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1970 Morgan 38 centerboard

N

newby

william cochran
I am in the process of buying a 38 with centerboard and survey is coming up soon. Are there any issues I should point out to the surveyor? Anything I should look for in my final inspection and test sail? Thanks for any help for this 38 Newby.
 
William,
The chainplates are bolted to a steel channel. One located in the stbd hanging locker and the other in the 'head' behind the sliding cabinate doors. This channel bar is subject to rusting and both have been replaced on MARGARET hull #10.
Just remember its a boat, its 38 years old and they look and sail great.
Good Luck
Truitt
 
I did my personal inspection today and notice moisture in chainplate area. So I will recalk under all deck plates and stanchions. This boat is pretty basic. Looks like alot of boat for the money. Survey weds. I'm curious to see bottom and centerboard. I need to find a bigger headsail. has a furling system but only has a working jib. Anyone have a 130 or larger for sale?
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Survey went well today. We accepted her! not much bottom build up because she was moored in brackish water canal. Prop was fouled though. I love this modified full keel.
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Congratulations. Where will you be be keeping her? Good luck and smooth sailing.
Truitt
 
Congratulations-

You got a great boat. She sails like a dream, and balances great with board adjustment. Of course there will be maintenace issues with a boat this old. but treat it as a labor of love, or better yet a privledge of sorts.
Kind of like women - there will always be something, but you can't live without-em.
I have '70 #77 'Sails Lady' in Dunedin Florida municipal marina. I've had her for 4 years and still have no regrets.
Welcome to the club. Great sailing
 
Does anyone know where there's a drawing or photo of how the centerboard come together? She has cables and rods with stuffing box, but I'm not sure how it all works. We dropped the board during survey and I expected a stainless steel cable attached to the board like my old Catalina 22. But I couldnt even see what make board drop. So anyone with specs, photos or hand drawings please forward. Anyone in the central east coast of Florida (Melbourne) area with this model?
 
Congratulations on your purchase.

My hull number was part of the Serial Number molded into the stern.

It was also written on just about every panel or loose part that eventually was added to the boat during the building process.

Did your get the manuals and builders papers? It should also be in there.

Enjoy your boat.

Alan Shapiro
s/v Emanon
 
Congratulations,the cm38 is a great boat,sails well and worth upgrading. I've owned #56 "Teal" for 12 years. Went to the Keys and Exumas in '04/'05, the CB is a definite advantage but needs a lot of attention. I have some info on the CB that I could email if you send your address.
Bill
 
Bill,

Please post that information to the board or at least copy me with the information and I'll find a way to represent it on the board in the photos section or something. I think anyone with the CM38 that is new to the boat will benefit.
 
Thanks Larry that would be great. and Bill my email is c247surf@aol.com
They were trying to lift cb up into the boat and bent the sheve. It is clamped off inside the trunk for the tme being.
Bottoms should be finished Thurs and I'm having fuel polished and all filters replaced to make sure she is ready for the trip home.
 
Just got here home today and found all kinds of goodies stashed onboard. a floating West Marine. But I found lots questions as well. Like how does the engine driven frig work? I didnt see a seperate circuit breaker for it. anyone have one that can explain it? All the portals have been changed out except large solid Lexan ones. Anyone had luck rebedding the old ones or suggest replacement? Thanks for all the help guys!
 
Bill,
Engine driven systems usually have a timer that operates the electric clutch on the compressor. This is usually a one hour timer. Follow the wires coming out of the compressor clutch mechanism, they will lead you to the switch. If you dont have a timer you have to manually turn the compressor on and off. If you forget you might damage the compressor. You usually run the system until the plates frost over. Over running the system created the possibility of sucking liquid freon back into the compressor, this will damage the valves in it.
As far as the lexan ports, you can take off the old ones and take it to a plastic or glass shop. ask them to make new ones for you. I have found that bedding them with butyl rubber works best, this is the same stuff that they use to bed car windshields. It is sticky and never dries completely but it will work for a long time. The downside is trying to remove it when you take out the ports. The stuff needs to be scraped off anf then you need to wipe the remains with laquer thinner, very messy!!
Hope this helps.

Best wishes on your new Morgan

Jose
 
With any installation, dry fit first and use 3M blue painter's tape around the item 1/8-3/16" and then around the item, then remove before the adhesive/bedding compound sets up. This makes for a clean job.
Jim
 
If you want to buy a used sail, I would suggest you contact Bacons in Annapolis. They have a large consignment inventory. They have a web site. Will ship them to you and give you 30 days to check them out and either keep them or return them. They also test them before they accept them in inventory. They have been in business more than 30 years.
 
Ok I'f taken out the floor struts that are in front of centerboard pulley and found the pulley has been pulled into the bracket that holds it. The pulley is very rusted. Where can I get a replacement pulley?
 
I straighten the bent brackets holding pulley and wire brushed and WD 40 the pulley. Pulley is back in operation but I would still like to replace it. So in ideas on where to find replacement? Centerboard is back operational but I still plan to replace cable before using it. I have found the boat to be pretty good at pointing with out it,
 
Bill: Any power transmission distributor should be able to come close on the pulley diameter and groe size. They also should be able to get this item in SS and made in a solid onstruction rather than split.

Good luck

Dick
 
For your reference, WD 40 is a terrible marine lubricant. It attracts dust and dirt and builds up over time.
 
Richard, have you had luck finding a replacement? I googled power transmission dist. and found none in my area of Fl. Jim I will use Boshield to seal up from moisture. Thanks Guys!
 
Bill: Power Transmission is part of my backround. You should be able to find it in the yellow pages or try a Bearing Distributor. Two guys I know who are in the P.T. business in Tampa, Fl are Rick Rauch @ Rauch Sales Co. Inc. , 813 988 0358 or Bill Taylor @ Taylor Industrial Sales, 813 663 9111. If you contact either of these guy's tell them I said Hello.

Good Luck

Dick
 
To William Cochran: I have been off the board for most of the year and could have offered some help on the centerboard issues you raise. Are you all straight on the board. I have a CM38 that I have owned for 29 years and raced it every year for 25. Never had a lick of trouble with the board and all of the equipment related to it have never been replaced. I have taken the board out of the boat at least twice in order to sand and repair a couple of chips taken out of the leading edge. We put a strip of stainless steel on the leading edge to avoid future bottom strike damage. Great boat and I hope you have wonderful experiences with her. We certainly have had a world of wonderful sailing, cruising and racing with her. Jim Hudnut/Stella Maris (CM #79)
 
To Jim Hudnut: Are you saying that your cb cable has been in the boat for 29 years? I find that incredible, I'm lucky to get 2 seasons out of mine. Does your setup use an epoxy filled SS tube sliding in a stuffing box? I get serious corrosion right where the 7x19 wire exits the epoxy filled tube after 1 season.
Bill cm38 #56 Teal
 
Bill: Yes indeed.There is a stainless tube running into a stuffing box with wire connected to the centerboard. The forward end of the tube is connected to a wire that runs through a sheave just forward of the bulkhead and back to a small diameter winch located under the starboard cockpit seat with an external head allowing you to lower and raise the board with a winch handle. As far as I know the cable is the original one installed at the time the boat was made. I bought the boat in 1979 and have never replaced the cable. The boat has been sailed hard in many races and cruises over those years. It appears to me that salt water is the culprit in the CB M38's that have had problems with the cable. Stella Maris has always been in the fresh water of the Great Lakes.
 
Jim, Thanks for the reply,you're probably right about salt water being the culprit. I'm considering using a hi-tech rope such as spectra/dyneema attached to the end of a solid ss rod. These ropes have the strength and stretch characteristics of wire and should not have a corrosion problem but I'm concerned about chafe.
I'd like to hear from others who have had cb cable problems and if they found a solution or have suggestions.
Bill
 
Bill
I don't know anything about the CM 38 center board, but I do know something about spectra. You are correct to be concerned about chafe. This is the weakness of spectra. When spectra is used on commercial vessels, special chafing gear is used where the spectra passes through a fairlead. I do not think I would use it in this application.

Frank
 
Braided stainless is the best way to go in my opinion. Maintenance is extremely critical on any part of the boat in close proximity to the water.
 
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