And for my next project ... a Corribee Mk2

[ronsurf]

How, what’s the modification I need to check for?

There isn't one set modification - just any modification that stops the rudder from dropping to the bottom of the oggin if your tiller bracket breaks. Mine has a machined ring fixed with grub screws that stops the shaft from slipping down. Others have skegs with a pintle at the bottom. Just make sure that when you remove the tiller bracket, the rudder stays where it is.

My fuel tank is in the lazarette locker that is sealed from the main cabin. There was a gas cylinder in there as well when I bought it, but I got rid of the gas, it's far too dangerous in a small boat.

 

[PhillM]

More on the fuel tank ... and thank you for the heads-up. I had always thought that petrol vapors would rise. Everyday is a school day"!

I checked and the aft locker is in no way sealed and vented from the rest of the boat. Rather glad I have not turned on the engine since buying it now! I have decided that a 12L tank in the cockpit will work for now. IF I decide she is a 'keeper' then I may seal off the lazarrette and do a proper job. Meantime, I will put in a couple of eyes to tie the tank too. Refill away from the boat and close the cap/vent before storing the tank in the locker between passages ... although, I am not that bothered about leaving it out. I doubt even £2 an ltr would motivate anyone to steal so little petrol!

 

[mjcoon]

More on the fuel tank ... and thank you for the heads-up. I had always thought that petrol vapours would rise. Everyday is a school day"!

IIRC It is all about molecular weight of the gas/vapour molecules, compared with O2/N2.

 

[dutyhog]

I squeezed a Simpson-Lawrence loo into our Corribee when putting it together in the 70s - are there smaller ones now?
Gordon

 

[dancrane]

I was sorely tempted by the Corribee Wild Goose at Newport, about six years back. Very tiny, but so pretty, and only a tiny asking price.

I eventually decided I wouldn't be happy with the headroom, although there wasn't much more in the Achilles 24 I bought later, either.

In the Achilles (which I describe here because in form and scale I think she is very similar), I felt that even for two not-very-tall, not-very-fat people, the use of 30 inches of the under-cockpit cavity as leg-space to justify shortening the sofa-berths, made the small saloon feel unnecessarily cramped. The berth-ends had been consigned to trotter-boxes in order to allow biggish wooden cabinets with useful shelves at the forward ends of the saloon space.

Had I kept the boat (and had I first fixed the hateful headlining) I believe I would have ditched the cramped V-berth forward, moved the shelf-cabinets into the V-berth space, leaving loads more netted/free stowage in the bows...

...and meanwhile, I'd have made the two sofa berths into properly comfortable places to sit (complete with forward and aft backrests for lounging, feet up) and to sleep, convertible to a generous double if we so chose.

I'd have made and fitted a sizeable, sturdy folding table too.

Personally, I found it preferable for all kitchen and bathroom business to be carried out in the cockpit. The rain-proofing and privacy provided by the simplest boom tent mean the saloon could be kept as a clean and comfortable space, unpolluted and uncluttered by steam, stinks, stoves and spattering fat. It staggered and repelled me, that plumbing had been provided for a sea toilet in the Achilles' tiny fo'csle.

I concluded that the challenge inside either the Achilles or the Corribee would be to recreate a cosy Shoal Waters-style mini-cabin, benefiting from the relative roominess of the otherwise minuscule accommodation in both these yachts. The most important principle seemed to me to be jettisoning the respective designers' original intent to provide berths for more than two people; and any domestic complexity other than really comfortable sofas/beds.

I'll be interested to see what the OP does with his.

 

[PhillM]

@dancrane thnak you, lots of good ideas there. The plan is to get her seaworthy as far as practical for local hops around the Solent this season. Once I have some experience sailing her, I will start to think about a) is she a 'keeper' (so far all indications are she is) and b) how I want her to be. I think there will be some basics to address this winter (see above re glassing over the bilge keels. Will change the seacocks and also need to deal with instruments - take out old/unworking and fit some new ones). I will keep the thread alive as I make progress.

 

[dancrane]

I must admit, my post above was mostly notes to myself.

Despite clear memories of why I didn't buy Wild Goose, and having had broadly the same thoughts reinforced by sailing two Achilles 24s, and having remembered (and having said lately on this forum!) how glad I was to be rid of my Achilles...right now, I'm Corribee window-shopping again. ?

I s'pose it is the unanswerable combination of very appealing proportions, genuine cruising ability, simplicity and rock-bottom costs.

 

[PhillM]

Ok so a little update … this week we have removed and added backing plates to two wobbly chain plates. Rebedded the mast foot too, which seemed a good idea while the mast is down. Sorted electrics ready to connect the masthead lights when that goes back up. Completed a myriad of other little jobs including filling a few holes that previous owner bodgers had made. New fuel tank and line. Tie saddles and straps fitted so it can live in the cockpit.

I am hoping the riggers can finish next week, so thoughts turning to my first weekend away.

I am not totally happy with the idea of using my trigia stove in the cabin (with hatch open of course). I miss my origiobut they don’t seem to be available and the copy that I’ve seen doesn’thave pan holders if gimbals.So what do others use to cook on very small boats?

 

[northwind]

Ok so a little update … this week we have removed and added backing plates to two wobbly chain plates. Rebedded the mast foot too, which seemed a good idea while the mast is down. Sorted electrics ready to connect the masthead lights when that goes back up. Completed a myriad of other little jobs including filling a few holes that previous owner bodgers had made. New fuel tank and line. Tie saddles and straps fitted so it can live in the cockpit.

I am hoping the riggers can finish next week, so thoughts turning to my first weekend away.

I am not totally happy with the idea of using my trigia stove in the cabin (with hatch open of course). I miss my origiobut they don’t seem to be available and the copy that I’ve seen doesn’thave pan holders if gimbals.So what do others use to cook on very small boats?

Build a galley box and use it in the cockpit. Cooking inside a small boat is a pain, smelly and masses of condensation

 

[Phil the Cowman]

Ok so a little update … this week we have removed and added backing plates to two wobbly chain plates. Rebedded the mast foot too, which seemed a good idea while the mast is down. Sorted electrics ready to connect the masthead lights when that goes back up. Completed a myriad of other little jobs including filling a few holes that previous owner bodgers had made. New fuel tank and line. Tie saddles and straps fitted so it can live in the cockpit.

I am hoping the riggers can finish next week, so thoughts turning to my first weekend away.

I am not totally happy with the idea of using my trigia stove in the cabin (with hatch open of course). I miss my origiobut they don’t seem to be available and the copy that I’ve seen doesn’thave pan holders if gimbals.So what do others use to cook on very small boats?

My take on cooking on small boats - feel free to ignore!!
I've had sub 24ft boats for the last 25 years or so : a west Wight Potter, a Procter Pirate 17, and now a Cal t4 which is 24ft, and have cooked successfully on all of them. In fact, I lived on the Pirate for three months a little while ago and managed to keep body and soul together!
Its all about limiting expectations and the art of the possible. You are basically camping. This doesn't mean necessarily living completely on crap, but there are times when crap has its place.
It also depends on whether you're solo; ie the bloke on a boat eating straight out of the pan, or with your partner when you might want to make more of an effort.
Also, and obviously, it depends whether you're moored/ anchored somewhere peaceful or at sea.
I have two ways of cooking, with the basic premise that I should pretty much always be able to boil water. I have a flat camping gaz camping stove that I have glued in place in a well ventilated part of the cabin and a Jetboil which ranks as one of my favourite items on the boat, and which can be used pretty much regardless of the weather to at least heat water which can then be used to make a hot drink or heat a sachet of food ( or to make up freeze dried food). The Jetboil also means that I can, for instance warm something on the stove and do some rice at the same time.
A few examples : Two weekends ago my partner joined me for the weekend so we had a homemade chilli, with rice prepared in the Jet boil, Eaten off plates(!), with fresh herbs sprinkled on top.
During my 3 months on the Pirate I would cook stirfries combining tinned and fresh items.
In fact one of my most memorable boat meals was eating tinned chicken curry and rice whilst anchored in South Deep in Poole Harbour in the middle of winter with only the noise of thousands of migratory birds on the mud to be heard!
Of course, in bumpy weather, offshore the standard does get a bit grimmer!
In my view the ability to cook is not a side issue, but part of the business of looking after yourself so that your trip can be successful rather than miserable. I did some quite robust military training at one stage, and one of the most important things dinned into us was that without proper self care you are not going to be able to fulfil whats required of you. Besides which, its fun and part of the minimalist joy of small boat sailing!
Enjoy!

 

[PhillM]

So the day has come where I setoff on a 10 day holiday. Work done includes:

Fixed the bilge pump
Pumped out the water
Cleaned and scrubbed inside and out
New fuel tank and fixings to hold it in the cockpit - then a second tank and line as some thief nicked the first one.
New standing rigging
New furler
New running rigging
Cleaned the sails
Sailmaker repaired the genoa
New life ring and throwing line
Totally re-wired: Lowers, Tri, steaming, antenna, main fuse, switch’s, battery charger and new battery.
Tiller pilot wired in but not yet fitted (existing hole is in the wrong place for my tp10 and I ran out of time).
Built a galley box.
Small kettle for when on shore power. Meths stove for when not.

Boat Cost £2400 (I know I paid too much but the buyer is seriously ill with cancer so I don’t care).

Rigging - about £2200 all in.

Wiring, new VHF, lights, etc, about £1200 including paying for some professional support.

So for less than £6k I’ve got myself out sailing. And so far I have no complaints about her performance. 4-5kn in F3 gusting 4 although I was riding the tide and as I don’t have a log am unsure how much that affected SOG.

Winter work might include solar, install my windvane and and fix the depth, log and ass a chart plotter. So about about about another £1k and she will be ready for longer distances.

 

[mrming]

Two and half months and you’re sailing. Great work and I hope the nice weather continues. ?

 

[Corribee Boy]

That's an impressive list! Enjoy your well-earned holiday!

 

[PhillM]

Thanks guys. Of course ive still got the interior to do but right now I’m happy with the 40 year old cushions and a bucket or two.

 

[Blueboatman]

Thanks guys. Of course ive still got the interior to do but right now I’m happy with the 40 year old cushions and a bucket or two.

Enjoy
They are lovely to sail. You’ve done a lot there, well done ?

 

[dancrane]

I'm waking up this thread after 15 months for several reasons. For a start, I completely lost touch with how Phill's ownership of the Corribee went, and whether he still has the boat.

Also I'm thinking about a boat for next year; but the detailed and informative Corribee website no longer seems to run a working forum for owners to discuss their boats.

Among other questions, I'm curious about just how differently the fin keel and bilge keel versions perform and whether the former is dramatically stiffer than the latter.

My photo in post 25 above, of Wild Goose seems to show how very shallow-draughted the bilge keeler is, and I wonder whether she's proportionately tender as a result, or little different from the deeper fin.

 

[Mark-1]

There's a Facebook group and a WhatsApp group that has near zero traffic and has dwindled to five members but I'm happy to add you if DM me a number.

 

[dancrane]

That rather amazes me. With so many examples of the boat out there, I expected plenty of discussion. Plenty of rarer designs seem well discussed.

I choose to conclude that the Corribee is so simple, you can't go far wrong with one.

 

[PhillM]

Well I’ve still got her: did the interior this spring. New bedding. Plently of upgrades on the “comfort” scale. Sorted the sleeping arrangements as a lady was now joining for the summer. Stayed in the Solent and managed about 20 nights onboard.

 

[PhillM]

I'm waking up this thread after 15 months for several reasons. For a start, I completely lost touch with how Phill's ownership of the Corribee went, and whether he still has the boat.

Also I'm thinking about a boat for next year; but the detailed and informative Corribee website no longer seems to run a working forum for owners to discuss their boats.

Among other questions, I'm curious about just how differently the fin keel and bilge keel versions perform and whether the former is dramatically stiffer than the latter.

My photo in post 25 above, of Wild Goose seems to show how very shallow-draughted the bilge keeler is, and I wonder whether she's proportionately tender as a result, or little different from the deeper fin.

Re the bilge keel, tbh I’m not feeling much difference from my long keel wooden boat. Certainly the coribiee sails as close to wind as old Paean did. Slightly lower freeboard so slightly wetter, but not much.