colvic ufo 31 keel

C

cat5cable

Member
Joined
14 Feb 2008
Messages
41
Location
suffolk
www.cat5cable.co.uk
Hi all
I have a colvic ufo 31 finn keel it is currently out of the water and has been for 4 months but yesterday i noticed on the outside of the keel both sides i have some rusty water running out i have scraped away antifoul and paint etc and found some soft metal like lead which looks like a join.
Inside the bilge is bone dry and keel bolts and nuts look like new. so any idea where this rusty water is seeping from is it old water thats gone down bilge.
many thanks
tim
 
If this is the joint between the hull and the fin it indicates a small movement, not uncommon and not a big worry but something to keep an eye on. This is usually a mastic joint and probably worth raking out top layer and re gooing. Check tightness of keel bolts also.
The strength of the keel / hull joint was a problem in some early Ufos and most have been beefed up. I had some damage last year and had to have the keel off and rebedded after reinforcing the bilge area.
If the seepage is from lower down the fin, it is probably from where the keel bolt heads are. I think it's called a gallery, where a hole is made through the keel to take a nut. This is then filled with goo. Sometimes water seeps out.
A drop of water in the bilge takes a long time to work it's way through.
Excellent choice of boat.
Dan
 
many thanks dan
yes it is weeping from lower down the keel not the joint to hull, see you are in essex we are in ipswich suffolk can you tell me more about these boats or point me to a website or any more info as i cant seem to find much re ufo31 on the net.
any info would be really good thanks
tim
 
Hi
I don't think you'll find much on the internet about UFOs, I've not found much.
Most were built in the 1970s/ 80s from Colvic mouldings and either home finished or fitted out by professional yards so quality can be varied. Mine was fitted out by Foxes.
Best advice I can give is to go out and enjoy sailing, as they are such great fun.
I find mine is great upwind and can leave most modern boats behind, but not so quick downwind, unless you use the kite. The big headsail gives you a good aerobic workout after a few tacks.
There are several UFOers on this forum who may be able to give help if you need specific advice. No doubt other experts will tell you about all the bad things they've been told, too tender, not enough space, dodgy build etc. Ignore them, just go sailing and have fun.
Incidentally the lead like substance you mention is probably......... lead.
It's what the keel is made of.
Hope to meet and share a beer this season.
 
Well i feel a bit happier now thanks, she is going back in the water in april and down to pin mill, we have been sailing an achilles 24ft so the ufo to us is huge with loads of room, unfortunatly we dont have a spinny or pole or the large genoa it only came with main, storm, and standard genoa.
best regards
tim
 
Hi Tim, I have several genoas that were with my boat when I bought it and I dont use them as I have a furler. They are all by Hood and have a tape on the luff so you would need to have a foil to suit. Let me know if your interested and I will drag them down from the loft and have a look.

Ted.
 
I have a new unused Hood Gemini twin foil. It is complete with all the bits as far as I am aware.

I have also now bought furling gear.

One day I will bring it down from the loft and sell it at a nominal price. or put it on ebay.

Iain
 
Thanks to uforea and iainsimpson

Please be patient with my lack of knowledge as our old boat had hank on forsails so quick and easy to change, the ufo we have has got what looks like a grooved piece of plastic with forestay all in one. so you have both mentioned foils and i am now lost?? but i am very excited about buying some sails from you both.
thanks
tim
 
The groved piece of plastic is the foil on your UFO. My hood Gemini foil is made from alloy sections which are connected together and slid up the forestay.

These foils are made to match different diameters of ropes sewn onto the luff of the genoa. Now a'days 5mm is a common size for many different manufacturers.

But the Hood sails will probably have a much smaller diameter of luff tape (or rope) than is currently in vogue. My Hood gemini foil is for something like a 3.5 mm tape. This is probably the same size as the sails that uforea has.

To have the tape on a sail changed to match your existing plastic foil can be quite expensive ( I know I have just had Hood alter a 450 sq ft genoa to match my new roller reefing) and you don't know the condition of your existing plastic foil.

You could also get a series of eyelets punched into a genoa and revert to hanking it onto your existing forestay.

Does that explain it enough?

Cheers

Iain
 
Yes Tim, I do and before you ask I shall nip up and measure the tape. Just been up for a look. There are 3, No.1 No.2 and No. 3, the first two have a 3.5mm luff tape on them and the No.3 has what looks like a fairly new 6mm tape sewn on.

Ted
 
Tim
I've checked the sail plan drawing, Nr 3 genoa is the second smallest, storm jib is smallest.
Size of nr 3, 36ft 5" luff, 33ft leech, 15ft 4" foot; 251.85 square feet.
I have a copy of the sail plan drawing I can let you have, but it might be polite to check with Holman & Pye first in case there's a copyright issue. [does anyone know if Holman & Pye are still trading?]
I might be able to help with a spare spin pole if you get around to obtaining a spinnaker.
Dan
 
Hi Dan, I would be interested in any tech. info that you have on the "31" as I have nothing at all. I would also like to take an option on that spin. pole if Tim doesn't want it.

Ted
 
Hi Tim
Looks like you've got a bit of cosmetic tidying up to do. Perhaps those girls can be trained up as topside polishers.
Interested in the photo titled osmosis. Are you sure it is? There appears to be a faint square patch around it, as if it has been a repair at some point. I don't claim to be an expert but I understand osmosis is rare on these boats and that it usually shows as lots of small blisters.
The greyish paint looks unusual, is it Artex or antifouling?
Blue is an unusual colour for Ufos, what's her name?

Dan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

Sea Change
Mini sandblaster for rust spots on keel?
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
2K
Mister E
M

Share this page

Top