Thanks to Jennifer McCarthy for scanning this Newsletter. Unfortunately the first two pages were missing, with most of Section 1, and there does not seem to be a Section 3. If anyone has any more of this newsletter, could they possibly let me have a copy please? - Webmaster
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2. Target - Copenhagen
Untitled
4. Tomahawk Goes To War
5. Engines
6. Reader's Letters
.... ventilation and condensation problems. If you have solved, or helped to solve, the ventilation/condensation problem could you please drop me a line, then I can report, with some authority, on the best way to beat the drips.
When Somers and I collected my boat from Brightlingsea in 1966, we had provisionally settled on a trip to the Baltic in 1967 and this intention was confirmed when two friends in our local bet us half-a-crown apiece that we would not get there. After which, it was a case of who would join us here and there according to holiday times available. This was soon fixed and whilst I got the boat ready and victualled, Somers started collecting up the charts. We were most grateful to Sir John Power, who had been up that way for the Celebrations in 1966 and who lent us all the charts for Kiel and onwards. I fixed up a deposit with the United Baltic Corporation Ltd. in London, whereby all necessary formalities for passing through the Kiel Canal were carried out by their Agent and the fuel and stores supplied locally were offset against the deposit.
On 2nd July we left Littlehampton, - Somers, Digby (his son) and Pauline (Digby's fiancée) and self - in a fair wind to Beachy Head where the wind fell off and we motored in to Rye for the night. Here we found "Toria" dismasted in the sudden Force 9 gale on the previous Sunday. No wind but a good forecast next day, so we motored off round Dungeness and as soon as we saw the haze of the French coast at Cap Gris Nez, the promised 5/6 Westerly sprang up and we ran under reefed main and working jib at a great speed into Dunkirk, the farthest port available for French wine at the right price, also Duty-Free spirits etc. We stocked up with the wine the following morning but ran into a snag with the Duty-Free from Messrs. Dekytspotter, as the man who signed the Customs Authorisation had no authority to do so. All day we waited in vain for the goods to be delivered until we finally telephoned M. Dekytspotter who explained the situation and arranged for us to collect at Ostend at 09.00 hrs. next day. Fortunately the wind was still from the West although only Force 5, so we set off at 17.00 hrs. and went alongside a magnificent Swedish Motor Cruiser at 21.50 at the end of the trot outside the North Sea Yacht Club. Somers jumped across with a bow line to the cruiser and caught hold of what looked in the dark like a short hand-rail - and was rather surprised when it came away in his hand: The "hand-rail" proved to be the ariel for his D/F set! The Swedish owner was rather put out but after profuse apologies and our offer to cover the bill, he appeared to agree with us that it was a stupid place to fix an aerial.
Before leaving Littlehampton I had had a pair of canvas dodgers made, five feet long x two feet wide with the name of the boat stencilled in 12" letters and these were tied on to the life-lines round the cockpit. This identification now proved its worth and was highly praised by Mme. Godderis who would appear to be in charge of the North Sea Y.C. and who had been waiting for us.
Details of Ports visited and facilities available will be given in a separate list for easier reference.
The immediate objective was Amsterdam by Thursday night for the first crew change so, after the hard stuff and cigars had been taken aboard shortly after 09.00 hrs. we motored off in a flat calm in a North-Easterly direction across the Scheldt Estuary. Care has to be taken to avoid the fleets of Belgian fishing boats off Wendvynne and Blankenberghe as they do not give way whatever happens. At intervals we attempted to sail but progress was too slow for schedule, also for comfort across the Estuary in a slight haze, shallow areas and a strong tide. After spots of engine trouble, we reached the entrance to the Hook of Holland at dusk and joined in the queue of freighters going up to Rotterdam, now the largest and busiest Port in Europe.
Darkness had set in when we came up to the harbour at the Hook. This harbour is not far up the Channel but we were going against a 5-knot tide and the engine was calling the tune We missed the small opening in the confusion of lights and traffic and after a short cruise around the area, shortage of fuel decided us to follow a lighter into Europort and out of the tide. Passing gigantic tankers, we tied up alongside the lighter to see if we could get a gallon of petrol to see us safe but the only fuel they could let us have was approx. ten million gallons of crude oil. We were not allowed to stay there, so after a plug change, we set off and were chased out of Europort by an irate official in a large tug but he understood the position when the engine stuttered and stopped. Two minutes tinkering, then straight across "0xford Street" and into the harbour for the night. We bought our petrol next morning from a garage run by a Mr. Rooney whose father had been an Irishman and had come over to dig the Canals in the 1870's and had married a Dutch girl and settled there.
Thursday morning and another hot windless day. Nothing to see along the flat coast except miles of sand dunes, until we neared the entrance to the Nordsee Canal at Ijmuiden. Each time we counted the freighters as we drew nearer, the tally varied between 28 and 54, speed about 12 knots. Approaching from the South, we had to alter course quite considerably to avoid being pushed by a strong tide towards a large wreck and there is another fair-sized wreck high and dry right on the Southern shore of the Canal entrance .. probably missed the entrance in fog and went aground.
No difficulty entering the lock - where the engine behaved itself and we tied alongside a Dutch coaster of about 250 tons, with a 450-tonner to starboard and two similar vessels coming in to fill the lock. The coaster skipper was very friendly and produced a chart showing what was where. After half-hour wait the gates opened, the freighter to starboard moved off and in a few minutes we went out with our coaster friend following. It is essential to allow a few minutes when a vessel goes out ahead as there is a tremendous thrashing from the screws and once or twice I found it expedient to haul up the plates when the boat rode the top rather than the full turmoil…you soon find out! We were most impressed with the delightful surroundings on the 15-mile trip to Amsterdam .. a wide blue stretch of water, a steady procession of ships of all sizes, including barges, going both ways, broods of wild duck with the chicks almost diving under the hulls and scores of Dutchmen fishing on the banks, all waving as we passed.
I had read that the first major obstacle was a Railway Bridge which only opened between 01.50 and 02.00, some 3 miles west of Amsterdam, so I was very relieved to see it Opening at 16.00, but only for a few minutes and we were some distance away. Motoring slowly on and some 400 yards from the Bridge, a liner was edging up on the far side, coming from Amsterdam, with a freighter ahead, and at 16.50 the Bridge opened again and off we went to tie up in the Municipal Yacht Harbour, a very dirty and uncomfortable spot but handy for the station and seeing the City. Great care should be taken all along the Nordsee Canal as it is full of lumber and I found it advisable to pick the way whilst avoiding being hit by overtaking barges or running into dredgers! The liner mentioned was the Swedish holiday cruise ship "Tor Anglia" packed to the rails with blondes going to England! Loud cheers all round!
Owing to the heavy volume of traffic on the waterway, there is incessant movement in the Yacht Harbour and long fenders are recommended to avoid hitting the wall with the wash from each passing ship. Large cats. and tris. are almost non-existent as yet up that way and the boat drew a large and appreciating crowd around us every day we were there.
The crew-change and two days sight-seeing in Amsterdam made a break and we left again on Sunday 19th July .. this time, Somers and wife Ermie, and David and Eva Dart. Naturally the wind had gone round to the North-East the previous evening but we pushed off, passed through the Oranjesluizen in company with one British and two Dutch yachts and one Dutch barge and then had to tie up to wait for a railway bridge to open at midday. This gave us opportunity to have lunch, then through the bridge and into the Ijselmeer and wind N.E. 4/5. Being very shallow, the seas are short and choppy and it was strange to receive facefuls of fresh water instead of salt. We put in short tacks to keep close to the Western shore in order to pass through the inside of the new dyke being built at Enkhuizen, then long tacks up to Staveren on the North East and some 10 miles South of the Kornwerderzand Lock into the North Sea.
The harbour at Staveren was full of visiting boats, mainly Dutch botters with their beautifully carved stems and tillers and highly varnished leeboards. We edged in amongst them and found out that the annual Barge Race was due to take place in the morning. Each town on the Ijselmeer enters a botter and they presented a fine sight (about 12 of them) as we passed then shortly after the start. The main hotel in Staveren is called the Lady of Staveren and is named after the local Lady who ran the fishing fleet for the then walled and moated town in the 17th Century and was famed for giving money to all and sundry. The local speciality is fried eels .. and excellent too.
Henceforth the trip became more interesting. The lock at the north-east end of the 18½ miles long dyke was closed as we arrived. In response to our gesticulations, the captain of a Dutch Naval vessel the "Triton" beckoned us to go alongside. We were all asked aboard for beer and they were most helpful in providing information on tides in the Waddensee which lies between the Frisian Islands and the mainland. Once past the lock, the route to Terschelling is marked with brushes, pointing up on the starboard hand and down to port, and in a S.W.3/4 we had a fine reach for the 25 miles to the island.
As we approached the entrance, it was obvious that there was a party afoot. A band was playing, the harbour was completely packed with boats all dressed overall and no chance whatsoever of berthing "Iro Tiki". We went further up the channel and tied alongside some large barges and got ready to join in the fun. Five minutes later, every siren, hooter and whistle, with tremendous cheering, greeted the arrival of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard in the Royal Yacht, "Piet Wein". Somers managed to get some very good photographs as the Police Chief allowed him to stay close by when he learnt that he was English.
We left early the following morning; before getting caught in a maelstrom of boats and sailed outside the islands towards Nordeney. In the early afternoon we were escorted past a flotilla of Dutch Navy minesweepers by one of their number as sweeping was in progress. Ermie and Eva were sunbathing and received the customary salutations from any Naval crew! The wind had now dropped and we motored the rest of the 90 miles to Nordeney, arriving at the passage between Nordeney and the adjacent small island just after dark. This channel is very tortuous and we went aground on a sandbank for a short spell until there was enough water to clear that particular bar.
No wind next day so we spent the day in the town which is on the North Western end of the island and a popular resort for German holidaymakers. One drawback is that all restaurants are closed and transport services are banned after 8 p.m. and transport is needed for the journey from the port into the town, otherwise it is a long walk back. Plenty of good shops and restaurants around the centre with large hotels on the northern shore, one of which makes an excellent landmark.
The destination for Thursday night was intended to be the island of Wangerooge. We set off from Nordeney through the withied channels at low tide, passing through great stretches of dried-out sandbanks where we saw several seals, also a party on a photographic boat catching a turtle. A great variety of seabirds especially Shelduck, complete with their broods of chicks, were massed on the shores and we had plenty of time to watch them as we grounded from time to time until the channels filled. The engine was playing up badly and a short call at Baltrum was made to carry out a minor repair. Passing Langeoog and Spikeroog, both practically uninhabited islands in the afternoon, the tide was now falling fast and we tore across the drying banks on the motor until we caught sight of the channel marker between Wangerooge and Harlesiel. Some fishing boats were going into Harlesiel so we decided to follow them and it was providential that we did so as Wangerooge is an all-electric island .. no cars, no petrol and a small electric train from the harbour to the town some two miles away. All the tourists cars are left on the mainland at Harlesiel and the passengers cross to the Sun camps and hotels on very efficient flat-bottomed ferries.
Owing to the state of the tide, we could not leave Harlesiel until early the next afternoon with destination Cuxhaven. Before we left England, Somers and I had decided to avoid reaching the mouth of the Elba in the dark. Now as Lady Luck had it, another windless day and time pressing, so off we went of the motor in a flat calm and slight haze, visibility 1½ miles. Course was set for the Elbe I.L.V. About 2 miles after passing through the gap into the North Sea, there is a large wreck easily descernible but only a few degrees off our course, after which we saw occasional fishing and cargo boats until we neared the Light Vessel where the Pilot Boats were anchored and a constant stream of the "big stuff" was converging to collect Pilots. The time was now 18.30, visibility had closed to ½ mile, dusk was gathering and 20 miles to go! Just what we had NOT intended. Nothing for it but to push on, just outside the port conical buoys to keep out of the shipping lane.
The tide was dead against us and progress was slow. A careful watch had to be kept to avoid the refuse coming down the Elbe. At one point we were assailed by a ghastly aroma which heralded the passing of a long-dead seal, at another swift action had to be taken to avoid a water-logged three-seater settee which could have been highly diverting if it had passed between the hulls. Nearing Cuxhaven just after midnight we were overtaken by a score of fishing boats and the sight of some of their starboard lights out to starboard of us rapidly lowered the contents of a brandy bottle:
The Yacht harbour entrance was obscured as it lay just astern of a liner moored against a quay in the river but hard to starboard and in we went to the top of the wharf where we tied on to the first smallish vessel we could find. No run ashore this night.
05.35 Saturday, thick haze reduced visibility down to 300/400 yards We had to get to Kiel that night so that David and Eva could get the connection to Esbjerg for the ferry home, so off we went, keeping outside the buoys again as several large freighters passed us in the river and Brunsbuttel Locks were approached by 08.30. Masses of shipping lying in the roads here and after a short look around, we followed two freighters and were just entering the lock when some official yelled at us to go back. Hard astern to tie up at a nearby jetty and the official arrived .. all they wanted was to know how long the boat was in case of shortage of room in the lock! Fortunately the Polish "Energetik" of some 12,000 tons had gone into the lock next to us and we crowded in with two medium sized coasters ahead and two astern. Traffic lights show which lock is to be entered and we seemed to do the right thing by going for the double green, one below the other. The United Baltic Corporation's Agent met us and all he required was a signature with the size of the boat. We asked him to arrange for petrol and fresh vegetables and we collected these from the Garage owner and the Grocer who met us in the Yacht Harbour immediately to port after leaving the lock. At mid-day we motored off, the wind being right on the nut and tacking in the Kiel Canal is forbidden. I had bought some plugs from the Garage man and although he had assured me that these were the type he supplied for outboards locally, we had gone but ½ mile when the engine stopped, and a freighter just leaving the lock behind us. I suspected the plugs and sure enough the electrodes had melted! Rapid change and away not yards away from the freighter. So it continued down the Canal .. first one plug carboning up and the other oiling up and adjustment to the carburettor made no difference. Ships of all sizes up to 18,000 tons, with flags of most nationalities, and including a German submarine, provided the interest in a rather monotonous run of just over Co miles to Holtenau. This was our first wet day, with heavy rain at intervals. No stopping is allowed and no yachts must be in the canal after dark and we were glad to see the lights of Kiel appear as darkness fell. A cautious probe and into the lock, with two barges and a coaster and two German yachts, one of which was engineless and asked us to tow him out. He was told that we had to keep our engine going at a fair speed, otherwise it stopped. This was alright with him ,and off we went at 5 knots out of the lock with the dinghy crew holding on for all they were worth, as there was a slight chop in Kiel Bay. A few minutes and they were relieved to be cast adrift although the rain came down in buckets and it was well nigh impossible to see which ships were at anchor and which moving in the roads. 1½ miles North of Holtenau Lock lies the British Kiel Yacht Club, run by Lt. Col. "Stan" Townsend, R.E. to whom I had been given an introduction before leaving Littlehampton by an ex-Army man who had been on the sailing course provided for troops of BAOR. After a dry-off and a sojourn in the bar, we went down to the village for a meal .
Heavy rain on Sunday morning end we all took the opportunity of the hot showers at the Club, then the morning pick-me-ups, after which David and Eva Dart left to catch the train to Esbjerg and the ferry home.
The weather picked up on Monday. After farewells to the Colonel and refuelling at the petrol barge in the next bay, Somers, Ermie and I set course for Kiel L.V. Much traffic in Kiel Bay and ferries crossing at all angles. Kiel L.V. is in course of replacement with a large steel structure on a floating base.
Leaving Gabelflasch, the last buoy out of Kiel Bay, our next objective was Keldsnor buoy 18 miles northerly and lying off the southern end of the island of Lanjeland. Keldsnor Lighthouse is easily discernible and we sailed up the eastern side of the island to Spodsbjerg, about half way up. There are two entrances into Spodsbjerg, the car-ferry using the northern one and the fishing boat and yacht harbour lies immediately to the south. Only a small port with a narrow entrance and a fair number of visitors, especially German yachts, and we manoeuvred around to tie up to a Dutch converted M.F.V. A homing pigeon had alighted on the hatch door during the morning and he had stayed with us all the way to Spodsbjerg, having lunch off crushed Ryvita, cheese crumbs and milk, but he deserted us for the comfort of the M.F.V.'s wheelhouse! There is one small hotel which puts on snacks, not recommended, and a garage close by for fuel but both are about one mile away from the harbour. The car ferry takes a constant stream of holiday makers crossing, from Jutland, across Langeland and over to Lolland before they cross again back to Zealand and up to Copenhagen.
Leaving Spodsbjerg next morning on course across the Middle Belt to Vordingborg, we experienced the Baltic "set". There are no tides but these sets can set you off course by one mile in two and it is advisable to take back bearings when heading out to open sea. An uneventful passage took us to the 2½ mile long Masnedo road and rail bridge at Vordingborg and we tied alongside our Dutch friend from the previous night. Brush-marked channels show the way and there was plenty of room although full of visitors. The local restaurant specialises in gigantic and luscious omelettes and is situated down by the harbour. The mediaeval castle is in ruins. A chandler's shop is close by.
Wednesday and the last leg of 65 miles to Copenhagen. The first two hours were spent motoring through brush channels between Zealand and Lolland with several smaller islands enroute, the wind was now fair and we sailed under another enormous bridge, also over 2 miles long, at Kallehave, then 2½ hours through marked channels, narrowing down at times to 70 - yards and very tortuous. The surrounding areas were extremely shallow and going outside the brushes would have meant instant grounding. By lunchtime we were out in the open and heading for the Drogden buoy at the Southern end of the Sound, 20 miles away. This buoy marks the shipping route for all Baltic traffic not going via Kiel, consequently it was very busy. We sailed past Kasterup Airport and Copenhagen City about 20.00 hrs, headed for Swanemolle harbour some 2 miles north of the city and close to the Tuborg Brewery. The hydrofoil, ferry to Malmo in Sweden shot across ahead of us at some 30 knots in the gathering dusk, the engine played up as usual when a larger ferry was closing in astern of us as we entered the channel to Swanemolle and we duly arrived at our destination in a heavy thunderstorm and bucketing rain. Swanemolle harbour is a fine place with well laid out trots and water points and space for 5000 yachts. Having picked out a handy berth for getting ashore, some Danes hailed us on the far side and we had to tie up over there. Col. Townsend had recommended this harbour in view of the space available and no movement whereas the Royal Danish Y.C.’s harbour at Langelinie is smaller and there is constant motion from passing traffic.
The Secretary of the Club was most obliging, arranging a meal and a phone call through to England to let the next crew know where we were.
Somers and Ermie left on Saturday and my son David and Alex Surbenor arrived on Sunday evening. Sailing day was agreed as 'Wednesday to allow for sightseeing. Copenhagen is a beautiful place, as the Guidebooks state, and I spent a pleasant week there checking the engine, getting the batteries charged, stocking with fresh eggs, etc., and filling all fuel tanks. The sightseeing filled the rest of the time but the shock was Carlsberg at 5/6d per bottle.
(Part 2 deals with the return trip, the jettisoning of the engine, and the journey through the Dutch Canals and home.)
Regarding the News Letter for the Iroquois. Details of last year’s efforts were as follows:
She sailed 8,500 miles in the 28½ weeks under 23 different skippers. This took her from the 25th March right through to the 22nd October, with only a few days break at the end of September. She passed, therefore, through all of the worst of the season's weather and suffered no damage.
You will appreciate that we do not allow the novice to charter our boats but certainly the experience of her various skippers ranged, from something more than slight, to very extensive. All of them were full of praise for the vessel and the way it handled and had very little to say against her. The two greatest causes of complaint were condensation and the Penta engines. We have attempted to remedy the former by painting the inside with "Korkon" (it does not seem to have made much difference) and the latter by rewiring the Penta engine properly, all contacts being covered with an epoxy. We are, however, hoping to exchange the engine for a Johnson and hope that our experience with this will be happier than our experience with Penta's in the past.
We found the position of the chart table to be quite useless. Surely no chart should be kept by an open hatch, and early in the season we turned that little cupboard into a storage space for glasses and bottles and fitted a proper sliding chart table in the starboard hull, with all the rest of the navigation equipment.
The greatest distance covered by any one chartered was 750 miles in ten days. I am told that this was leisurely and imposed no great strain. The vessel crossed the channel on 18 different occasions.
Here are our personal ideas on tuning an Iroquois for speed, but no doubt there are plenty of other ways and probably better. As the object of tuning for speed is probably to win a race then rating should also be taken as part and parcel of the same subject.
The standard rig of the Iroquois carried a genoa with an overlap of most doubtful advantage while carrying a heavy penalty on rating. We put 100 sq ft. into the roach of our fully battened mainsail and increased No. 1 jib to standard R.O.R.C. genoa size. The forestay was moved forward 9" to enable a larger sail with more penalty free overlap. This headsail sheeted to large 2 speed winches in the cockpit via a track on the cockpit coaming. The mainsail sheeted to a heavy-duty proctor roller traveller which made tacking, gybing etc a real pleasure. To control fore and aft bend lower shrouds were led to a block and tackle at the normal jib fairlead position. Finally, and of course vitally, halliard winches with internal halliards enabling easy sail adjustment and tight jib luffs. Reefing with this rig becomes necessary in force 6 in smooth water and 4 to 5 in rough. We extended our main boom 1 ft. and returned it for a more hefty roller gear and boom section. With this boom reefing with the battens in situ was easy and a single handed Job without loss of speed. Two rolls down was first move - then down to No. 2 jib, then rolling steadily to the hounds. I regret to state force 7 under this rig is about the most we have met up till now.
Back to speed. We all know Iroquois floats above her boot top for a start so any weight out pays dividends. We removed all unnecessary weight and placed what was left low in the hulls for stability. The forward deck lockers were sealed and the anchor & chain lived in the galley. A racing crew of 4, need only 2 mattresses - we carried 3 to comply with regulations. The table of course had gone, and left a neat trough for spare gear between the two bunks. We always used the seats as bunks at sea. Handy to either off watch crew was a hand release for the automatic masthead buoyancy if the automatic trio should fail, and a personal line into the cockpit as a guide in case of inversion. We may be "chicken" but none of us seemed too happy trying to steer while hammering along at 16 knots under spinnaker with the boat vibrating furiously and surfing down waves at alarming angles. Those little personal safety touches helped to relax us and (don't laugh) with wax ear plugs and a headband you really couldn't tell it wasn't flat clam anyway. While on the subject of weight, the outboard of course must go and can be replaced by the inflatable dinghy, which can then be accessible either way up. A rope handhold was led from the outboard bracket under the bridge deck to the forestay as a final safety measure.
Spinnakers are vital on Tomahawk and can often transform a tame reach into a furiously exciting rush. Our spinnaker guy was always led through the pole so that it could run and when really steaming, guy and sheet were held instead of the mainsheet as a safety precaution.
We experimented a bit with centreplate adjustment. To windward usually both down, and on a reach, lee one down until it gets rough then t'other way round. This year we are cutting off our skegs to see what happens, as they look clumsy lumps just in front of the rudders.
On the wind Tomahawks helmsman uses a central tiller extension and sits on the high side seat, one foot in the ditty box (lids left at home) and the other on the winch. This is a comfortable and delightful place in which to work her to windward. The mainsheet is of course ALWAYS to hand and the crew always checks it as free to run. Off the wind we usually stand and steer for really positive control. The main is bowsed down to the jib fairlead position by a kicking strap and the spinnaker set as soon as the apparent wind is dead abeam.
From all this one might think we race all the time but of course it is not so. Normally all our gear - fitted carpets and the lot are aboard and of course the standard of racing gear greatly enhances the ease and pleasure of cruising. This can't be overemphasised and personally we wouldn't cruise with undersized reefing gear or floppy luffs either.
We stripped Tomahawk for her "3 race" season in one exceedingly pleasant and exciting weekend at the same time Graphspeeding her bottom and doing countless little jobs which otherwise get left. All her gear went to Plymouth by furniture removal van! And as a matter of interest while most crews deserted their multihulls, Tomahawk immediately took on my wife and two boys and was all spruce for the baby sitter by the time we went out for the post race party. From Plymouth, Tomahawk proceeded lazily west for several weeks, snatched here and there between works. In all she travelled over 3,000 miles - her best speed a burst of 20 knots with all gear aboard in Poole harbour - her fastest reach from Nab to C.H.1 buoy off Cherbourg at over 10 knots, her fastest cruise - Falmouth-Lymington all under spinnaker at 7 knots with 23 mackerel en route. What a fabulous boat - roll on the summer.
Finally, you may ask, how does a partnership boat work out and here again with Tomahawk it has been splendid. To stand the running costs we feel she should be in use as much as possible and I don' t think a weekend ever went by without one or other or both of us enjoying good sailing. For racing we are blessed with 2 keen young crew and prior to a race all four of us, plus a team of friends attack all the outstanding jobs so making very light work of it. All in all I personally enjoy a partnership more than sole ownership because apart from all the advantages already stated you have someone else's enthusiasm as well as your own to get the best out of the boat, and all for half price!
My own solution to the engine problem based on going round among friends in the Yachting industry and listening to tales of woe about the various makes, the choice seemed to me to be between Mercury and Johnson/Evinrude as so many of the other engines had basic faults and at least three of them were exactly the same engine under different names and all of them hopelessly unreliable. Mercury, correct me if I am wrong, does not do a sufficiently long shaft, nor did Johnson until recently on the 20 h.p. Why go for the 20 h.p? Well
So a 20 h.p. Johnson with a long/long shaft is my solution.
Now what have you to say on the subject?
Commit suicide before fitting a 30 h.p. Perkins outboard! Thank heaven they are out of production now. I replaced with a 20 h.p. Johnson, which enables me to make way against the 6/7 knot tide at Littlehampton at LW springs. A 30 h.p. should really be fitted if a lot of motoring is contemplated but 'Iro Tiki' made a steady 6 knots down the Dutch Canals without being flogged hard. Adverse strong winds or tides, of course, cut this speed to almost 2 knots. I had been told that the 30 h.p. Penta needed constant adjustment. The 20 h.p. Johnson is not suppressed but I find that most of the crackle on the Nova-Pal can be eliminated by sheathing the H.T. leads in braided sheathing. The Johnson Suppression kit at £11 is useless and in any case not worth more than 25/-.
I double-glazed the two front inboard windows with perspex and the boat is as dry as a bone now. Even the rain leaked through the composition bedding.
This letter is mostly to help you with your motor problem - I found right away that the long, long shaft (10" extension) was too short and that in certain conditions the propeller was churning out of the water especially where it is placed at the end of boat (When I bought my motor, a 50 h.p. Penta, it was only a long shaft or 5" extension. I therefore machined a motor shaft 5" longer and the two other parts needed to transform it into a long, long shaft).
When I found out that it was still too short, I bought an extra 5" extension at Penta (it was a used one costing £3 - £4) I machined a shaft now 10" longer than the long one - any decent machine shop will cut the spline at both ends of the stainless steel rod for £10 to £16. You will need a gear-changing rod, I think 6 mm, and a machine shop will heat one end, bend it twice to the shape of the old one and thread one end - cost £2. You also need a piece of aluminium tube to connect to the one in place. You do the connection with a rubber tube or as I did, glued with epoxy glue with an aluminium tube sleeve. Putting back the propeller parts of the engine will take a short hour.
Though I lengthened the Penta, the same can be done on Evinrude (or Johnson) it might be easier in England as all threads would be English - it is currently done in California by a Catamaran owner. See AYRS No. 50 Page 49 - Helani from C.S.K. is fitted with a 28 h.p. Evinrude lengthened by three extensions.
With this 15" extension AT NO TIME in two years, even in the roughest of seas, did the propeller come out of the water.
had complaints about the Penta and has changed to a Johnson.
I have a Johnson long shaft outboard 20 h.p. and find that with waves or swells the propeller and anti-cavitation plate are not deep enough in the water. It is able to give a 6-8 knot speed in calm water at full speed.
I was interested to hear you had been asked to find out about Johnson engines. As you may know already, Bollinders reputation for service is appalling, in spite of this I tried to buy the recommended Yenta 1967 model but they insisted on raising the price in spite of the fact they were all in stock before devaluation. Whilst I was haggling, I discovered to my horror that there is an inherent weakness on the '67 model - the timing slips without warning and although the manufacturers produced a mod. I am told that this was unsatisfactory. I therefore ordered the new 1968 450 off-shore but discovered through my business Swedish agent who called on Volvo-Penta that the 450 should never have appeared in the catalogue as they are not starting, to make it until April/May. I therefore want to my good friends Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bennett of E.M. Barrus, 12 Brunel Road, London U. .3, and asked them if they would consider making me a special long shaft on their 40 h.p. outboard motor. They quoted me by return £40, and five weeks delivery, and as the service from Johnson is good and available almost everywhere. I feel this is far more satisfactory.
Concerning Outboard power plants. My Silver Century (6-7 h.p.) pushes my boat at 4 m.p.h. even with a strong head wind, it moves the craft with good steerageway speed, what more do we need? I prefer to sail the boat. However, without a generator, neutral, or reverse I find this motor inadequate. I am buying a Chrysler 9.9 h.p. with 13.9 cubic inches displacement. High thrust propeller and three shaft lengths are available, 15" 20" and 30". Now I will have a little more speed and be able to charge my battery at 10 amps. As this motor will be an electric start model, the 9.9 h.p. is actually about 11.5 h.p.
Any further comments about engines, I will publish in the next News Letter. Is there anybody who is completely satisfied with his Penta or who has found a solution to its problems? There must be many owners who are stuck with them that we can offer advice to. Barry Bucknell seems fairly happy with his.
On Pyewacket with the long, long shaft Johnson, I am also experimenting with the American McElroy Fishing Motor Bracket which is an extremely powerful spring loaded bracket which bolts onto the transom and working on the parallelogram principle swings the whole engine either a foot above the transom or into the usual down position. then in the up position it should make it very accessible for plug changing and fiddling about as well as keeping the trailing propeller out of the water. Ian Bailey who somehow acquired a short shaft Evinrude constructed an engine clamp out of Water Barrel joined by Gascoigne Kee Klamps. In this context it might be interesting to know that it is not too difficult to make your own pulpit from the same materials. Comparing prices - Stainless Steel pulpit and liferails cost nearly £100. In galvanised the cost is practically halved - using galvanised water barrel and Gascoigne Kee Klamp fittings the cost for pulpit and pushpit and liferail stanchions is £6. makes you think doesn't it?
Thanks for Yacht magazine photo of February. Though I think I understand the principle of this sheet release I consider it too complicated to really work when you need it badly. First you have to have electric current. Then you go through at least one relay plus at least an electromagnetic for release with all the connection entailed, that it really is too much with the salt water that will corrode and short the juice any time.
I understand that a mechanical model was perfected, if you do publish a design I will appreciate and try to improve from there.
I see that you are building your own as I did mine. I made mast and fittings. Tried two kinds of centreboards - made rudders - and two kinds of windows. My windows are hinged in front like on a caravan and open fully - with never a drop of water inside."
My Iroquois arrived at Halifax from Liverpool aboard the N.S. Nova Scotia. However, some crates of safety matches caught fire in the adjacent hold, resulting in smoke damage to many of the forward hatches of the ship.
This delayed the ship as it put into Dublin for emergency repairs.
The Iroquois was finally lowered directly from the K.S. Nova Scotia to the Halifax harbour and was towed to the Royal Nova Escotia Yacht Club for cleaning and assembly of rigging.
As for cruising in Nova Scotia waters, the chief hazards are low visibilities when warm air is over the cold coastal waters and the rapid intensifying of storms close to Nova Scotia. There are 5 large Yacht Clubs in the Halifax-Dartmouth area and most are sheltered from winds and heavy seas. Fuel and oil for boats are not taxable when special coupons are produced.