Core Sound 17 #159 Refurbishment

[Don Silsbe]

Back in mid-October, I made a quick trip down to Florida, to snag a deal on a sound but older Core Sound 17 mk1.  I know that I fell in love with Avocet last winter, but I am still a daysailer at heart.  This boat was professionally built and garage kept, but needs a little work.  The original paint job is holding up on the exterior, but the interior has beed painted over, and is peeling.  Several systems need an update, such as reefing.  I hope to sail her in Florida for a few weeks this winter, but the paint job will have to wait until the trimaran is out of here.  I plan to make upgrades to the boat over the next year or so.  Throughout the process, I’ll have questions for y’all, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, here are a few photos of my new/old boat.  I’m going to name her “Windependent”.

 

I took this in FL, the day I brought her home.

 

The remaining photos are off the Marketplace add.  I’ll take and post a few photos this weekend.

[Don Silsbe]

I know this is silly to think about at this point in my project, but here goes.  Here in the Appalachian foothills, the winds are often very light.  I enjoy light air sailing, but there are times I have found myself desiring more sail.  
 

The plans show an optional/occasional staysail flown amidships.

 

I’ve seen many of my mark 3 brethren equipped to fly a code zero.  (I can’t find a photo of this anywhere.)

 

Which is best, especially for a solo sailor?  Most of my modifications will happen over next summer, fall, and winter.  One of the mods is adding a tabernacle to the main mast.  When I do that, I could I could add a potato launcher/bowsprit for a code zero.  What do y’all think?

[PadrePoint]

You might enjoy being able to use another sail on your boat… or perhaps, make available both a jib and staysail???  It could turn a boring low-wind day into some interesting activity, trying to keep everything in order while singlehandedly sailing… and kids or guests that might be with you could be given some responsibility in managing extra sails. 

Thinking about your wondering prompted in me more stuff to ponder.  And, yes, Don, I think adding a (removable?) bowsprit might be a fun addition for you. 

I needed to get some idea of what “code zero” means. With quick on-line research, I now have at least a rudimentary notion of what it is.  

I played around with my 3 freebie sails late last season… seeing how they might be used as a staysail.  I had some success with my staysail experiments and thought it added some power.  I will keep playing with the extra sails next season. 

While I packed up the extra sails for winter it occurred to me that the staysail situation might be improved if I ran a rope down the hem in the luff of the sail I’m using as a staysail, maybe a 3/8th or half inch line.  That might stiffen the luff and help keep it from collapsing as the boat gets closer to the wind.  The first thing I saw in my bit of code zero research above kinda supports my idea… maybe…

 

I also tried using the small sail as a jib on my CS17.3.  My idea was to use the anchor bow sprit (yours, Don ) as a point to secure the tack, raising the jib with an extra halyard.  In my first try, I got the jib to fill with air, but right away I experienced the issue of bringing the jib to the other side in a tacking maneuver… the sail would get hopelessly stuck on the main sprit that extends well beyond the main mast.  While thinking about this, after reading your post about the bow “potato cannon” , an idea occurred to me.  What if the “loose” jib sheet goes FORWARD of (and around) the jib luff?  Might it then be able to curl the jib forward and around the luff past the main sprit to the other side when tacking?  This would also pull the other “loose” jib sheet in a similar manner for the next tack.  This wouldn’t be the normal way to run jib sheets, and the inactive jib sheet would go around the luff and down the back side of the jib sail… but, that approach might keep the jib from getting stuck by the main sprit.  Hmmm… something to remember and try next year.  
 

My primary boat project this winter is to create a transom boarding platform (for the ski boat in my garage) on which I can mount a boarding ladder.

[Don Silsbe]

I think Joe would benefit from a small swim platform, considering all the skiiers and tubers who enjoy using her/him.

[Don Silsbe]

I removed the centerboard today, to fix a delamination issue.  That’s one of the “warts” that requires my attention.

 

Another issue that concerns me is the lack of a seal around the seat hatches.  I consider this to be a safety issue.  I can just add weatherstripping to most of my four hatches, but at least one has an interference to the piano hinge nuts.  I’ll have to do a modification.  These are constructed differently than the plans I got from B&B for my Bay River Skiff.  I wonder if this is an area of evolution (the boat was built in 2006), or an example of “builder’s license”.

 

Finally, I’m seeing some bare wood in some of the compartments.  Do I need to sand this very much, or is just soap and water prep enough?  I think I need to sand, but I don’t want to.

Or maybe I just prime and paint those compartments.  (After some light sanding.)

[Chick Ludwig]

Maybe just scrub a bit to clean the blush off, then paint without sanding. ...or just leave as is. Whatever is "good enough". (Refer to my highly technical paper "How Good Is Good Enough".)

 

You could add a lip around the edge of the hatch to prevent water from running under the edge and dripping in. Obviously that wouldn't help in a capsize, but you'd never do that anyway. (Insert smiley face here.)

 

Good ol' delamination. Trouble with boards made from plywood.

[Designer]

Don,

 

The missing hatch sides and back were in the original drawings. You definitely have a builder modification. The good news is that what is built looks like it is to plan and shouldn't require any alteration to bring it up to spec. I would add some sides and modify the back to clear all of those nuts. Then put a straight edge on the deck across the hatch to measure the gap above the coamings for the gasket and adjust if necessary.

 

I think that you would be better off with a mizzen staysail. It will give you the most bang for the buck. It is mostly in the cockpit and easier to take down if conditions suddenly get ugly.

[Don Silsbe]

Get this.  The boat has a plastic hatch cover to the lazarette, made by Bowmar.  

Since it is old, the gaskets needs replacing.  There is a gasket both on the lid and the frame.  I like that it has a double seal.  I contacted Bowmar.  Yes, they sell replacement gaskets.  They “only” cost $10/foot, and there’s a $100 minimim, and there will be a $7.50 handling fee PLUS shipping!  I need about 15 feet.  I know that this material costs them $.25/foot to manufacture.  (Probably less, the greedy so and so’s.)  I will not be buying this gasket material from them, but going to Lowe’s to search for a substitute.  

 

Actually, I don’t like the hatch.  Since this boat has a non-pivoting tiller, access to the lazarette is somewhat restricted. I’d like to eventually close this area up, and have a hatch on the vertical surface, like Todd Stein has.  
 

That will need to wait until next fall, when I strip off all this old paint.  Comments?

[Captain Tim]

Seems to me you could by a new hatch for the price you are being quoted for just the gasket.

[Nick C]

I encountered the same outrageous pricing for gaskets when hatches (a different manufacturer) on my larger boat were leaking. So I sought alternatives and came up with EPDM closed-cell solid cord as the best fix. I tried different weather strip shapes, some with self-adhesive tape on the back, some hollow, but solid cord worked best for me. Mine required glue since they are metal and don't have a deep channel (3M weatherstrip adhesive is great stuff, just don't get any where you don't want it) . Maybe on yours you can press it in.

 

I found Trim-Lok cord on Amazon.com in several different diameters. Much less than a buck per foot. Still working great after >5 years.

 

P.S. The previous owner had "fixed" leaks with silicone caulk. Don't do that! I had bad thoughts about him when cleaning it out.

[Jknight611]

Hi Don, I might suggest Scotchbright in the locker that looks as if the original epoxy has been damaged.  Scrub it up, wipe it with denatured alcohol an roll another coat of epoxy.  Bet that hatch will leak no matter the gasket material.  I had a boat the previous owner had cut one of these suckers in the cockpit sole to mess with the stuffing box.  Gave the bilge pump a purpose in life.  And like Nick sez…..silicone on a boat should be a capital offense! 

[PadrePoint]

Lazarette:  CS17.3  Avocet has a non-sealing hatch door… CS15 Norma T has only an opening. 
Store stuff that can get wet.  From what I can tell an opening on the forward side would be above water if the boat is on its side in a capsize. 

[Peter HK]

2 hours ago, PadrePoint said:

From what I can tell an opening on the forward side would be above water if the boat is on its side in a capsize.

Well above on my capsize test years ago.

Cheers

Peter HK

 

[Andy B]

My hatches (aft and both sides) were made by Tempress.  I needed replacement gaskets for all 3 and they were very reasonable ($6.50 for the largest size). 

 

Maybe you could order a few of the biggest gaskets and cut to length, if they are the right width?  I had to cut one of them because I ordered the wrong size and it snugged down into the channel just fine.  That aft hatch looks a lot like mine, so it wouldn't surprise me if the gasket fit.

 

https://tempress.com/store/Access-Hatch-Gasket-p97762241

[Don Silsbe]

@Peter HK— I agree with you and PadrePoint.  Seals should be unnecessary in a capsize situation.  But AndyB’s lazarette filled up with water while trailering it in the rain from Colorado to Michigan.  The lazarette was full to the brim.

 

And I agree with y’all about silicone.  It has no place on my boat— ever! 

[Don Silsbe]

I need to add slab reefing to the sprits.  Can anybody tell me where to place the cheek blocks on the sprits?

 

Also, would y’all mind sharing your snotter attachment/detachment schemes with me?  These are “permanently” threaded onto the sprits.  Not a problem with the mizzen, but with the main, it means fishing the snotter through all the deck fittings every time you rig up the boat.  Is there a better way?

[Jknight611]

Don, are you starting your personal yacht harbor?  You are inspiring! 

[Don Silsbe]

LOL.  You can definitely see “most” of my boats in that photo, eh?  I do hope to sell the Bay River Skiff 15 this spring, though.

[Hirilonde]

Just in case anyone needs another opinion on silicone; it is pure EVIL!

[Randy Jones]

About that sail area.  My sailing area up here in Puget Sound often has very light summer winds.  Alan worked up a set of high roach full batten sails for my CS17 Mk1.  Main and mizzen total 164 square feet.  I upgraded from 116 sf of un-battened sails on wooden mast and the difference is remarkable. 

Advantages are fabulous light air performance, a consistent sail plan, and I haven't needed to fly the stay sail or touch an oar.

Disadvantages are that the top batten sticks up like a wild hair and has to be removed in order to furl the sail.  I now rig the reefing lines every outing which takes a little more time and I sail a more cautiously.   Unless I have a boat load of rail meat the first reef goes in before 10 knots.  It is possible that the sail area with the second reef might be a little large but that hasn't been tested yet. 

I wish I had made the change sooner.  Boat is #157 in the attached photo.

Randy