CS-20 MK1 # 36: "Gavia" Restoration

[Don Silsbe]

I always reach for my sheets at the cleats.  There is never any doubt as to which I’m grabbing.

[Andy B]

I finally had some time to work on the boat today. 

First project was waterproofing the hatches.  We replaced the broken hatch latch.  This one screwed in easily, which means the earlier one was defective.  We also laid the new gasket liners in.  They just mash in there without silicone or anything else and get the job done.  I didn't test rigorously but poured a bit of water over them and the hatches stayed dry.

 

Next step was getting the masts in and starting to sort out the sprit riggings, the snotter and clew.  Getting the masts up was harder than I thought and took up a decent amount of my time.  The bases and tops of the masts are wood, not starboard.  The mizzen mast has swelled some so it wouldn't fit in the hole.  A trip to the store for a rasp file and then multiple times of shaving it down, trying to fit it in, and then shaving off more.  My back is sore, but good practice getting the masts up.  They are a lot heavier than my Sea Pearl masts!  I think in the future I need to build some sort of half circle to push against, like a pole vaulter.  Without than getting the masts up solo is an adventure.  I will need to get some starboard caps and bases from Alan in the future, the swelling has me worried that they could crack the aluminum or cause some corrosion, but this is okay for now.

 

Next I assembled the mizzen snotter assembly.  I still need to drill holes in the sprit for the eypad, but I think I have it now.  I'm not confident the sprits are long enough for this hardware but I need to give it a try before I decide for sure.  That's something even I can build.  The main thing from today was figuring out how it works, I have confidence now I can figure this out.

 

I did get the sails attached on, so the halyard and sailtracks work.  It was nice to see some sails up!  The blue and white is growing on me, I had thoughts of painting the hull a matching blue with the sails.

[PadrePoint]

You’ve got a good looking crew with you.

[Andy B]

I'm likely going to build some new sprits.  The ones I have are old-school, with the fork built into the forward end.  The plans call for sprit length of 10/ 7" for the main and 9/ 1" for the mizzen.

 

Assuming I am going to attach the snotter via hardware, what is everyone's recommendation for length for the sprits for the CS-20??

[Paul356]

Make the sprits longer than the plans call for.  As specked, they are likely to come up short when you hump them tight.  Someone else here had noted short sprits, so I made mine longer.  In fact, they're still just barely long enough when I pull the sails flat.  If I recall correctly, I made the mizzen sprit the length shown for the main, and the main correspondingly longer.  I should go measure them for you, I guess.  Alan or Graham may have updated measurements for you.  Just occurred to me that this could be because I ordered the full leech sails rather than the pure triangles.  Not sure at all.  In any event, you can always cut them shorter.  Just don't let the main sprit pull back so far it catches on the mizzen mast.

[Steve W]

I second what Paul said. I made mine longer on my 20.3 and I still couldn't get enough tension. I ended up repurposing the main sprit for the mizzen and making a longer one for the main. It's like haircut.....you can always take a little more off, but.......

[PadrePoint]

I had made both of my sprits long… and discovered that the mizzen sprit, with one reef, extended forward enough that it caught the mainsail during a tack and caused a lot of heeling for a moment. We didn’t capsize in the event but I did cut a few inches off each longer sprit. I tested whether this would occur again by rigging everything at home.  All is good… and I’m aware of that one unique possible problem. 

[Andy B]

I finally had the chance to get some work done on the boat.  We rigged up the mizzen mast.  Thanks Alan and B&B for clear diagrams!  Here are some pictures.  In the next post I'll share how I rigged up some attachments, I'd love some feedback.

One setback was the lumber I cut for the mizzen sprit had a knot and cracked.  At least I found out  now, not later!  I ended up using a sprit of some sort that the prior owner had included with the boat, and I think it works out fine, though it looks pretty big.

 

IMG_7794.HEIC IMG_7796.HEIC IMG_7797.HEIC
 

Edited July 27 by Andy B
photo error

[Andy B]

Ok, here is my idea for which I'd like some input.  Instead of hardware (padeyes) I went with holes through the sprit.  I basically combined some elements of the original CS-17 design and the plans for the CS-20 mk3.

At the aft end of the mizzen sprit, the 17 plans call for a reduced diameter pole to go through the grommet or strap, and then to attach the sheet, it says either a padeye or, to keep things simple, drill a hole in the sprit for a 1/4 inch line loop, which then can attach to the sheet block.  I took this simple loop approach for everything--the clew attachment (via a carbiner), the sheet block, and also the snotter attachment forward.  Interestingly, after the original sprit cracked (see above), the sprit I grabbed had large holes both forward and aft, which I was able to use.  See pictures below (note the lines are ridiculously long, we grabbed rope we had and left it long so we could adjust and this is just the prototype.

 

Question--are there any disadvantages to this approach?  Certainly I'd like to know if there is a safety hazard at all.

 

Follow up--is there a better knot for this than a bowline?  Maybe one day I'll get fancy with dyneema, but the goal right now is to get this baby in the water soon.

 

Input appreciated!!!!!!!

 

 

[Reacher]

Andy, simple works. Following instructions from somewhere I drilled a hole in the end of the sprit to accommodate a 3/16” line. I tied a stop knot in one end of the line so it can’t go through the hole. The other end is tied to the sheet block with a bowline.  No loop needed. I did that in 2016 and haven’t done anything to it since.

[Don Silsbe]

Looks good.  And bowlines are fine.  If they are super tight, you can trim back the tail a bit.

[Andy B]

Woo-hoo!!!!!!!  Main sprit cut, holes drilled, loops tied, and hardware installed.  Both masts and sails up!

 

And my Honda 2.3 barely, just barely, fits on the transom support.  We are hoping to dry rig it one more time this week, then go for our first sail this coming weekend.

[Andy B]

What a day!!!!!  Two of my sons and I went out for our first sail in the "new" boat.  I admit a lot of butterflies, with the trailer and then before we pushed off the sand.  But it was all perfect--the weather, the boat, the accomplishment.  It is so roomier than my other boat, and turns on a dime (I failed to get through a few tacks because I pushed the tiller too far over and effectively braked the boat).  There are plenty of tweaks to do but the boat is sail-able and so much fun!

 

[Andy B]

Here is the list of next jobs:

• For attachments to the sprit for the snotter, clew, and sheets, I drilled holes in the sprit and tied loops through the hole.  This worked, so it's time to tie smaller loops and cut off the excess.
• The base support for the mizzen mast is moving a little.  I hope it is as easy as unscrewing the six screws, add a small bit of epoxy, and then re-screw.  I've never used epoxy before so this should be a good introductory project.
• Likewise, the thwart with the mizzen mast hole wiggles just a bit.  I need to at least tighten the screws.  Would the thwart also be epoxied to the supports?
• For trailering and storage I need to make some bullwinkles.

As always, any comments or suggestions welcome!

[Hirilonde]

2 hours ago, Andy B said:

 

• The base support for the mizzen mast is moving a little.  I hope it is as easy as unscrewing the six screws, add a small bit of epoxy, and then re-screw.  I've never used epoxy before so this should be a good introductory project.

Do you mean the piece that the but of the mast fits into?

If so, it is called the step, or mast step.  Mine has no screws, it is simply epoxied in place.  Some choose to use a screw to test the location first. Once it is deemed in place, the screw locates it for the epoxy job, and then is removed and the hole filled. Screws and glue do not reinforce each other.  If there is a force great enough to break the epoxy then the screws will almost surely fail immediately after.

[Andy B]

Thanks, Hirilonde. It is the mast step, and I took it off. It has 6 screws and also looks like there was epoxy on the bottom. 
 

my plan was to clean it up, sand it down, then apply West six 10 epoxy, then put all six screws back in to line it back up and apply pressure for the drying time. 
 

Is there a reason that I should take the screws out after that?  I understand the epoxy is doing the work but thought leaving the screws in wouldn’t harm anything. 

[Hirilonde]

I would use one screw to locate it properly and snug it down just enough to get squeeze out of the epoxy all around. When cured I would pull the screw and fill all the holes with epoxy, or counter bore the holes and bung using epoxy.

 

You mention cleaning and sanding, this cannot be over done, it is the key.

[JJVir]

On 8/4/2024 at 4:04 PM, Andy B said:

Comments?

Hi Andy, where are you? I live near Traverse City and have a CS 20. Just saw your thread today. I'd be happy to show you how mine is rigged, or to go sailing some time!

 

[Andy B]

Jerry, check the messages on this site, I’m pretty sure we live very close. It would be great to get together for a sail. Feel free to text me or email  

[Andy B]

Tonight was my attempt to seal the side hatch lids from water running into them. We took the kids off, inserted butyl tape, and recast ended them. Hope it works!