Recommended Upgrades H23.5, H24, H26

[sea_casper]

Recommended Upgrades H23.5, H240, H26

Since I am moving up to a H33,and selling my H26, I have compiled a photo list of my favorite options/upgrades. applicable to the H23.5, H240, H26 boats. Some are merely more convenient, others essential.

Number 1, on my list is the IdaSailer rudder system, it is far superior to the factory system,and well worth the expense.

Number 2, would be the extra long shaft extension outboard, with alternator for re-charging battery. In heavier seas, prop stays in the water.

Number 3, was still on my wish list, electric tilt, and remote engine controls. Ease of docking and in heavy seas, leaning out to deploy motor was not my favorite, Admiral could not raise 9.9hp motor.

Number 4, is the BoomKicker, eliminates the topping lift, makes life easier, especially when deploying the Bimini.

Number 5, the Bimini with cover, but needs a window to see the masthead wind vane.

Number 6, 5 gal capacity Porta-potti, only if you do 2-3 day cruises.

Number 7, Stern Rail seats with adjustable length tiller extension, increased visibility forward and fun factor.

Number 8, Spinlocks for jib sheets, we never have to use winches for jib.

Number 9, Furling Jib, could easily be number 1 on list.

Many others are tied for 10 spot, some advantages are not obvious, e.g. the PowerThruster also keeps prop away from dock and rudder.

The bow roller and rail mount for anchor make that chore much easier, especially for the Admiral.

Wichard shackles, for halyards and sheet make your life easier.

Masthead mounted VHF antenna, masthead Windex wind direction indicator.

Lazy-jacks, Sail cover, jib cover.

Digital depth with speed indicator, bulkhead mounted compass.

Circuit breakers, DC power point.

LED anchor light saves battery during overnight anchorages.

Hatch board storage locker.

Rail mounted propane grill.

Added storage shelves and other devices.

Stainless Disc Brakes for trailer are easier to maintain, and never have to be unstuck like drums where every spring.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here is photo link, which also includes some pictures of our favorite moments sailing, which is after all why we sail.

http://picasaweb.google.com/clarenc...?authkey=Gv1sRgCIb5-YWKo9ahJw&feat=directlink

Adding all of these to any boat can be expensive, my advice is to sell a less equipped boat and buy a well equipped one which meets your requirements.

For H23.5 and H240 owners I can definitely recommend the H26, the increase in living space, the enclosed head and increased weather safety, as being your most cost effective upgrade. Assuming of course, that your vehicle, (I have an Explorer) can handle the increased trailering weight, or trailering your boat is not of prime importance.

 

[Alan]

What about a traveler? This is missing on many of these boats and is critical to proper sailing performance. The fact that the factory 'overlooked' this is a major defect in my book. These boats are tender to start with and a traveler would be a tremendous asset to help overcome this.

 

[sea_casper]

Too Hard to add

What about a traveler? This is missing on many of these boats and is critical to proper sailing performance. The fact that the factory 'overlooked' this is a major defect in my book. These boats are tender to start with and a traveler would be a tremendous asset to help overcome this.

I saw one H26 with a traveler, It had a custom S/S arch added, I hate to think what that would cost, adding one in the cockpit would be awkward, to work around. With our H26 we would reef to accommodate the wind, since we didn't race, we sacrificed some speed for comfort, and became proficient in sail trimming and use of the Vang and Outhaul, and eased the sheet during the gusts, it is like all smaller boats "hands on" sailing.

 

[VT Fitz]

Congrats & Thanks

Casper,

Congrats on your new 33. Good luck on finding a buyer for the old girl. You have some great upgrades to offer the new owner.

Thanks for your reflections on your experience while owning your 23.5 & 26. Great food for thought.

We added the long-shaft 9.9 outboard this season. Definitely a positive addition. It was the "big" upgrade this season.

#1 upgrade for us was the Spinlocks for the jib sheets & rope clutches for the halyards/uphaul. Obviously, a relatively inexpensive upgrade with great benefits.

Installed Lazy Jacks fairly quickly too -- what a convenience and not a difficult project.

Ida rudder system is definitely on the list, but we're inclined to add the stern rail/seats plus replace the lifelines next spring. Only so much $$ to spend each season!

Being that we're still in between on a mooring for the season vs trailering/launching, some of your suggestions would only make rigging time longer for the latter method. Maybe one day we'll cough up the cash for slipping her somewhere.

 

[sea_casper]

Being that we're still in between on a mooring for the season vs trailering/launching, some of your suggestions would only make rigging time longer for the latter method. Maybe one day we'll cough up the cash for slipping her somewhere.

I'm not sure what upgrades other than lazy jacks make rigging time longer. lashing boom to mast overcomes that.

Dry storage fully rigged on a trailer can be a more affordable option than a slip.

 

[owner23.5]

do you still have the boat for sale? whereabouts are you located ?

 

[Sublime]

Lots of good ideas I think I may implement!

What about a traveler? This is missing on many of these boats and is critical to proper sailing performance. The fact that the factory 'overlooked' this is a major defect in my book. These boats are tender to start with and a traveler would be a tremendous asset to help overcome this.

How does a traveler help with how tender they are? I know they help with performance to weather. Care to enlighten me?

 

[Alan]

As has already been noted it could be hard to locate but I'm quite sure that it can be done. The huge advantage of the traveler is to control the boat in breezy puffy situations when weather helm and heeling become a real issue. Dumping the traveler during a puff allows the boat to remain on her feet and not overwhelm the tiller. The mainsheet simply can't do this job nearly as effectively or efficiently. I would look to put the traveler right at the front of the cockpit as is done on the 23.5 and 25.5. Once you've experienced it you'll never want to be without it.

 

[VT Fitz]

23.5 Traveler Location/Mods in General

As has already been noted it could be hard to locate but I'm quite sure that it can be done... I would look to put the traveler right at the front of the cockpit as is done on the 23.5 and 25.5. Once you've experienced it you'll never want to be without it.

I have moved forward on this project by assembling pieces periodically from eBay auctions, but location is a huge issue on the 23.5. You reference a traveler on the 23.5 & 25.5, but I think you must mean the 23. The 23.5 does not come with one.

I envision locating a traveler on the aft end of the cockpit seat leading to the companionway, using the current mainsheet padeye post as the center support and devising a way to secure each end. However, the utility of the traveler is somewhat impeded by the lifelines, because the sheeting angle is fixed after a certain point when the sheet is deflected by the lifeline. I'm also concerned about cluttering up the cockpit & creating a trip hazard/snag/injury potential area. Right at the front of the cockpit, ala the 23, would definitely be a trip hazard on the 23.5.

I've also thought about a track for the jib fairleads to be able to improve sail shape in heavy versus light winds, but that would mean having to cut through the headliner in the cabin to install proper backing/support for the track, then patching up the headliner somehow -- a potentially messy project with uncertain cosmetic results. Plus, given that the jib is the much smaller piece of the 23.5's "engine," I'm not sure it would improve the boat's performance much; the large main provides the most power.

More fundamentally, I also have slowly come to realize/accept that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I love our 23.5, but as far as high level sailing performance is concerned, she wasn't designed for that. To add jib tracks & a traveler might be a waste of time/money for the "improved" performance you get. If I wanted those items, then I should have purchased a boat for which those items have a purpose & impact on performance, i.e. a more sophisticated/performance boat. I could add a split backstay to shape the mast, rigging for a symmetrical spinnaker for downwind performance, a davit for a dingy so we don't drag her in our wake, etc, etc, ad nausea to the point of folly & futility, but if I wanted and needed those things, I bought the wrong boat!

The 23.5 is a simply sailed cruiser, not a racehorse. She has a generous cabin and is easily trailered. While we've added mods to improve safety, ease of handling, & comfort, there is a definite point of diminishing returns for some ideas. She is what she is, not what she's not.

My 2¢.

 

[sea_casper]

Stay on topic

The 23.5 is a simply sailed cruiser, not a racehorse. She has a generous cabin and is easily trailered. While we've added mods to improve safety, ease of handling, & comfort, there is a definite point of diminishing returns for some ideas. She is what she is, not what she's not.

My 2¢.

Exactly right Fitz,
Lets not hijack this thread and turn it into what these boats can never be, but instead focus on what improvements can be reasonably achieved. At some point you must change boats if your wish list exceeds the practicalities of your boat and pocket. One upgrade you can never add is size, a 23.5 will never equal a 35.5 in amenities.

 

[Rick Webb]

Bravo Fitz

If you need a traveler and jib tracks you need a different boat.

Sure they would they help with sail trim but would not be worth the expense and intrusion into the cockpit.

 

[BrianW]

Sea Casper, thanks for your list! I have already done some of the mods and others are on my wish list. The Power Thruster's use as a "guard", however, never occurred to me. It "jumped" to #1 on my new list! I sweat bullets as I'm backing into my slip and have to come within inches of a piling Concerning the traveler, the previous owner of my H26 added a much abbreviated traveler across the bottom of the companionway hatch. Sure its pretty chintzy, but it helps some, and it moves the main sheet foreword and mostly out of the cockpit. BrianW

 

[VT Fitz]

Pix, Brian?

... Concerning the traveler, the previous owner of my H26 added a much abbreviated traveler across the bottom of the companionway hatch. Sure its pretty chintzy, but it helps some, and it moves the main sheet foreword and mostly out of the cockpit. BrianW

Brain, could you/have you posted pix of the traveler set-up?

I'm not completely ready to let go of the traveler upgrade. I'm mainly at loggerheads over where to locate it. We had a traveler on our little 18.5' boat & I liked having it, but it was located on the aft edge of the cockpit, not a realistic option for the 23.5.

 

[BrianW]

Brain, could you/have you posted pix of the traveler set-up?

VT Fitz, my boats on the hard right now and not fully rigged. In the next day or so, however, I'll see if I can get a photo of at least the "mini-traveler" mounting method. BrianW

 

[VT Fitz]

When it's convenient

Thanks, Brian. Whenever you get a chance is great.

 

[Bilgewater]

I moved the main sheet to the end of the boom to give my crew more room in the cockpit. When racing, I add a lilne to the eye that the sheet is hooked to. When going up wind, I set sail shape with the vang, then route the line around the windward stern cleat and pull on it to center the boom. In a gust, I can ease it to depower the main. The cleat adds enough tension to keep you from wearing out. A real poor man's traveler, but it works. I never use it when just day sailing.
I also added a boom kicker, and spinlocks for the jib sheets. I single-hand often, and like the convenience. When racing single-handed, I straddle the tiller and steer with my legs, freeing up my hands for the sheets. Looks a little bit like the chariot race in Ben Hur, but hey, you do what you got to do! I've learned to listen to what the boat is tellling me about trim while doing this. I can feel the pressure on the tiller if things are not right and correct them.
I'm hoping to get the IdaSailor rudder this winter. Tired of having the original creep up during a race.
I agree that there is only so much you can do with this design. I love the boat, accept the compromises, and do not to get enticed with expensiver "go fast" goodies that will have minimal return for the money.

 

[Bilgewater]

BrianW - with the traveler across the front of the hatch, where does the sheet go?

 

[Alan]

Bilgewater, if you use a standard multi part block setup with a cam cleat at the bottom the tail of the mainsheet can be stuffed in a bag suspended below the traveler car. I've used this setup on my friends H40 and it works very well. When you're through sailing the traveler car gets parked to either end of the traveler leaving the companionway clear.

 

[VT Fitz]

Bilgewaters's Main Sheet & other mods

Mike, I looked at your album & saw the main sheet attached to a padeye on the cockpit sole. I take it you added that padeye. If so, did you secure it with a backplate somehow? Did you leave the original bottom padeye in place? You suggest you've moved the boom attachment to the aft end, but it appears you are not quite that far back, perhaps a couple of feet from the very end. On the boom, did you add an attachment point?

When you put in your solar vent, did you encounter electrical lines? That's yet another upgrade for which I have the hardware but am still laboring over location. On our 23.5, that spot would seem to be right where a cabin light lives. Also, do jib sheets ever get hung up there on a tack?

Did you recently add the loose-footed main? In the shot with your wife & daughter, the bolt rope appears to be in the track, so I was guessing that was an older shot. Have you found better performance? Did you change the original outhaul because it was at the mast?

A small thing I noticed, perhaps a regular feature of the 26: the cockpit pockets have drink holders in them. Did you add that? I'd love to see a closer picture of that.

Great cradle for bottom panting!

Thanks for spurring on the discussion!

 

[RocklockI]

today we started rebiulding the rudder on my 23.5 . I will look into the system mentioned . I sanded the rudder down this morning .

Believe it or not the instrution manual that came with the boat includes specific refinishing instructions for the rudder .

Thanks for that todo list !

Gary