So Many Projects, Where to Start?

[rlongfield]

I bought a 22 back in July (and posted about it), other than cleaning the trash out of the boat, giving it a decent cleaning, and getting it moved to a new home, I haven't gotten much done with it. It doesn't help that when work ends, and then the kids go to bed all I want to do is crash on the couch.

Anyways, I would like get some advice/help on prioritizing what I should tackle first. I know the keel should be near the top of the list but right now the cradle that the boat is on doesn't have support pads<?> that go high enough to do anything with the keel, also the boat support is on either end of the keel right now, the support pads<?> were causing deflection on the hull.

I've attached some photos of points in the interior that I'm confused about;



The first is a picture of the Keel Box<?> or is that just the edge of the seat/storage<?> The second is a close up. It looks like a repair was made (bottom left of 2nd photo). I have no idea why this was done. I will say that it was a handy hole to use to vacum water out from between the cabin and hull. Any advice on repairing this?

Next up is the winch handle;



So there are a few things with this one. First up the handle threads on which is great for raising the keel, but when you wind it back to lower the keel it unscrews itself.... I'm going to assue either I'm using it wrong, somethings missing, or both. Second which I didn't capture in the photo is that the handle hit's the wood at the bottom of the hatch when it goes around the top.

For the second picture I'm guessing it's probably best to move all that stuff off this board? I have not idea what that big orange dial is for. I think it's safe to assume the electrical is in need of a full replacement..

I'm just sharing this one to share my frustration. I believe that black gunk is roofing tar from a caulking tube <GAAAAH!!!!>. Thankfully it's winter here and it's pretty solid but in the summer it was all gooey and sticky. Maybe this is the first task to tackle......



So other than start drinking is there a something here I should tackle first or should I look for anything else specifically?

 

[Jacktar]

Kell number one, deal with handle issue so you can raise and lower correctly.

 

[jon hansen]

welcome! welcome to owner/captain-ship! we all do projects so we can 'take that ride'.

pick one. your pick. then fix just that.
the work to take a sail is year round.

"how do you eat a whale? one bite at a time

 

[cb32863]

The big orange dial is a battery selector switch. It is for a two battery bank system. Rule of thumb is even days would be "2" and odd days would be "1". But yeah, that whole electrical situ looks like a candidate for replacement. Here is a thread on my electrical re-fit. You probably don't need to do all I did but, I think it is a good reference. You can find all sorts of info here on SBO too. As for the rest, I would maybe tackle that keel situation and that fiberglass repair.

 

[AaronD]

Be sure to inspect the keel cable and its hose + hose clamps. That's a serious safety item, and both should be replaced on a regular schedule. Catalina Direct carries the kit. On the flip side, you'll see lots of good threads on keel restoration (sandblasting, epoxy, etc.). That's on my wish-list too, but you can sail for a long time with a rusty keel. So unless there are obvious weak points in the keel supports on either end, that project probably doesn't have to be your first priority.

The big orange dial looks like a master battery switch. A little like this one. @Maine Sail has an article describing them. For our little C-22s, it's (very) rare to have 2 separate battery banks - you can use it as just off and on (and ignore the #2). If yours looks sound electrically, reuse it for your rewiring project. If it seems badly corroded, get a new one.

Re: moving your electrical off of the keel-winch board. Your call. If you're planning a really simple electrical system, you might be able to fit it all there (although you risk kicking switches as you step in and out). But if you need anything more than 3-4 circuits, you might run out of room there. There are a few pictures and notes on my system in my thread. You can do better than I did.

+1 on dealing with the black goop. For convenience, if nothing else - if, as you said, it softens up in the heat, you don't want it dripping on you or your stuff If there's actually a leak, find something else to seal it with. If you haven't already noticed, you'll find pretty strong agreement here that for most sealing tasks (not quite all, but most) are best done with butyl tape (that link is to @Maine Sail's store, which is the best source for top quality marine butyl, and a way to support a great contributor here).

That said, butyl probably isn't the solution for a leak in the forward hatch - you might need a new rubber gasket. Possibly like this stuff (no guarantees that's the right product - try calling Catalina Direct or our hosts at SailboatOwners.com. They'll both be helpful.

 

[rlongfield]

Kell number one, deal with handle issue so you can raise and lower correctly.

Do you have a link to any specific info on what I should be aiming for? From my brief experiment with it the only thing I could think of was a handle with a bend.

 

[rlongfield]

pick one. your pick. then fix just that.

I wasn't sure if there was a stand out, you really need to do X project (other than making sure the keel is good to go)

The big orange dial is a battery selector switch.

I thought so but I wasn't positive. I'll take a look at your work. I'm just going to start over on the electrical rather than trying to sort out/fix the broken.

Be sure to inspect the keel cable and its hose + hose clamps.
On the flip side, you'll see lots of good threads on keel restoration (sandblasting, epoxy, etc.). That's on my wish-list too, but you can sail for a long time with a rusty keel.

Re: moving your electrical off of the keel-winch board.
kicking switches as you step in and out

Thanks for the tips, I'm going to look at moving the electrical panel. Where too? I have no idea, the cabin is pretty Meh, and I think could be quiet good with some work but that's something I need to figure out.

 

[SailAway1]

The keel trunk (box)!!! Yes, the first two pictures show the keel trunk and it has definitely been repaired. If the keel cable breaks while the keel is up then the keel will freefall and the top of it will rotate into the trunk rather quickly. The only thing stopping it will be when the top of the keel hits the back of the keel trunk where your repair was made. 550 pounds of cast iron isn't very forgiving when it hits the trunk causing the fiberglass to crack. It does look like a good repair though. +1 on the inspection of the keel cable and its hose + hose clamps.

 

[ShawnL]

The winch handle should be able to rotate 360 without hitting anything. It doesn't look like it's bent (though maybe a little). Mine's under a foot of snow in the backyard, so I can't compare. It may have been kicked one too many times and just needs a little bend. Or the previous owner may have modified the thing it's hitting. You may also be able to loosen the 2 bolts that attach the winch to the boat and move it forward slightly. Could be a combination of all 3.

The winch is supposed to screw on / screw off. Have you tried the keel's operation in the water? On the trailer, mine does the same thing. When it's in the water and the weight of the keel is hanging on the cable, it works fine.

I'll second (or third) what everyone else has said. Pick a project, work on it, move to another. I'd start with water intrusion. Replace that hatch seal, check the keel cable, hose and clamps, etc. Then maybe fiberglass repair (because it's messy) and then electrical.

I say that's where I'd start, but last summer when I bought mine I made sure it wasn't going to sink, fixed the electrical enough to get some lights and a depth gauge and put it in the water. After the season was over, I got about 70% of the way through re-coring the deck before the weather stopped cooperating.

 

[shemandr]

I'm not a C22 owner and never have been .... I would get rid of the roofing tar ASAP while it's cold. I couldn't stand having that on my boat. You have to expect the hatch will leak. But I'd take the leaking over that mess.

 

[AaronD]

Thanks for the tips, I'm going to look at moving the electrical panel. Where too?

There's no perfect location. Ours is on the port-side cabin wall, next to the dinette seat. That's a reasonable compromise - accessible and not often bumped accidentally. Our one complaint: it is right next to my wife's head when sleeping on the dinette bunk. So it does get bumped occasionally then, and the red switch lights sometimes bother her.

The starboard bulkhead seems to be another popular location. No experience there, but either provide good access to normal cable routings.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Sailability, and safety first, then livability. How's the motor?

 

[Jacktar]

On the keel winch question - check the condition of the winch itself, and its attachment to the base of the companionway, if it is in bad shape , get the replacement one from catalina direct and it will solve all the problems at once. All of the correct winches automatically stop in mid rise or fall if you have weight on them. If the winch is ok, then you have to look at how the handle attaches. Some actually unscrew when no tension is on the winch. Others have a split ring keeper holding it on.That one if you take it off the whole winch will unwind instantly and spin around if any weight is on the cable. One other type actually has a nut holding it on.

 

[alexco38]

Project always has dependencies: time, money, other project first etc. One thing always lead to another. If you stick to a prescribed priority, nothing can get done in a reasonable time. They gets in the way of progress.

I took a slightly different approach. I'll do those project that has most of the parts on hand or readily available, including money and can easily be accomplished in a shorter time. After a few years almost all projects are done. Because once you have removed the low hanging fruits, you can move up the food chain to deal with the more complex or expensive items. I have a shopping list on my phone. Anytime I see something interesting on sale, I'll get it even the project may not start for a while to keep the cost down.

BTW, this is my personal opinion. Your situation differs.

 

[Lazy1]

So there are a few things with this one. First up the handle threads on which is great for raising the keel, but when you wind it back to lower the keel it unscrews itself.... I'm going to assue either I'm using it wrong, somethings missing, or both. Second which I didn't capture in the photo is that the handle hit's the wood at the bottom of the hatch when it goes around the top.

My handle unscrews if there is no pull from the weight of the keel and it's not a problem. Most important thing is that you want to make sure you have a clutch winch so that the weight of the keel does not make it get away from you. If the handle only comes off when the keel is resting on something it's not a deal breaker.
If the winch does not fly and break your hand when the weight of the keel is on it, you should be okay, you should have to turn the winch to make the keel drop.

If the wood looks original, the PO might have replaced the winch with something that is not built for the purpose or maybe they just replaced the handle, so be careful until you have a good understanding and know it wont harm you

 

[rlongfield]

Have you tried the keel's operation in the water? On the trailer, mine does the same thing. When it's in the water and the weight of the keel is hanging on the cable, it works fine.

I haven't, The boat was on the hard when I got it.

made sure it wasn't going to sink,

I'm pretty confident this boat won't sink. Before I got it someone left the top hatch open. The boat captured a good foot of water in the cabin quite well.

 

[rlongfield]

Sailability, and safety first, then livability. How's the motor?

No motor yet. I paid so very little for the boat it's missing a few things

But yes, sailability/safety first everything else is gravy.

 

[tfox2069]

Maybe make a full list of everything you need/want to do to the boat, then prioritize those things which are safety issues, and those which are not safety issues but will impede using the boat. Once you see the full list (daunting as it may be), it will be easier to bucket tasks together and prioritize them. You'll also get a lot of satisfaction in ticking them off and seeing your progress over time.

 

[rlongfield]

Maybe make a full list of everything you need/want to do to the boat, then prioritize those things which are safety issues, and those which are not safety issues but will impede using the boat. Once you see the full list (daunting as it may be), it will be easier to bucket tasks together and prioritize them. You'll also get a lot of satisfaction in ticking them off and seeing your progress over time.

Oh I like this idea, is there a list of recommended updates to a 70s vintage 22 that should be done. I stumbled across a post that mentioned that the storage for the gas tank should changed so that the tank isn't inside the cabin. Curious of someone has assembled a list of required, recommended, nice to do things to do already.

 

[tfox2069]

Oh I like this idea, is there a list of recommended updates to a 70s vintage 22 that should be done. I stumbled across a post that mentioned that the storage for the gas tank should changed so that the tank isn't inside the cabin. Curious of someone has assembled a list of required, recommended, nice to do things to do already.

You own a boat that has a prolific following. Tons of info and owner stuff to be had just by googling. You've already started here, where you can find parts, Catalina 22 specific help, and TONS of discussions on your boat. There's other places too. Maybe you've already found these, but if not I highly recommend you start digging here:

catalina22.org

Catalina 22 National Sailing Association

www.catalina22.org

C22

www.sailnet.com

Good luck!