The original owner of Yara, Gordon Berry, believed that the compression of the mast on the hull caused the rigging to go slack. Gordon was the winner of more races in Yara than any other Investigator 563, so I guess he must have been on to something.
He fitted a wooden beam under the mast step, and two posts down to the hull/internal moulding. In the photo you can see the posts. The posts also serve, by means of a couple of eyes and a cross support rod, to hold up the table in the cabin.
Beam under mast. Brackets are for roller blind. Beam is laminated from 3 straight pieces
Base of support posts. Fairlead is for through rod table support.
Note that the beam has been made from straight pieces of wood, just with the ends chamfered to fit. If you do it this way, it is important to have screws and glue holding the pieces together, to take the shear forces.
I added a privacy blind for the toilet, but took it down for the photo. Must fix the messy wiring one day.
As I continue my 30-year refurb of Qumbu, I was advised on the weekend by a very experienced sailor (and fellow GTYC member) that the lack of a internal mast support was a real concern on Investigators.
He advised me to install some sort of removable centre post.
Certainly, there is cracking in the interior cabin bulkhead and curved wooden trim to indicate the mast/deck above has had some severe compression.
So I've bought a length of gal pipe and some end fittings. I plan to glass one fitting to a section of thick marine ply and onto the floor, into which I will sit the bottom end of the pipe. On the top end I will bolt a curved piece of timber to match the top opening in the bulkhead.
I'll make it a tight fit, but easily removable for stowage when not sailing.
I figure the extra weight will be worth the extra peace of mind.
I'll post some pics once I do this new job.
Cheers, Geoff
Geoff
Investigator 563 'QUMBU'
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
In my last post, I mentioned I'd bought some gal pipe for strengthening the inner cabin arch under the mast compression point.
I've now also added some strengthening into the bulkhead around that curved opening.
As you'll see in the pics below, I carefully measured (using curved rulers) the inner cabin area of that bulkhead, then cut out a long 'lintel' of 15mm thick 5-ply. I plan to glue this tightly into position using fibreglass resin, and also screw into it from the outer cabin side, to really fix it to that wall. Then on either side I will run supporting 'posts' of ply down to sit tightly on the fibreglass cabin berths, and again glue and screw these into position.
And to cover all this up, I am cutting out shapes of the interior of both sides of the arch, using very thin (about 3mm) panelwood, which has a photo woodgrain pattern on it. This stuff is like cardboard to work with: incredibly light, but good coverage over screw heads and glass fibre beneath.
In the pics, the cut out looks a little rough. But I have also bought some rubber edge strip to go right around each cut out, and this will hide the ragged edges and make it look pretty professional (I hope).
I know the woodgrain is a little kitsch, but it adds a bit of late-1970's character and homeliness to the boat, and also conceals a multitude of wires, screws, holes, glass fibres and other 30 year accumulated crap beneath. I'll post some more pics once it's finished.
Cheers for now, Geoff
Attachments
Cutting out the panelling takes a bit of guesswork, and a measuring system using grids and flexible rulers. And the two halves are NOT the same size, and there is no such thing as a right angle inside an Investigator!
Measuring the fit of the woodgrain panelling for the port side main cabin, ready to cover screw heads and wiring behind
5-ply plinth in position above curved cabin arch, just beneath mast compression point, prior to gluing and screwing
Last edited by geoffr on Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Geoff
Investigator 563 'QUMBU'
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Here's some more pics of the work I'm currently doing in my boat to shore up the strength of the inner arch/compression point under the mast.
The pics show how I've now glued (using resin) the 5-ply 'lintel' in around the top of the arch, as well as fixed the two 'posts' on either side to take any downward pressure.
I still have to add some SS screws through the wall into this new ply framing, to add to the resin's strength.
I've also glued a shaped ply panel to the underside of the pop-top, as it had cracked under the weight of some deck gorilla in the past.
The pop-top is now very strong, and I've tested that by walking about on it while lying on the ground. Ditto the deck area around the mast; it appears to be much stronger.
Cheers for now, Geoff
Attachments
Underside of pop-top showing new ply glued for strengthening, then painted (ivory) gloss enamel - very serviceable!
New faux wood paneling ready to be screwed into position; note thin black rubber edge strip around panels
View from inside the boat showing new lintel and posts on either side to shore up mast compression area
Geoff
Investigator 563 'QUMBU'
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Looks good. Pity you did not take the reinforcing of the pop top around the sides. I find that the sides tend to splay out, and that causes the sliding hatch to jamb. The previous owner screwed a doorstop next to the pop top on the cabin top, and this pushes against the side of the pop top on one side, and against a jamb cleat on the other, keeping the sides together. Tightening the bolt through the doorstop squeezes it out and adjusts the compression.
See http://www.investigator563.com/forum/vi ... ?f=4&t=102
And I still haven't posted that picture!
Thanks for your input Ian re further strengthening the pop-top.
I thought about extending the ply around the side wings, but any extra thickness there would have prevented the pop-top from sitting on the deck flush.
Instead, I laid extra fibreglass along those wings, and a few coats of resin.
It has certainly stiffened the whole thing up nicely!
Geoff
Geoff
Investigator 563 'QUMBU'
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Here's some more pics of the work I'm currently doing in my boat to shore up the strength of the inner arch/compression point under the mast.
The pics show how I've now glued (using resin) the 5-ply 'lintel' in around the top of the arch, as well as fixed the two 'posts' on either side to take any downward pressure.
i have recently followed this procedure and done the same on my yacht using 5-ply and cutting in a less superb manner) then mounting as described in above post. I bolted these panels to the main interior wall and didn't use glue. All seems very firm and hoping it will do the trick
I've just about completed my refurb, delayed by sailing on other people's boats; organising the Queenscliff to Geelong Race; some home renovations; and a new job.
I'm now completing the interior wiring, and will post some more pictures soon.
Tomorrow though, I'm crewing aboard an S80 in the passage race from Sandringham to Geelong for the annual Festival of Sails long weekend on Corio Bay. Should be great!
Cheers, Geoff
Geoff
Investigator 563 'QUMBU'
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
