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Starting from scratch

  • March 02, 2012 5:33 PM
    Quote
    Message # 842457
    Anonymous member

    Hello, my name is Tyler Bechel and I am new to the WOA community, and I'm purchasing a Westsail 32 hull.  The bottom has been removed by sand-blasting below the gel-coat, it needs some deck work at the king posts for the bowsprit, and the interior needs to be put back in.  It is a project boat, and I am looking for advice on how to proceed.  It is a unique project because I get to, more or less, start from scratch.  It needs new wiring, some rigging, but is generally in very good condition. 

    The bottom I'm assuming needs tons of sanding, fairing work, gelcoat, barrier coat, and finally an anti-fouling paint.  Any suggestions with regards to any or all of this work?  What materials to use?  Am I correct with my assumptions, or should I add/remove steps?  New thru-hulls?

    The deck is teak.  My plan there is to sand it, and leave it grey.  I think that the grey deck is sharp.  The trim boards need refinishing, and the stripe needs painting.  Same questions as before.  The bow deck is moist near the king posts.  What should I do here?  Re-bed the wood, dig out rotten wood and replace with thick glass, or use rotten wood epoxy?

    What are your thoughts with the rigging?  What was problematic prior to the 1976 (she is a 76' hull)?  Should I change/upgrade/improve certain things? 

    Interior wise, I have no clue what I want to do.  I know that I want to keep it simple, and minimize wiring; I kind of want to make it more of a sustainable boat.  I only want to add enough electrical to wire required running lights, minimal instrumentation, and evening cabin lights.  I want to have minimum thru-hulls too.  The teak needs sanding and refinishing, but then only needs to be put back in the hull.  Where could I get a "butterfly hatch" to put in between the cabin entry and mast? 

    That's enough for now.  I'll need all of your knowledge, encouragement, and experience to get this project to float at minimal cost for the 2013 season on Lake Michigan.  I plan to do the work myself and by hand, but I am relatively inexperienced in glass work and boat maintenance.  However, I am a quick learner and need minimal instruction to perform things well.

    Cheers,

    Tyler Bechel
  • March 03, 2012 2:46 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 842825 on 842457
    Deleted user
    Tyler,
    You have a enormous project at hand.
    A W32 construction manual is a must for you although I'm not sure where to send you.
    Someone will log on and send you in the right direction.
    Cheers,
    Carl
  • March 03, 2012 9:02 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 843029 on 842457
    Anonymous
    Tyler, 

    Hope you know what you got yourself into!   

    First step if I were in your shoes would be to get on the phone with Bud Taplin and westsail.com and order the construction manual along with his service manual.  Both documents are helpful.  The service manual will answer many of your "what should I improve as I go along" questions. 

    With respect to the rot you've found in the deck...  Cut it all out.  Never leave rot behind, dig it out immediately and fill the areas you find it in with epoxy.  I wouldn't use what you call "rotten wood epoxy".  The only real solution is to remove and completely replace with something that is going to seal and not rot.  When you bed stuff or caulk stuff on the deck, study the techniques and materials that can be used and make sure you do it right.  Its worth spending twice as long bedding things correctly than dealing with rot from a half assed bedding job later.  Rot sucks.   

    The bottom...  If it was really sandblasted you want to really check and make sure the blasting didn't drive the old paint into the hull itself.  Its more likely the bottom was soda blasted which is a kinder process.  If the bottom was already stripped then why are you asking about the sanding/fairing?  Is it very bad with imperfections?  Can you post some photos of the condition?   If it needs a lot of fairing I hope you're good with long boards.  ;) 

    Ask Bud about the butterfly hatch and the rigging, he'll guide you in the right directions.  Only thing that comes to mind personally on the rigging is to ensure the boomkin has big metal plate in good condition and the boomkin chainplates are sized up to at least 1.25" plates and in good condition.  This has been one of the known weak spots in the standing rigging on the W32.  

    Hope your project goes well.  Keep us updated with photos! 

    Tate



  • March 03, 2012 11:35 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 843121 on 842457
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Hi Tyler and welcome aboard.

    I second the excellent advise above. 

    If you could find the hull number on the starboard aft qtr  and also the vessel name - that would help us know the approximate age of your hull and someone may recoginze your boat from it's name.

    If you could also use the View Profile link from the home page and edit your profile to include your vessel information that would help us also.

    There are multiple members who are rebuilding their boats also - Alan Johnson and Greg Johnson (no relation) in CA are both "starting from a bare hull" almost. Many of us have also done major refits project at a time.

    A great way to share your adventure with the community is to use a free online photo sharing site like Picasa from Google ( 1G free space ) and upload the photos of your project. 

    IMHO alot of our advise depends on your boats situation.  If you are thinking that you need a year to get on the water then focus on getting her ready to be on the water ie the hull, engine, propellor, cutless bearing thru hulls and lower standing rigging etc. 

    Once you are in the water all of the previous become harder if not impossible to fix without another haul out. 

    If you are still out of the water and the above is done then work on making her sailable - the idea is to be able to be in the water have fun sailing her even if you aren't completely "done" with everything and to remind yourself why you are doing all this work!! 

    Also check out the WOA Rendezvous schedule Westsail Rendezvous where meeting Westsailors and seeing their boats will be a great source of ideas and advise.

    https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/emailGalleryForm?uname=jaybietz  here is my picasa albums - many are of Pygmalion #567 and my last 10 years of work.

    Fair winds

    Jay

     

     
  • March 04, 2012 12:12 PM
    Quote
    Reply # 847250 on 842457
    Anonymous member

    Thanks to all of you for your input and advice.  The boat's current name is "Widgeon," but I am planning to change the name since she sank once with here current name.  I am buying the boat from Jim Engle on the Chesapeake Bay area, and the original owner is Bob Morrison.  Jim's blog is "restoringasunkenwestsail32.blogspot.com" if any of you want to view pictures.  I plan to start my own blog on the restore, my wife said it would be a "scrapbook" of my work.  I'll probably post pictures on this forum as well to record my progress and as questions come up.  I'll fill out my profile once I get the boat to Racine and have easy access to it. 

    Thanks again,

    Tyler Bechel 
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