Tick, tick, tick, it's not just tuna we have a problem with, and this is really a must watch...
Anyone with an older boat knows that at some point or other there are some jobs that are just going to happen...
Part of this is simply a matter of age and material fatigue but some of it is that just about every boat I know has some designed in issue of the "What the hell were they thinking of" variety. For instance, every CAL 34 owner, at some time or other, is going to have to deal with the dreaded beam problem...
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| The old beam from "So It Goes" |
Which is a combination of bad design and choosing the wrong material. The fix is actually very simple and not overly expensive but it is something that needs to be addressed at some time or other.
The same thing goes with any number of bits of stainless steel on the boat whether it be rigging wire, chainplates, or rudder posts. Any of which, I might add, can seriously screw you up big time.
So, since I've dealt with the dreaded beam, replaced my mast, chainplates, and rigging, the remaining likely source of catastrophic failure is the rudder...
That rudder post has been working hard since 1969 which, in my opinion, is way past its sell by date or to put it into more real terms... Nervous making.
Some year back, folks in the CAL 40 fleet got together because
A) A lot of CAL 40 rudders were failing.and
B) They all wanted to go faster and be more competitive.So, they got together and hired the late Carl Schumacher to design a more modern balanced elliptical rudder which improved speed, handling, and balance greatly. Which makes sense and if you have to replace something why not improve it while you're at it!
More on our new rudder project soonish...
Listening to Jillette Johnson
So it goes...
