Boat

" you gotta acc_entuate the positive, differentiate the negative...."

The headlining can be successfully re glued: peel it back( or cut it) get in there with a scraper or scouring pad and roughen up the GRP a bit and wipe a j cloth over the back of the vinyl, the foam will have disintegrated I expect to dust which can be swept or vacuumed off..

If you are feeling particularly adventurous just pull each piece of headlining down, remove from boat , apply a hose and scouring pad, hang up to dry..

Buy large pots of contact adhesive (Beechwood timber at Shoreham dock e end, also excellent for timber at not-silly prices at all).... Use a notched spreader and paint brush, apply to the dry clean foam less vinyl and to the grp( fan heater and open hatches ) and stick it back up

'' jobs a good 'un'' and it is cheap simple and straightforward
 
Could be another Westerly convert. I have a sneeky feeling she might be part of D's life for a a fair while after the Scotland trip.
 
Seajet said:
One thing Dylan, it may well be the photo but the gap between the skeg and the rudder balance looks a bit big ? Inviting ropes etc ?
Click to expand...

Have you heard the one about the rudder being to port? I can't remember the punchline, but the gap wouldn't be there if it was straight.

I could be wrong.

(How was that for humour and non-self-righteousness seajet?).
 
The 2002 is a good engine but check if it's serial number is in the early range when it was supplied with a non sprung drive plate which caused fretting and failure of the gear box drive splines. If the drive is a hex and not splines then the mod has been done. This is spotted by undoing the gearbox and pulling it rearwards from the engine. Something for one of your smaller willing helpers while ashore.
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Our boat had a 2002 in the Serial number range, without modification (splines) as far as I could see. I mentioned this splines problem to an marine engineer who overhauled it, his thoughts were that if hadn't happened in 25 years, it wasn't about to happen any time soon. Thought to be caused by owners leaving the engine idling and out of gear for long periods. I guess, if it aint bust ...

We certainly were surprised how well the engine started after being left on the hard for up to a year. Engage neutral, full throttle, pull out and push in engine stop (fully) then power on and start. Worth a go whilst she's on the hard, or better still with a hose in the raw water inlet. We could stuff a long piece of plastic pipe in where the sea water filter is removed and fill it up like a reservoir. If it doesn't start after two attempts, replace the filter [http://www.ssldieselparts.co.uk/], bleed and try again.

It could be a very easy one to cross off the list and stop you thinking about those damn outboards ...
 
I would say if you could get away with the battens on the head lining then do it. I took the lining down in a Tiger and the job is nasty! The foam dust gets everywhere and is very difficult to get rid of from within the boat.

I took my treadmaster off with a chisel. You could use a Multimaster but I would have to say that whatever method you use you willl damage the surface beneath. You could try a belt sander or something on the pattern but I don't think this will look to good even after a paint (through the eyes of the boss!). I reckon leave it as with a coat of paint.

An hour or 2 with a pressure would transform the boat.......
 
Tam Lin said:
Hi Dylan, glad you have a proper boat and have joined the ranks of the blessed! Looks like she will scrub up nicely! BTW I read in the last Westerly Magazine that International don't do the light blue deck paint any longer. I suppose there might still be some in stock. They did suggest mixing other colours to make it but I can't remember which. I'll look it up if you need to know. My only other thought is, will you want to let her go when you have done the trip? You know how you have hankered for a Centaur for a while now!
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colour matching is beyond my grade - I will scrub and scrub and then ask herself

as for keeping the boat....

who knows.... but Katie L is really ideal for me

mast drops, shallow sailing, outboards all those other good things

I am really planning on this being to get me and my family over the top and down the other side

after this I will be sailing alone again

of course my son might decide that a Centaur would be a good boat to own - and that would make me very happy

D
 
dylanwinter said:
colour matching is beyond my grade - I will scrub and scrub and then ask herself

as for keeping the boat....

who knows.... but Katie L is really ideal for me

mast drops, shallow sailing, outboards all those other good things

I am really planning on this being to get me and my family over the top and down the other side

after this I will be sailing alone again

of course my son might decide that a Centaur would be a good boat to own - and that would make me very happy

D
Click to expand...


Congratulations D....

Now I don't have to Drain Dylans Dinorwic Dinosaur......:)

Steve.
 
dylanwinter said:
colour matching is beyond my grade - I will scrub and scrub and then ask herself

as for keeping the boat....

who knows.... but Katie L is really ideal for me

mast drops, shallow sailing, outboards all those other good things

I am really planning on this being to get me and my family over the top and down the other side

after this I will be sailing alone again

of course my son might decide that a Centaur would be a good boat to own - and that would make me very happy

D
Click to expand...
You might need it again when you get down to the N Cornish coast, safe havens are few and far between and you get a lot of Atlantic swell before getting onto the delights of the South coast.
 
Congratulations, Dylan, on finally finding your Centaur. It seems strange that no-one has yet mentioned that the pattern of eight redundant bolts on the transom indicate that at some time she had an outboard bracket fitted! With luck you may find a replacement with the same hole pattern. I have tried using an outboard on a bracket and its not all as easy as you might hope. As the freeboard increases with the size of the boat, it becomes increasingly difficult to start and control it - better for motoring offshore than manouvreing in a harbour. I've also used a dinghy/outboard for towing alongside and found that easier under fairly benign conditions as you can hop across into the dinghy and adjust the throttle, refuel, whatever. With an inflatable dinghy you don't even need to use fenders.

I guess the next phase is a major spring clean. Two things came to mind: I have found Polycell Mould Cleaner very effective, even on headlining material with a soft brush, and any non-metallic surface can be painted with two coats of Sadolin Superdec acrylic paint giving an even, semi-mat, white finish.

I noticed in your photos that the keel bolts and nuts are incredibly bright and shiny. Has the previous owner done recent work here?

Rob.
 
rob2 said:
Congratulations, Dylan, on finally finding your Centaur. It seems strange that no-one has yet mentioned that the pattern of eight redundant bolts on the transom indicate that at some time she had an outboard bracket fitted! With luck you may find a replacement with the same hole pattern. I have tried using an outboard on a bracket and its not all as easy as you might hope. As the freeboard increases with the size of the boat, it becomes increasingly difficult to start and control it - better for motoring offshore than manouvreing in a harbour. I've also used a dinghy/outboard for towing alongside and found that easier under fairly benign conditions as you can hop across into the dinghy and adjust the throttle, refuel, whatever. With an inflatable dinghy you don't even need to use fenders.

I guess the next phase is a major spring clean. Two things came to mind: I have found Polycell Mould Cleaner very effective, even on headlining material with a soft brush, and any non-metallic surface can be painted with two coats of Sadolin Superdec acrylic paint giving an even, semi-mat, white finish.

I noticed in your photos that the keel bolts and nuts are incredibly bright and shiny. Has the previous owner done recent work here?

Rob.
Click to expand...

thanks for the cleaning tips

I shall invest in copious quantities of unguents

I thought the shiny bolts a bit weird - but as jumbleduck says.....
 
Nice one Dylan.

Battens for the headlining took me just an afternoon to do, just cut to the exact length & spring into place behind the curtain rail. Where there was no rail I used 3/4in csk brass self tappers into the cabin top, short enough to not penetrate into the balsa foam but long enough to trap the batten in place. I did it as a temporary job about 10 years ago.

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The deck will scrub up & paint a treat & don't worry about colour matching that stripe, any dark blue/navy will just blend in nicely at 50 mtres & you don't want to go closer than that when at sea, do you. In harbour you can hang a fender or teatowel over it, and when aground you can always smear a bit of mud on any outrageous colour mis-match.

Looks a really good buy. looking forward to hearing more about how well she scrubs up. They really are built like a brick outhouse, so don't let all the Job's Comforters scare you off.
 
Searush said:
Nice one Dylan.

Battens for the headlining took me just an afternoon to do, just cut to the exact length & spring into place behind the curtain rail.
Click to expand...

It may quite as simple as that in a Centaur I think you may find.
 
rob2 said:
I noticed in your photos that the keel bolts and nuts are incredibly bright and shiny. Has the previous owner done recent work here?

Rob.
Click to expand...

Mine look just like that and date from 1973 . Some boats had the keel bolt nuts glassed over at birth so some hacking is required with these
in order to check out the studs and bolts.
 
Dylan,
The headlining on my cobra died in the same way as the Westerlys do.
I used a 6mm double sides self adhesive foam to stick the original back up after a serious scrup of both faces to get rid of the dust.
The foam can be stuck to the hull in not particular exact panels. Expose a bit iof the face side and refit the lining. If you've got it in the right place you expose some more of the foam intil it all smooths out OK.

Foam came from Hawke House, along with the insructions. No connections etc.


Also ref the rigging, they look like Hasselfors 5/16 bottlescrews. If they are a problem I have a few of the bottlescrews & lower screws that would replace yours (PM me)

Chances are stripping off the vinyl coat it will clean up OK. The rusting is prob caused by oxygen deprivation.

Glad you got sorted.
 
Dylan,

I'm not suggesting for a moment it's the end of the world, but I checked my chums' Centaur of similar vintage today and the gap between rudder balance and skeg is nothing like that shown in your photo.

I did photograph this one but for some reason am having trouble posting pics here at the moment, if of interest please PM me and I'll e-mail them.

Andy
 
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Seajet said:
Dylan,

I'm not suggesting for a moment it's the end of the world, but I checked my chums' Centaur of similar vintage today and the gap is nothing like that shown in your photo.

I did photograph this one but for some reason am having trouble posting pics here at the moment, if of interest please PM me and I'll e-mail them.

Andy
Click to expand...

like to see it

dylan.winter@virgin.net

I shall have to reverse into a big rock

D
 
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