Modification

[albert]

I am 86 years old now and regretfully I sold my Investigator about 8 years ago after owning her for around 20 years, when it became a bit of a struggle to raise the mast every time I wished to go sailing on Moreton Bay.
I modified her from the start. I like a sailing boat to right herself again on a knock down without filling up. So the pop top had to go by glassing the lid into the cabin top. To me, it became a self righting dinghy with a lid.
Later I lengthened her by a meter with a skag hung rudder which gave her a clean run aft with no washing machine like wake behind the transom, which slows a boat down.
I also added about 25 kilos of lead to the ballast and raised the cockpit floor by 2 inches to stop a wet floor.
I also modified the centre plate bolt so that it can be replaced from outside of the keel.
The water tight fridge taking up half of the starboard forward birth took care of the extra floatation if needed.
As for the improvement in performance for the same sail area.
Sailing along the lead into Manly Harbour, there was another Investigator nearly half way along under full sail when I was sailing under genoa only.
I caught him up and overtook him long before entering the harbour.
I have sailed past many boats I thought should have been faster. I have seen them trimming sails to get more speed when they are being overhauled by another much smaller craft. It is a good feeling.
I owned a Roberts 26 prior to my Investigator, also modifies with a mitre added to the stern making it faster.
Sailing from Wynnum creek to Dunwich took 2 hours in a good breeze and it took the same time in my Investigator.
As I said "regretfully I had to sell her." Well, on returning to the launching ramp with the fellow I had taken out for a sail, who was interested in purchasing her. A fellow was there who recognised my boat as the one that had left him standing sailing into Manly Harbour and he had a lot of praise for my Investigator "Pandora," which clinched the deal with the fellow I had taken out, who was already very impressed.
Pandora is now in the Gladstone area.
At times I look out across Moreton Bay and wished very much that I had not sold my investigator. It is the best trailer sailor I know of, especialy with a little more length added.
I do have photos if anyone is interested.
I think it would be simpler to email them.
Write to Albert timtam4101533@bigpond.com

[Geoff]

Hi Albert,

If you want to email the pics to me I can add them to your post.

Thanks for your input, very appreciated.

[albert]

Hi Geoff,
I have to answer this to receive more mail. You already know everything. Will be in touch

[Ozzie]

Hi Albert. I did read your post when it first went up. I think I was so impressed by the performance improvement I skipped the other interesting things you said. So, having just re- read it was wondering how you altered the keel bolt arrangement so that it could be replaced from the outside. Given the number of them that have failed and I job I have yet to need to do( but no doubt coming) I wondered how you did it. Regards and congratulations on an amazing modification.