Hurley Alacrity 19, what would you do?

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jpay

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'Hindsight is a wonderful thing'

I'm in project, renovating my Hurley Alacrity I bought for £40.
It's great fun, I love the excuse and the fact I will be sailing her next season!

I've done all I can outside before the winter set in, she's been antifouled, cleaned painted and all the holes filled.

The inside is bare, with only a small amount of woodwork. I have re-inforced some which was a bit **** and now am beginning to plan.

My question is...

If you had this boat what would you worry about? What would you think necessary? What equipment? What features?

I'm hoping if you can reflect back on what you didn't have and wish you did or did have and thought important.

Thank You

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On the way
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Keep the water on the outside.
Keep the rig up.
Have a reliable means of moving around (sails, outboard, sweeps).
Have a means of stopping (i.e an anchor and some cable).

Everything else (sounder, GPS, radio, toilet, cooker, berth) is a luxury!
 
A good compass, ideally with a light for when caught out and swung asap, is a good start; as is a depth sounder, or nowadays an entry level fishfinder is more useful and possibly cheaper - no need for a hole in the hull just bond a transom type transducer inside the hull at a flattish point, probably aft.
 
I think for a small boat open space inside is most important. I think a bunk/seat that runs along each side from bow (vee berth) to under the cockpit (quarter berths is all you need.
Some of this area can be made into top access storage some can be made into floatation.
For a toilet I found a seat that sits on a frame made for camping. This can be set up btween the vee berths over a bucket. It stows away and has not had much use but is available. if you want cooking facility then I thinkl a pull out box arrangement from under the centre of the cockpit can contain a spirit stove. You might also fit a plastic bowl in for washing dishes however a toss overboard is easier than a drain.
Frm this point it depends on your use style. If ind my little boat is more a day tripper rather than used for overnight camping you might be different.
You will need an anchor with 30 metres of rop and a few metes of chain. Fire extinguisher and life jackets.
You will proably want electrics in at least a cabin light if you are camping overnight. A small battery taken home for charge is easiest.
I think you should stick with hank on jibs. Small jibs can be got from dinghy sailors. Large jib might need to be bought correctly sized. You should try to organise for at least one reef in case wind comes up.
As said a motor will possibly be needed. Oars may be adequate. As you get more skill sailing a motor might become less necessary. I carry a motor in a small boat but hope to make it through the season without actually puting it in the water.
Mostly just enjoy the learning experience. Certainly a radio will give you a huge mantle of safety if you get a problem. A GPS even a hand held or phone type will give you safety if fog comes down or similar problems mean you could get lost. good luck olewill
 
Depends how you want to sail her. Day sailer needs almost nothing inside. If you are staying overnight it depends how comfortable you want to be. Somewhere to sleep, a water supply, something to cook on, a loo of some kind.
It all depends how far you want to go. If you get a heater inside then you can get a lot done in the winter. Perhaps the most important thing is to get her safe and go sailing, not wait until you have made the boat perfect. You can do one bit at a time. Good luck and have fun!
 
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Thinking back 30+ years, when we started with a Vivacity 20, the things we used and needed were an echo sounder, compass, anchor, local charts and a decent engine (outboard). Very soon after we had got through the day sailing phase came the need for a simple 2 ring hob, fenders, nav lights, anchor light. We gradually added the radio, tiller pilot, log, hand bearing compass, binoculars etc etc.
 
Hi

This is the time to do all of the fiddly jobs i.e. reseat thro' deck fitting, fit new seacocks., check the hull / deck joints, check the keel bolts (if you have them) etc. Do all of these jobs while you have easy access.

Then - do all of the work that will be hidden before you put in furniture i.e. run new wires from switch box to fitting, install any plumbing, sort out fuel lines / tank.

I could have saved months if I had done all of the "behind the scenes" work before the locations became difficult.

Good luck
 
Two weeks ago I bought a Valiant 18' for £600. Mast and deck rigging OK. Old Seagull. Totally bare inside. No electrics
and no idea how I would pay for essential kit.
Neptune smiled on me and by mearest good fortune I was given a dollop of ca$h.

Tomorrow I go to B&Q to buy exterior Smooth Masonry Paint for my lockers and interior.

Bucket and .. .. Campingaz Bleuet Micro Plus Camping Stove.£15

I have an eTrex GPS (for metal detecting) £40 Gumtree and hand held compass
and a Cobra MR-HH125 Handheld VHF Radio £50

I cannot recommend Gumtree enough for stuff ...

2009 I spent 6 months in the islands on West Coast of Scotland
and had NO echo sounder and never used a compass. Fishfinder may be possible now.
(Got a fright when I touched bottom at 2 a.m. in Loch Ness, the deepest water in Scotland).

Mavanier is correct saying "Everything else (sounder, GPS, radio, toilet, cooker, berth) is a luxury! "

I thought of an air bed matress but Sukie my cat would get her claws into it.

LADDER for when dried on the beach.
 
Mavanier said:
Keep the water on the outside.
Keep the rig up.
Have a reliable means of moving around (sails, outboard, sweeps).
Have a means of stopping (i.e an anchor and some cable).

Everything else (sounder, GPS, radio, toilet, cooker, berth) is a luxury!
Click to expand...

That sums it up very nicely... and in the order I would have listed them...
 
OP

Where are you going to keep her? Where are you planning to sail? Are you planning on sleeping aboard, and if so for how long?
 
Keep it simple. Fewer things in your boat, fewer things to waste money on.
If the reefing is simple and works well you'll be inclined to use it when you need to;
A good anchor with a decent length of chain is one of the most important safety bits of kit;
Some means of getting back in if you fall overboard.
 
Get a gas camping stove and kettle first. If you need a plotter and VHF then get portable ones if money is tight as built in won't add any value to your boat unless you plan to keep it for a while. Join the Vivacity Alacrity Facebook group to see what others have done.
 
Have sailed two seasons in the Bristol Channel without depth sounder and compass. I'd have a compass, but wouldn't worry about depth sounder. Up to you, though...

I'd definitely prioritise a battery, bilge pump, nav lights, and a little clip-on solar panel... But depends on what you're planning to do with her...
 
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