New Mooring

[IanS]

Hi Luke,

I'll reiterate what Ozzie said: having it on a mooring adds a whole new dimension. It's so easy to get out on the boat you'll do it more often.

I've been spending a little bit of time tracking down cabin leaks, but just getting out on the water and mucking around on the boat is so relaxing.

Scary how fast the slime grows on the bottom though...

Enjoy the winter sunshine!
Ian

[Watto]

That’s what I’m hoping. Take the trailer launching and mast raising out of it..

Yeah there is a downside due to the growth but having lost my undercover parking and spending the big wet sydney experienced under a tarp. I choose the mooring. Actually signed up for a mooring at double bay thinking it would take 2-3 years(and be ready for a bigger boat) at position 24 on the wait list. Ended up taking 6 months to get to #5 and two more to be offered it.

Also the new prop on the 2hp went well. It meant if I gave it full throttle it would bury the rear end, also this was the first time using it on the 2.7m inflatable. Motored from double bay back to rose bay and although was not a expecting it to plan it performed well and got us back in good time.

[IanS]

Hi Luke,

I guess we should start a new thread for prop replacement but I was wondering about the higher pitch prop on the Honda 2.3hp.

I would have thought the lower pitch would be better on a heavy boat like the Investigator just to get it moving. But I suppose if you want to get anywhere the higher pitch gives you higher speed at lower revs, is that right? I wonder how it goes against the current.

[IanS]

I spent the morning diving under the boat to try and free the centreboard. It's jammed up with barnacles. So there's a lesson about regular cleaning. Not so easy in the cold winter.

I scraped a lot of barnacles from the slots on either side, but still can't get it to move. I'll have to try jamming something down the hole where the rope goes to try and shift it.

Looks like I'll be buying one of these https://www.whitworths.com.au/hol-tite-handle

Any tips gratefully received,
Ian

[Ozzie]

Hi Ian. It is an issue. Best solution I’ve found is regular use. As we are moored it’s easy to kayak out every few weeks and drop and raise the cb a few times although as we’ve been travelling a fair bit lately I’m expecting it to be well and truly stuck. It’s nice to visit the boat and just tinker for a while even if you don’t sail. The other advantage of mooring.

My tips.
I wear a full steamer with hood, gloves, boots and weight belt . Which I try to have just a touch of positive floatation. Weights make it easier to get under the boat without fighting and the wetsuit, even in summer, stops you getting scratched by the growth on the hull as you inevitably float up under it . Keep a safety rope in one hand to drag yourself to the surface if you get carried away and run out of puff as I often do.

This was easy in my early sixties but getting considerably harder these days even though I walk about 15 k a week to try and keep some lung health. I just don’t try and do it all in one hit and rest between dives. Usually its quick if done regularly but now as before I’ll be probably be standing upside down with one leg each side of the keel tracing round the centre board slot with the old pruning saw I keep onboard. I normally only need this extreme once a year so not huge concern.

For hull growth I use a blunt Dutch hoe on long handle which the sharp corners rounded off. You can use this easily standing in waste deep water and get most of the crepe off fairly quickly.

Another thing I have done was fitting a 2mm spectra extension piece of line tied to the pull ring and running under the boat back to the stern rails. I used it to pull the cb down if it was not too badly stuck. Worked well till I forgot to reel in the excess once and it got chopped in the prop, I think if I used 5mm line and hung my two anchors on it (with rode still attached of course) that would have a nice vertical down force once they were dropped over the side. Might try that next haulout.

I have had no success using thin metal down the rope slot from above as the metal guide roller glassed into my boat gets in the way. You might have better luck. Worth a try anyway.

[IanS]

Guide roller in slot - glad you told me about that.

I thought about a line tied to the ring and then around the front of the board - I will definitely do this once I get it free.

I used an old bread knife but it didn't do the trick. I got too cold and tired and gave up. Better luck next time.

[IanS]

The centreboard came down by itself over the week. I gave it a scrub and tried to scrape around the slot. I wonder how long before it gets stuck again...

[Ozzie]

Mate I have tried coating the area that gets fouled with white waterproof marine grease. I’m sure it would be easier to put on out of the water. Underwater it’s a pain. If you can get it to stick either way it has to hinder barnacles with superglue from going about their work.

[IanS]

Interesting idea, thanks Ozzie.

From your experience, what do you think is the worst area where the barnacles grow? Is it near the pivot bolt?

[Ozzie]

It’s the ones at the rear that seem to be the main issue. If growth is light early in the season clearing the rear area allows the weight of the cb to break the front ones easier. But after a long period it’s fairly well distributed along the opening . I also wonder if you poured a little bleach down the pull rope tube if that would help. That’s what they do in the very expensive boat bags .