on board in harbor and did just fine. We went onto a reef once and even survived an onshore drug war gun battle! We are cruising onboard our P39 this year and have a question about its design. I want to tap into the lead of the keel from the bilge with a screw to establish a ground plane for my SSB. Where is the lead located? I would hate to tap the centerboard trunk! Where is the location of the centerboard pin? — Marilyn and Ed Cook This model has an internal, not an external keel and I do not recall a specific location point for a copper plate. You might find a common ground off the engine that might work for you. It is best to consult with the manufacture of your specific SSB to insure proper installation and ground surface. As you most likely know, you need a critical amount of coverage for the plate to be effective. It is not critical that the plate be attached to the keel, indeed I know of one owner who actually placed the required SSB ground within his cabin top. One warning about the plates that are commonly used today is that you need to prepare for corrosion as the unit ages. Corrosion reduces the area, rendering the unit less effective. |
