Please help me with my DS #127

[nojudge2000]

My father bought DS 127 in 1961 (built 1959) from a guy named Jim Haskins, in the year I was born. The next year, when I was 1, I took the first of many memorable voyages on the Merry Mac (we are of the Maclay klan, emigrating from Scotland in 1736) with my beloved father, who passed away in 2007. I watched her as she passed from oldest of 5 sibs finally to me, the youngest, her "rightful" owner. (Well, at least I always thought so!)

I love to sail my Merry Mac. My fondest memories (and best adventures) are of sailing on Lake Chatauqua (finger lake in w. NY) during our annual summer vacation trips as we escaped there from Pittsburgh and my dad escaped from his high-pressure work. Now, years later, as a female captain of a vintage boat with mahogany seats and coaming, I know I stick out in the typical crowd of sailors. (I love it when you well-meaning men try to instruct me on how to launch her...I've been doing this since before you were born!) Hubby is not too excited about my sport (could never figure out why...isn't this the best?) Have not been able to sail for a few years now because taking care of little children, but now they're teens and I am dying to get back on the water. I live 60 miles north of Pittsburgh, PA. (Yeah, Heinz ketchup and the Steelers and Andy Warhol!)

Help! I need advice on my Day Sailer!

Over time I've replaced nearly all the original parts. My problem now: I desperately need a new mast (with shrouds and all) and boom. I'm not getting younger, either, and raising the mast (even with my girl friend first mates) has never been something I could do without charming some young guy or two to help (but I fear I'm not quite so able to persuade them at my old age of 50). I really want to make rigging and launching the old girl as easy as possible so I can get out on the water without chewing up my whole day. (Costs to wet dock, or even dry dock, prohibitively expensive in these parts.)

Question: What is your best advice about how to get replacement spars? It needs to fit a DS I. I'm happy with used....but would that mean I ought to just buy a whole 'nother DSI and heck, just use all the bits to replace the entire rigging? I price the new masts, and I could probably buy an entire older boat for same, and I'm not sure if the DSIII mast will fit my old girl -- does anyone know? My mom tells me I should just sell the old boat and get a new one. But I love my Merry Mac, and the many memories she holds for me.... (Would anyone ever buy just the hull, with no parts? What on earth would I do with it? I don't have room to store 2 boats in my yard for very long... or maybe I should just go for it and then try both?)

I want to sell my old British Seagull (motor -- now a collector's item, I'm sure!) and at some point (one way or another) I probably ought to get another OB. (I love to SAIL into docks or shores....kind of a pride issue, I guess, but I suppose I really ought to have a motor...) Any recommendations? I need a long shaft. It'd be nice to have an idle position, after all these years without...! (Reverse wouldn't hurt either...for all those motor dudes who nearly cut me off as I sail into port! Don't they get it?)

Sails are good and were replaced awhile back. I'm not a racer (wish I had learned in my younger years but it's prob. for the better...I need to relax, not stress). More interested in hearing the water and the wind and teaching a new generation how to sail at this point.

Also, any specific advice about the flotation? I figure I really ought to replace it (I've never capsized...tried, but well...). Best way? Rub rail....how best to do this? It IS the original, and looks bad. Do I go to the manufacturer? New RR would really dress the gal up but I know it's expensive.

Lastly, do you guys think I'm nuts to try to finish the refurbish, sail til I'm 70 (I'm a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo, so I'm actually in good shape) and pass it along to my daughter or son? I would love any and all advice and thoughts you all may give (not to mention, encouragement! I'm a rarity in these parts, as a sailor girl, you see...)

I'm trying to have the Merry Mac be as "sailor friendly" as possible. Ready to have her ready (seats are all freshly varnished and I'm ready to paint the decks (again!) and whatever else I should be doing) so I can dump her in the drink and feel the wind in my ears once again. Wouldn't mind making some new friends along the way as well.

Hope you guys are all getting out on the water. I live in cold parts, and obviously have some work to do. Dying to sail in 2011 after a 4 year hiatus! Many thanks.
Bonnie
P.S. Sorry for the length of the posts. Future ones shorter. Thanks for indulging me.

[Baysailer]

Bonie,

I can't offer much advice on the refurb/refit process but you got my moral support. I definetly think the merrymac is worth your refitting to meet your needs so do what you gotto do to get back on the waters. Great story and I'm sure you'll get all the advice you need here. Welcome.

Fred

[K.C. Walker]

Hi Bonnie,

I see spring fever has hit and it's time to try to get the boat in order. You have a great boat story and it would be fun to restore if you have the time and/or the money.

Last summer I recommended that you snap some photos of your boat and post them here to get further advice. There are a number of people who are absolutely nuts about working on these boats. The reality is; no matter how much work you put into these boats they are not worth that much in the end. On the other hand, if you plan to sail the boat until 70 they can be a bargain.

It appears that you no longer have your Proctor mast, hopefully you sold it and the proceeds can go towards a new mast. If you don't mind the hunt and are patient there are bargain boats out there that you might snag for parts.

[navahoIII]

Bonnie,

Wonderful story, and it is absolutely understandable that you'd want to keep your boat, with all the happiness you had on her.

Ours is a 1961, sail # 1001, so it is similar to yours except that enclosed fiberglass benches replaced those charming mahogany ones. The new benches are part of a three-part flotation system (third tank in bow under stowage compartment).

A great source for all parts is D&R Marine, in Assonet, MA.
Call them and ask for Rudy (508) 644-3001. Tell him -- or ask him -- what you need.

Cape Cod Shipbuilidng, in Wareham, MA is now the official builder of the Daysailer. They can give you excellent advice and service.

If you are wary of having to step the mast each time (since you will be trailering, right?) you may want to rig up a cuddy-top hinge (available at D&R) so that the mast is "deck stepped" and raising it is a fairly simple matter of pinning the mast base to the hinge and walking it up. If you attach the sidestays beforehand you will only need to secure the forestay after raising.

By the way, if you do have it deck-stepped you'll need a shorter mast than the original. Ours is just shy of 22'. and it works very well.

Best of luck and good sailing!

[kokko]

You won't find anyone here in favor of trashing the boat!
As for the spars, I would think that somewhere there is a salvaged spar that would do the job.

As for the flotation, does your boat have the foam block filled flotation tanks in the bow and under the seats? if so, they should be replaced. The old beaded styrofoam gets waterlogged. Absent that, you should be able to adhere closed cell foam panels under the cuddy and in the cockpit. You might be able to secure inflatable flotation bags.

I was able to clean my rubrail with 000 steel wool and some mineral spirits or MEK.

[algonquin]

but I fear I'm not quite so able to persuade them at my old age of 50).

Keep it, fix it, and pass it on.



Hopefully you have a change of heart about the “50" threshold. If I were only 50 I would be the same age as my DS. There is still a lot of life left in the both us don’t you know.

[nojudge2000]

Hey,
You guys are great. I can't tell you how encouraged I am by the posts.

I do still have the original Proctor mast, so taking all the advice and some other research (D&R Marine, yeah!) I decided to just go ahead and and repair the mast. I figure I can order new stay spreaders, shrouds, and I think I ought to replace the halyards (I have this fear that since the originals are still in that mast, that they are worn and I can't have one break while I'm raising my rags!). Hopefully this weekend it won't rain and I can get the tarp off and have a look.

KC, you are absolutely right...I need (and will!) get some pix posted! That's a great suggestion.

I appreciate the advice on the flotation, too. I need to study those posts more.

Wow, I am so excited. You all have given me renewed hope! My best friend, who was also my awesome first mate, moved a few years ago but I now have a person or two who wants to learn how to sail. (As you know, it takes a certain kind of person!)

I'll be back to give you the updates, post pix, and get more advice!
Thanks much, guys!
Bonnie

[GreenLake]

I'm just going to give a +1 on what K.C. wrote, but to let you know that I'm looking forward to your pix and to learn more of your progress.

[nojudge2000]

Hi, All,
You have no idea how much these posts and your willingness to give me some sage advice encourage me!

Great news: With the lady in the backyard for now 5 years, I finally, with the help of two wonderful guy friends, have been able to pull her out of the ditch and get the wheels off the trailer and go repair them. (My beloved brother lives down the street and is helping me with those jobs that take 2 people! he loves to sail, too!).

Dumb question: What's the easiest way to post pictures? Do I need to post them on a URL first and then link to there? Hmm. I'm usually pretty "tech with it" but am a little puzzled here; why can't I just upload pix to the post?

So. Working on the trailer (necessary evil, these darn trailers.) Re: earlier posts, I do love the idea of doing a hinged mast. Can I actually cut the mast and put a hinge in -- am I reading that right? Seems to me that would sure make it easier to raise the mast.

Looking the boom over, yikes, it really does have one major crack from the stern end. Bad enough that the bottom of the mainsl at the stern end, for a foot or so comes out when underway. Ideas? I really don't think it's repair-able.

I need to look over the advice on the flotation. I know it's waterlogged (it's old!). Flotation appears to have been shot into holes just forward of the seats (where the cuddy cabin starts) and also, I believe, aft, at the transom, where the boom crutch would go. What should I shop for, and how do you get the old stuff out?

I'm also thinking about the plugs way down there in the bow, and then at the transom end -- she seems to be drained of lake water, but do I need to do anything else on that front to make her seaworthy?

Should I just go to Cape Cod Shipbldg online and order the couple of fittings (e.g. the "eye" right at the point of the bow that broke off) I need?

THANKS for any and all help. I live an hour away from Lake Pymatuning in western PA, where I like to sail (well, the real treasure is Lake Chatauqua due north just over the PA/NY state line -- google that) and any boaters around here (the few there are) all seem to have enormous motor boats....ah, what they are missing!

Someone please be sure to tell me how to post the photos...thanks!!!!!
Bonnie in PA[/img]

[GreenLake]

Nojudge2000 wrote: "Dumb question: What's the easiest way to post pictures? Do I need to post them on a URL first and then link to there? Hmm. I'm usually pretty "tech with it" but am a little puzzled here; why can't I just upload pix to the post?"

If you have photos on some photo sharing site, you just click "Img" when you edit the post, paste the URL and click "Img" again.

Or, you can use some application to downsize your pictures to 800x600 (landscape) and then add them to your gallery on this site. (See under "Photos"). After you've uploaded, you check the 4-digit number that's in the link to the image when you are viewing it, say 1048

Type [album]1048[/album] when you edit your post, and you'll see it replaced by a little thumbnail that people can click on.

The nice thing about images on this site is that they don't go away like external pictures often do, so somebody reading an older post can still see the images.

[Roger621]

Bonnie,

Pleased to hear your enthusiasm in your posts. I am 57 years young and have just lovingly restored a '68 DS1.....itching to get her in the water but never thought about my age!
A word on the rub-rail. I purchased the rub-rail from Rudy at D&R Marine and installed it quite easily. I actually purchased a heat gun to assist in the installation, however, I found it went on quite easily with a little stretching and gentle persuasion. Check the condition of the PVC insert than goes under the rub-rail and all the way around the deck/hull seal. Mine was reusable with some stapling. It makes quite a difference to the boat.

I also hinged the mast which is quite easy to do if you follow the instructions that come with the hinge bracket.

Good luck with getting back in the water.