Spent the weekend on the boat, and finally, FINALLY got through the whole thing! I started the weekend with a couple projects. First and foremost was to try to tackle my outboard situation. I can't remember if I mentioned in my splash thread, but the short version is this: The original A4 has long since been removed, and a kicker bracket mounted center of the transom. I have a Mercury 9.9 XL Shaft on that bracket. But the issues I had were a) the motor wouldn't steer, at all. Locked center, and try as I might, there's no simple "do this" step in the service manual. Just talks about how to hook up steering cables. And b) Even at the lowest setting, the bottom of this EXTRA LONG FREAKING SHAFT was barely in the water. How it managed to get me through those waves, God knows. Reverse was a nightmare, as the motor tried to kick upwards just enough that the prop, I swear, was skimming the surface, and all it seemed to do was just give me prop walk to port, but no real momentum.
So step 1, I found the barely noticeable set-screw that was locking the steering tube. Success, I can now steer the motor! This should certainly help with the reversing issue! I haven't tested that theory yet, but I can't imagine it would be a bad thing.
I also relocated that kicker bracket about 4 inches lower. Now, on full drop, the plate on the outboard sits properly where it should. Full raise, and I'm ALMOST out of the water (I still can't figure out how to tilt this f'n thing!) But at least with more bite under the water, I should also have a little more control and thrust, and then when I get around to swapping to a high-thrust prop after this season, that should take care of a bunch of things.
The other thing I did, was to mount my 100 watt solar panel on the stern rail. I need to get my adjustable support pole still, but even just tightened down on the clamps on the rail, it doesn't go anywhere without force being applied - even so, I used a couple lines to tie it off to keep it from dropping down.
So now... if you read this far, good on ya. Now's where more questions start for me.
First question: Is it me, or is there something amiss with my sail plan other than dirt?
The boom seems to have quite the downward rake to it. The gooseneck on this boat is fixed to tbe mast, so it's not like I can pull that anywhere. The main sheet is tightened in just enough to hold the boom still, but it's not like I cranked it down excessively for drama. My first thought, seeing as the sail says N27S on it, is that perhaps it's a different cut than the N28 main would be. So that's definitely something I have to work out. And likewise, moving to the head sail. (I won't even mention the OTHER jib that I found, good God that thing was just a whole rolled up pile of nope). It might just be me, but it appears that he clew seems to be a bit high in the air, even for allowing for the sail to clear the cabin top coming over and back. Now this could be totally normal - my last boat, I ran a 150 genoa that had a flat cut bottom that was basically parallel with the deck, the so called Sweeper. So perhaps this is normal and I'm just not used to having such a high angle on what looks to be a standard 100, maybe a 110?
That also leads me into something else I noticed - I have no cars/tracks for my headsail. At all. None, neither side, no holes to where any would've been. Again, my last boat had chainplates further outboad, so maybe having them in where they are now, maybe tracks aren't needed? I'm going to add some soon anyway, I assume people that do have them, they follow the diagram in the manual from the capital yachts pages?
Otherwise though, I did have a good weekend aboard. Dried it out completely, cleaned it out and organized everything, and removed a lot of unnecessary things and garbage bits that were in the way. She is now ready to go out and enjoy the season, as long as no one eats Taco Bell before we go since I haven't redone the holding tank yet
So step 1, I found the barely noticeable set-screw that was locking the steering tube. Success, I can now steer the motor! This should certainly help with the reversing issue! I haven't tested that theory yet, but I can't imagine it would be a bad thing.
I also relocated that kicker bracket about 4 inches lower. Now, on full drop, the plate on the outboard sits properly where it should. Full raise, and I'm ALMOST out of the water (I still can't figure out how to tilt this f'n thing!) But at least with more bite under the water, I should also have a little more control and thrust, and then when I get around to swapping to a high-thrust prop after this season, that should take care of a bunch of things.
The other thing I did, was to mount my 100 watt solar panel on the stern rail. I need to get my adjustable support pole still, but even just tightened down on the clamps on the rail, it doesn't go anywhere without force being applied - even so, I used a couple lines to tie it off to keep it from dropping down.
So now... if you read this far, good on ya. Now's where more questions start for me.
First question: Is it me, or is there something amiss with my sail plan other than dirt?
The boom seems to have quite the downward rake to it. The gooseneck on this boat is fixed to tbe mast, so it's not like I can pull that anywhere. The main sheet is tightened in just enough to hold the boom still, but it's not like I cranked it down excessively for drama. My first thought, seeing as the sail says N27S on it, is that perhaps it's a different cut than the N28 main would be. So that's definitely something I have to work out. And likewise, moving to the head sail. (I won't even mention the OTHER jib that I found, good God that thing was just a whole rolled up pile of nope). It might just be me, but it appears that he clew seems to be a bit high in the air, even for allowing for the sail to clear the cabin top coming over and back. Now this could be totally normal - my last boat, I ran a 150 genoa that had a flat cut bottom that was basically parallel with the deck, the so called Sweeper. So perhaps this is normal and I'm just not used to having such a high angle on what looks to be a standard 100, maybe a 110?
That also leads me into something else I noticed - I have no cars/tracks for my headsail. At all. None, neither side, no holes to where any would've been. Again, my last boat had chainplates further outboad, so maybe having them in where they are now, maybe tracks aren't needed? I'm going to add some soon anyway, I assume people that do have them, they follow the diagram in the manual from the capital yachts pages?
Otherwise though, I did have a good weekend aboard. Dried it out completely, cleaned it out and organized everything, and removed a lot of unnecessary things and garbage bits that were in the way. She is now ready to go out and enjoy the season, as long as no one eats Taco Bell before we go since I haven't redone the holding tank yet
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