Resurrecting The Blue Pearl
- Thread starter Brucker
- Start date
Looks like a fun project. I really enjoy restoring old boats and have done several. My first bit of advise would be to give her a good cleaning and check for soft spots. Once you've done that you'll be able to see better what you're getting into.
As with all projects, a good pressure washing seems in order. I found a pearl under a lot of years of back yard funk and green stuff. I hope you fair the same with your blue pearl. This forum is a wealth of knowledge on sailboats of all sizes, makes and shapes. We love pics of the work in progress! We have all been there.
Eric
Eric
What you have going for you is having the boat at home (presumably). 30 years ago I spent a year working on a Clipper Marine project boat that I then used for 13 years and got immense pleasure from. There is no dodging some expenditure but you can save a bundle by putting in "sweat equity". We saved by making our own cushions and curtains, learning how to do fiber glassing, refurbishing the trailer by wire brushing and painting, replacing wheel bearings ourselves etc.
Really it was pretty much a hobby for that time. I say if you want to do it and understand you will never get back your time as money, then go for it. I never regretted the time I spent on that boat. The only caveat is make sure there is no deep down damage that will prevent a good outcome.
Really it was pretty much a hobby for that time. I say if you want to do it and understand you will never get back your time as money, then go for it. I never regretted the time I spent on that boat. The only caveat is make sure there is no deep down damage that will prevent a good outcome.
Yep... pressure wash time. Don't be afraid to pressure wash inside as well. I've gone into the bowels of a boat with a pressure washer in one hand and an wet-vac in the other.... (eye protection)... then gut all of the electric and rotten wood but save the wood pieces as templates to cut out new ...
A very tough yet inexpensive paint for a boat like this is plain old rustoleum in a can. A light sanding... and then roll & tip on the paint for a beautiful finish.
A very tough yet inexpensive paint for a boat like this is plain old rustoleum in a can. A light sanding... and then roll & tip on the paint for a beautiful finish.
The first thing is to inspect that addition to the cabin roof and make sure it did not weaken something. Did they just raise the pop top and seal it in permanent? Having lived in Mobile Al in the '70s I saw a lot of South Coast boats out of their factory in Shreveport and never one like that.
Yeah, Pops has a bad back so he made it where he can stand up in the cabin. He is the head architectural engineer for a shell plant down here, so I would imagine it is structurally sound. I am going to remove it nonetheless though. He did some fiberglass trimming to make it happen and nothing is going to fit back like it did so I we are going to have to do some tweaking for sure.
If you notice, pops rigged up a wheel on this puppy instead of a tiller. Are there any advantages to a tiller over a wheel or vice versa? I was thinking of going back with the tiller, but a wheel does have some serious cool factor. thoughts?
Tillers have more "feel," are faster to control, can be controlled from a multitude of positions in the cockpit, especially with a tiller extender, sometimes have more "throw" for the rudder angle, don't require an emergency steering wheel if it breaks 
...
Wheels can take less room in the cockpit, can give you more leverage depending on the design, can require less pressure depending on sailboat balance, are less awkward when there are lots of passengers in the cockpit, are less awkward when needing to handle lines in the cockpit, are steered like a car, so there is no reverse controlling needed like with tillers, the centrally mounted pedestal guard (I see your wheel is transom mount) can give you a nice place to hang things, mount instruments, or mount a cockpit table.
I am sure others will come up with many other great thoughts!
...Wheels can take less room in the cockpit, can give you more leverage depending on the design, can require less pressure depending on sailboat balance, are less awkward when there are lots of passengers in the cockpit, are less awkward when needing to handle lines in the cockpit, are steered like a car, so there is no reverse controlling needed like with tillers, the centrally mounted pedestal guard (I see your wheel is transom mount) can give you a nice place to hang things, mount instruments, or mount a cockpit table.
I am sure others will come up with many other great thoughts!
Have you thought about what you want to do with the interior yet? If you find that you need to rip out all of the old wood, you then have to option to redesign your interior. But much of the berths etc also function as stiffeners for the hull so need to put something back along the hull. When manufacturers made these pocket cruisers, they tried to make them look like a living room... but when you actually go on extended cruises in them you quickly learn what you really need. You need convenient storage. For example, on my Mac 22, I eventually removed the galley completely. I never cooked in the boat but always out in the cockpit. The galley sink just became a place to stash my wallet and keys when I was sailing and it took up way to much room. The extra room from the galley extraction allowed for an extra berth and for me to make some storage mins under the port side under-cockpit area. If I were redesigning the V22 again, I would think of the berths exclusively as areas to sit and maybe play a hand of cards etc at anchor, the area under the cockpit exclusively as storage and I'd build in hooks to hang eno hammocks for sleeping. Lastly, I'd buy a bbq grill for the stern rail in the cockpit. And I'd think of the cabin as a place to get out of the rain, hold stores and to sleep. Cooking is done in the cockpit and so is most of your sitting around.
Ok, thanks for the info, I think I am going to go back with the tiller for now just to get it in the water asap.
Rgranger, those are good ideas and I will def look into that!
Rgranger, those are good ideas and I will def look into that!
I found a long since dead squirrel on the V berth cushions, so I think I am going to recover them all on the interior for sure, and maybe even the exterior too. Do I need to get any specific kinds of fabric? Is there anything affordable that I can get at a Hobby Lobby type place?
One of the first thing to check is the bulkheads that the side chain plates attach to. Originally they are plywood and due to normal leaking they rot. When one let's go the mast will go over the side. I have been there and done that. Now I would recommend replacement with chain plates like the MacGregor that attach through the side of the hull. I have had SC22, Mac Classic and now have a M26S.
Hey Bill, you wouldnt happen to have a picture of exactly what youre talking about and a pic of how it needs to be do you?
I feel like you have some other issues to check while you worry about fabric...
I think others are suggesting this too.
Bulkheads
Chainplates
Deck core
Rudder
Keel
Stays
Shrouds
Sheets
Sails
Lines
Mast
Boom
Blocks
Winches
Turnbuckles
Shackles
Traveler
Cleats
Clevis pins
Split rings
Are these on your list?
How about the trailer?
I think others are suggesting this too.
Bulkheads
Chainplates
Deck core
Rudder
Keel
Stays
Shrouds
Sheets
Sails
Lines
Mast
Boom
Blocks
Winches
Turnbuckles
Shackles
Traveler
Cleats
Clevis pins
Split rings
Are these on your list?
How about the trailer?
Yup, I get the willies looking at the house top, but that ladder gives me a genuine GGordonWoody for sure!