Core Sound 20 Mk 3 -- #4 "Chessie" . .

[HighDesert]

Pete,

 

Thank you...for the pdf and for the delightful story of your summer out west.  It must have been quite an experience. 

 

Besides being a very sweet account of a special memory of yours, the "Rawlins-Riverton Stage Coach" sparked an old memory for me.  During my first winter home from Vietnam, two friends invited me to join them in an attempt to be the first to ski the Lolo Trail, the route taken by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery Expedition through the Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho.  They had grossly overestimated our skiing abilities and we weren't successful, but that's another story.  

 

Like your journey out west, my travel to our meeting and ski jump-off spot near the Idaho/Montana state line, was a multi-legged trip, eventually putting me on an old bus belonging to the "Clearwater Stage Lines".  It was an overnight trip and I had the incredible good fortune of sitting next to AND necking most of the way with a really pretty young girl.  Way better than a parade, I figured.  It was It wasn't until we unloaded that I discovered that the people sitting in the seat in front of us were her parents!  I don't think my heart rate returned to normal for two days.

 

Carter

[Don Silsbe]

You guys and your stories...  Please keep ‘em coming!

[Pete McCrary]

Greetings all.  The selling of Chessie is now under contract.  Today I'm preparing her for delivery sometime this month -- removing personal items.  However, she will be transferred intact with all safety and cruising equipment to an experienced sailor.  I'm sure she'll be skifully sailed and well cared for.

 

Building Chessie was as much a pleasure as sailing and cruising with her.  For others who may be (or may consider) building a Core Sound 20 Mark III -- I'm attaching here her Owner's Manual (in three parts to keep file size reasonable) and Equipment List.  My next project is a sailing Spindrift 10 (my boat #11).  I just might have it ready for this year's MessAbout, if there is one.

 

Prt one OWNER's MANUAL, pgs 1-12.pdf Prt two OWNER's MANUAL, pgs 13-24.pdf Prt three OWNER's MANUAL, pgs 25-35.pdf Equipment List.pdf

[Mike Vacanti]

Pete, I noticed that the weight of the boat with all gear but no crew is 1350 ponds. Did you actually put the boat on a scale to get this number?  Thanks for publishing your owners manual, it was interesting to read.

[Pete McCrary]

Yes, Mike.  Our city’s waste management contractor has a truck scale that we can use when traffic is sparse.  There is a large digital sign on the side of the scale office that constantly shows the weight.  I’ve weighed [separately] the trailer and trailer with boat [configured for cruising] — first, the trailer axle only, then lowering the tongue wheel (to the scale) and jacking the hitch off the ball to get total weight, the difference being the weight carried at the tow bar (tongue weight).  I just photo the four weights since I don’t need officially “certified” tickets.  There’s no charge if you don’t need a ticket.  They claim accuracy of + or - 20 lbs.

 

If you know (or with an educated guess) the “unsprung” weight of the trailer (i.e., axle, suspension, wheels) and positions on the trailer of the boat and axle — you can calculate the centers of gravity (separately, boat and trailer).
 

 

[sanmi]

@Pete McCrary Thank you for posting your owners manual! Wow. Very organized and detailed. I've already picked up a few tricks that I can try on my Core Sound 20 Mk 2.

[Steve W]

Pete, it was a pleasure having you lead the way building Chessie before Skeena. It must be difficult to see here go,. I'm just glad you still will be part of the scene with an S10. Great boats!

 

 

[Dnjost]

On 7/27/2017 at 11:13 AM, Pete McCrary said:

"Shakedown" report,...

"Chessie" was taken out yesterday and launched on the ramps at the Leesylvania Start Park on the Potomac River in Woodbridge, Virginia.  The new Tohatsu 3.5 long-shaft OBM (replacement for the Suzuki 2.5 short-shaft) was mounted on the bracket (designed for the Suzuki) with a shaft thrust angle 5 degrees up from horizontal.  The longer shaft requires that the motor be tilted up for transport.  Fortunately, the motor is locked in the up position with a 1/2" locking pin that can't be accidentally released.  The Suzuki locking arrangement is by a hard-to-reach (and in my view, flimsy) spring-loaded latch.  The following photos show how close the rig comes to "hitting bottom" when exiting / entering our diriveway.  The trailer's aft cross-bar has a steel roller welded just next to where the aft boat-roller is attached -- it engages the driveway for a distance of ~ 4 to 5 feet.

 

 

 

 

 

At the ramp, the time required to have her "launch-ready" was 1.5 hrs.  All work was done by me solo with Henry observing.  The mizzen mast was stepped first and used to raise the mainmast high enough so that the forward hatch could be opened.  From that hatch I raised the main to upright and would have secured it with its topping lift while ducking below to secure the foot-pin with its locking nut.  However, with Henry present, he saved me the trouble by holding the topping lift taught.

 

 

Note at this point:. Stepping the mizzen has not been a problem (except in windy conditions).  However, raising the mast (single handed) is very difficult for this 83-yr old geezer.  My torque calculations (for a 22 lb mast + ~ 1 lb of lines) indicate a lifting force (at 44" from mast-pivot point) of approximately 53 pounds.  That has to be exerted with my left arm (I'm right-handed) with little help from my right arm.  That's because the tabernacle is tilted about 2 degrees to port so that [when lowered] it falls to the port side of the mizzen.  That means I have to stand in the open forward hatch on the starboard side of the mast facing to port.  Note to builders (who haven't installed the tabernacle) -- better to wedge it to starboard for right-handers.  It also makes it easier to enter the cabin (both masts lowered) when mounting the cockpit over the trailer's port fender.

 

The lifting force required would be much less if I would be willing to clime onto the top of the cabin.  I'm trying to avoid that.  A fall from that position to the hard Tarmac could be permanently crippling (even fatal).  Maybe a "gin-pole"  with tackle to the trailer wench, or use a "push-pole" while standing in the companionway's hatch.  OTHER IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS ARE INVITED AND WELCOME.

 

Here's the trailer sans boat:

 

 

Finally, in the water.  Notice the "flat calm."

 

 

 

 

You can see we had very little wind.  Once in a while, there would be a bit of light wind, and she performed well and easily balanced with the mizzen.  The ballast tank filled and emptied as expected.  I must remember to raise the CB before reaching the ramp dock.  In this case the tide was out and the CB dragged in the mud and took a bit of boat "wiggling" to get it up.  This boat sits so low on its trailer that all three: CB, rudder, and motor must be raised before starting recovery.

 

The Tohatsu 3.5 started up on the 2nd pull as expected.  The extra 5" made a big difference.  The surface of the wake was much smoother and it nevert "cavitated."

 

HOWEVER, I did have a major problem when restarting on the water after sailing.  For me it's always a dilemma: use the choke or not.  How long a cool-down before the choke is needed?.  In this case it was a fairly short time, so I set the throttle to its "restart" position (i.e., slightly higher than the ""start" position), set choke in no-choke position, and pulled.  Nothing!  Pull, pull, etc.. Tried a little bit of choke: got a cough, then nothing after several pulls.  I thought a vapor lock or flooded carb. Temp on the water was ~ 91 degrees.  I tried to remember the cure for vapor lock (wet cloth over the carb ??) or flooding (open throttle, no choke, for a while ...??). I opened the throttle full open, tilted the motor up, started to paddle towards the ramp (~ half mile away).  Then sailed a little in several puffs -- and tried a restart.  It sputtered and got going [eventually] nicely.  BTW I had a Tohatsu 6 Pro (25" shaft) and it never gave me this kind of problem.  Do any forum members know the best way to restart a warm-but-not-cold engine?  Or how to avail a vapor lock or flooded carb?

 

I can't tell you the speeds we got (wide open) because we forgot the GPS -- but it seemed like ~ 5 knots.

 

After recovery, the time to get the rig "road-ready" was again ~ 1.5 hrs.  We were both very hot, dehydrated, and exhausted.  We left my driveway ~ 10am returned home by ~ 7pm (ramp is 23 miles away OW, light traffic).  Maybe I can get some good pixs when I cruise with fellow catboaters (Chesapeake CatBoat Asso).

I have the same motor, same problem. 
I now turn my motor to it’s side when up and not in use.  No problems since.  I believe it’s the nature of a 4 cycle small engine being im0ac6ed by the heeling when sailing.  The oil is running into the cylinder.  
 

 

[Dnjost]

I enjoyed reading your building log.  
my CS 17 is a wonderful boat, but am strongly considering the 20 with ballast for sailing in my home waters of Nantucket Sound. 
 

any more sailing reports?  Prior to your sale.