Why the Downeaster 38 ? ~

I have loved the lines of this yacht since the first time my eyes laid upon her.

When I was a younger lad, growing up near water and hanging out in marinas, it became quite easy to notice certain boats and yachts with style. My father had a few boats over the years, none of which had any amount of style and grace. A good friend of mine once said... "life is to short to own an ugly boat" and I agree.

I recall walking the dock of BWB marina back in the day, and always noticing the 'Lily Kathleen'. A late 1970's classic, a Downeaster 38' Cutter. I was smitten from the start. I even remember doing some cleaning and varnish work on her once she came on the market. It wasn't until getting to ride along for a sea trial one day, helping Randy with a prospective buyer, that I realized how fond of the Downeaster I really was. It would be many years until another one came into my life.

I found my boat on Yachtworld.com.  I had been perusing the internet for small-ish crusing sailboats able to fit a nice small family aboard comfortably. Also I wanted and really needed something with the option to charter out. A boat with enough space and livability to carry a few paying passengers for a few days.  A double stateroom layout would be perfect! However, a 2 stateroom layout is hard to find in a boat under 40', and the cost of owning and maintaining a boat over 40' is silly! 38 feet of boat is plenty! Especially since I found a Downeaster 38' with an optional interior configuration and a 2 stateroom layout.  This is sort of a rare thing....

  Dimensions and specs for all Downeaster 38' rig types.

This is the line drawing of the Downeaster 38' Cutter with Sail Plan and standard interior.

Down East Yachts was the concept of Bob Poole, a Mainer who relocated in California to build boats. His first model was the Downeaster 38' which he contracted Newport resident and naval architect Henry Mohrschladt to design. It proved a successful design from its conception in 1975 and saw around 250 boats built until they closed in 1981.  Down East Yachts was located in Santa Ana, California and also built a few other models designed by Poole himself: the 32', 41' and 45' although the 38' was the only model designed by Morschladt and the more coveted design.  These 38's are certainly sought after boats and can be found all over the far reaches of  the globe.  

Original yacht plaque on our boat.  Lindita was #206 in production completed in May of 1979. 

I have no idea of how many owners shes had before us, but one things for sure, we'll be the proudest ones yet! She wont be the same boat once we set sail with her again!

As of now, we've owned the boat since September 2011, over 1 1/2 years!!!  and in my opinion were over half way through with our restoration.   Though many tough challenges lay ahead of us still, with every project completed, I've learned that much more. I'm very excited for the next couple seasons and the opportunity to take on new projects, bringing us that much closer to our goal...  Sailing away ~

Cockpit Scuppers ~

I never realized how much rain can fall on a boat until I took apart the cockpit scuppers. Once the scuppers (drains) were removed and the drain holes were covered with masking tape, its amazing how much water will collect, or will drip into the interior of the boat.  Having just re-installed the diesel engine, this all-the-sudden became a huge concern since they were located directly over the engine room.

Luckily my good friend and dock neighbor Ryan donated a  new pair of scupper drains to LINDITA!

 
They were a totally different size and shape from the previous ones, however things like that don't really seem to matter anymore. I'll make them fit, somehow.  Another customized improvement is underway!


    First I used a Dremel to bevel the orifices to fit the new scupper drains. 
                                                                                               

This was the old cockpit drain system constructed of  pvc plastic pieces. I hit my head on these a few times before ripping them out.  Also they leaked.  

Test fitting the new drains, they are a little to long for the desired space. This area of the engine room is crucial head space for crawling over the engine and into a comfortable spot to work.  Needing as much room as possible, I hacksawed off enough of the threaded drain tube so I could still install a backing block and nut.

Also the engine room ceiling was painted.

 For this I used a West Marine topside paint of sea gloss white. It should wear well in the engine room.

 The new stainless steel drain scuppers, cut down and ready to go.

Once installed the cockpit takes on a whole new feel. I dumped several 5 gal buckets of water into the cockpit to test for leaks...

No drips, no leaks! The drains were finished off with a few select pieces of preformed radiator hose from the auto parts store to make the right curves and keep the whole works relatively simple, using as few parts as possible.  Now when I climb into the engine room I'll hopefully only bump my head on a rubber hose. 

                                          

Bow Down ~

My last post covered restoration of the mast, booms and rigging. Here I'll address another major issue connected with the mast project, the bow pulpit and bowsprit.

 The very most forward point of the boat, on the tip of the bowsprit is called the Kranze Iron.  It holds and helps spread the load from the forward rigging.  Upon removal we found that the round plug of wood had broken free from the bowsprit itself and was sort of floating in place.

 One thing helping to hold it all together was the bobstay. Its a piece of standing rigging going from the bowsprit down to the waterline attached to a chainplate or tang.  This particular rig also has a dolphin striker which acts mostly as a support for the bobstay.

You can see the dolphin striker pointing down here.

 

The very bottom of the bow, just above the waterline is where the bobstay attaches to a tang fitting. Notice the crack in the bobstay shackle...

Luckily it all held together thru 2 days of sailing, crossing the gulf from Tampa to Panama City. Here you can see the bow under sail. Notice the support block under the bowsprit, looking a little aged.

After removing the dolphin striker, bobstay and bowsprit, we noticed the wood plug had broken free under the kranze iron.

The plug and center of the bowsprit were cored out and filled with a new fiberglass core to mate the plug back on. The entire bowsprit was then coated with epoxy...

Then painted with 3 coats of Awlgrip. Now she's ready to go back on the boat.

But first, a little more structural support work to be done. I glassed in two teak ribs to help support the deck area where the bowsprit and sampson posts join together.

 Under the V-berth I found the access to the bobstay mounting bracket buried under layers of rotten fiberglass. Years of wet, salty, muddy anchor chain had been dripping down thru this area and into the bilge, eroding the integrity of the fiberglass. Once I started picking at it, it all had to come out.

 This is the back of the bobstay tang bracket after removal and cleaning.

Two blocks of mahogany should help support this bracket and also soak up some resin.

 After glassing in the bobstay tang bracket its ready for paint and also feels quite secure. One step closer to getting the bow back on!

These are the Sampson Posts that stand next to the bowsprit and receive mooring lines. Also the dolphin striker has been polished and it ready to remount.

 The Sampson posts after filling the old holes with new wood and getting a coat of epoxy.

Another 3 coats of Awlgrip and the Sampson posts are ready to go.

After closely examining the bows components, I was curious about the compression post below where the mast is stepped on deck. After removing the cabin floor, I removed the water tanks and exposed the bottom of the compression post located in the bilge.

The mahogany wood was in fine shape, so I stripped back the old glass and filled in some new cloth and epoxy.  Another piece of wood was glassed in to help support the floor around the compression post.

A new teak block was constructed to support the bowsprit on deck. You can see the 30+ year old block has seen better days.  Also in this picture you can see a piece of standing rigging coiled up ready to go back on the mast. Along with a polished anchor hawse pipe cover.

 Cleaning and inspecting all standing rigging components.

Getting ready to bolt it all back together. You can see the backing plate for the dolphin striker bolts epoxied in place here.

Here is the bowsprit after installation. You can see the Sampson posts sticking up and the dolphin striker sticking down.  I forgot to mention about the original bolts holding the dolphin striker on, or should I saw barely holding it on. They turned to rusty dust upon removal. It felt good to replace them with nice, shiny new stainless ones!

I am replacing the roller furling unit and had to drill out the upper hole on the kranze iron for a bigger sized clevis pin to accommodate the upgraded rigging.

Here is the bow almost complete.   Kranze Iron, Dolphin Striker and Bobstay with turnbuckle all installed.

Finally it all comes together! The new bowsprit with new Harken furling system is installed!!

Standing on the end of this new bowsprit, feeling the magnitude of this boat coming together has been an experience like no other. I am now beginning to understand what this project will require from me... strength and perseverance, and oh yeah, money.  Were getting much closer to going sailing!

Up the Mast~

One of the very first projects I started on Lindita was to re-fit the mast. In my head this was a fairly simple concept to grasp. First you take the mast off, next you paint the mast, then you put the mast back on. Nothing to it...

Here's how it went down...

This is the mast and boom in the work area at Bluewater Bay High & Dry.

Beginning sanding and removing hardware.

45' of mast to sand and strip.

Alot of the mast had very heavy corrosion like this winch base here.

This is one of the spreader arms with moss growing on the bottom side. This is whats left of the original factory paint.

 Mast made in the USA! LeFIELL  Its a pretty stout rig and she's getting ready for another life.

After sanding and cleaning.

The mast head is pretty impressive constructed of nice thick aluminum.

The mast, main and staysail booms, along with some pieces for the spreaders and mast. All prepped.

  

I used a Sterling product  for the primer. It has a zinc chromate and a high build property.

Followed by an AwlGrip topcoat called Snow White.

These are the original mahogany  spreader arms from the rig. Cleaned Up!

Here they are after painting.  Hanging behind them is the bowsprit. I did the bow project and the mast sort of at the same time. However, that is reserved for another entry!

Tapping the holes for mounting hardware.

Ready for reassembly.

With a little help from my pals at BWB High & Dry, lifting the mast is easy!

Now gently fellas....

Quickly pinning the rigging to the chain plates.

Standing back to admire the freshly painted mast, Dennis and crew double checking the turn buckles.

Back in slip A 57 after reinstalling the mast. Next comes the boom and sails, running rigging, and lifelines.

This was the first big project I finished on the boat.  During the process of restoring the mast, a few other things came to the surface needing attention before the mast could be stepped back on the boat... Primarily, the bow. 

I'll get to that next.