DaySailer.org Forum

I will be selling my 1974 DS II soon, so am looking for an easy way to deal with the uphaul line. It is a 3-ply, and one of the strands has frayed through b/c the rubber plug through which it runs had come out without my noticing it and the rope was cut by the sharp fiberglass top edge of the exit hole.

I am not interested in trying to careen the boat and remove the CB, which I imagine might be the correct way to proceed, so am looking for an easier repair that would at least strengthen it in some way to make it dependably serviceable. Is there a way?

For instance: cut a circular hole in the CB trunk to fish out uphaul line, then whip or shrink it, or something line that? I have successully patched such holes before using hardware cloth as a temporarily wired backing.

Careening a DS takes less time than cutting and patching an access hole, in my view, and I'm no slouch with fiberglass myself.

If your boat is on land, the easiest way is to get two (or three) friends. "Launch" the boat onto a carpet, and tip it either on its side, or all the way upside down (onto some support that the cuddy deck doesn't get to take the load). With discussing the procedure and the setup takes probably half an hour, more if you have a beer afterward. Either position should let you do your work. That work might be quick enough for your buddies to stay around so that they can help you reverse the procedure. (We found that two strong guys and a teenager for spotting, moving supports etc. are enough to control the DS through that maneuver, but extra hands will help).

Cutting a hole will always leave a trace, unless you do a lot of work fairing and finishing - and that really costs time.

I have careened my DS2 6 or 7 times alone. I just tie a rope around the mast base or CB trunk, through the cockpit and around a tree. Then just drive the trailer in the opposite direction. I haven't been able to pull the boat over (careen) by pulling on a halyard so I use a come-along attached to a convenient swing set or what-have-you.

I understand you want a quick fix but I can't suggest anything other than replacing the rope

Here is 1 of 3(?) 'standard' DS2 CB control line layouts (my dowhaul exits midway on the top of the trunk), hope it helps...

Yes, gabond, I suspect you are referring to the downhaul, not the uphaul?

My DH line is also showing signs of wear, but just normal "fuzziness", no really damaged areas. The CB trunk grommet is still intact and smooth. With boat on trailer and CB up, I can just see the end of the DH line, where it's buried in the CB. Since CB removal is not an option for my boat (long story), I've often wondered if I could replace the DH line if/when it becomes necessary, and I think I could ... ? Another project for another day ...

I guess it is the downhaul, thanks. One continuous line...

I am still thinking of using a door drill bit and making a hole in line with the exit hole. But it won't happen soon, as it is pretty cold out there. I suppose I could just sell it and say "good luck with that!"

Appreciate the advice and comments.

Still mulling this over...

Now thinking of putting in a 4" port to avoid all the hassle and the need to wait for warmer weather, but wondering where exactly I would put it (i.e., how high and how far back from the front of the cb trunk) and whether I would risk cutting anything else with a saber saw as I cut my circle. I read through Roger Conrad's detailed and excellent cb discussion but remain unsure, especially b/c I have no line going up to the cuddy bulkhead as everyone else seems to have and is represented in the diagram posted above.

Any thoughts on where exactly to locate an access port? TIA

Jerry

Jerry, I obviously don't have a DSII, therefore my question. I know the DSII has a double hull. Is the CB trunk doubled as well? If yes, would that give issues for adding an inspection port?

Don't know, don't know. Back to Roger...

My DS2 is double skinned along the top half of the CB trunk, then then it becomes cockpit floor, then seat, then coaming, then deck.

I've been looking at jdoorly's DS2 cutaway drawing and it looks to be fairly accurate. Only difference with my DS2 is the DH line going to the cuddy roof, mine doesn't. I am not sure that one inspection port would be able to access both line attachment points. I'm also not sure if there is enough room to put in a 4" inspection port where it is needed. If you did try to put in an inspection port, I would think that it would be better to have it above the waterline. It looks like an access opening might be able to be made on the top of the CB trunk, one inside the cuddy for the uphaul attachment, and one outside the cuddy for the downhaul attachment point. The opening would have to have a gasket to keep it watertight while closed for sailing. Openings on top of the trunk might also provide a way to fix a jammed CB, something common to the DS2.

As to the double hull question. In the cockpit the trunk may have a double thickness. Inside the bilge (from the pictures I've taken there), it does not appear to be double walled, but that area would be below the waterline.

My boat like Tim Webb's boat has some kind of goop on the centerboard bolt that has to be removed to access the CB bolt, if CB removal is needed.

John

Sun was out today, so took off the cover to get a good pic. Attached is the current situation with the cb completely uphauled and cleated. The two intact strands of the downhaul are visible to the right of the cuddy face, with the 3-ply to the left and the broken strand hanging loose. The problem is that I can't pull the downhaul through the entry hole on the cb trunk because the broken strand on the inside jams. That face of that curved trunk inside the cuddy was where I considered placing a 4" port.

But doesn't the cb drop of its own if not cleated? Thought I saw that somewhere.

Aha! Now that the snow is gone and the ground not underwater, I was able to crawl under the boat. I now see that that one strand has broken at the insertion point into the cb, and just make out the end of the broken piece at the left side. This means that there is a free floating remnant between the bottom of the hull here and the exit hole on the cb trunk--unless actually two strands are broken, one at the exit hole and another underneath.

Roger says: "If the downhaul is parted where it inserts into the centerboard, this is good news in that you may not have to remove the centerboard to do this repair." I do not intend to repair this, thinnking what is easy for him may be a PITA for me, but have the following minimal procedure in mind:

• try to remove the broken off remnant with needle-nose pliers or something similar (edit: nope, it is laid rope and one strand does precisely not move against the others)
• cut back the broken strand on the outside of the cuddy wall and crimp or glue it to the two remaining strands
• make sure that the result allows the cb to be lowered with the two remaining strands
• hand the new owner Roger's document and point to the relevant page

Any thoughts about that?

' Roger says: "If the downhaul is parted where it inserts into the centerboard, this is good news in that you may not have to remove the centerboard to do this repair." '

This statement intrigues me: by "parted", does Roger mean broken all the way, or frayed like yours? Reason I ask is that I am very interested in doing a CBDH line replacement if such can be accomplished w/o CB removal, for the same reason John mentioned: goop on the CB pivot bolt ...

My DH line arrangement ('79) is exactly like the illustration above, with the tackle attached to the cuddy lip. PITA for moving stuff into/out of the cuddy, but very efficient for making sure the CB stays down when you want it to ...

BTW, the DH line on The Red Witch is braided, not 3-strand, but I don't think it's double braid ... ?

I've decided to go ahead and order Roger's book, as there are some other things I want to accomplish on the boat that I know he covers in it. Sent him an e-mail request today, but haven't heard back yet ...