Just bought our first boat - a Westerly Falcon 34 - need some help!!

[Thistle]

I think most of your questions about pipework could be solved by spending a while tracing the pipes so see what they join and where the seacocks/taps are. Doing it that way will give you far more information (and understanding) about your boat than you'll get from any forum. Much of the plumbing may have been changed from the original spec during the life of the boat so forum answers are going to be "best guesses" in any case.

 

[V1701]

It sounds like it would be handy to have somebody over to the boat to help you get to grips with a few things, wouldn't need to be another owner of the same boat necessarily (shame the PO was unable/unwilling to hand over). That would be better than trying to do it via a forum but you need to learn about your boat so, as Thistle says above, start digging around yourself and learning as you go. There isn't always a definitive answer because owners change things as they go, sometimes for the better, sometimes you wonder what on earth were they thinking...

Edit: and a copy of this book - very good, covers all the basics...

 

[Concerto]

Sansuka, as a WOA member you can look in the WOA Yearbook and see all the other Falcons. Use this list to see if there is an owner close to your boat and ask if they could help. My friend Ian Bartlett has a Falcon and would be worth speaking to as he is based in Ipswich.

Another suggestion is to contact a member of the WOA South Coast Group to introduce yourself and ask for assistance. I have helped other association members as we are all part of a big family.

 

[samsuka]

Sansuka, as a WOA member you can look in the WOA Yearbook and see all the other Falcons. Use this list to see if there is an owner close to your boat and ask if they could help. My friend Ian Bartlett has a Falcon and would be worth speaking to as he is based in Ipswich.

Another suggestion is to contact a member of the WOA South Coast Group to introduce yourself and ask for assistance. I have helped other association members as we are all part of a big family.

Thanks Roger, i have contacted one other Falcon owner from the WOA boatline, but yes if i could call ian that would be a great help.

 

[chrishscorp]

Welcome to the Westerly club, Im on the South Coast Group comittee you will receive an email from us as soon as memberhip notify us.

You can also join the official Facebook group Westerly Owners' Association its a big group so will be lots of Westerly specific advice available.

 

[samsuka]

Hi Chris,

Sounds

Welcome to the Westerly club, Im on the South Coast Group comittee you will receive an email from us as soon as memberhip notify us.

You can also join the official Facebook group Westerly Owners' Association its a big group so will be lots of Westerly specific advice available.

Hi Chris,

Sounds great. Would love to talk to any fellow Falcon owners in the Solent area if possible to pick their brains if possible. I have joined the Facebook group thanks.


Thanks

Sam

 

[samsuka]

It would seem that you might prioritise tasks and lots of advice above but a few thoughts:
1 Seacocks -consider replacing them over winter -people seem to flavour the plastic type now and one less worry for future;
2 Fuel tanks -how clean are they ? Can you remove them and replace and fit a sender unit? I guess there must be someone out there who has replaced in your model; you might also want to consider the fuel filters at same time;
3 teak - just clean for now but variety of treatments -we use Seemco which another alternative;
4 steering - this sounds most pressing issue -if you want more thoughts take a few photos and post on here-
5 holding tank-leave alone but pipes might need replacement -don’t buy cheap buy quality waste pipes and replace over winter;
6 water tank -pour in you half bottle of Milton or supermarket equivalent -half a small bottle with the water topped up and leave and then empty tanks -you can use tablets if preferred .
7 stern gland -thought they always leaked on westerly and you just turned the greaser Half a turn but you might want to invest in a more modern non leaking solution ?
Enjoy your winter at Northney -the hotel is fine if you want to wind down if it’s still open if a little basic.

Still need to work out how to drain the holding tank though, sounds quite full. Working on that!

Seacocks - open all the time, or closed? Getting a big mix of of answers, some leave all of them open all year, some just shut toilets and engine, some just engine. Trying to work out benefits of whichever way and see what reasons there are not to just leave them open all year round.

Thanks, i have bought some milton tablets. Can the water tanks easily be drained generally? or does it generally have to be done through just running the taps? Or is that a Westerly specific question?

Yes think i will invest in a non-leaking solution, more peace of mind!

 

[ianat182]

As Westerly does not trade any more you will find that Trafalgar Chandlery in Quay St Fareham are stockists of quite a few Westerly products ; of the various types and fittings most are new. The lady there is also very knowledgable and helpful of the Westerly range.

ianat182

 

[Tranona]

Still need to work out how to drain the holding tank though, sounds quite full. Working on that!

Seacocks - open all the time, or closed? Getting a big mix of of answers, some leave all of them open all year, some just shut toilets and engine, some just engine. Trying to work out benefits of whichever way and see what reasons there are not to just leave them open all year round.

Thanks, i have bought some milton tablets. Can the water tanks easily be drained generally? or does it generally have to be done through just running the taps? Or is that a Westerly specific question?

Yes think i will invest in a non-leaking solution, more peace of mind!

If it is a pumped system then it will have either a dedicated outlet seacock or a Y valve to direct it to the main seacock. This type of system will have 2 Y valves, one to direct the toilet out to either the tank or the seacock, and another to close off the loo outlet and direct the waste from the tank to the seacock. In both cases there will be either an electric macerator pump or a diaphragm manual pump - usually a Whale 25. The diagrams i posted earlier from Tek Tanks should help you identify what you have. There should also be a deck suction outlet which you can use in your marina has a pump out station. If it is a gravity system then just open the seacock as everything goes through the tank and is only held there if the seacock is closed. Hope that makes sense - but it would be a really crass owner who left the tank full when selling the boat!

Personally I leave the seacocks open all the time, and exercise them from time to time as you can get deposits building up whether they are open or closed. As suggested earlier you probably have Blakes valves (see earlier post) which are robust and reliable, but worth servicing next time you have the boat out of the water.

 

[ianat182]

Just a follow-up on the gear aboard ,- particularly the extra long warps. These would be needed if you are ever in a raft of other yachts and have to run bow and stern lines ashore ; if you are on the outside of rafting -these would be the first released by other inner yachts when leaving ahead or astern from the raft; one at a time for you to re-secure to the pontoon or quay.
If the ropes are the correct sizes/types these are also useful when end- for- ending halyards or sheets and springs.

 

[Concerto]

As Westerly does not trade any more you will find that Trafalgar Chandlery in Quay St Fareham are stockists of quite a few Westerly products ; of the various types and fittings most are new. The lady there is also very knowledgable and helpful of the Westerly range.

ianat182

Trafalgar have now closed due to retirement. Currently they are selling off their last bits of stock from their home.
Trafalgar Yacht Services

 

[chrisD]

Ropes –

Personal choice really. 2m doesn't sound wrong. Try and whip them with a loop at the end for easier threading and taking out for cleaning etc.

• Hull polish – quite a bit of sun damage, any recommendations on polishing her up? Topside polish?

Polish
Gelcoat Cutting Compound and Wax

It is an involved process and you may as well do it properly when you do it. THere are quick and easy fixes but if you have time then getting the surface corrected is worth it in the long term.

• Varnish inside – she needs to be re-varnished inside, recommendation was to rough it up with a 30 grade then a 25 grade sandpaper then re-varnish? Any recommendations on what works well? I have never varnished a boat, and only minimally furniture, so not sure. I don't have the time to lacquer.

As said already, this is far too rough and will destroy the veneer.

• Deck wood - the wooden rail around the outside of the boat, and handles and cockpit flooring are all a bit discoloured (external wood rail is a little green with algae in some areas). Was looking to sand them back and then is it better to use teak oil or varnish?

Clean off with water first - not jet wash - and then put Boracol or Patio Magic on and leave for a while (week or two). It should go silvered and clean and then see if you are ok with that. If you are it saves a lot of effort and many find it attractive.

• Water tank – water has been sitting in it for best part of a year, should I just empty out and then refill or treat it in anyway?
Taste/smell the water. Probably ok but if not, get a bit of bleach in or one of the proprietary tank cleaners.

 

[chrisD]

I would certainly recommend Boracol for the teak rubbing strip, works brilliantly on teak decks.

 

[ashtead]

Interesting debate on seacocks -we close our heads ones but leave the engine one open but it’s closed annually at service. Reason is in case we forget engine one .Holding tanks are a generally a nightmare -we leave ours open pretty much permanent so it just operates as a holding chamber between heads and the sea. Does depend on set up though but should as said have a deck suction point and many marina offer free suck out . For cold water tanks just drain by running taps and shower . You might want to consider fitting a jabsco cold water filter to kitchen taps to keep drinking water clean. Cheaper than other makes seen on Hallberg sand island packets. We also carry bottled water though but use tap for kettle and cooking and for nexpresso.