Recent content by Kenneth K

Many chimney pipes are double-walled to keep the outer wall cooler. If yours isn't, that might be one thing to consider. The fact that the pipe is surrounded by wood gives you a good idea that heat isn't a huge problem. The teak would likely be burned/dried-out/cracked if it were. I wouldn't...

It's nice that a Profurl foil can be disassembled. The old (Mark I) Harken foils were assembled with roll-pins and copious amounts of red Loctite. Even with the roll-pins removed many of my foil sections were still "glued" together. I assume it would have taken both heat and force to separate...

The bronze bushings inside the shelves come in standard sizes and are sold by McMaster Carr, among others. You can press them in/out yourself with a hammer and wooden or hard plastic dowel.

I‘ve been starting with the Dremel #115 bit, then finishing up with the larger (3/8” wide) #199 bit to widen the holes. I‘ve found that a bent nail or allen wrench works on balsa, but not so well on plywood.

These pics are from underneath the starboard stanchion base (located midway between the bow puplit and the shroud chainplates). You can see it's a plywood core under the stanchion base but balsa only a few inches aft (the black circle). You can almost visually discern the plywood through the...

I think the main thing Brian and Nick are guilty of is engaging in rational and independent, if unpopular, thought..... It seems to be universally accepted that standing rigging should be replaced at 15-25 years (depending on usage). At 30 years, nearly everyone agrees that the sealant around...

You PUSH from the last open bilge compartment you have access to before the hose goes under the engine compartment, and you PULL from where the fish-line exits the TAFG in the stern. The blue line is the pull line, attached to the hose. The yellow line is the fish-line (pulled through by...

Yeah, I think that the main reason is that AC and water don't mix--unlike 12V DC, it can kill you. Other reasons: DC pumps are available with any almost any (reasonable) high-level output you could desire. And, why not install something that is still useful once you leave the dock. I did...

Nick, Thanks for answering all my questions. Glad to hear Garhauer is still easy to work with. That was my experience, too, a few years back. I'm right there with you about replacing the chainplates. Mine show very little rust from deck level and I treat them with Capt. Tolley's every year...

I applaud your motivation to take this on all at once. I've been replacing my standing rigging bit-by-bit, over a time period I'm too embarrassed to admit. Currently, I'm waiting to get my Cap & Fwd Lower shrouds back from Rigging Only. It cost me about $1100 for those four shrouds &...

I don't know a lot about electric conversions but an 8kw motor, at 10.7 hp, develops about half the power of the M-25 diesels in most Ericson 35s. It seems you'd need to put on a smaller, not a larger, prop.

Some Ericson fuel tanks (varies by boat) have recessed areas that house the ports and pipe/tubing connectors. If yours is like this, filling the tank to capacity puts the recessed area "under water," and, thus, causes the gaskets/seals to seep (while under pressure) even though they were "dry"...

If the handle snapped but the shaft is still intact, have you tried removing a handle from another valve and trying it on this valve? Or, you could try turning the shaft with a tool or some vise grips?

Yeah, I think that's a good idea. From memory, it seems the whisker pole can't be brought out to a full 90 degrees anyway, due to the forward lower shrouds. That may leave the genoa partially furled depending on its size.

Interesting. On my '85 32-3, only the forestay uses 9/32," everything else is smaller. I wouldn't know (you'd have to ask a professional rigger) if it's better or worse to have over-sized shrouds. The original engineers may have chosen smaller wire sizes to allow more stretch/give in certain...