Screwy Designs: What were those guys thinking?
- Thread starter Kings Gambit
- Start date
I second the the complaint on manufacturers who don't provide access to the underside of the stanchion bases. Of course, what they're doing is installing the stanchions before they join the deck and hull. Gee, thanks, Catalina and anyone else who does that. You really think those stanchions are going to last a lifetime?
Why oh why can't you install a decent stanchion base like my Grampian 26 had. If I bend a stanchion, the base is unaffected, and it's just a matter of jamming a new stanchion in the base, for little cost and effort.
Oh, and on the Lucas thing, my first car was a 1971 Fiat 850, which for some reason never gave me any trouble. Third car was a 1961 Triumph TR4, which was pretty much the definition of trouble.
Why oh why can't you install a decent stanchion base like my Grampian 26 had. If I bend a stanchion, the base is unaffected, and it's just a matter of jamming a new stanchion in the base, for little cost and effort.
Oh, and on the Lucas thing, my first car was a 1971 Fiat 850, which for some reason never gave me any trouble. Third car was a 1961 Triumph TR4, which was pretty much the definition of trouble.
Had a TR3B just before I bought my first big boat and it was a real tank. After that it was always pickups. At least I've never had a minivan.
Our Zodiac doubles as our Ferrari these days.
Yes, the TRs were all body on frame. Saved my bacon when I swapped ends on the TR5 a couple of times and punched it into a road cut backwards; blowing the sheet metal akimbo. That I-6 was still running with my foot pinned to the firewall. Walked away and got myself a very reliable German Ford. Put about 200,000 kilometers on that Fraulein mustang - Bosch electrics in good order and no oil consumption.
I certainly have learned much the past few days on the genealogy of my Sprint 1000 windlass motor, not to mention having gained a new appreciation of the foibles of British autos, which of course are legendary! Now, I'm sure it's hopeless for the windlass and a total replacement is in my future. I have another screwy design. Yes, to the issue of stanchion through-bolts that are not accessible for maintenance of stanchion bedding. It's not all that much better even if you can expose them b/c there's very little room to swing even a small socket wrench if located behind cabinetry. It needs to be virtually glued to the hand to prevent dropping frequently.
But the most screwball thing on the Bavaria that tasks me often is the companion-way hatch boards (wash boards). A total joke. There is no way they could hold back a ton or more seawater boarding the cockpit, especially the upper of the two. Made of lexan, they slide down the tapered companion-way entrance in a shallow track (maybe 2-3 mm deep) made of plastic and simply screwed to the side of the companion-way (i.e., not molded in; no molded backing fwd of the boards). High water could easily enter under the bottom of the lower board and into the salon. If the boat turtled they would be nearly useless. For a boat with an EU (Germanisher Lloyd) Category "A" (high-seas) rating, I've been dumbfounded by the design--an obvious after thought. The whole thing is on my to-do list to rebuild/replace but as we rarely cruise far from shore or in anything higher than 6-8 ft seas, it has not been a priority. Has anyone seen something similar? What would be a secure way to fix this kind of problem?
But the most screwball thing on the Bavaria that tasks me often is the companion-way hatch boards (wash boards). A total joke. There is no way they could hold back a ton or more seawater boarding the cockpit, especially the upper of the two. Made of lexan, they slide down the tapered companion-way entrance in a shallow track (maybe 2-3 mm deep) made of plastic and simply screwed to the side of the companion-way (i.e., not molded in; no molded backing fwd of the boards). High water could easily enter under the bottom of the lower board and into the salon. If the boat turtled they would be nearly useless. For a boat with an EU (Germanisher Lloyd) Category "A" (high-seas) rating, I've been dumbfounded by the design--an obvious after thought. The whole thing is on my to-do list to rebuild/replace but as we rarely cruise far from shore or in anything higher than 6-8 ft seas, it has not been a priority. Has anyone seen something similar? What would be a secure way to fix this kind of problem?
Last edited:
My brother had a Tr5, rare in Canada, I think only 12 in the country. It looked like aTr4 but had an inline six with overdrive, went like a bullet!
I've had a 57 MG-A and a 74 B. Lucas...Prince of darkness..I've had several meetings with Lucas yrs ago re aerospace applications and they were tops. I started the meeting wrt paybacks for my MGs...kidding of course. Wish I still had them. Specially the '57A.. We all got a good laugh and met for beer aftwrward....
I used to park my Bonneville T100 on a hill 3 blocks from my home so it can start in the morning. Engineers never use their own products. That's why the Romans make the architect walk the bridge before anyone else does.
Aligning motor to prop shaft the other day in my 1980 Hunter 33. Took five days. Scars still healing on my arms and hands. Did the designer think that a wall against the starboard side of the engine would never be in the way? Should of at least provided a mirror and a flashlight.
Having lived through and raced a 59 Austin-Healey Sprite, restored a 58 Jag Mk I, and presently driving an 85 Camaro powered 87 XJ6, I can write without hesitation that the only explanation for English auto electrical systems was the "never say die" design philosophy. Every part on these cars were rebuildable with part numbers right down to the lockwasher. When was the last time you could find, buy and replace every part to a voltage regulator? Of course, unless you could train a squid to use a spanner, most of the parts were utterly inaccessible without pulling the engine . . . .
On the vertical motors. I crewed on a bene 461 a few weeks ago, that had electric winches!
-they were really nice!!! (a little slower than 2 guys, but still nice, and we got so we were almost as fast tacking).
I wonder if they suffer the same fate as windless motors? -owner said he had them for years and years, and loved them. (I forgot to ask about his house bank and amps used). -but I could see them on my boat as I get older. (he had 2 for jib sheets, and 1 on the cabin for halyards/outhaul, etc)
anyone have experience with electric winches? -these were plates that fit below the lewmar winches
-they were really nice!!! (a little slower than 2 guys, but still nice, and we got so we were almost as fast tacking).
I wonder if they suffer the same fate as windless motors? -owner said he had them for years and years, and loved them. (I forgot to ask about his house bank and amps used). -but I could see them on my boat as I get older. (he had 2 for jib sheets, and 1 on the cabin for halyards/outhaul, etc)
anyone have experience with electric winches? -these were plates that fit below the lewmar winches
It's pretty obvious that Lewmar has designed their windlass motors to fail (frequently) inside of anchor lockers. You do not want one of these sitting inside the locker on a hot summers day while covered with salt water.What other screwy designs have others encountered?
Hunter managed to design their locker such that the motor is not situated inside the locker and remains below and bone dry in the forward berth.
Thanks for the insight, RJ. Clearly, a vertical windlass with the motor hanging in the drainage below the gypsy head is a poor design. The big question mark is why Bavaria Yachtbau did not design an anchor locker that protected the motor, as you show for the Hunter, with factory installation of a windlass model having the motor mounted at rt angle to the gearbox, etc. All of these "budget" production models, the BAV38E included, seem to be a mosaic of often very strong, but also very weak, features. Having the "whole enchilada" with everything top quality would be 2x (or more) the sail-away cost, no doubt.
Don't know WHY they (all of them) can't look around and get it all together. I don't think these ideas are so much a matter of cost as just sitting down and putting some thought into what they're doing.
We have an electric Lewmar halyard winch on Kestrel and love it. Bought the boat new; 8 years on and no water ingress or even likelihood AFAICT. The motor is a horizontal job via a 90 degree turn. Nice design.
I'm not sure you can make such a blanket statement about Catalina sailboats. None of the Catalinas I have been on had inaccessible stanchion bases. I have seen many smaller boats that have NO stanchions....especially racing rigged sport boats.
I have never been on a C28, though.
