New to Forum: Ask all sailors

["Selah"]

Hello everyone. New to this forum and would like to introduce myself. My name is James. I currently day sail a Precision 16 on Lake Hartwell, SC. And, I have an extensive hobby/ goal to completely refit inside and out a 1981 Lockley Newport LN23 that my late wife and I purchased on salvage in 2006. Due to my extended illness, the goal of us stepping-up in boat size became our desire that kept us going in motivation but not able to physically undertake in action. After her passing in 2013, I decided in 2014 to move forward with our original plan and complete the refit project. I have been extensively researching every aspect on how to do this as I have no prior knowledge in boat repair. Mind you that she and I stripped the complete interior down to fiberglass. But from time to time I would like to ask for advice concerning the different repairs as I move through the boat. I believe I know every inch of this boat and where I cannot get, i.e., the bilge, I have put a camera. Thankyou for any help along the way and I hope that I may be able to help others with problems I encountered and solutions I found or were offered.

 

[nightowle]

Welcome, and good luck with your refit. It will be interesting to get some blow by blow reports on the progress. With pictures, of course!

 

[Terry Cox]

My name is James.

Hi James, welcome to our merry band of skippers and skipper wannabes. Fine group of people here and always willing to help out with opinions, thoughts, advice, etc. Considering the state of your boat, best here to keep a tight focus on those areas you want to address first.

Most important advice I can give for starters, have you had a certified marine surveyor go though your boat to determine sea worthiness? That person can tell you the condition of the hull, deck, fittings, as so forth. Those parts of the boat the surveyor determined needed to be addressed would be the top of the list before anything else. That will help you decide whether you invest a lot more time doing all the interior finish work and fitting out.

 

["Selah"]

Thanks Terry, I have had a certified marine surveyor look at it. He suggested that I build up joining of the cement ballast with the trunk that houses the lines and cable for the swing keel. I have been removing the bonding material the previous owner used to hide some surface cracks in the bonding agent down to the cement. I intend to refill with the epoxy used to fill cracks in concrete. In addition, was on the phone with West Systems technician yesterday for recommendations for good adhesion to the concrete with fiberglass as I join it to the trunk and add more fiberglass to the trunk to strengthen its integrity. I'm all about quality and safety. Goal is to have it on the water this spring to check for any leaks before moving full-on in completing the interior and beginning coastal cruising 2020.

 

["Selah"]

Hey Nightowle! Would love to post some pictures but unsure how at this point. Guess I need to add this to my research, ehh?

 

[Will Gilmore]

Welcome to the SBO crew. Glad to have you join us. My condolences for the sad loss of your wife. This must be a bitter/sweet project for you then. We will all pitch in to make it more sweet.
What kind of professional or DIY experience do you have? Woodworking, metal, machining, engineering, plumbing, electrical, that kind of stuff. Kudos to you for not being shy about jumping in and getting your hands dirty.
There is a lot of knowledge here, there won't be many questions my fellow members can't help answer. I'm curious about the concrete ballast adhering to your glass hull. Is it not fully encased in glass? Are there keel bolts buried in the concrete that hold it to the hull? If the concrete is not encased, would you consider such an option?

1981 Lockley Newport LN23

This is the boat

So it is a center boarder. How much sailing experience do you have?

The first piece of advice I was given when I purchased my current boat, a small project boat that I have yet to get to, is, do enough to get her in good sailing condition and take her sailing. The extra projects can wait. Otherwise, you could get lost in one more thing to make perfect and never go sailing. I think this is good advice, but it sounds like you have a ways to go before a maiden launch.
Good luck and post pictures. We want to see what you have to work with and what you're doing and how far you've come.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Capt Robbie]

Welcome James
Looking forward to see the progress, when I did the repairs on restoration on my Hunter 34 I wish I took more before and after pics. I wish I could have put together before and after photo album. Hope your project goes better then mine did.
Advice to you is make a priority list, stay focused, set achievable goals, and keep your eye on the prize. Lots of skippers here help you along the way.

Again welcome.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Howdy James. Welcome aboard. But first let me say how sad it must be to have lost your wife. My condolences

Best of luck with the refurbish and should you ever feel like it's impossible, look at these two pics- before and after on my Meridian 25

Just stick with it

 

["Selah"]

Thanks Will for your condolences . The project has helped immensely with healing. The key to dealing with grief...stay busy. My DIY experience are skills I picked up helping my dad around his "hobby" farm when I was an adolescent such as building a storage barn and a couple stables, etc. Everything else related to metal work or fiberglass work has been picked up from asking friend (s) who have these skills or engaged in boat repair for advice. And, youtube has been a great help. As far as electrical, I have a close friend who retired from civil service with Navy and was sent all over the world to set electronic systems on ships. He is helping me with the electrical design and making sure everything meets the highest standards and will teach me to work on or repair whatever is installed if possible to be corrected in a breakdown. There is nothing at this point in my life that I'm not willing to undertake to learn everything I can for complete maintenance or repair of the boat. One day in yhe next 3 or 4 years, I plan to sell this boat and get something in the 30-35 foot range and spend what time I have left in the Caribbean fulfilling the dream we had for our retirement. As far as sailing experience , my wife and I bought our Precision 16 in 2002 to learn to sail. So now, when weather is safe for me to go out alone or if the wind is up a little bit and my son can go with me, we go and learn something new about sailing. I had heard before what you said about getting the boat out asap or it ends up being a continuous project. I admit it's been a long time coming, but bar any unforeseen health issues, the boat will be in the water hopefully in the next two months to check for any leaks. By the summer, I plan to be daysailing and adjusting rigging for single-handed sailing. Then the electrical will be installed and then the interior completed for official launch early 2020. I thank you, Will, for yours and the others encouragement and willingness to make suggestions . As soon as I figure how to post pictures, I'll put up the before and where I'm at now shots. Thanks again!

 

["Selah"]

Thanks Capt Robbie. I have many pictures from the start and everything I start to work on begins with a before and after shot. That is my plan...to do an album and there is one started, just need to print out some of the pictures to catch it up.
James

 

["Selah"]

Wow! Charlie !! Great before and after! I have sat and wondered why at times I was doing this, and had a couple friends who came over one day to help because they couldn't understand why I took so long to fix something on the boat. Now they know!! It's not cut and glue but a great deal of prep goes into it to achieve quality and something that i can be proud of accomplishing , not just for me, but for my wife's memory, and it gives me quality time with my son when he is able to help me...he just graduated university so I won't have him much longer as he is beginning his life. Im 65 and he's 23. My wife and I met late ... I was 40 and she was 35. Took me a long time to find her, but I stuck with it and the ultimate reward was our son. I see the same type of reward with "Selah" as you have with your Meridian 25. Thank you for sharing and rest assured, I plan to stick with it. ;-)

 

[Knot Stressin']

Welcome to SBO Forum! Cant wait to follow along and see it finished. I am still a newb to sailing, but I can tell you.....you are in the right place. Absolutely best sailing Forum on this here inter-web thingy.
I cant imagine the pain in losing the ones closest to me. I hope you find some peace in fulfilling this dream of yours

 

["Selah"]

Thank you Knot Stressin'. Can't wait to get Selah on the water. Will be posting pictures soon of beginning and where I am now with refit.

 

[jssailem]

Welcome James.
At first I heard that you want to complete a project that you and your spouse had started, God rest her soul. I can understand that idea.
Then I hear that yo want a bigger boat to sail further then the current 23 is designed.

23 is most often a day sailor. You could easily sail a daily sailor along the coast for a few days and travel quite far. But this does not seem to fit your intent.

I think you need to consider an alternative. Spending money and time fixing an old small boat, while fun will not give you a financial reward to step to a “Bigger” boat. More likely you will not get paid back for your time and investment. I know not the news you wanted to hear.
You should consider buying a bigger boat now. Spend the time and money on making it what you want to sail and start sailing to the locations that intrigue you. Sell the current project boat for what you can and apply that to the boat that will serve your desires.

I have done just that in my own boating decisions. Had a nice little trailer boat that I had fixed up and enjoyed. Sold it for late then I had put in to her, but for a fair price. Took the money and put it into a boat 2.5 times as big. Love the big boat. Fixing it up while I am sailing her and enjoying sailing in much grander waters than before. It can be done. All about determination. And It sounds like you know about determination.

That said. We are a merry group of sailors and will share what skills and ideas we can to make your experience possible.

 

[FireDiven]

Well Charlie's post certainly has me excited about my little Kells project. I know it's not worth much to begin with, but like James (welcome by the way), it's a matter of heart and the experience will help to know my boat inside and out. Spent the last 2 days getting a cradle built so I could get her off the trailer and pull the keel to inspect it and overhaul the trailer. Gonna take Wills advice and try to get it in the water as soon as possible and worry about all the other stuff later and Robbie's advice and make a priority list. I seem to get off track real easy. She is stripped to the bones inside right now so got a ways to go.

 

[jssailem]

Congrats @FireDiven. The boat is looking ready to receive your attention. Nice images. Looking forward to learning what you have planned and seeing it out on the water providing your new adventures.

 

[Ron20324]

Fire, you'd be more likely to live long enough to do another post if you put some OUTWARD facing braces. Like the stern ones you have, but facing AWAY from the hull.

 

[jssailem]

Ron. We are all accustomed to use bracing from ground to boat. It makes sense and when the baot is exposed to side pressure winds or workers climbing on top of the gunnel the forces of the brace are countered by the direct support of the brace.

It would appear that Fire is relying on the cross member under the stern to function as un upside down truss. The pressure on the port stern is transferred to the lever under the stern. The cross brace running under the stern is attached Starboard stern lever that presses up against the Starboard stern... (I hope I said that correctly) I can see how it is balanced forces. It is just not normally observed in a boat yard. It does rely on the nails holding

 

[DayDreamer41]

@jssailem in principle you are correct in your analysis, the issue being the support is relying on the fasteners and thru bolts, as a safety I think I would be adding outward knee bracing under the diagonals as insurance against the angular forces imparted on the connections.

 

[Tom J]

Hello everyone. New to this forum and would like to introduce myself. My name is James. I currently day sail a Precision 16 on Lake Hartwell, SC. And, I have an extensive hobby/ goal to completely refit inside and out a 1981 Lockley Newport LN23 that my late wife and I purchased on salvage in 2006. Due to my extended illness, the goal of us stepping-up in boat size became our desire that kept us going in motivation but not able to physically undertake in action. After her passing in 2013, I decided in 2014 to move forward with our original plan and complete the refit project. I have been extensively researching every aspect on how to do this as I have no prior knowledge in boat repair. Mind you that she and I stripped the complete interior down to fiberglass. But from time to time I would like to ask for advice concerning the different repairs as I move through the boat. I believe I know every inch of this boat and where I cannot get, i.e., the bilge, I have put a camera. Thankyou for any help along the way and I hope that I may be able to help others with problems I encountered and solutions I found or were offered.

Welcome to the forum, James. You have certainly done your research, and are capable of completing this refit. Your wife would be proud of you.