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Quite the first day

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Aceguy
1st Mate

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USA
77 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/19/2006 : 13:23:01

I may have set a record or two of some sort. One year and three weeks after I towed home my new-to-me 1985 C-25 SKSR from Southern CA to Folsom (Sacramento area) I finally sailed her for the first time. It’s a long story, but basically when I had the boat hoisted it had been in a saltwater slip for 15+ years. As it turned out, the PO had a diver that wasn’t doing much of a job. He was keeping the visible top couple of feet clean, but when I had it hoisted, the marine growth was so thick around the keel trunk and on the keel (and the cable was broken) that the crane operator had to raise and lower the boat on the trailer 10+ times very carefully before he finally got the mussels to break away and the keel to fold. Of course, after I saw that there was no way I was sailing it, so I began the process of keel hardware replacement. I replaced the winch, the cable, the turning ball, turning ball pin, the tubing, the hose clamps, the keel cable-to-keel fitting, the pillow blocks that house the bronze pin, and all the hardware. That was one heck of a learning experience. I also powerwashed all of the marine guck out of the keel trunk and off of the keel & surrounding areas. I was left with a rusty, mostly lacking in paint and filler, ugly but very functional keel. Next I used Jasco prep & prime on the keel, then I primed it, and then I painted it with an industrial enamel (because I just didn’t know any better). Then life happened for awhile and she sat covered in storage. For Christmas I got a new Toyhatsu 9.8hp electric start for her. The motor and the boat sat in storage for another seven months waiting patiently as we moved into a new house and had a new baby. FINALLY, things slowed down a bit in early August and I was able to mount my new motor mount & motor, build an A-frame for mast-stepping, and get in some rigging practice in my backyard. We set the family vacation to take her sailing for August 10-15. So, that’s the preface, and here’s how it went

We towed the boat four hours up to Lake Almanor, as our friends have a vacation home there. The next morning, my dad and I decided to get her in the water. This is where the fun began. About a half-mile before the marina, without warning, the U-bolts on one side of my trailer’s front axle snapped. Under the weight of the C-25 the trailer pinned the tire to the ground immediately and the axle left it’s happy home below the leaf spring. I centered the axle temporarily with a couple of ratchet tie downs, and decided to let the air out of the tire that was pinned and try to limp the trailer to the marina. As I was letting the air out of the tire, the valve stem tore completely off. Hmmm. Bad luck begat bad luck. I managed to limp the trailer to the marina veeeeerrrrrryyyy slowly, and backed the trailer down the ramp. It was deep enough that I didn’t have to use my hitch extension. Maybe things were looking up! So I thought. I got in the boat and tried to start the motor… . . nothing. I had just ran it for 20 minutes in my backyard two days before, so I thought it had to be something simple. I fiddled, checked, and re-checked, but it was definitely getting no spark. Hmmm, frustrating. Then a yell from my dad. The tow rig, which had about an 1/8th of a tank of gas in it, was on a steep enough incline that I guess the fuel pickup couldn’t reach the gas anymore, and it ran out. Now, you could call that a predicament. I’ve got a trailer with two busted u-bolts and an axle being held in place with nylon straps and duct tape sitting in the water under a boat that won’t start behind a Yukon that won’t start. Go ahead and laugh, there’s some humor there.

I finally decide to tie a line to the bow and drag the boat into a guest slip. Once I secured her, I took the gas tank out of the boat over to the Yukon. . .no funnel. I don’t have a funnel with me, so I go back to the boat, get the spare quart of oil, pour it into a ziplock bag, and cut the bottom off of the oil container to make a funnel. I get back to the Yukon just as a local good Samaritan gets over to me with a funnel that he noticed I needed. Good timing. We laugh, and fill up the Yukon, get it started, and get it out of the way. Then I’m back to fiddling with the outboard. (after I went to the marina to get more gas) I finally figure out after much trial and error that the kill button is not being held out far enough by the little insert attached to the coiled line. Weird. When I pull on it and hold it out all the way, it gets spark. So, I wrap the coil around it once and then slide in the insert, which holds it out enough, and the motor starts on the first pull. Oh yeah, the electric start wasn’t working because as it turned out, the existing battery that had sat on the charger the night before hadn’t held the charge, and was dead as a doornail. So I get the motor starting, and then comes the icing on the cake. I reach over the motor to secure the clasp that holds down the motor cover. As I do it, the clasp on the motor perfectly catches the clasp on my watch, and off my watch comes. . . . down, down, down, into the deep.

I did not sail that day. I didn’t even step the mast. I just walked back to the Yukon laughing and shaking my head with my pop. As we looked over the trailer, we noticed a funny thing: the tire on the other side of the broken axle went flat in the commotion. So, I towed my trailer, two flats, broken, duct taped, and all back to the vacation house and spent the rest of the day playing with my kids - much safer.

Don’t worry, the next day went much better. With the A-frame that I built and practiced with at home I single-handedly stepped the mast without a problem. (in practice I had bent two t-bolts, but this time none were bent) A couple of hours later I motored out and raised sails and got in some really great time sailing. Just after I finished stepping the mast I met Jim, the owner of Snowbird, from this message forum. Added bonus!

My actual time sailing was much less eventful. With all lines led aft, I found this boat to be much easier to sail than the 22’s that I had trained on. Much less scrambling around. The PO had done a nice job of setting her up for single-handing. The following day I went and bought a battery, and my electric start motor was working like a champ. Talk about being spoiled! The digital display on my knotmeter is burned & unreadable, but according to my GPS I got her up to 5.5 knots pretty consistently, which I decided was just fine for my first days at sail. I did spend half of my last day on vacation doing repairs, but all in all it was a really eventful and great first sailing experience, especially the sailing part! (and my 5 month old LOVED being on the boat!)

Eric Freedman
1984 SR/WK #4671
Folsom, CA

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2006 : 15:19:05

Eric,
Thanks for a great read. Couldn't help but chuckle. In my experience it is the ability to work through the unexpected that makes for the greatest of adventures. Thaty being said let's hope your next sail is less eventful. You obviously have the right attitude and perspective to be a great asset to the forum.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2006 : 23:09:38

Quite the first trip, but all's well as ends well.

As you've discovered, the C25 is a big load on the trailer... everything's got to be right for safe (and uneventful) trailering. I think I'll start replacing some of my rusty U-Bolts.

Edited by - on

Aceguy
1st Mate

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USA
77 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2006 : 00:50:51

That's for sure. I'm taking a sawzall to my other six before I go anywhere else (they're rusted & scraped on solid). I was lucky to find two that would work in the small town I was near.

It is a big load for sure. I forgot to mention, but when I loaded her back up (for the first time ever) I thought I would be smart and lower the keel to the tray before pulling her out to add some friction and take some pressure off of the trailer bow eye u-bolt (it seemed like a good idea at the time). Well, she wasn't quite centered and I dropped the keel on the edge of one of the boards that guides the keel into the tray. Tore that 22 year old wood right off the trailer frame. Something else I have to replace before I go sailing again.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2006 : 06:47:17

I would imagine that, if one doesn't trailor sail, the trailor becomes a neglected piece of critical equipment. I've owned my C25 for 17 years and the longest trailor trip I've made was from Milwaukee where I bought it, to Northern Michigan. An eight hour uneventful trip on a brand new trailor. Since then its been two miles to the ramp and two miles back once a year. Its starting to look a little rusty from outdoor winter storage, and the last few years I've been towing it without the surge brakes.

This year I planned on sailing in the Nationals so I had the brakes repaired with a new actuator and lines. I did manage to sail in the Natonals but not on my boat. I plan on replacing the tires and towing to the Nationals next year. You've given me some insight into some other areas I need to be aware of. Thanks Eric.

Edited by - aeckhart on 08/20/2006 06:50:04

Aceguy
1st Mate

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USA
77 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2006 : 10:50:35

That's very true. The PO had the trailer sitting on the side of his house for at least 15 years unused. He had the good foresight to take off all the rubber (tires, rollers, etc.) and store them in his garage, but the trailer was outside. He was nice enough to drop it off at a trailer shop before I came down, and I communicated with the shop over the phone on what needed to be done. I had the actuator and all four brake assemblies replaced, the brake lines flushed, the hitch body itself replaced, the wheel bearings replaced, and bearing buddies added before I came and got it. I guess that in 20 years, the valve stems get brittle, covered or not. That second flat that I got was due to a bad valve stem as well. Also, the wood (hidden by carpet) keel guides are clearly completely rotted after 20+ years. If the wood had been fresh, I'm sure it could have withstood having the keel lean on it for a few minutes. The bolts holding it were rusted through as well. Things you don't usually think about when maintaining a trailer. . .

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2006 : 12:02:50

Thanx for the story. Its never just one thing that goes wrong.

And, trailering is a whole 'nother part of owning one of these boats.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2006 : 15:09:50

As I began reading this, I said to myself, "It must have come out OK, 'cause he's writing about it..." But I have to say, I'm impressed by your sense of humor through it all! Many people would have, shall we say, lost it! I predict a great ownership experience for you and your lucky boat.

Edited by - on

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