The Pearson Current
VOL. 1, #4
1994
PUBLISHER’S LOG
SAILING THE AEGEAN
by Lazaros J. Lazaridis
BILL SHAW ANSWERS THE MAIL
MEMBERS’ NOTES, INQUIRIES AND SUGGESTIONS
DINGHIES AND DAVITS
by Bob Armstrong of KATO Marine
A FOLLOW-UP WITH LAZAROS LAZARIDIS
NAUTICA
Sailing terms and expressions
When we bought our boat, I distinctly remember the thoughts that roamed through my mind while crawling around each of several P35’s before choosing the one we wanted. We were looking at Pearsons because I knew them to be well-built, solid boats. We zeroed in on the 35 because after more than twenty years away from sailing, I felt it was the largest vessel I could safely handle with a green crew. It was also the smallest boat that would fulfill my family’s needs. We were motivated to buy a boat by our desire for a weekend getaway. We also wanted to live aboard for two to three weeks a year while cruising in the near coastal waters of Eastern Long Island and Block Island Sound. The dreamer in me, however, saw a stout vessel that could take us offshore, as well as to all the enchanting places I had dreamt about in my youth while reading countless sea stories.
I suspect that many of us in the NPYOA have had similar thoughts wander through the great circle routes of our minds. Virtually every piece of NPYOA correspondence I get starts out with loving, respectful comments on how impressed the writer is with his or her rugged, stiff and seaworthy Pearson. Indeed, our boats are as well-built as any that have ever cast off from a dock, but does that mean that we can just venture forth into blue water without a care in the world?
Many NPYOA members have written to ask if their particular Pearson is capable of handling extended blue water cruising. The frequency of this request has led me to cover this topic for this issue of the TPC. The question has many ramifications that must be given as much serious consideration as any decision we have to make.
Starting with the caveats—in the spring of 1994, a fleet of 35 boats took off to participate in the sixth annual Island Cruising Regatta between New Zealand and Tonga. This has traditionally been a well-run, well-monitored event with its organizers having ample experience behind them. Despite solid preparation and a go ahead from the usually cautious New Zealand Meteorological Service, a severe storm suddenly developed with a barometric pressure of 979mb. Of the 35 participants in the regatta, six boats were abandoned, one of which was lost with all hands. All 35 spent one of their most harrowing experiences at sea.
Another incident occurred last October off the Texas coast when 181 boats took off from Galveston to participate in the usually peaceful Harvest Moon Regatta. Only 153 boats made it to Port Aransas about 150 miles away due to an "unexpected" increase in wind, which when coupled with a shift to the southeast, forced many sailors on to the beach. Fortunately, only one injury was reported but countless "maydays" kept the Coast Guard busy for many days.
I also read in Soundings (October ’94), that an experienced sailor, Stephen Kickell of Annapolis, died when the boom hit him in the head during an uncontrolled jibe on the C&C 40 he was crewing. This incident also occurred during an unexpected surge of rough weather.
Sailing is and will remain a major part of our lives, but we must never fail to recognize the fact that it can be a dangerous sport. Constant vigilance is demanded of our skills and we must never relax the care and upkeep of our boats. The classic case in point here is the havoc wrought by the 1979 Fastnet Race, an experience that changed boating forever.
So how does all this pertain to our boats and their offshore abilities? I asked Bill Shaw to comment on this issue and he shot back a strong warning that I share; "It is not a question of whether our boats are strong enough for the task as much as what type of sailing they were designed to do." Using my P35 as an example, he began to rattle off a series of modifications that would be absolutely necessary before even thinking of taking it off shore. The cockpit is way too large to sustain a rogue wave. He recommends building in some flotation device that would also reduce the volume of the cockpit. The size of the drain holes would also have to be increased and at least two more added for insurance. Cockpit lazarettes would have to be prevented from opening if rolled, as would all bilge, dry locker, refrigerator and other hatches not fully tied down. The cabin ports are too large and would need to be either covered or reconstructed to be made smaller. The Cabin and forward hatches were not designed to sustain a 360, and for the same reason, the rigging would have to be enhanced. Reinforcement would probably have to be added to the cabin trunk itself. (See Bill Shaw's responses in the "Signals" section on page 3 & 4.)
All of this doesn’t even touch on the personal preparation we need as sailors. Nor does it include safety, navigation, medical, and heavy weather equipment now available which increase our ability to survive what is often a very hostile environment.
I don’t wish to discourage anyone from following his or her dream of offshore extended cruising. Indeed, I remain committed to doing just that as soon as I can. I will, however, do so only with the right amount of planning and experience before venturing out. There is a wonderful world out there that can, at least in my opinion, be best experienced under sail. Let’s do it right so that we can become narrators and old salts instead of statistics.
On another note, we have begun to receive requests to inform our members of relocation opportunities in favorite cruising grounds. Clair and Bob Manzo seem to have found an attractive spot in Punta Gorda Isles in southwest Florida. They invite you to get in touch with them for more information (see their ad below).
Wishing you smooth & safe sailing,
Bill Lawrence
by Lazaros J. Lazaridis
The following is the first article written by one of our members. We hope this communication trend continues and that more of you will send us accounts of experiences which may be of interest to fellow Pearson owners.
As a young man growing up in Greece, I spent my summers by the sea, sailing the coastal waters of the Aegean in the boats of friends and local fishermen. In those days, my dream was to be able to sail those beautiful waters in my own cruiser. That hope never left me. It remained through wars, study, marriage, career, children—a lifetime, in fact. Finally, on a beautiful August morning, the dream became a reality. Summerwind, our Pearson 35, freshly arrived from Boston, berthed in Alimos Marina on the outskirts of Athens, sat fitted out and ready to carry my wife and me on our Aegean cruise.
After a few days of shakedown sailing in Saronikos, the gulf that spreads east from the island of Salamis, Continued on page 2 we were set. Our final destination was the island of Symi, 350 miles away, at the southeast corner of the Aegean. Most of Aegean islands are no more than 40 or 50 miles from each other and summer fog is unknown. But we heeded the advice of good friends and equipped ourselves with a full complement of Greek and British Admiralty charts (including port plans), the essential Heikel’s Guide of the Greek Islands and, since Loran is not always operational in these parts, a GPS unit.
We left with a gentle Beaufort 3 from the NE. Cruising at about 5kts, we dodged the heavy traffic of tankers, ferries, pleasure and fishing boats and after about 3 hours, we arrived at Cape Sounion and could make out the columns of Poseidon’s temple. There, in the company of some twenty other sailboats from all over the world, we dropped anchor at Sounion Bay. The sandy bottom provided excellent holding, despite a rather heavy swell and gusting wind.
Leaving Sounion Bay early the next day, with a strong wind pushing us to the SE, we passed east of Kythnos’ beaches, north of Serifos with its white villages and headed for Sifnos. For a while, we had the companionship of a school of dolphins who raced the boat, jumping out of the water almost close enough to touch. It was quite a sight, with big ones and small ones jumping and diving under our port bow and reappearing on the starboard side. Then, as suddenly as they had come, they were gone and we continued on to Sifnos, feeling a little lonely in their absence.
Sifnos is an island rich in history. Its port, Kamares, is famous for its wonderful food and was an excellent place for provisioning. Fully stocked and a few pounds heavier (crew and boat), we left Sifnos and sailed south past the picturesque cove of Vathy (Greek for deep) to the island of Amorgos, the easternmost island of the Cyclades group in the central Aegean.
The course from Sifnos to Amorgos took us south of the large and well-populated islands of Antiparos, Paros and Naxos, as well as the quiet, picturesque Koufonissia and Skhinoussa.
Reaching Amorgos is quite a challenge, particularly in August when the "meltemi" is at its fullest. The Meltemi is the infamous August wind known for its sudden and unpredictable extremes. Starting in a calm, barely moving with full main and 135% genoa, within minutes, we found ourselves in a 30kts gale with 8-10 foot seas. Getting to Amorgos’ port, Katapola, was easier after we double reefed our main and furled our genoa to storm-jib size. It was also challenging to anchor stern-to-quay and tie to a dock with no visible space available. Squeezing between boats, with the strong and gusty wind on our port was achieved safely thanks to the camaraderie and help of the fellow sailors we found there.
Amorgos is an island forgotten by time. The waterfront tavernas, pastry shops, coffee shops and bars are still quaint, quiet, tastefully decorated, and just about as they were some forty years ago. The dock was like a U.N. conference. There were people and boats from all over the world. A 45' Italian ketch, a 30' Dutch sloop, a 28' homemade sailboat from Sweden, a 36' cutter from Canada, a 45' Australian steel schooner, Germans, French, Austrians, Swiss, Poles, British and more. This multinational group demonstrated excellent sportsmanship that night when port winds of 36kts and sea winds of 9 on the Beaufort scale, kept all of us docked. With boats bouncing up and down in heavy swells, everyone was on deck in the middle of the night, helping each other to avoid damage, securing lines and repositioning fenders.
Leaving Amorgos was as interesting as getting to it. Once the small craft warning was lifted, we had to tack close-hauled against the Beaufort 6 meltemi to get out of the bay, then sail NE on a close reach to the island’s NE tip. The seas were fairly heavy, maybe 10 to 12 feet, but they were mixed with lots of smaller waves riding the other way, a result of the big waves bouncing off the steep rocks. Once we came around the NE tip, we could see the back of the island with its steep rocky shores rising 1000 feet almost vertically above the water.
Our course was now 115° to the southern tip of Kalymnos across 70 miles of white-capped Aegean. With the now Beaufort 7 meltemi on our port, we sailed on a broad reach with full (135%) genoa and double reefed main. Summerwind, despite its full keel, managed to exceed its hull speed, reaching 8.5kts clocked with the GPS!
By now, some 30 miles on the leg, we had lost sight of Amorgos and with the sun high above, were surrounded by a bright haze. That’s where the GPS came in very handy. Taking readings every hour we hit Kalymnos’ southern tip exactly and passed smoothly into the port’s bay which we didn’t see until we were 3 miles out. Within an hour, we were nicely berthed in Kalymnos’ tourist quay.
Kalymnos is one of Greece’s Dodecanese Islands, just a few miles off the western coast of Turkey. Just ten miles south of the southernmost tip of Kalymnos, extending west to east, 25 miles long and only 5 miles wide, lies the island of Cos, birthplace of Hippocrates and site of his first clinic. It is today an eclectic combination of modern hotels and 5th century BC antiquities.
Our arrival at Cos signalled the last leg of our trip. For our passage to Symi, we chose the eastern course, sailing east to the Bay of Bodrum in Turkey. To port, we could see the treeless slopes of the Bodrum peninsula, just 3 miles away. With the meltemi growing stronger and our course now placing us on a dead-run, we quickly reached Dacza Peninsula’s westernmost tip—the stone lighthouse making a picture-book sight. From Cos to Dacza’s tip is a mere 5 miles, yet the area is teeming with traffic. Dozens of craft; sailboats, power boats, ferries, trawlers, tankers, water carriers and small anglers’ boats vied for passage with a rather questionable adherence to right-of-way rules, yet without mishap, saluting each other with raised hands and full smiles.
Turning east again past Dacza’s tip and on the lee side of the peninsula, we headed for Symi, about 25 miles away. Nearing its shores, we were reminded that Symi has been called "the perfect Greek Island." Bays and coves run deep with clear water in all shades of blue. A bustling commercial center in ancient times, it is now a quiet, charming attraction for the discriminating tourist (and quite a few sailors). Sailing through its blue waters, rediscovering the bays of Seskli, Panormitis, Nanou, St. George, Pedi and Aghia Marina, we came around the last point and there was Symi—a symphony of color. Houses of every shade imaginable, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, cling to the sides of its fjord-like bay. Each is topped by a roof of red tile and adorned with shutters of contrasting color. We dropped anchor in the harbor’s deep waters, threw docklines to Michael, Symi’s white-uniformed docking assistant, and jumped ashore.
The trip had ended, the destination reached. We were perhaps a little tired, but proud that we had reached our goal. We had been to the Aegean many times, we had seen sunrises and sunsets above these blue azure waters, we had felt the gentleness of its Zephyrs and the harshness of the Meltemi. But it had never seemed as beautiful to us as it was aboard our P35 Summerwind, cruising sailboat from Boston.
We asked Lazaros about the specifics of shipping Summerwind to Greece and how he felt it stood up to the challenges of his trip — read his reply on page 6.
My wife and I sail a 1980 P323 which we love dearly. Over the years, we have prepared our vessel for a long passage including the installation of a storm jib forestay with running backstays, wind vane, wind generator, etc.
What is your opinion on this boat for cruising? Is the safety factor great enough on this boat? Do we improve our safety factor by carrying our heaviest anchor and chain "locked in place" at the base of the mast under the floor when blue water sailing? Can I put a 2" drain through the transom from the cockpit without jeopardizing integrity? Are there any other suggestions you might have to improve strength or safety factor? We feel the 323 to be a rugged, well-built boat and are proud of her wherever we go. In May of ’95, we are leaving for Venezuela and are anxious to share ideas and experiences with other 323 owners. — Skip & Pat Klamp Brandon, FL
Dear Skip & Pat, Size has a lot to do with safety. For a given amount of energy in a wave, a large boat has more resistance to rollover than a smaller boat. The chances of a knockdown are increased with a smaller boat.
The 323 is a very safe cruising boat, but remember that she was not specifically designed for ocean passage. Putting the heaviest anchor and chain down low contributes to the yacht’s stability. But many other factors must be considered such as: adding aluminum hatches like "Bowmar," or "Lewmar"; gasketing the sail locker hatches and adding positive latching devices to secure them from below deck; revising the companionway hatch; adding tethers to each drop slide, providing positive latching devices so they can be locked on and below deck; securing the batteries so they will remain in place even when upside down.
The list goes on and on and would require a volume to cover all the necessary points. I suggest you read the Fastnet Race Report put out by "US Sailing." I also suggest that you refer to the ORC publication which sets forth standards based on where you intend to sail.
Adding a 2" drain poses no problem provided you add 3 mats and 3 rovings (1.5 mm, 18 wr) to the transom and cockpit. Glass a solid nipple to the transom and cockpit. Put a short length of neoprene hose between them and then double clamp each end.
I own a 1983 Pearson 303, hull #41. The lower portion of my skeg, upon which the rudder is hung, is slightly loose. There appears to be a detachable portion of the skeg. My mechanic wants to re-glass over the entire skeg, but I am hesitant to let him do that. Perhaps it is supposed to be capable of disassembly to remove the rudder. . . I don’t know.
Also, how can I keep rainwater from running down the sail track and into the bilge? This is the only leak in the entire vessel and I’d really like to cure the problem. — Clinton Lanier Vero Beach, FL
Dear Clinton, Do not glass over the entire skeg. At some point, it may be necessary to remove the rudder and you will want access to the gudgeon fastenings. The piece that is loose is probably just a fairing piece. Contact Bill Richards at 401-254-0775, he has access to drawings. I cannot remember the exact configuration of the mast track you ask about, but I believe it is internal. If this drawing is correct, fill up the mast track with silicone several inches above the mast partners and run it down a couple of inches below the cabin top.
I am the owner of a Sublime Pearson 323 (#54). I have owned the boat from its beginning and have sailed it extensively including 2 trips to Bermuda. Recently, we noticed our Fueltrol (electric solenoid) was getting hot. We disconnected it and put the fuel line onto bypass. The company has gone out of business and apparently, there are no similar devices available. The fuel solenoid was put on at the factory as, I assume, a safety measure. I realize it is not necessary, but I am curious as to whether anyone knows of a replacement or a reason why one would not want to replace it.
A second question I have related to mast pumping. Since we have put on jib roller furling, I have noticed that at times, when no sail is set, the mast has a tendency to pump. I have played with rig tension in order to minimize the pumping. — Carole Heller Fairfield, CT
Dear Carole, About the Fueltrol valve, I’m not sure if you are referring to PYC or Fueltrol as out of business. Sorry, I can’t answer this one. Try asking other tank manufacturers.
As for the mast pump, adding a roller furler will often do this. The big furled sail starts to oscillate and then the mast starts pumping. Try putting a line around the mast at the spreaders. Tie off the lower end way forward, near the stem head fitting with lots of tension. If this works, you can add a small block at the height I’ve drawn here, sort of like a boom topping lift. Sometimes, a line around the furled jib led aft will work.
I am the proud owner of 1977 P35. The gelcoat on my boat is in extremely good condition and is not even close to needing a polyurethane paint job. However, I have seen several P35s built in 1968 and 1969 which had extensive crazing on the topsides and decks. Is this condition likely to develop on my boat and were layup procedures altered to eliminate this problem?
What is your opinion on the usefulness of a boom vang with the standard aft mainsheet traveler position? Can the traveler be moved to the coachroof?
I have been sailing my P35 for 3 years and it has performed beautifully at sea in near gale and full gale conditions. The P35 is acknowledged as a great coastal cruising boat by many experts. What is your assessment of its capabilities as a blue water cruiser? Does the large cockpit present a serious offshore safety hazard? What modifications if any would you recommend? Would a removable inner forestay for a staysail work well on this boat? Peter J. Imbesi, Matawan, NJ
Dear Peter, With reference to gelcoats — in the 60’s, gelcoats were rather hard and lacked flexibility. Thus, when deflected, they crazed, creating small hair line cracks. Later on, more flexible gelcoats were developed
which reduced the problem considerably. Service is also a factor. If you do a lot of sailing where the hull is slamming for long periods of time, crazing will develop. About the boom vang — very effective, especially with end of boom sheeting. The traveler cannot be located on top of the cabin trunk.
As for your question about blue water sailing, the large cockpit is a negative for offshore and should be reduced per ORC regulations. Forestaysails are useful on most any boat. They provide better balance under storm conditions. However, the lower end of the forestay must be attached to a fitting which in turn is attached to the hull. Running backstays are also required.
I sail a 39' 1989 sloop and a hydraulic backstay. Could you advise the maximum pressure I should use on the backstay? — Marvin B. Gordon Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Dear Marvin, We use 1/4 the breaking strength of the wire. We would need the wire size to determine this value.
Have you had any input on the different ways some owners have approached putting a bow roller/anchor holder on their 303? I could use some help on lessons learned and things to avoid. What brands are better or easier to install, etc? Is there any guidance from the company itself on installing after market bow rollers/anchor holders? What’s the best way to attach them?
What can you tell me about converting the stock electrical battery charging system to a more modern three stage system. What is the "normal" voltage expected from the Hitachi 35 amp alternator on my Yanmar 2GMF, 13 hp diesel?. . .
What kind of history is there concerning rudder stock failure on 303s? Recent articles in Practical Sailor have discussed problems on Pearson 34s, but made no mention of any such trouble on other sizes of Pearson boats. Evidently, the 34s had experienced enough trouble with stress corrosion to warrant a recall while Pearson was still in business. — Kenneth R. Pugh Lynn, MA
Dear Kenneth, There are many bow rollers available, so here are some guidelines: 1.) They should be made of stainless steel. 2.) They should be long enough to extend beyond the stem to keep the anchor clear of the hull when raising or lowering and long enough to provide ample support on deck, 15"-17". 3.) They should always be three bolted.
Your questions concerning the alternator should be directed to the engine manufacturer, in this case, Yanmar.
About rudder failure, I do not believe we had any 303 failure. The rudder failure on the 34 was an experimental design which we replaced. The failure was not stress corrosion but the fact that the entire blade was made of high density foam and broke away.
There are no stability range figures available on the P365 from the Yacht Racing Union. Is there any other information available on the positive stability range of the 365? Is the positive stability range at least 120 degrees? Was the boat designed for blue water passage? I am very please with the way my 365 handles.
Although I have been Coast Guard licensed for more than 40 years — running sportsfishing vessels, I have only been sailing since 1988 so my sailing experience is limited. The only weather of any consequence we have been caught out in was a little 7 hour blow with the wind gusting to 40 knots. We were beating to windward, going up offshore from the Florida Keys. The boat handled very well with one reef in the main and after finally rolling the jib up to the size of a storm jib, we were even able to put the boat on Auto-Pilot (an undersized Autohelm 3000).
With its 41% ballast to displacement ration and 1.76 screening value, the boat seems very stiff and stable to me.
I don’t know where the Practical Sailor obtained its information on light weight construction of the 365. My bottom is about one inch solid fiberglass and the hull from chine to rub rail is 5/8 solid fiberglass.
Her shallow draft makes her perfect for the Bahamas but I am wondering if she is capable of a trip to the Caribbean and also for an Atlantic Crossing to the Med? — F.M. Atherton, Jr. Miami Beach, FL
Dear F.M., You’re correct, there are no stability figures from US Sailing — the boat was never measured for IMS. We used an empirical formula known as the Dellenbough Coefficient which estimated the angle of heel in a 15kts breeze. For a given size of boat, we had some standard values for this coefficient. The DC was around 12°± for the 365. If it had been 20° we would have added more ballast and possibly reduced the rig.
I do not know what the range of stability is under IMS. It should be large based on my sailing experience with this boat. The boat was designed for extensive cruising offshore coastal water. She was not specifically designed for ocean passages and would require some modifications.
I have a question about the wing keel. Every year I have had to patch the wing, most times the filler has just broken away from the wing. It’s always the same wing and most times, groundings were not involved. My marina has suggested that I remove the filler from the outer 6 inches of the wing and replace the filler with fiberglass over the bare metal outer edge of the wing. Since I’m concerned with the performance would this be recommended? Has any one else had this problem? — Larry Conforti Princeton, NJ
Dear Larry, I do not recommend FRP over the wings because; 1.) ungelcoated glass will not last long and, 2.) adding the glass still might require fairing. Epoxy fillers should be used, not a polyester base. Vol. 1 No. 4, 1995
Harvey Tieth of 4110 Menlo Park, Vermillion OH 44089 is seeking any written material on the Pearson 30.
Bob Browne, 502 N Tonah, Prospect Heights IL, 60070 would appreciate any information on how to correctly read and easily replace the cutlass bearing for his 1983 Pearson 303.
Edward Smith, 150 Brackett Rd., Portsmouth, NH 03801, 603- 436-7482, would like to relocate his boom traveler onto the cabin top of his P-30. He asks if any NPYOA member has done the job, Ed awaits your call or note.
One of our O’Day owners (1975 32' sloop), Richard Gates, 231 Bimini Court, Pensacola, FL 32506, (904) 457-8973, is looking for any manuals or other technical information for his Atomic-4 30hp and on the boat itself. He also wants to get as much information on plumbing, electrical, and specs on the boat as possible.
We are still searching for blueprints for a 1983 P37 hull #36. Terry Turnow 817-740-0729 would appreciate a call. Roland James RD#3, Box 280 Notch Road, Bristol VT 05443, (802)453-2537 wants the same for his 1966 Electra, hull #177.
Lars Steib of 9569 Doliver, Houston TX 77063 is looking for replacement portholes (both the large and small ones) for his 1965 Rhodes 41.
Charles Lauber, Jr. of 6 Black Duck Dr., Stony Brook, NY 11790 writes: "I am the proud owner of a Pearson 36, hull #65. I’m writing to alert other P36 owners of a defective backstay chainplate mounted on the outside surface of the stern. On my boat, the horizontal piece bent at the two large holes and then the welds failed at each end. On my friend’s P36, about 20 hull numbers newer, all the welds failed. My boat has a hydraulic backstay adjuster (never above 2000 lbs.) but the other boat just has the normal turnbuckle. I hope the publishing of this letter might save a P36 owner the sad experience of a total backstay failure."
Kenneth Pugh of 39 Oak Ridge Circle, Lynn, MA 01904 wants to know if anyone has had experience with using the new rotary shaft seals on a 303. He has also made the following changes to his 1983 303: "1.) Main halyard to cockpit — installed curved base cheek block on mast, installed a Harken line organizer on starboard top of cabin, installed a Spinlock triple line clutch on cabin roof, relocated the #16 jib winch from the port side of the mast to cockpit coaming. 2.) Installed stainless steel boarding ladder on starboard side at the lifeline gate. 3.) Easypoxy painted the formica counter tops and head vanity top. 4.) Installed Harken Lazy Jacks Kit. 5.) Access hatch to water heater through back of galley sink cabinet. 6.) Access to factory installed RACOR fuel filter by cutting through the transverse bulkhead surface near foot of companionway ladder."
Joan & Mort Fortgang of 30 Sands Lane, Port Jefferson, NY 11777, (516) 473-2160 writes: "HELP!!! Having sailed a Pearson 26 for 10 years, and a Cal 31 for 11, we are now ‘back in the fold’ and have become the happy owners of a 1987 Pearson 36-2. The boat came with an owner’s manual, which is very helpful for most things, but one set of instructions eludes us: Does anyone out there know how to get the cushions to fit the dining table when it’s let down to become a bed??? We’d love to hear from other Pearson 36-2 owners about this frustrating problem."
F.M. Atherton, Jr. of 800 West Ave., Apt. 436, Miami Beach, FL 33139, owner of a 1979 365 Sloop, would very much like to hear from other 365 owners. a James & Joy Norris of 5820 Bridle Bend Trail, Plano, TX 75093 would like to make contact with other Pearson 386 owners. a From Edward O’Connor of 83 Wildwood Lane, Durham, CT 06422: "Over the past ten years, I have repowered with a 1993 Westerbeke M-30, awlgriped the hull, installed refrigeration, relocated the house batteries, upgraded the charging system with a "smart" 120 amp alternator and Heart Inverter system, improved the sail plan and installed all new electronics, speed, wind, loran, GPS and radar. I love this P35 and it has taken good care of my family over the years."
Robert Miles, 1815 Waterford Place, Oak Harbor, WA 98277 needs help. He has a P31 MKII that has some rudder play and would like to hear from anyone who has changed rudder bearings.
Many thanks to Laurence Conforti, 388 North Post Road, Princeton, NY 08550 for sending in the following:
"My wife Gloria and I have enjoyed sailing our Pearson 31-II Lunasea on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey over the last six years. Except for spinnaker gear we seem to be constantly upgrading Lunasea, buying new sails, electronics or the latest go fast gadget. We do several club races a year and Lunasea does quite well against other shoal draft cruising boats in our size range. We do especially well in both light and strong winds. I attribute some of the competitive advantage to the addition of outboard genoa tracks. All the sailing manuals say to move the genoa lead outboard and forward for sailing off the wind. This gives the genoa a fuller shape. Moving the genoa leads outboard also improves windward sailing performance in both light and strong winds. In light air the slot will be more open, and in heavy air, the mainsail’s traveler can be dropped further to leeward, dramatically decreasing heel and the corresponding leeway. This past year on Barnegat Bay, it was either blowing over 15 or under 8 knots; consequently, the outboard tracks got a lot of use."
"Adding the genoa track to the later versions of the Pearson 31 and Pearson 33 in theory is an easy task, but in reality it was beyond my limited time and mechanical ability. Consequently, I had Dillons Creek Marina do the work. Since the deck and hull joints are outboard, the boat needs to be out of the water to add the genoa track. 1.25 inch genoa track works very nicely on top of the teak toe rail. The toe rail is about ¾" wide, just about the width of the bottom of the genoa track."
"I fit a six foot length of track on top of the toe rail between the second and third stanchion. Be careful removing the plastic trim piece under the toe rail. It is easy to break! Only the back half of the trim piece needs to be removed, but make sure the back half is tied to the stantions, and not left dangling."
"Next, through bolt the track onto the toe rail by using the track as a template and drilling through the toe rail and deck joint. Now comes the tricky part. Since the thickness of the joint will vary, most of the 2.5" to 3" bolts will need to be individually cut in order to replace the plastic trim. Once this is done, add sliding genoa cars and end caps to the track. I suggest using a track slide with snatch blocks. The snatch blocks may be more expensive than stand-up genoa cars, but it makes changing the genoa lead much easier. And, any sail control that is easy to use, will get used more often."
by Bob Armstrong of KATO Marine
We Pearson owners quickly discover that our dinghy is our on water vehicle, our "car" so to speak — ferrying people, groceries, parts, even dogs through often choppy waters and for longer distances than expected. A dinghy can also be used to fish, dive and explore shallow, obscure areas.
We also quickly discover that bigger is better when it comes to dinghies and their accompanying outboard engines. Nothing is worse than trying to get ashore in a small dinghy and getting soaked with spray in the first several seconds. This is where davits start to become important. Properly selected davits can be a very useful piece of equipment.
You don’t want to get caught towing your dinghy when larger seas develop or when squalls pass through. The sea and rain water that accumulates in the dinghy can cause dangerous added drag. A towed dinghy, even in calm seas, also slows the vessel down and that translates into time, speed and fuel consumption. On davits, it will be high and out of the water, even while heeling. The problem of wind and/or waves overturning a dinghy is eliminated. The possible loss of dinghy and outboard engine due to painter or cleat failure is also greatly lessened. The dinghy is under control and your boat performs better and more efficiently. By pulling the drain plug, and with a canvas cover installed, a rain storm should not fill the dinghy.
If your dinghy and outboard are large and heavy, several other problems manifest themselves. It is now even more difficult to remove and replace the outboard. The 2nd crew member has greater difficulty pushing the engine up and over the stern rail and the person standing in the dinghy is faced with a larger, heavier engine heading his or her way. Using a davit eliminates the need to constantly remove the outboard engine.
It is also a fact that a dinghy and its accompanying outboard engine are less of a target for thieves when stored out of the water. In addition, having the dinghy on davits eliminates the problem of backing from your slip and tangling the painter in your vessel’s propeller. Of course, prudent seamanship dictates that if a really rough passage is anticipated, the outboard should be removed and securely stored. It is also a good idea to keep emergency gear in the dinghy as long as it is not overloaded.
In all, it’s a great feeling to have a dry dinghy with outboard engine already attached, available for any emergency that arises or just for fun at any time you wish.
Information about buying, installing and maintaining davits (and dinghies) can be obtained by contacting:
Bob Armstrong
KATO Marine
7416 Edgewood Road
Annapolis, MD 21403
(401) 269-1218
We asked Lazaros to comment on his Pearson 35’s handling ability. The following is his reply:
"We have chosen to spend our summers cruising the Aegean and Greek Islands. Our P35 handles the varied waters of this region very well. I believe that the full keel heavy displacement cruiser offers a better choice than does the newer relatively lighter, flatter type hulls that, in my experience, tend to pound and shake more in high seas and wind. My main experience has been on Beneteau boats and I definitely consider the P35 hull design a more comfortable ride."
"One issue of concern when cruising in Europe (where most docking is stern-to-quay), is the well-documented difficulty the P35 has in backing down, due to its specific full keel configuration. Fortunately, help is usually available."
"A major issue that needs to be taken care of involves Summerwind’s sail configuration. I don’t have an inner forestay and have to reef my 135 or 150 genoa to deal with winds above 25 knots. This results in a foretriangle that is just too high and too forward to properly balance the boat. I am considering placing an inner forestay that could both handle a storm jib and move the center of effort aft, closer to the mast. Overall, we were able to handle heavy weather very well, even compared to some larger boats we were often in company with. The dodger did, however, contribute much to keeping me and my crew dry."
We also asked Lazaros about the specifics of shipping Summerwind to Greece. According to Lazaros, Summerwind was shipped from Barden’s Boatyard in Marion, Massachusetts to Piraeus, Greece via Port Elizabeth, New Jersey in June of 1991. Barden’s loaded the boat on a low-bed trailer to get it to Port Elizabeth. All trucking, shipping and documentation processing in the United States was handled by Kelly International Co. of Jamaica, New York. The transit log, clearance and customs in Greece, as well as transportation from Piraeus to the Alimos Marina near Athens was handled by John Papadopoulos Enterprises in Piraeus. The total time for Summerwind’s passage was about 40 days plus an additional week or so to ready her for cruising. Mr. Lazaridis reported that the total cost for the entire transportation effort was about $10,000 (please note that this figure is at 1991 price levels).
SAILING TERMS AND EXPRESSIONS
The Beaufort scale
For many years, mariners have used a seemingly arbitrary scheme to express wind force. Admiral Francis Beaufort, a 19th-century British tar in the days of wooden ships and iron men, devised this schedule. It lists wind conditions in ascending numerical order from 0 to 17. What has brought Beaufort undeserved scorn is the apparent lack of uniform progression to the pattern. Force 2 describes winds from 4 to 6 knots, Force 3 from 7 to 10, and Force 4 from 11 to 16. Then Force 5 covers only from 17 to 21. The wind differences vary from 2 knots to 3, then 5, and back to 4. Such lack of symmetry, though was not Beaufort’s plan. In defense of his reputation, it has been revealed that the admiral was not referring to wind speed at all! What he had in mind was the number of sails which should be furled as the wind strengthened. In light airs, just one would be taken in; a gentle breeze might require three. In a moderate gale, seven would come down; in a storm, the number would be eleven. It would appear that Admiral Beaufort’s sequence has been bent considerably in the transition to modern times.
— from William P. Crawford, Mariner’s Weather, Norton Nautical Books, NY 1992, p. 209