E-27 Needs EMERGENCY haul out

[bigrocks]

I was sailing from Seattle to California--sails like a dream. For whatever reason, I turned in to catch a good night's sleep before heading back out into the 20' seas. I caught a rock (direct hit on the rudder), and lost helm control. Visually, you can see the rudder bent back. Not taking any water (in the bilge), so I believe it's mostly rudder damage. I'm expecting a little fiberglass work of course. There's nothing here. I can't seem to find a trailer to pull her out on. Not even Port Angeles (about 2 hours drive) has one. Not even cell service.

Is there ANYONE out there that may have a trailer that will handle an E27? It's not all that big (27x9x4) and about 7000 lbs. I sunk alot of time, energy, and money into just before the trip. She sailed like a dream (14 knots in 35 knot winds and 18' seas).

If nobody can help, I'll have to 'Strip' her down and sell her off--very sad ending to a wonderful boat.

 

[Loren Beach]

Where is the boat actually at now? (Neah Bay? La Push?)
Sounds like you need a boat yard and the railway at Port Angeles would be appropriate. Better facilities at Pt Townsend.
Nice time to have towing ins with Vessel Assist, but from the rather grim tone of the question that must not be the case.
Have you tried a call to the boat yards in nearby towns to see if they can refer you to a local hauler with a double-axle trailer?

Keep us informed.
Good luck,
Loren

ps: I moved your post to a new thread where I hope more NW owners will see it.

 

[bigrocks]

Thanks, I think...

I'm at La Push. It's looking grim. I've tried everyone I could find on the internet, but haven't got a single positive response.

Hoping for another E27 sailor to have pity on me (way beyond pride...).

The weather window is bound to change soon, so, yah, it doesn't look very promising. I don't have vessel assist, but can get it. I'm not sure that towing her someplace will help, unless, I can get her out of the water. The CG towed her, but we deployed a 'drogue' to keep her steady. I think I can probably fix the rudder, if I can get her on the hard.

I was going to post in NW, but was hoping for more 'eyeballs' in the main
forum. Just hoping that someone has or knows someone with a trailer to
haul her out on. Would only need 3-4 days or so.

Thanks.

------------------------

Keep us informed.
Good luck,
Loren

ps: I moved your post to a new thread where I hope more NW owners will see it.[/quote]

 

[sleather]

I'm at La Push. It's looking grim. I've tried everyone I could find on the internet, but haven't got a single positive response.

Hoping for another E27 sailor to have pity on me (way beyond pride...).

The weather window is bound to change soon, so, yah, it doesn't look very promising. I don't have vessel assist, but can get it. I'm not sure that towing her someplace will help, unless, I can get her out of the water. The CG towed her, but we deployed a 'drogue' to keep her steady. I think I can probably fix the rudder, if I can get her on the hard.

I was going to post in NW, but was hoping for more 'eyeballs' in the main
forum. Just hoping that someone has or knows someone with a trailer to
haul her out on. Would only need 3-4 days or so.

Thanks.

------------------------

Keep us informed.
Good luck,
Loren

ps: I moved your post to a new thread where I hope more NW owners will see it.

[/quote]

WOW, that's pretty remote. Good Luck! ......BTT
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&q=La Push&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il&tbo=0

 

[Loren Beach]

It's a lonely place....

Wow. Couple of summers ago I was crew on a sailboat that was towed in to La Push.
http://www.quileutenation.org/
Diver drove over from Neah Bay and cleared the crab pot line wrapped around our prop and we left a day later. Harbormaster found the diver for us, as I recall.

Coast Guard were more than competent at bringing us in... but then we had rudder control.
Is there an old tide grid there you could use for an inspection? Is there a lift of any kind??

I wonder if, with the help of a diver, you could rig some tackles to the rudder and pull enough of the bend out of the shaft to regain steering? You then could make Grays Harbor in a day. Have the boys and girls at the Coast Guard station got and "unofficial" ideas on a fix or a haul? How about the harbormaster or any of the fishermen?

It's an interesting and scenic place, but not to tarry there too long this time of year.

OK, Maybe I'd better put your post back in the bigger forum at the top.

Best,
Loren

 

[Frank Langer]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why can't you haul your boat to a boatyard with a travel lift and have her hauled out for three or four days while you do the work and then re-launch her for you. Here in BC, Canada, they would charge about $200.00 to haul her out and re-launch, and about $30.00 per day in between, so for under $300 you could get this done. Isn't there something like that where you are that you could access?

Sorry to hear about your situation. Good luck!

Frank

 

[Loren Beach]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why can't you haul your boat to a boatyard with a travel lift and have her hauled out for three or four days while you do the work and then re-launch her for you. Here in BC, Canada, they would charge about $200.00 to haul her out and re-launch, and about $30.00 per day in between, so for under $300 you could get this done. Isn't there something like that where you are that you could access?
Sorry to hear about your situation. Good luck!
Frank

_____
If I recall, from my two day visit there two summers ago, there did not seem to be a lift there. It's a small village with a small snug harbor, on a reservation, about as far out in the NW as you can go. Matter of fact, I have no idea what the USCG would do if their 47 footer should get disabled.

Loren

ps: Plan C... IF the rudder and shaft can be dropped out/down and then pulled up on the dock or shore, perhaps it can be straightened. FWIW, you are stuck in a place where everyone has to make do with whatever they have as a way of life. The fictional "MacGyver" may have an actual distant relative or two among those resourceful Native Americans...

 

[Cory B]

WestPort

I know this may not help you at all, but there are decent facilities just down the coast in Grays Harbor / WestPort. Its about a days sail away (not that I'm suggesting you should go back out into the ocean), - mostly commercial fishing boats... maybe the harbormaster there can hook you up with a tow?

And as Loren pointed out, there is hardly anything in LaPush other than a tiny marina and a tiny village (pretty, though), and one of the scariest (albeit short) entrances I've ever seen. We drove up there to check it out, and decided it was a port of last resort when we went up/down the coast.

I'm glad you're safe though. Not a good time of year to have troubles.

 

[HughHarv]

Rudder

What a challenging situation there, hope you can come up with a solution. I was wondering, what if you rotate the boat from the masthead, via the main halyard, would the upper portion of the rudder come out of the water so that you would be able to pull it out for repairs? Or maybe be able to just straighten it enough to get it to the next port? What about just getting the rudder straight ahead and lashing it there so you can steer by emergency rudder? Anyway you go, good luck.

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Rudder

Years ago, when I was young and stupid--as opposed to being old and stupid, I put my E-27 on the beach. Didn't know much about lee shores back then. I had had the boat about a week. Anyway, I just undid the tiller and rudder head and extracted the rudder from the boat, WHILE THE BOAT WAS IN THE WATER. It was no big thing. If you want to talk about this, you can reach me here in FL at 941-776-1237. I should be around all day, or most of the weekend.

Morgan Stinemetz

 

[Mark F]

With the port being so remote finding an emergency rudder might be the best bet. You could rent it and ship it back.

Has anyone here attached an emergency rudder to a smaller E boat?

 

[Cory B]

E27 Emergency Rudder

We used to know a guy who had an emergency rudder for his E27 that attaches to the stern with pintles and gudgeons. He claimed it worked good, and it looked solid, but I don't think he ever had to put it to the test.

Just looking at the E27, it looks easier to attach a rudder to the stern than many boats. Maybe just add a good backing plate to help spread the loads.

 

[bigrocks]

Thanks All for replying

Thanks All for replying.

When I was in Seattle, I literally saw thousands of sailboat launches.
Unfortunately, Seattle, is quite a ways from here. I was simply hoping that someone knew somebody who might have a TRAILER.

I do thank everyone for their ideas.

I will, for the record, state that the RANGE BUOY washed away in the last storm--and was not replaced. There's no HAZARD BUOY (vertical stripe) or DAY HAZARD SIGN (Diamond) at the FALSE ENTRANCEWAY. In the Dark, at High Tide, the FALSE ENTRANCEWAY looks passable--there are passages like that in the Pacific NW (eg Clallum Bay). For anyone coming this way, the Entranceway Directly in front of the Marina is NOT PASSABLE, unless you have a Sea Kayak. Googlemap shows the REAL ENTRANCE (channel).
Yes, the Real Entrance is Narrow, and NOT PASSABLE at ebb tide.

Westport is 50nm away (Pacific Ocean). This stretch is known for 20-28ft seas (see real-time buoy data). The Pacific NW Weather is very unpredictable this time of year. I would not want to take that challenge in less than a 100% boat. Remember a 14' wave can flip a 27' boat end over end (but, that's theoretical of course).

Looking for a "Hail Mary", but things are looking rather grim.


--------------------

We used to know a guy who had an emergency rudder for his E27 that attaches to the stern with pintles and gudgeons. He claimed it worked good, and it looked solid, but I don't think he ever had to put it to the test.

Just looking at the E27, it looks easier to attach a rudder to the stern than many boats. Maybe just add a good backing plate to help spread the loads.

 

[Matey]

First off .. I wish you well. I've been in sailing situations .. similar.

While I know you're asking for a trailer and not our take of things .. I'll offer mine in hopes of help

** I'm not sure how your rudder is attached, but on my 32 .. once I pull the rudderhead bolt, remove the quadrant and loosen the packing, the rudder and shaft can be slid out the bottom of the boat while in the water.
As mentioned .. you may find some resourceful locals to help bend the shaft straight ( I assume that's the issue ) It looks like the town of Forks is about 12 miles. They might have more facilities / shops. I bent my boom straight with a fork lift, a chain hoist and 2 trees.

** I've made your trip 3 times this last year and agree that Westport would be and excellent chance of getting things fixed if you can get yourself - the rudder - or everything there. The first place I'd contact in Grays, is Harbor Marine Supply (Junky's) at 2013 N Nyhus St. his number is (360) 268-9116. You might even call him from La Push and see if he can help. He knows all the commercial guys and shops in town.

** How would you load the boat where you're at ?

** Where are you going in Ca ? you might have more luck in the Bay Area finding a trailer to drive up and move the boat.

Hope you come up with something .. let us know how it goes
Greg

 

[bigrocks]

Plan "B"--Rudder Off & Repair ??

Thanks for that tip! (I tried all the 2d hand shops I knew about, that was
not one of them).

Okay, so it's plan "B". I managed to remove the rudder with the boat still in the water. (FYI--an E27 rudder DOES sink). The Stainless steel pipe is very bent.

I guess I should end this thread and start another.


Thanks All.

---------------------------

** I've made your trip 3 times this last year and agree that Westport would be and excellent chance of getting things fixed if you can get yourself - the rudder - or everything there. The first place I'd contact in Grays, is Harbor Marine Supply (Junky's) at 2013 N Nyhus St. his number is (360) 268-9116. You might even call him from La Push and see if he can help. He knows all the commercial guys and shops in town.

 

[sleather]

From the owners manual it looks like the tube is suppose to be straight. Odd that it sinks, others have said it floats.

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/local_links.php?action=jump&catid=82&id=420

 

[Loren Beach]

My vote is to straighten it as true as possible. As to lacking positive buoyancy, there may be some water saturation into the foam core over the decades and that may be why it no longer floats...

Best of luck,
Loren

ps: I'm just glad you're in a snug harbor this week. The forecast for local waters is unfriendly. The wave pattern is (yikes) "Over-Square."

"GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TONIGHT
S WIND 35 TO 40 KT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT...EASING TO 25
TO 30 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. COMBINED SEAS 16 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 11
SECONDS... SUBSIDING TO 13 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 11 SECONDS AFTER
MIDNIGHT. RAIN."

 

[bigrocks]

Thanks Guys

Thanks Steve & Loren.

It looks bent over 35 degrees. I did find a picture, and it is parallel
to the stern side (so, yes it's suppose to be straight).

I guess if I could find some 2" rod stock to put inside of it, I may
be able to use a come-along or hydraulic jack.

The Weather Window looks REALLY BAD. A couple of days ago, one
of the fishermen told me he was out 'long-lining', and on the way in,
his engine cut out. He spent 14 hours fixing it. He said it was "FLAT",
he's never seen it like that before. There are ZERO boats out now,
a pretty good sign of the weather...

 

[HughHarv]

"I guess if I could find some 2" rod stock to put inside of it, I may
be able to use a come-along or hydraulic jack."

Maybe you can pack the tube with sand, or maybe pack sand around a smaller bar, to keep your rudder tube from collapsing then try to straighten it with a bar and/or external forces.

 

[sleather]

Thanks Steve & Loren.

It looks bent over 35 degrees. I did find a picture, and it is parallel
to the stern side (so, yes it's suppose to be straight).

I guess if I could find some 2" rod stock to put inside of it, I may
be able to use a come-along or hydraulic jack.

If it's bent that far I'd opt for finding an appropriately sized "inner sleeve" and leaving it in there after you get it straightened. That amount of bending is bound to permanently weaken the tube.