Recommended, reasonably low-cost upgrades?

[piratesnail]

Cross posting this from the Starwind owners Facebook group.

Looking for suggestions for low-cost upgrades. We have a 1985 Starwind 19 that we trailer around for 3-10 day cruises (my wife, son, and I - we often camp on the shore to give ourselves a little more space). Last summer was our first season with the boat, and we fixed most of the must-do items (replaced cockpit drains, resealed windows, replaced the wiring and added a solar panel, took care of the woodwork that needed it, etc). The only remaining urgent item is to finish the gel coat repair from a rock hit last summer, and we think the remaining work will be time consuming but not expensive. We are now considering what improvements, if any, to make that would make life on the boat a little easier when we are out - without spending too much money. A few ideas have come to mind - some sort of tiller tender/clutch, simple lazy jacks, etc. Any recommendations from this group?

Our criteria:
- low cost - ideally we aren’t going to spend more than a few hundred dollars on the boat this season (we’d rather put the money into gas to get us someplace interesting)
- as much as possible, should not negatively affect the ease with which the boat can be rigged/de-rigged, since we don't leave it on the water.

We know that soon enough new sails will be in order - the main and working jib might be original, and they are showing their age. So, also a consideration: should we just save the money toward the eventual new sails?

Thoughts?

 

[kappykaplan]

Most of us will tell you to start with new sails.

 

[Timm R Oday25]

A tiller clutch will go a long way in making life on board easier . From experiance, i suggest finding ways to raise and lower the boat as smoothly as possible . The easier and faster it is the more you will want to sail . i've got less than $100.00 into our mast raising system
and it helps motivate us a lot . If you don't already have a jib downhaul ,I'd look into making one of those . Biminis and cockpit shades can be simple
and very reasonable to make . The added space really helps in our smaller boats . Ask your wife what bothers her about sailing and camping . Do all you can to take her suggestions into account .

 

[Stu Jackson]

While this is for a C22, the safety ideas are useful for all trailerable small boats.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

How is your interior lighting on the boat ? Check for 12V LED's at Amazon for inexpensive interior lighting. Make sure they are warm white and not cold blue in colour.

 

[Tater]

How is your interior lighting on the boat ? Check for 12V LED's at Amazon for inexpensive interior lighting. Make sure they are warm white and not cold blue in colour.

If you are talking about the Feit 12V RV bulbs, I love those things.

I float a deep cycle battery for ham radio, fishing and emergency lighting. I have four lights in use. I have had only one failure which was replaced by Feit.
8.8W (60W Replacement) Bright White (3000K) E26 Base A19 12-Volt Boat

 

[shemandr]

Storage! The more dry storage you have will reduce the set up time and improve the cruise experience. Use watertight containers and stuff them into any unused space.
I don't know that design interior but rethink the galley and see if a camping stove (Not gasoline) and Yeti cooler ( not low cost) would be better.
Where the heck do you sail 10 day cruises from West Virginia?

 

[piratesnail]

Where the heck do you sail 10 day cruises from West Virginia?

Haha we just drive. Our big trip last summer was up to Georgian Bay/the North Channel on Lake Huron - stunningly beautiful, great for sail camping, and a 10-hr drive. We have done several shorter trips to the Chesapeake (only 3.5 hrs) and the Lake Erie islands. Talking about perhaps a trip to Pamlico Sound this spring and Lake Champlain over the summer.

Great ideas, all! We're lucky in that some of these were taken care of by the most recent former owner (interior and exterior lighting, mast raising system) and our prior experience (we have a ton of camping gear, stoves, dry bags etc - my wife and I met leading wilderness trips for teens when we were in our 20s). Of the other ideas above, the most appealing to me right now are the tiller clutch (cheaper, makes it easier for me to get out with just my son) and new sails ($$$$, but will likely improve our sailing experience). I'm honestly torn putting the money into new sails, as I'm worried we'll outgrow this boat pretty soon as my son gets bigger. He's 8 right now, and I don't know how much longer squeezing into the v-berth will be fun and cool. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The Starwind was intended as an affordable trial boat, to see if we would enjoy sailing as a family activity. Now that the answer is a resounding yes, we may choose to invest in a slightly larger (but still trailerable) boat in the next few years, after saving up a bit.

Please keep the ideas coming, if you've got them!

 

[piratesnail]

I forgot to ask about biminis, which were probably the most common answer on the Starwind FB group. Any guidance about where to get started looking if we want to explore that further?

 

[dlochner]

If you are up for making your own, Sailrite.com has instructions and the material for a Bimini.

A simple boom tent will also work at anchor but not while sailing. Shading the boat will make it much cooler and more comfortable. Also provides protection in light rain.

 

[SailingLoto]

It's all about how you spend your money. I only spent about $500-600 start to finish on this project. It took about 2 weeks of evenings. Started out with the side busted below the rubrail for 3 feet, rotten everything in the interior. Gutted it. Cut new plywood. Cleaned everything. Glassed up the damage. Relocated the cockpit drains. Obviously I painted the whole boat. Replaced the rubrail. Replaced the running rigging. Redid the brightwork. Bottom job. Fun little boat. I have more pics and details if you have questions.

 

[LloydB]

Sometime ago on this site someone decided to go with a patio umbrella instead of a DIY bimini on a smaller boat that worked out for them.

 

[LaDonaMina]

The best low cost upgrade was getting a sewing machine that could handle the canvas and leather and we made everything on our boat. We are now redoing our Bimini with new waterproof material I have left over from doing the Bimini of our Sea Ray.

 

[JBP-PA]

Pillows.
Portable rechargeable fans..
Cozy blankets.
Portable lanterns.
Boom tent (if no bimini)

 

[pgandw]

In improving my Mariner (19), my priorities are:
- repair what's broke or needs fixing
- improvements for easier single handing (that's how I mostly sail)
- improvements that will make cruising more comfortable
- improvements because I like the idea

In the first category, replacing the gas outboard with an electric was essential to give me confidence the motor will start when I need it. I choked on the expense ($2700 - $600 sale of the gas motor), but the outcome was terrific. The silence and reliability puts a huge smile on my face. Will probably need to replace trailer bearings next year, tires have a year or 2 before they age out (I replace tires at 6 years).

In the 2nd category, I was looking at bringing halyards, and downhaul aft to the cockpit - jib sheets were already there. Found out the Mariner will heave to pretty easily, so I can leave the halyards at the mast (don't need more lines in the cockpit). Already had a tiller clutch, but found out I really wanted a tiller extension as well. Once I had the tiller extension installed, I realized that I should move the tiller clutch further back on the tiller (most Mariners with tiller clutches have them well back) to avoid the clutch lines blocking me from the aft part of the cockpit. Just need to keep the clutch lever within reach of my normal single-handed helm position. I use yarn tied to the shrouds for telltales - a roll of red yarn is less than $5 at Walmart. I use Navionics Boating App ($50/year for US, Canada, and inland lakes) on my phone for navigation, plus print outs of charts of key areas.

Also in the 2nd category is aids to raising/lowering the mast for trailering. The Mariner mast is very easy with 2 people, but needs a stabilized gin pole for one person operation. Not a lot of money, but I broke my first 2x4 gin pole when the mast got out of line. Rebuilt with a reinforced 2x6, and rope baby stays. A great add whether single handing or not is a removable trailer roller on the rear mast crutch. Makes moving the mast fore and aft very simple, and raises it a little to make the starting angle better for raising and lowering.

For setting up the standing rigging, I have a 35ft tape measure and a Loos Gauge (Loos is $$$). Tape measure attached to main halyard and raised to mast head lets me get the mast rake correct from the start and make the shrouds even very quickly. Loos gauge gets me correct shroud tension and helps me avoid forestay sag when the wind pipes up. I use CS Johnson velcro cotter pins ($$ from Defender) instead of traditional cotter pins because they are infinitely reusable, making stay/shroud adjustments very simple.

Making cruising more comfortable - have only done one cruise so far, so am still figuring out what I need/want. Installed a small cassette potty, but have yet to decide on cooking/washing and cooler/water arrangements. Will likely go with a 1 burner butane camp stove (or propane) and a 3 gal water cooler, with a small dish washing tub, and a small fry pan and pot. Sleeping bag I already have. Started an anchor awning that ties to shrouds and backstay. Bought a very nice all weather boom tent ($450 to keep leaves and cypress needles out of boat when it sits on the lift) that is/will be fine in bad weather. Bought a portable LED lantern that uses D batteries for an anchor light ($15) that I can hang on forestay. AA-powered lanterns don't last through a full night at required anchor light brightness. A big upgrade would be an electrical system with a LiFePO battery for running and cabin lights, phone and handheld VHF radio recharging.

hope this helps
Fred W
Stuart Mariner 19 #4133 Sweet P
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Former owner of a dearly missed Starwind 19 here. My favorite upgrades over the past two boats have been:

1. Tiller Clutch - Best bang for the buck
2. Bimini - Substantially reduces fatigue even in the midwest
3. Electric mast raising system
4. Button free, always on bluetooth amp - Efficient Class D. Cost $15-20
5. LED/Solar

I'd say self tailing winches but the Starwind is on the upper edge of not needing it. Make sure you have the line that keeps the rudder down as only using the nut on the side of the cassette will cause the rudder to crack. I'm happy to discuss ideas to prevent this from happening along with other Starwind specific issues

 

[SailingLoto]

I highly support the idea of running halyards to the cockpit. It's super easy to fall off a little boat. Tiller clutches are cool. Learn sheet to tiller steering, if nothing else it's just cool to make it work.

 

[rgranger]

YES to Pamlico sound…. I have sailed all up and down the North Carolina Outer Banks …took my kids on many many trips there
A Cheap improvement That I think you should include in your list is ….a wind scoop for the front hatch while you’re at anchor… this will push a lot of air down into the boat and make sleeping a lot more comfortable …it doesn’t have to cost anything… on a charter I once used a bungee cord to tie the corners of a beach towel to a boat hook pole and then using the jib halyard lifted the boat hook and towel up. I brought the back two ends of the towels to stanchion bases behind the hatch and tied off. But you can get more creative …any sort of wind scoop will help. Here is one one eBay less than $30

Osculati Boat Hatch Wind Scoop Ventilation Breeze 185mm | eBay

Important:For perfect ventilation; universal model, suitable for sail and motor boats, adaptable; made of 100% colored nylon. Can be easily disassembled, includes case, total height 185 cm.

www.ebay.com