After spending six months cruising the Queensland coast on board Sweet Mango I thought that it might be useful to H33 owners (2003 onwards) if I catalogued some of my thoughts, problems and mods.
1. On week 1 whilst anchoring in a current with some cross wind the boat swung round and bent the stempiece to 90 deg. The material is far too thin, take a look at other boats. It wasn't a cheap fix had to remove it and had it cut off behind the roller and welded a new channel piece inside the old fitting.
2. On week two the forestay snapped about 1 cm below the top of the drum, when I was tensioning it up after replacing the stem fitting. On examination it had been only hanging on by four strands as the other ones were were blackened. It would appear that it had been like this from new. Furlex were not helpful thay just said they had never seen one break before. The good news was that the mast did not come down it was just very wobbly.
3. The limiting issue for cruising turned out to be water. We could last for a maximum of nine days before having to find somewhere to filll the tanks. Swipes turned out to be brilliant for washing one each day for the face and body and another for the nether regions! I am investigating a Katadyn water maker which produces 6 litres per hour at 4 amps.
4. Three 80 watt solar panels provided all the power necessary for all loads including an additional Wahcol fridge/freezer. I was using around 75 ah/day and was typically minus 40ah by sun up. Total battery capacity was 400 ah. Only had to run the motor once for charging during a rainy spell.
5. Mattresses and cushions stuffed after six months, technically the foam had collapsed and bums were on solid ground! Am replacing with some better quality foam.
6. Rudder bearings seem very loose/worn with shaft wobble felt through wheel. Has onyone experience in replacing these?
7. Single line reefing has too much line flogging around in a blow. Have modified with one line one luff and another on leach for both reefs. Works well.
8. Windless power cable came lose at connection under front cabin bulkhead. Sympton was I coundn't get anchor up and thought it was mechanically jammed. This took a lot of time to diagnose. Lesson to other owners - get your head in there and check the connections
9. Rudder full of water. drilled hole at base to drain. seems to get in via top of shaft.
10. Standard assymetric Spinnaker is brilliant. When you let her go its like dropping your foot on the accelerator. Also you can reach to about 60 deg with it
11. Hanging space is not much use and I converted both front and rear to shelves. Able to carry many more clothes this way.
12. Creaking noise has emerged from the rear bulkhead making sleeping there impossible when not in calm water. Very hard to isolate where coming from and am reluctant to start tearing apart. Beating corner near rear passge with a rubber hammer helps for a while but then it comes back. Ayone else experience this?
13. When motoring (3YM30) after about four hours or so (and this happens every time) the rev counter goes to zero and also the hour meter stops counting. Switch off for a few minutes and it comes back again. Someone told me that this happens to Yanmars if the voltage goes much over 14v which is crazy. Any comments?
All I can think of for the present.
Nick
1. On week 1 whilst anchoring in a current with some cross wind the boat swung round and bent the stempiece to 90 deg. The material is far too thin, take a look at other boats. It wasn't a cheap fix had to remove it and had it cut off behind the roller and welded a new channel piece inside the old fitting.
2. On week two the forestay snapped about 1 cm below the top of the drum, when I was tensioning it up after replacing the stem fitting. On examination it had been only hanging on by four strands as the other ones were were blackened. It would appear that it had been like this from new. Furlex were not helpful thay just said they had never seen one break before. The good news was that the mast did not come down it was just very wobbly.
3. The limiting issue for cruising turned out to be water. We could last for a maximum of nine days before having to find somewhere to filll the tanks. Swipes turned out to be brilliant for washing one each day for the face and body and another for the nether regions! I am investigating a Katadyn water maker which produces 6 litres per hour at 4 amps.
4. Three 80 watt solar panels provided all the power necessary for all loads including an additional Wahcol fridge/freezer. I was using around 75 ah/day and was typically minus 40ah by sun up. Total battery capacity was 400 ah. Only had to run the motor once for charging during a rainy spell.
5. Mattresses and cushions stuffed after six months, technically the foam had collapsed and bums were on solid ground! Am replacing with some better quality foam.
6. Rudder bearings seem very loose/worn with shaft wobble felt through wheel. Has onyone experience in replacing these?
7. Single line reefing has too much line flogging around in a blow. Have modified with one line one luff and another on leach for both reefs. Works well.
8. Windless power cable came lose at connection under front cabin bulkhead. Sympton was I coundn't get anchor up and thought it was mechanically jammed. This took a lot of time to diagnose. Lesson to other owners - get your head in there and check the connections
9. Rudder full of water. drilled hole at base to drain. seems to get in via top of shaft.
10. Standard assymetric Spinnaker is brilliant. When you let her go its like dropping your foot on the accelerator. Also you can reach to about 60 deg with it
11. Hanging space is not much use and I converted both front and rear to shelves. Able to carry many more clothes this way.
12. Creaking noise has emerged from the rear bulkhead making sleeping there impossible when not in calm water. Very hard to isolate where coming from and am reluctant to start tearing apart. Beating corner near rear passge with a rubber hammer helps for a while but then it comes back. Ayone else experience this?
13. When motoring (3YM30) after about four hours or so (and this happens every time) the rev counter goes to zero and also the hour meter stops counting. Switch off for a few minutes and it comes back again. Someone told me that this happens to Yanmars if the voltage goes much over 14v which is crazy. Any comments?
All I can think of for the present.
Nick
