Let me know if you would like to join us - we need a helping hand!
Plan on warm windbreaker jacket and pants.
10 AM in North Point Marina, Winthrop Harbor, IL, peer I.
Showing posts with label Lil Walkabout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lil Walkabout. Show all posts
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Stitching the sails on Lil Walkabout
Occasionally, every sail has to be re-stitched, especially around the edges and batten pockets.
New engine for Lil Walkabout - Johnson 9.9hp
I forgot to post this picture before, but here is the new engine Johnson 9.9 hp.
I have installed the high-thrust propeller on it to help move the heavy boat. The boat has 3,000 pounds of lead in the keel.
The high-thrust propeller and the relatively small engine will not get me anywhere fast.
One day I had to get out of the marina in a very tall northern waves and the engine had no problem.
Masthead installed on Lil Walkabout
Art has installed the masthead, which was welded.
Then, the plates on both sides were added and welded for additional support.
This fix cost me several hundred dollars, but I figured it was still cheaper than ordering a new one that is approximately the same size and trying to customize it to the mast.
George from "Boat Farm" did a very good job machining the aluminum.
George from "Boat Farm" did a very good job machining the aluminum.
Two Happiest Days of The Boat Owner's Life.
Many people told me there are two happiest days in the boat owner's life: when they buy the boat and sell it.
I am not sure it is true for real sailors; I have seen many happy long-time owners, but there must be something to it since this truism is repeated so often.
So far the ownership was nothing but an extreme stress to me. I mean extreme.
Below are some of the problems I was dealing with since I bought her.
After I put her on the water she was was leaking. I was worried: Will she sink? Will I come back in the morning and see the mast top breaking the surface? The bilge pump is not automatic, should I visit/pump her every day? (1 hr. trip, each way). I just talked to a guy whose boat sunk in the port. Two weeks later I realized that she is tight, the water particles tend to plug up any small cracks. She does not leak any more. I did install an automatic bilge pump.
The masts had to be taken down to pass under the bridges in Chicago; I had to pay to take the mast down, then wait in Belmont for a week, and step back up—a pretty expensive adventure.
The engine transmission does not work. Should I look for a mechanic to fix a tranny, or to install the outboard?
The first outboard did not work. I made many trips from Chicago to the suburbs and back, each time installing, removing, and carrying the heavy (85 lbs.) engine. The second, new, engine is very expensive!
The masthead broke off with the backstay, the fix is VERY expensive and time-consuming. Will the mast on supported halyards alone fall and break some other boat, sink my boat?
Most of all every daily trip to the store seems to cost $250, like magic, always.
- outboard bracket $230
- new wire-to-rope halyards $250
- new shackes and exit plates $250
- new mast head fix $300 + much headache
- rigging labor $400 + $300 + $180
- mast up/down/up $400
- battery-to-engine cables and misc stuff $250
- automatic bilge pump and wire $100
- engine $3200
I don't want to scare the potential boat owners, but this sport is not for a faint-of- heart.
I am not sure it is true for real sailors; I have seen many happy long-time owners, but there must be something to it since this truism is repeated so often.
So far the ownership was nothing but an extreme stress to me. I mean extreme.
Below are some of the problems I was dealing with since I bought her.
After I put her on the water she was was leaking. I was worried: Will she sink? Will I come back in the morning and see the mast top breaking the surface? The bilge pump is not automatic, should I visit/pump her every day? (1 hr. trip, each way). I just talked to a guy whose boat sunk in the port. Two weeks later I realized that she is tight, the water particles tend to plug up any small cracks. She does not leak any more. I did install an automatic bilge pump.
The masts had to be taken down to pass under the bridges in Chicago; I had to pay to take the mast down, then wait in Belmont for a week, and step back up—a pretty expensive adventure.
The engine transmission does not work. Should I look for a mechanic to fix a tranny, or to install the outboard?
The first outboard did not work. I made many trips from Chicago to the suburbs and back, each time installing, removing, and carrying the heavy (85 lbs.) engine. The second, new, engine is very expensive!
The masthead broke off with the backstay, the fix is VERY expensive and time-consuming. Will the mast on supported halyards alone fall and break some other boat, sink my boat?
Most of all every daily trip to the store seems to cost $250, like magic, always.
- outboard bracket $230
- new wire-to-rope halyards $250
- new shackes and exit plates $250
- new mast head fix $300 + much headache
- rigging labor $400 + $300 + $180
- mast up/down/up $400
- battery-to-engine cables and misc stuff $250
- automatic bilge pump and wire $100
- engine $3200
I don't want to scare the potential boat owners, but this sport is not for a faint-of- heart.
Consider becoming a crew before you drown all your savings in a boat.
I will keep the boat because I have dreams of sailing to Canada, 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, maybe Lake Superior in next couple of years.
I also dream about the Pacific, French Polynesia, Galapagos ...
I will keep the boat because I have dreams of sailing to Canada, 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, maybe Lake Superior in next couple of years.
I also dream about the Pacific, French Polynesia, Galapagos ...
Broken masthead on Lil Walkabout
After a heavy-weather sail, I came back the next day to the marina to find a backstay lying on the boat. Since the wind was still strong, I was terrified that I would get dismasted.
Thankfully, the mast was stabilized thanks to the good habit of tying the halyards as if they were stays.
It took quite a lot of time and money to get it fixed, you can read about it in my later posts labeled Lil Walkabout.
Irwin 28 masthead casting has cracked...
I am still in limbo about the masthead. The new pieces are over $400, and they aren't even that good.
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/archive/index.php?t-47.html
This was posed by Theis:
I, too, had the problem of the masthead casting breaking. In my case, one of the "ears" had broken off.
The prior owner put a plate, perhaps 1/4" thick, on the side of the masthead fitting with the broken ear and bolted the plate to the side through the solid center of the masthead casting. That worked for more than a decade, although I wonder if it was by luck or because of engineering design.
When I redid my Ariel, I removed the masthead casting and had a plate welded by my local steel supply house to cover the entire length of the casting. That fitting is too important to take any chance of corrosion or something that is not benign. So I did it right.
The plate is the approximate shape of the entire casting side, including both ears on one side, so it totally overlaps the flat side of the casting. Additionally, a smaller plate, with a thickness and shape similar to the broken ear, was welded to replace the missing ear so that the gap between the port and starboard ears remained approximately what it was initially.
He also welded a plate similar to the whole plate onto the good side of the masthead, just to be sure nothing on the other side broke. The way it is now, I don't think one of those Daisy chain bombs they used in Afghanistan would break the casting—which is the way it should be! I hope that helps and makes sense.
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/archive/index.php?t-47.html
This was posed by Theis:
I, too, had the problem of the masthead casting breaking. In my case, one of the "ears" had broken off.
The prior owner put a plate, perhaps 1/4" thick, on the side of the masthead fitting with the broken ear and bolted the plate to the side through the solid center of the masthead casting. That worked for more than a decade, although I wonder if it was by luck or because of engineering design.
When I redid my Ariel, I removed the masthead casting and had a plate welded by my local steel supply house to cover the entire length of the casting. That fitting is too important to take any chance of corrosion or something that is not benign. So I did it right.
The plate is the approximate shape of the entire casting side, including both ears on one side, so it totally overlaps the flat side of the casting. Additionally, a smaller plate, with a thickness and shape similar to the broken ear, was welded to replace the missing ear so that the gap between the port and starboard ears remained approximately what it was initially.
He also welded a plate similar to the whole plate onto the good side of the masthead, just to be sure nothing on the other side broke. The way it is now, I don't think one of those Daisy chain bombs they used in Afghanistan would break the casting—which is the way it should be! I hope that helps and makes sense.
Cleaned and oiled the hatch boards
I realize this does not look like a premium teak on luxury yachts, but the boat is as old as I am!
Lil Walkabout
This is my favorite sailing picture ever. First of all, Lili is absolutely cute, and this picture carries so much love, dreams, and hopes.
Lili, as a kid, loved to be on the boat; I installed the net all around the boat to keep her in.
When sailing, she stood on the forward berth mattress, her head and arms sticking out of the hatch before the mast.
Lil Walkabout visiting air show in Chicago
This is about halfway between Chicago and Winthrop, IL (North Point Marina).
You may see how much smog there is over Chicago, part of that was caused by hundreds of boats and the air show.
42°12'07.0"N 87°37'31.5"W
The trip took from about 1:30 PM until 8 PM, and the average speed was about 5.8 knots.
The water was almost flat all the way.
Jim "Posh" on Walkabout
Having friends and fellow skippers onboard is one of the main attractions of sailing.
It is a way of life.
Note that Lil Walkabout had a fuel cell inside the cockpit for the outboard, I should have installed it inside, but it did not bother me then. I was just happy to go sailing.
"Kudos" change name to "Lil Walkabout"
lil (ly'l)
1) a little,
2) or short for Lili, my daughter's name
walk·about (wôk′ə bo̵ut′)
In Australian aboriginal cultures, a "walkabout" is a ritual in which a young man goes on a solitary journey through the wilderness in an attempt to learn more about his own character and strength.
Australian: A temporary return to traditional aboriginal life, taken especially between periods of work or residence in white society and usually involving a period of travel through the outback.
Walkabout is an Australian English word originally referring to the belief of non-indigenous Australians that Aboriginal people were prone to "go walkabout" - a pidgin expression meaning that they would stop doing their jobs and wander through the bush for weeks at a time. This was a time of reflection, a chance to connect with nature, and a chance to rediscover oneself.
This has lead to a modern usage, whereby someone who has wandered off (for a few minutes or a few months) is said to have “GONE WALKABOUT”. It can also apply to a missing item, for example, "Have you seen my pencil, Jack? It's gone walkabout again."
1) a little,
2) or short for Lili, my daughter's name
walk·about (wôk′ə bo̵ut′)
In Australian aboriginal cultures, a "walkabout" is a ritual in which a young man goes on a solitary journey through the wilderness in an attempt to learn more about his own character and strength.
Australian: A temporary return to traditional aboriginal life, taken especially between periods of work or residence in white society and usually involving a period of travel through the outback.
Walkabout is an Australian English word originally referring to the belief of non-indigenous Australians that Aboriginal people were prone to "go walkabout" - a pidgin expression meaning that they would stop doing their jobs and wander through the bush for weeks at a time. This was a time of reflection, a chance to connect with nature, and a chance to rediscover oneself.
This has lead to a modern usage, whereby someone who has wandered off (for a few minutes or a few months) is said to have “GONE WALKABOUT”. It can also apply to a missing item, for example, "Have you seen my pencil, Jack? It's gone walkabout again."
Lil Walkabout - Irwin 28 sailboat original interior pictures
Folding table on the bulkhead.
Overall, there was plenty of room for our family and occasional friends.
The navigation station is a little unstable and needs to be moved about a foot to the right:
The v-berth forward also had plenty of space.
First sail after stepping the mast
I got up early and drove to Chicago, it usually takes about 1.5 hours, but today, on Sunday morning, it was a breeze.
I went to the south side to pick up Art, the "professional" boat guy who was supposed to help me set up the rig. Since I arrived too early, I parked and waited politely until 9 AM, when I was supposed to call and wake him up.
Art picked after a few redials, he said he is passed out on his boat after drinking and smoking until 3 AM in Belmont Harbor. He also said he was going back to sleep. I asked him if he wanted breakfast, but he said no.
I turned around and drove to Belmont, some 50 city blocks.
Once I arrived, I realized I was stuck without any means of getting on my boat parked on the "star" dock in the middle of the port -- Art had the dingy and was asleep.
The Harbor Master office told me that Belmont does not have a tender service, the girl at the desk did not even know what it means. I offered to one of the workers $20 for a ride, but he refused to take it but was nice enough to give me to take me to the boat.
I decided not to wake up Art until 30 minutes before our appointment with the Harbor Master at the crane at 11:00. After knocking on his boat, he finally answered. Later, he asked me to postpone the appointment a little. I did not think that was cool, but there was no harm.
The setting of the rig went pretty well and amazingly quickly. Art was upset with me that I did not have any bigger pliers than the one I usually carry on the sailboat. He did so while drinking another beer.
He called himself a professional (rigger), yet he did not bring any tools.
After setting the sails, we decided to go out for a short sail to see how the boat would do, which was part of the deal. He was supposed to show me the ropes. Konrad, my brother, and Steve, a neighboring boat owner, joined us.
Even before we left the harbor, Art went below to rest. I thought that was cool, but soon, I asked him to come up because the waves were huge because of the Northeast wind that pushed them all the way from Canada (well, almost). Art did not surface but rather passed out on the settee.
I went to the south side to pick up Art, the "professional" boat guy who was supposed to help me set up the rig. Since I arrived too early, I parked and waited politely until 9 AM, when I was supposed to call and wake him up.
Art picked after a few redials, he said he is passed out on his boat after drinking and smoking until 3 AM in Belmont Harbor. He also said he was going back to sleep. I asked him if he wanted breakfast, but he said no.
I turned around and drove to Belmont, some 50 city blocks.
Once I arrived, I realized I was stuck without any means of getting on my boat parked on the "star" dock in the middle of the port -- Art had the dingy and was asleep.
The Harbor Master office told me that Belmont does not have a tender service, the girl at the desk did not even know what it means. I offered to one of the workers $20 for a ride, but he refused to take it but was nice enough to give me to take me to the boat.
I decided not to wake up Art until 30 minutes before our appointment with the Harbor Master at the crane at 11:00. After knocking on his boat, he finally answered. Later, he asked me to postpone the appointment a little. I did not think that was cool, but there was no harm.
The setting of the rig went pretty well and amazingly quickly. Art was upset with me that I did not have any bigger pliers than the one I usually carry on the sailboat. He did so while drinking another beer.
He called himself a professional (rigger), yet he did not bring any tools.
After setting the sails, we decided to go out for a short sail to see how the boat would do, which was part of the deal. He was supposed to show me the ropes. Konrad, my brother, and Steve, a neighboring boat owner, joined us.
Even before we left the harbor, Art went below to rest. I thought that was cool, but soon, I asked him to come up because the waves were huge because of the Northeast wind that pushed them all the way from Canada (well, almost). Art did not surface but rather passed out on the settee.
We took a real beating in heavy weather. We had too much sail for the wind, and an awfully choppy sea threw us around. Spray was broking on the bow and hit us in the face, which felt awesome.
Finally, we got the mainsail down and sailed on the jib only. Since we went out straight East on the port tack, I wanted to come about and sail back West.
It was supposed to be only a 30-minute sail, but we were out much longer. Well, coming about in heavy seas is difficult; the waves push you right back. Art, in his sleep, told me to gybe, which did not cross my mind since I sail on small boats, and that would definitely capsize a dingy.
To my surprise, the gybe went very smoothly, and it became a little more comfortable. About half a mile from the shore, we tried to start an outboard motor that I borrowed from Art, and it died on me a few times.
Finally, we returned to the harbor on the jib only and with the motor in idle.
The story ended all good, but I realized a few things.
First, do not expect too much of people.
If all that Art doing is drinking, then it is likely that he will get drunk and pass out. He has done it before and did it this time, thanks to Steve, who has been sailing these waters and helped us bring the boat back.
Secondly, I may not have Art on the delivery to North Point Marina, as he probably will repeat the act.
Irwin 28: Lil Walkabout: Converting to outboard?
My transmission needs to be rebuilt; the engine is the original gasoline Volvo from 1974.
I found a couple of pictures of Irwin 28 with the outboard motors.
This admittedly does not make the sailboat any prettier, but it helps with:
- no oil in the bilge,
- no fumes inside,
- no noise inside,
- lots of extra room for additional batteries, sails even future electric motor
I found these articles:
http://www.onlineoutboards.com/article_choosing_outboard_hp.html
I found a couple of pictures of Irwin 28 with the outboard motors.
This admittedly does not make the sailboat any prettier, but it helps with:
- no oil in the bilge,
- no fumes inside,
- no noise inside,
- lots of extra room for additional batteries, sails even future electric motor
I found these articles:
http://www.onlineoutboards.com/article_choosing_outboard_hp.html
Seems like 9.9 hp should be plenty with these features:
- 4 stroke
- 2 cylinder
- 12-volt charging
- 4 stroke
- 2 cylinder
- 12-volt charging
- high thrust prop
- deep (long) prop
- deep (long) prop
Parts:
Do you have experience with outboards on the Great Lakes?
I would really appreciate constructive comments...
UPDATE (August 13, 2008):
1) I have delivered the boat with a loaned 9.9HP 2 cycle up Chicago River, Chicago Harbor, to Belmont Harbor.
2) We sailed and motored in hefty winds with the same 9.9 HP, which was sufficient.
3) I hate to lean over the transom in heavy seas and cord-start the motor. I rather have the battery starter in the cockpit.
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