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Fatal Flaw

C

crichard

Carl Richards
I have just read the archived postings and am very interested in Dick Kilroys aluminum ring with flanges. Also I would like to hear from Tony Carey with hull # 46 and his trip to the Caribbean as I have hull # 45. As for the fiberglassing fix done by the factory I checked mine out this past winter as I was preparing my boat for a trip from Connecticut to Florida which at this writing I have just completed. I removed the entire cabin sole and main cabin bench aft of the table. This gave me access to all the areas where glassing had been done. Also I had one access plate in the head under the shower seat area that allowed me access. What I found was that several of the fiberglass tabbing or reinforcements if called that had come loose. The cause as I far as I could see was poor joining because of poor preparation of the area where the glass was added. I redid all the glass work. I also tied all the main bulkhead and cabin sole support work in the shower area and the sole at the door to the forward cabin together alonwith the fore and aft sturcture under the head door across from the starboard locker together with steel threaded tie rods. I have see no seperation of the cabin sole from the bulkhead around the mast since doing this work. I would like to hear any comments on this and other ideas
 
I recently spoke to Pete Brown (constuction surveyor for M38s) about a couple of issues and I am currently writing up what he told me. The repair job and the changes made to the M383s is part of the discussion. It should be on the board or in the newsletter soon. Since you are in FLA, you may want to have him look at your job. I do not have his phone number with me but he is in our listing.
 
Thanks for the information. I will try to contact Peter Brown. I am a strong believer in trying to spread the mast loading support over as much area on the boat as possible. I will watch for the additional information and I encourage others to continue to provide any ideas.
 
Andy: Re your request for additional info, I did not check the oldies so hopefully I,m saying the same things here.Basically what happened was as I was reworking the factory rework after the "91 Marion Bermuda race, I felt, having messed about in boats my hole life, that some form of tie-rod was necessary in order to have the deck share in the mast loading particularly in adverse conditions. I contacted Ted Brewer and purchased a couple of plans for doing this. One was a tie-rod and turnbuckle bolted to the mast and thru to the deck aft of the mast. I rejected this because the area had not been filled for this point loading idea and felt the second offering would be stronger and not visiable from below. This is an alluminion ring cut to the size of the mast(3/4 thick and capable of sitting on the original Morgan partners(Rubber ring). On each mast side of this is welded a V out of aluminum. A thru rod (SS) mine is either 1/2 or 5/8, I don't remember, is put thru the mast and threaded on the ends for securing with nuts. The ring sits on the Morgan partners, rod through the mast when you load-up the rig all becomes secure. Again I make no claims this will solve anybodys problems, but it has made me feel more secure since 1991. If you wish to see a similiar rig and have an O'Day 34 near you many I have seen have a like rig. Happy Sailing
 
Dick, I will try to find an O'Day 37 to look at. With all respect, since I am in Connecticut would it be possible to coordinate with you to look at your boat. My phone number in Connecticut is (860) 434-5083? I am in the M-382 membership listing however I have moved and the address and phone number there is no longer valid.

 
I am very interestedin this topic, even though my boat, #163, shows no signs of any problem. Tabbing I can see is all firm, including in the head and the bilge. I can see no problem with the mast step and none with the keep under it. The boat seems pretty solid generally. She has been across the Atlantic twice with another skipper, but then maybe he had mild weather. Did Brewer think this mast step upgrade was necessary for all the boats or just the earlier ones?
I assume Dick Kilroy paid for the plans and I do not want to deny Brewer his fees; on the other hand, Dick now owns the plans. Dick, I would be willing to pay you for a set of the plans. Let me know what you would like.
Final question: how hard was it to take up the cabin sole? I hope it is screwed and bunged, but I haven't looked since I read your email.
 
<div>I found taking up the cabin sole easy. I used a small screw to back out the bungs. The sole was screwed in and the removal of the screws was not hard but done with care so as not to strip the heads and damage the teak sole.I would also like to know more about the specifics of the plan used by Dick. Such as the V shape and how the position of installing the thru bolt was detemined.
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