Cutlass 27 owners

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B&B

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Hi there

Are there any other Cutlass 27 owners out there? We'd appreciate advice on engine options as we are needing to replace a defunkt BMW engine. Will a Yanmar 2GM20 fit the space? We have an early model - probably late 1960s.
 
B&B said:
Hi there

Are there any other Cutlass 27 owners out there? We'd appreciate advice on engine options as we are needing to replace a defunkt BMW engine. Will a Yanmar 2GM20 fit the space? We have an early model - probably late 1960s.
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Hi, and welcome B&B! Can't answer your question, but would be curious to know what sort of BMW engine you had in there, and what it died of? (Avocet has a D12 and it's not dead...yet)!
 
Thanks Davidcutlass and Avocet, It is great to hear from you!
We have decided on the Yanmar 2YM15 (14hp). Fingers crossed. The BMW engine is now sitting in the yards engine room ready for sale on Ebay or Apollo Duck. Let us know if you are interested in any spares. We were very disappointed that it no longer worked as it has a very handy hand crank. We think it may be either a D7 or D12.
 
I'd be interested to hear how you get on. I don't know how much longer Avocet's "donkey" has left for this world, so re-engining will be inevitable at some point!

The D12 has a circular pressed steel cover over the hole into which the starting handle goes. The D7 has a more oval sort of cover. There's a helpful BMW marine engine user group on Yahoo.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/bmwmarineengines/info
 
Have you considered Beta engines? You can usually get a good deal at the Boat show in January. Also consider wether you can use the existing exhaust system, also do you want to fit a non-drip shaft gland?, improve engine silencing, fit high level inlet water strainer, does the new engine have an oil pump for easy oil changes, is the sea water impellor easily accessible?, will you need a new prop and/or shaft?, etc etc.
 
B&B said:
Thanks Davidcutlass and Avocet, It is great to hear from you!
We have decided on the Yanmar 2YM15 (14hp). Fingers crossed. The BMW engine is now sitting in the yards engine room ready for sale on Ebay or Apollo Duck. Let us know if you are interested in any spares. We were very disappointed that it no longer worked as it has a very handy hand crank. We think it may be either a D7 or D12.
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I don't know if I'm too late, but I might be in the market for another BMW D12 cylinder barrel...
 
Any Cutlass 27 owners able to advise how to unship the rudder? We can't see how the "foot" comes off to allow the stock to be pulled downwards. Having sanded it right down there are no screws evident. Do we pull the stock upwards instead, up into the aft locker? Thanks in advance!
 
The "foot" should be bolted through the back of the fibreglass of the lower trailing edge of the keel. Avocet's has been modified in the past (before our ownership) after an unfortunate "sinking" incident. A previous owner left her on a mooring in a (predominantly) mud estuary but failed to allow for low water springs. One day (at LWS) and by the law of Sod, she came to touch bottom with the aft corner of the rudder on the only rock for several hundred yards in any direction. This put a big load on that cast "shoe" and the bolts pulled through the fibreglass (causing the sinking incident). Anyway, we now have four big stainless screws through the (more recent) fibreglass going into it. They're quite hard to see because they're right in the bottom aft corner of that narrow sump. You need a very long extension bar to get at them. I don't know what the original arrangement was, but am pretty certain there are bolts there.

As for rudder removal, no, the shaft can't come upwards. The big bronze (?brass) forked casting with the square hole that takes the tiller needs to come off and then the "shoe" at the bottom. You then need to drop the whole lot downwards into a hole under the boat, until the top is clear of the bearings. Again, Avocet's is non-standard. it has been cut at some time, just above the top of the rudder) and a flange welded on each end. Each flange has four holes for M6 bolts, which hold them together. That makes it a doddle to remove the rudder with out disturbing anything.
 
Hi there, I'm new here and to sailing in general.
I have bought a 1974 cutlass 27 named Lady C about 2 years ago and have been doing her up slowly since then, she will have to be done enough to go back in the water by July at the very latest.
I have pretty much been through her top to bottom and she is pretty solid, I have found a few bits here and there, but then she is 42 years old.
 
B&B said:
Any Cutlass 27 owners able to advise how to unship the rudder? We can't see how the "foot" comes off to allow the stock to be pulled downwards. Having sanded it right down there are no screws evident. Do we pull the stock upwards instead, up into the aft locker? Thanks in advance!
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It's been many a long year since I had a Cutlass (Fine boat and very seaworthy).

My memory is that you had to undo a large nut deep down in the bottom of the sump under the engine - it could even be under some bilgewater, out of sight). You'll need lots of extensions on a socket set and a 'big' socket - I still have mine somewhere but it could possibly be in the order of 1"1/4 or more? Imperial from that era anyway.

Externally there might be screws - unless I'm remembering the other Alan Hill design; Sabre 27.

Then as said earlier, the shoe drops away from outside although you may struggle to break the grip of any sealing compound and then the rudder can be dealt with via a hole, or lift the boat if it's easy?? Goes back easily enough too.
 
Popeyethesailorman said:
Hi there, I'm new here and to sailing in general.
I have bought a 1974 cutlass 27 named Lady C about 2 years ago and have been doing her up slowly since then, she will have to be done enough to go back in the water by July at the very latest.
I have pretty much been through her top to bottom and she is pretty solid, I have found a few bits here and there, but then she is 42 years old.
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Love to see some pics! :)
 
Welcome Popeye! I was starting to feel a bit lonely here! You won't regret your purchase. They're a lovely boat to sail!
 
At the moment she is outside my front door on a farm in Hemel Hempstead, but she will probably go back Essex way when the time comes, I'm not sure which yacht club yet.
 
Well, if you're sailign in East Coast mud, one of the best things about a Cutlass is that if you go aground, 9 times out of 10, having a big chap walk to the foredeck wilst someone else goes hard astern will get you off again!
 
Hello felllow Cutlass'ers!
What a boat!! - I have recently finished restoring one of thse fine vessels (built by my dad in 1973, and enjoyed in my youth, Windchat had slipped into some disrepair - she is now as beautiful, and sea worthy, as ever!) ... http://blog.blacknellsatsea.co.uk/windchat-restoration/#.Vwli82Mx6Dg
Ref B&B's question about removing the rudder.... the very talented people at Deacons boat yard (who have done the majority of work) had to drill a hole in the bottom of her keel to get the rudder off (needed doing after a brief encounter with Bramble bank!).
 
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