I bought 'Missy'

[Geoff]

I saw the post about Missy being for sale in Brisbane and told my wife. She made me buy it. I drove down and picked her up yesterday (the boat). My wife thinks that while I am playing with boats I am not doing anything worse, and she knows how much I love Timeless.

I have been much intrigued by the differences that different owners have applied to their boats, and now I will have a direct comparison. I can see some differences already and haven't really looked hard. For the halibut I will take some photos as I go and post them to showcase any differences so everyone can give their inputs on what is better or not, or simply owner preferences. That will help me and maybe others too.

First up, I would like to know the likely year of manufacture of Missy, sail no #111. Registered in NSW as a 1985 model, as is the trailer, but that seems too late for me? I thought they would have hit that number a bit earlier. I have gone through all the sail number topics I can find, but hoping Ray or someone with a close number can help.

[Watto]

I have sail #82 and also am led to believe it is 1985 purely based off the trailer.

[Ozzie]

Well done Geoff. Paraphrasing Roy and HG “too many Investigators are never enough “ . I need a memory jog from a few old hands here but #111, now Missy, was I think a very special boat and should be called Phoenix. It was saved from disposal half way through a Reno by a forum watcher after an ad campaign on here and other places. I had some friends, who liked my boat, going to look at it at one point. I’ve searched on here but that may have been back in the old MSN forum days as I can’t find a reference to it other than my asking what happened to it.

It has since of course been lovingly restored and maintained, is a top boat and will be a fun comparison. I confess I almost bought the 563 with the “revolver” trailer years ago (anyone remember that) just to have two but chickened out.

[Peter T]

Well done Geoff, from the sounds of it, I reckon you have yourself a bargain. Look forward to seeing photos and following it's progress

[snoopebj]

Congrats Geoff.
Looks a beauty for the price. Even if you decide not to hang on to it you would easily get your money back and more if you did it up. Or you could convert them both into one Investigator catamaran ‘Miss Timeless’ .
Only kidding .
well done.Another Investigator saved.

[Geoff]

Thanks fellas, hopefully I can get my sons into it. The first step I have to do is make it watertight topside. All the windows leak badly and the cabin was awash. Every surface a petri dish of mold. Going through domestos in commercial quantities and I have no fingerprints left.

So priority one is to reseal the windows. It looks as though the perspex has been replaced and bedded in mastic but each window only held in place by 2 screws. The caulking has dried up and 6 years in outside storage...

I have read as many of the topics here about others efforts. It does seem like the vhb tape is the go, and not even need to use screws or rivets?

Emrys, is this the right stuff?

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/32270540351 ... =119023492

Thanks for any advice.

[Raya]

Congratulations on your purchase. I've often threatened to buy another Investigator, but my wife is nowhere near as understanding as yours.

I would date your boat closer to 1983 than 1985. (Number 82 was built in 1979) It was built around the time that the two hinge design came in but I suspect yours was one of the last single hinge models that was later modified to two hinges by a previous owner. You should be able to see signs of the old central hinge if this was the case.

Regarding mould on the fibreglass, I have found that a pressure cleaner does a great job removing it. No scrubbing involved.

[Peter T]

Hi Geoff. If its got or had water in it, I would check at the back on both sides of the centreboard case. There you should find a small square section which is lower than the fibreglass that covers the lead ingots each side. If that lower section is not fully sealed, water can seep down and get into the lead compartment. Best thing to do would be to get a syringe down in there and see if you can suck any water up. If you can, then I would suggest you chisel out the fibreglass covering the lead, remove the lead ingots so as to dry it out properly and then re install lead and glass over it again and sealing over that back bit which is lower. I hope it's not wet down there, but if it is it will need to be dried out properly. I can assist you further with this if you need. When I did mine, I used expanding foam to seal and fill around the lead before I re glassed it.
In saying all this, I hope it's as dry as a bone and not needing this work. Good luck with it, but there is nothing worse than a soggy lead bottom, ha ha. Its not as big a job as you might think. Cheers

[Manango]

Know the feeling Ray,
I checked out Missy before Geoff did, but my wife threatened to leave me if I went ahead, so I had to sit back and watch. All I can say is that I wish Geoff all the best with the cleanup. Windows are on my list too, Mine are all crazed and cracked and I have bought new perspex to replace them. I can't believe 2 screws per window. There must be around 20 in each of my windows.

I took off the stemhead fitting and front anchor tie down today to measure up and make way for the new stemhead fitting I will be making up. The new fitting will have a made up tube in the middle of it so that I can pop in a 2 inch RHS S/S section for a removable bowsprit. As I progress on the new fitting I will post details. The new stemhead fitting will also have an anchor roller on each side of the bowsprit. I have no idea how long I will be making the sprit at the moment, but I want to be able to a) set up a furler on it so that the head sail runs outside the pullpit., and b) be able to hook up a kite to the front of the sprit. At the moment RIPPLE is on blocks in my shed until the hull is painted, so I am unable to put the mast up yet.

[Geoff]

Thanks Ray,

I wish I had known to use the Gerni. I could have done the forepeak and even some of the cabin with that and just handwashed near the electricals. But done now.

Peter, there was water halfway up to the bunks in the cabin, so every part of the floor had water in it. I have it all out now except a bit in the bilge in the cabin that the electric bilge pump cant get. I will sponge that out over the next day or so then check for any more.

Do you mean the spaces each side of the centreboard control tube just behind the cabin step?