Rotten Bowsprit - Colvic Victor 34

jellyellie

jellyellie

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Whilst hosing our Colvic Victor 34 down after being caught out in a F7 the other week, we noticed that our bowsprit had clearly moved a few inches to port. Interesting!

We spent a day dismantling everything required to have a good look... the pulpit came off, genoa came down, forestay unattached, anchor roller platform off, and as I type this message, James is sawing the windlass off - totally corroded, bummer as it still works, but we'll have to get a new one. Now poor Milestone has no nose!

This is what we found:

r0012270edit.jpg


As you can clearly see, it's totally rotten where the wooden anchor roller platform has been resting on top of it. It crumbles and is sodden where it was covered - there wasn't any visible evidence before we removed the anchor roller platform, which is why we were totally oblivious to this before suspecting something after it shifted the other day.

James has just managed to remove the windlass, look how corroded it was!!

r0012274edit.jpg


We've spoken to a couple of contacts about creating a new bowsprit, and so far so good. Even if we just replace it like for like, it should last another 29 years - but we're thinking of putting a spacer in between the anchor roller platform and bowsprit to vastly improve the design and allow an airflow so it doesn't rot again. We've also thought about a trellis-design, as you sometimes see on cockpit floors. (I don't think I've ever written the word 'trellis' before.)

I know it's a long shot asking for other CV34 owners as we are quite a rare bunch, but I would love to see some of Milestone's sisters' bowsprits. We've seen a few others when we were boat hunting, but don't have any photos to refer to now except for those on brokers' websites. And it's much better actually talking to other owners, rather than assuming things from random photos.

Also, anyone else with similar wooden bowsprits/anchor roller platforms who've had problems with rot - or haven't, as they have an effective design?
 
I think the wordyoy need is "Grating" as in cheese as apposed to trelis which is a Gardenthingy.Apart from thatyou now have something to keep you off the streets for a few days!!!
 
FWIW, I had to have my bowsprit replaced a few years back and the before pics were almost identical to yours. I paid a ridiculous amount to a boat yard to sort it out, as I thought the job was beyond me.

I was there when they made it and it seemed pretty straightfoward and I need not have been so worried about it. The replacement was a made up of planks of laminated sitka, which were then shaped by hand and the whole lot sheathed in glass and painted.

Good luck with yours.
 
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Mine is 30 years old and removed 2 years ago, and found to be in almost perfect condition. There was a little corrosion under windlass, similar in appearance to photo, but nothing like as bad, plus nuts and bolts came undone without any undue aggravation. Looks like I got lucky.
 
Sorry to move off bowsprits, but still relevant to Colvic Victor 34's. How do you all find the steering? I delivered one from portsmouth to the west country a few weeks ago and the hydraulic steering was honestly the worst steering I've ever experienced. It did improve a bit after we rigged up a header tank to the cockpit pump but even so it was a nightmare to steer in a straight line.

So my question is, how do you all cope? Was my experience just unlucky and the helm pumps old and worn out, or is it universal with the design?

Also, what would be the practicalities of converting the cockpit wheel to cables while keeping the wheel inside hydraulic?
 
Thanks for your replies everyone... mogy, yes, grating! But it was much more fun to write trellis.

@npf1 agreed; at first it sounds bewildering but actually upon further investigation it is pretty simple. We've also received a ridiculous quote from a yard but have a friend who's going to source us some timber for ~£50 and that'll do us nicely.

I'd definitely recommend to anyone else with a timber bowsprit that they check theirs for rot - especially if it's not obvious unless you remove bits, like ours. We could've easily lost our rig.

Woodlouse said:
Sorry to move off bowsprits, but still relevant to Colvic Victor 34's. How do you all find the steering? I delivered one from portsmouth to the west country a few weeks ago and the hydraulic steering was honestly the worst steering I've ever experienced. It did improve a bit after we rigged up a header tank to the cockpit pump but even so it was a nightmare to steer in a straight line.

So my question is, how do you all cope? Was my experience just unlucky and the helm pumps old and worn out, or is it universal with the design?

Also, what would be the practicalities of converting the cockpit wheel to cables while keeping the wheel inside hydraulic?
Click to expand...

Hi Woodlouse. I think I know the one you mean - Tot Time? Is she now in Fowey? There aren't many of us around, it's nice to keep tabs on Milestone's sisters!

As to your query... you were very unlucky! Milestone has rod steering which works perfectly. As Colvic Victors are all fitted out individually, one would expect to see different steering types, but rod was definitely the most common type when we were CV34 hunting. Of course, they are - and steer like - heavy displacement boats with fairly small rudders! Not the most responsive at first but easy to learn, and much easier to sail shorthanded than a quick little thing with a tiller. Set sails to windward and you don't even need to touch the wheel to go in a straight line.
 
hi

we replaced the teak bit of wood that bridges on top of the deck between bulkhead and the pillar under the deck on a halcyon clipper 27 recently (35 years old) no rot, but the teak just bent. yard suggested laminated marine ply, we got a box section s/s piece welded up, with a small piece of ply on top for looks really. about 2" by 36" by 9"

of course we are now looking at the bowsprit, which has a big shake in it which the surveyor has a fit about every 10 years until we show him his survey from 10 years ago. but it has had a couple of bashes etc and is possibly not as structurally sound as it was new, especialy after reading your story. i wonder just what its underside is like??

anyway we will probably replace it when forced to by a welded s/s box type structure, so it never needs done again.

good luck with your replacement, wood should ast a long time, especially if you put a trellis in, good idea!
 
Hi there,
First, sorry for my bad English... :-(
I did see someone mentioned "tot time".
I used to know, looong time ago the people from, and, tot time. They where in front of our taverna (The Safe Haven) in Greece, Lefkas.
Greetz,
Freddy.
 
Have you considered re-designing the whole area? There is no reason why a bowsprit has to be a wood plank. You could consider having a stainless steel platform structure incorporating the bow rollers to make the anchor self stowing. You could then have a teak grating or teak slats on top. The windlass can then be bolted to its own plinth on deck. That way you remove all possibility of rot.

Presumably you need the bowsprit because you have a weather helm problem or a cutter rig as that bowsprit seems longer than others I have seen on Victors. Might be worth trying to find the original drawings to see if that length is essential.
 
My dad used to own Tot Time. She was definitely a fun boat. Big boat that can handle a lot. We had her in Greece for years until we brought her over here. Big mistake. But she's an awesome boat even with rubbish steering haha
 
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