Need Advice O'day 26

[mlindberg1]

I just purchased my first sailboat. I am a long time motor boater. I am making a list of things I need to do in order to launch the boat in a few weeks. I am new to sailing this size boat. My goal for this year is to use the the boat as my "office" as I work from home. It will be on a mooring. I will learn to sail on days that have very light winds to start.

The one question I have is should I install Halyard Organizer Plate? Or should I install this after this years learning phase. I still need to figure out all the rigging. I have the manual but would love to see a diagram of how the 25/26 is set up.

There is a Harken Traveler installed just aft of the companionway, It looks like it needs new line. The line feels like polyester (brittle) and is all faded and does not look good. What to replace it with? The boat also has a Furlex 100S.

Thanks for any help. I am in Gloucester, MA if anyone in the group lives close I would pay for any help with the rigging and so on.

My immediate list is to:
1) Remove and Glass over gally sink drain. Its an old thru hull and I would rather it gone.
2) Prep and Paint Bottom
3) Well there are many things to do but I can do most of them in the water at the mooring.
Also the motor bracket is not for a 4 stroke. I have a 9.8HP Tohatsu 4 stroke. Should I use the bracket that is there?

Sorry for rambeling!!

 

[Ward H]

Congrats on your O'day 26. Very similar to my 25.
If your mast is down, put on the halyard organizer plate now. That way when you need it you don't need to drop the mast. If the mast is up, wait until you need it.
It is mostly for running lines back to the cockpit so have some fun sailing it for a while before tackling that job. If you do install it, it makes raising the jib easier. I put a block on the plate and run the jib halyard through it so I can stand at the jib and pull on the halyard to raise it. Makes it a bit easer.

You can't go wrong with New England Sta Set line. There are lots of line types and lots of opinions and varying costs. I use Samson XLS Yacht Braid for most of my lines running rigging and Samson Trophy Braid for my sheets because I like the soft feel.
You'll find lots of comments on hi tech no stretch line but you have a lot to learn before you will take advantage of them or even see the advantage.
I have the Furlex 100S as well. It works well but watch out for too many wraps on the drum or over wraps. They will jam the drum while the jib is out, which is not good.
I found old line is rough and swells a little, just enough so it does not wrap smoothly on the drum and that caused the line to lay lumpy and jammed the drum. New line helped but I am considering trying 1/4" line (was 5/16") this year.

The Furlex manual is available on line from the web site.

You might consider just replacing the gate valve on the thru hull with a ball valve. I found the sink handy when pumping rain water out of the bilge or mopping the cabin floor.
Definitely do something. My gate valve was frozen tight. When I replaced it I found the insides had disappeared so there was no way to shut it off. If a hose had popped off or leaked, I would have sunk.

On smaller OBs you can get away with a 2 stroke mount but I would not trust it on a 9.8HP 4 stroke. The problem is the torque could twist the mount damaging it or the boat. The 4 stroke mounts are beefier and have a wider mounting foot print to spread the load. Put a good size backing plate behind it and use fender washers under the mounting bolts.

If I was closer I would help you out but that's not a day trip so just ask here. You will find a lot of good help.