Dufour 24 inspection after purchase

[Wansworth]

Visit to the boat to assess sorting out interior.Unlike a wooden boat there are no nooks and crannies .Under the berths are moulded storage volumes which rewarded us with Severn life jackets a 240vdrill long length of thick mooring rope very large collection of blocks etc.Anchour and warp,collection of oars and boat hook.Stripped mattress covers off for washing.Next trip wewill see how a very nice blue awning fits although with lazy jacks it will have to be suspended under the boom.On deck a good selection of odd warps and used halliards .One bilge pump,open cockpit drains overboard .Extremly hot for October so found the berths very good for lying down

 

[Stemar]

Next trip wewill see how a very nice blue awning fits although with lazy jacks it will have to be suspended under the boom.

We have a line under the boom from the mainsheet to the kicking strap, tensioned with a trucker's hitch. It works well for us.

 

[Wansworth]

We have a line under the boom from the mainsheet to the kicking strap, tensioned with a trucker's hitch. It works well for us.

Thanks,will try that

 

[Blueboatman]

Thanks,will try that

Where does the mainsheet land in the cockpit?
Are you thinking to rig something that could be used when sailing a bit?

 

[Wansworth]

Where does the mainsheet land in the cockpit?
Are you thinking to rig something that could be used when sailing a bit?

Yes the main sheet is right in the way,some kind of Bimini will have to be thought out to cover the cockpit aft of the mainsheet

 

[Blueboatman]

Yes the main sheet is right in the way,some kind of Bimini will have to be thought out to cover the cockpit aft of the mainsheet

Way way back when I had a 21ft, i contrived a self supporting Bimini that relied on three lengths of plastic flexible water pipe which went through sewn pockets in the Bimini ( like full length battens in a mainsail) and landed with notches cut in their ends, straddling the cockpit area clear of the mainsheets swept arc and sitting on the lifelines on port and starboard.
Thus creating a hooped Sampan look and of course it could be set up anywhere fore n aft or taken down and rolled up like a sail and stowed along the cabin top.
It was the only workable solution for sun shelter at sea and worked really well. The hoops were cut to create arches just clear of the bottom of the boom and yet just high enough to stand under in the centre.
A sailmaker ran up the Bimini fabric in acrylic canvas ( sunbrella) once I had got it worked out.
It required short guy ropes on each side tied off to the lifelines as well but that was enough support it could be used in plenty of wind without worry

 

[Wansworth]

Way way back when I had a 21ft, i contrived a self supporting Bimini that relied on three lengths of plastic flexible water pipe which went through sewn pockets in the Bimini ( like full length battens in a mainsail) and landed with notches cut in their ends, straddling the cockpit area clear of the mainsheets swept arc and sitting on the lifelines on port and starboard.
Thus creating a hooped Sampan look and of course it could be set up anywhere fore n aft or taken down and rolled up like a sail and stowed along the cabin top.
It was the only workable solution for sun shelter at sea and worked really well. The hoops were cut to create arches just clear of the bottom of the boom and yet just high enough to stand under in the centre.
A sailmaker ran up the Bimini fabric in acrylic canvas ( sunbrella) once I had got it worked out.
It required short guy ropes on each side tied off to the lifelines as well but that was enough support it could be used in plenty of wind without worry

That sounds interesting…….we had 26 degrees with total sunshine this weekend ….when Itshould be raining

 

[LittleSister]

That sounds interesting…….we had 26 degrees with total sunshine this weekend ….when Itshould be raining

We've got the rain and cool temperatures. Wanna swap?

 

[Wansworth]

We've got the rain and cool temperatures. Wanna swap?

Yes please!….there is an anomalous high persisting driving the lows your way.And yet the Mediterranean coast is just news of terrible floods

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The weather does look warm, and sunny. It’s good for us, we’ll be heading out there shortly. Mrs C is homeothermic at about 25C

 

[Wansworth]

The weather does look warm, and sunny. It’s good for us, we’ll be heading out there shortly. Mrs C is homeothermic at about 25C

Might rain then…..

 

[LittleSister]

If you arrange the lazy jacks so that they can be released from tension and led to the mast gooseneck area (might need to run new, longer lazy jacks) you are not restricted to having it under the mast. You can just lay a simple canopy/sheet/tarpaulin over the boom and sail cover to start with, tied down to the guard wires.

You can then lie back at your leisure on the cockpit benches (suitably cushioned, of course) in the shade and contemplate whether you need to design and make something more glamorous and complex.



Another, perhaps simpler, interim approach might be something on one side only. Basic idea would be a rectangular(ish) sheet (perhaps literally a sheet to try the idea out!) suspended centrally above the boom (from topping lift and mast) and tied out to the guard wires.

For temporary trials and prototyping you can tie hitches around the corners of your 'sheet', and I think you can buy plastic clips to grab at points along the straight sides, if need be, to which you can attach cordage. (Such clips available online and camping suppliers, I think.)

Once you've got the design sorted out you can either have something made up professionally, or buy yourself a cheap kit to punch holes and insert brass or plastic rings in them.

 

[LittleSister]

Yes please!….there is an anomalous high persisting driving the lows your way.And yet the Mediterranean coast is just news of terrible floods

I'll pack our cloud in my motorcycle luggage and be straight over.

Otherwise, we ain't going to be troubled here by it being too hot and dry for the next 7 or 8 months.

 

[Wansworth]

If you arrange the lazy jacks so that they can be released from tension and led to the mast gooseneck area (might need to run new, longer lazy jacks) you are not restricted to having it under the mast. You can just lay a simple canopy/sheet/tarpaulin over the boom and sail cover to start with, tied down to the guard wires.

You can then lie back at your leisure on the cockpit benches (suitably cushioned, of course) in the shade and contemplate whether you need to design and make something more glamorous and complex.

View attachment 200724

Another, perhaps simpler, interim approach might be something on one side only. Basic idea would be a rectangular(ish) sheet (perhaps literally a sheet to try the idea out!) suspended centrally above the boom (from topping lift and mast) and tied out to the guard wires.

For temporary trials and prototyping you can tie hitches around the corners of your 'sheet', and I think you can buy plastic clips to grab at points along the straight sides, if need be, to which you can attach cordage. (Such clips available online and camping suppliers, I think.)

Once you've got the design sorted out you can either have something made up professionally, or buy yourself a cheap kit to punch holes and insert brass or plastic rings in them.

Thanks,various ways to skin a cat(not that I would )We have a good sewing machine that I had the sales man show me sewing several canvas layers so no escaping a bit of diy the wife denies all knowledge of how it works

 

[justanothersailboat]

Thanks,various ways to skin a cat(not that I would )We have a good sewing machine that I had the sales man show me sewing several canvas layers so no escaping a bit of diy the wife denies all knowledge of how it works

...you'd better roll your sleeves up and get sewing then!