Messages

16

Interior Structures / Re: P323 Dinette Table Clamping Bracket

« on: September 11, 2020, 05:13:47 PM »

To confirm, Zufrieden (hull 344) has a quick-release pin as well. 

Happily, looks like you've hit upon a good solution.

Thanks rnebergall. Blue Sky's hull number is 104 so quite a bit earlier than Zufrieden.

17

Interior Structures / Re: P323 Dinette Table Clamping Bracket

« on: September 09, 2020, 06:17:29 PM »

I've just re-read SailRxSin's "table post" thread and according to Selene's post, P323's may have had different mounting systems. His uses a quick-release pin.

18

Interior Structures / P323 Dinette Table Clamping Bracket

« on: September 09, 2020, 12:27:06 PM »

Hi Everyone,

The dinette table on Blue Sky will not stay in place after fully clamping the bracket (trying to think the proper name of this bracket - clamping bracket?) so I took the table, pole and mounting hardware home to take a look at it. The first thing I noticed was that the bracket's aluminum threads were history. I'm always surprised when I see threads cut into aluminum, especially for something that holds as much weight and gets worked as much as the dinette table. I think that they should have used stainless or brass threaded inserts. I'm sure that the threaded aluminum bracket worked fine for many years in most cases but after 40 years, I don't think threaded aluminum parts hold up well. However, everything else looks good after 40 years!


Notice the stripped threads and the damage around the hole from people trying to clamp the table down hard.

After looking at the mounting bracket closer, I noticed a plastic sleeve within the aluminum clamping bracket. The plastic sleeve becomes worn after years of table movement and clamping and because of this, Blue Sky's table will not hold fast when fully clamped. It's a natural reaction to tighten the table bolt even tighter when the table wont stay put but that's how the aluminum threads get stripped.



My first idea was to turn the plastic sleeve around where the top would, theoretically, be less worn than the bottom. However, I couldn't pull the plastic sleeve all of the way out from the bottom and I didn't want to remove the clamping bracket from the table in order to remove the plastic sleeve from the top. So, I used what I think is called gaffer's tape (cloth material tape) around the bottom of the outside of the plastic sleeve. I overlapped the tape in some places. Once back in the clamping bracket, the tape decreased the inside diameter of the plastic sleeve. That seemed to work.

The next hurdle was how to clamp the bracket to the pole. Blue Sky did not have the table bolt when I bought her so I had to think of something else as others have mentioned in this forum. My solution was to use a quick-release bicycle seat clamp and it works perfectly as far as I'm concerned.





The preliminary test results look good.

19

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: September 09, 2020, 10:56:02 AM »

We were just out on Dolce Vita this weekend for the first time this season! 

After 8 years since doing our hatches,  they are still leak-free.  The frames still look great, but 8 years of UV exposure has fogged the Lexan with micro crazing.  This is despite using Lexan that had extra  UV and anti-scratch coatings.  I sewed up some covers for them, something I should have done in the beginning.  You might want to do that now to keep them looking crystal clear as long as possible.

Well, you couldn't have planned it better as far as the weather - the last couple of weekends have been great sailing weather. July and early August were sweltering hot and one hour out there was about as much as I could stand.

Thanks for the tip about hatch covers. I need another mast boot cover as well.

20

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: September 06, 2020, 01:12:19 PM »

When at anchor, you want it facing fwd to get the max ventilation. Acts like a wind scoop. Unfortunately, this interferes with a boom vang if you install one. Many people have flipped it for that reason.

Thanks Ed. Blue Sky has a boom vang so I'll be putting it in backwards.

-Mike

21

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: September 05, 2020, 04:00:13 PM »

Question: I was thinking of installing the aft hatch backwards so that it opens from astern. Because of the boom's rigging, it would be easier to open from the rear of the boat. Why did Pearson install facing forward? Do you folks see any reason not to install backwards?

22

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: September 05, 2020, 03:10:35 PM »

Hi folks, I never imagined that it would take this long but I finally got the hatches back from the 2ed powder coaters yesterday and I have the aft hatch mostly assembled. The 1st powder coaters had the hatches for nearly a month before I took them to the 2ed powder coaters. I kept getting the run-around with the 1st coaters and the second powder coaters only baked the hatches for 3.5 hours even after I told them to bake them overnight. They said, "We know. We do marine stuff all the time." ...So, there are bubbles in the finish but not bad in my opinion and they certainly look a lot better than before.



I didn't make a mess on the glazing (Dow 795 - thanks Ed) but I could have done a better job. You can see a wavy pattern of the sealant through the Lexan. Maybe the forward hatch will be better. I'll tackle that tomorrow.

Another thing to note was that the original Lexan had cracks at nearly every screw hole and this is where some of the leaking came from. I went with the Dow 795 sealant without replacing the screws as mentioned on this forum in other hatch threads.



I think the hardest/riskiest part of this project was removing the hinge pins without breaking the hatch. Dealing with powder coaters is not cost/risk free either. I think the cost (expense and time) of refurbishing these Bomar hatches is about the same as installing replacement hatches. However, these are the originals and they're great hatches too.

Thanks to all of the contributors of the prior hatch threads in this forum as well as Dolce_Vita, Alma and others on this thread - Made my hatch project possible. This website is a great asset for us Pearson guys/gals.

-Mike

23

New Member Introductions / Re: New Owner P323 "Sea Fever"in NC

« on: July 26, 2020, 09:20:18 AM »

Congratulations Mikbee! Welcome to the club.

24

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: July 25, 2020, 12:42:32 PM »

Thanks Alma,

I bought some KROIL. Also big thanks for talking me through this. I did as you said; "PB Blast, Tap, Repeat" over 48hrs and I was finally able to get the toughest pin out. That pin had evidence of corrosion on it. I would have surely made a mess of this if it hadn't been for you and Ed.

25

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: July 22, 2020, 06:29:07 PM »

You are correct.  These pins are simply press fit in.  No threads involved.

Don't mess with a wood dowel.  You'll just get frustrated.  The tool you want is called a "drift" or a "pin punch".  I used it to remove all the pins on my hatches before having them cleaned and powder coated.  Here's an example:

https://www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-762-5-Piece-Roll-Pin/dp/B000OUZBBY


That bent pin looks like the hatch was closed on a line or something.  You will have to cut that one and tap out the pieces afterwards.  Remove the good pin first, as it will be easier to do while things are still together.  Unless, of course, they're both bent, in which case you'll have to cut them both.

Thanks Ed. I've ordered the punch set. I've tried to tap/drive the good pin out with a screw that fits but it didn't seem to budge. I'm sure it's because I tried to use a screw instead of a drift punch and I used light force.

I started looking at galvanic corrosion solutions (pin is stainless in aluminum frame) and found that folks recommend a solution of automatic transmission fluid and acetone (1:1). Tests indicate better results than WD40, PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench. Even if I don't need to use this, there may be others out there that could find this information interesting.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?219051-How-to-free-a-steel-to-Aluminum-corrosion-bond

26

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: July 21, 2020, 07:51:50 PM »

I was poking around the McMaster-Carr website and found that they sell pull-out dowel pins with instructions on how to remove.

https://www.mcmaster.com/pull-out-dowel-pins/

Dolce Vita mentioned this company in several of his posts and I have bought several things from them so far. Great website and customer service/turn-around times. Thanks Ed.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure now that there are no threads on the outside of the pin so I think it should be possible to either pull them using a screw or tap them out with a dowel. I'll have to cut the bent one in order to tap that pin out. Just a little worried about cracking the aluminum trying to remove these pins.

27

Ports & Hatches / Re: P323 hatch refurb

« on: July 21, 2020, 07:20:07 PM »

If anyone is interested, I have a brand new  white hatch For over the main cabin. I never installed it and would take 400.00 plus shipping cost. You can email me at rbrtfeld@aol.com for pictures if needed

That's a very good price.

28

Ports & Hatches / P323 hatch refurb

« on: July 20, 2020, 07:50:41 PM »

Hello all,

I have decided to refurbish the hatches on Blue Sky as Dolce Vita and Alma have described in their posts. After removing the hatches, I noticed that one of the pins on her aft hatch is bent. I believe that these pins are pressed into the the frames. Any ideas about removing and replacing this pin?

29

General Discussion / Re: Blue Sky has launched

« on: July 15, 2020, 08:06:32 PM »

Congratulations and she looks like a beauty!

Ed, thanks for the information on the hatches, my v-berth has a slight leak and was wondering the best way to start that repair job.

Thanks SailRxSin. Looks like we may be going through similar projects on our boats. I decided to pull the hatches as Ed described. If your aluminum frame is not that bad you could just replace the Lexan and rubber seal assuming your leak is not through the frame and deck. I had a little effort in finding the tinted UV/scatch resistant Lexan. Most suppliers don't carry the UV/Scratch resistant type or want you to buy a 48 X 96" sheet and Lexan is pretty expensive. PM me if you want the name of the supplier that I bought it from.

30

Packet 18 / Re: Packet banner photo + home page link

« on: July 03, 2020, 10:32:28 AM »

Beauty!