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I made my own step, completely, all parts. Didn’t use the Rig-Rite. If I recall I thought it was very overpriced and I liked my design better.
Mine from bottom up.
3″ thick base of UHMWPE
1/4″ 6061 Al plate for the mast to sit on
Doughnut of UHMWPE, forget how thick but 2-3″
– Doughnut hole matches profile of the mast
– Doughnut rectangular on the outside, not round, to match the base.I used long bronze lag bolts to bolt the 3″ base through the glass into the encapsulated lead keel.
I isolated the AL plate from the bronze bolts to avoid the galvanic reaction between the dissimilar metals.
Cut drain holes in the sides of the doughnut (matching notches in the base of the mast) to keep out standing water.If you want more details I can send a drawing of the construction.
When I redid my step 10 years ago Rig-Rite in RI had a ready made replacement. Very likely the bottom of the mast is also corroded. It isn’t obvious until you full the mast as the bottom is set down into the step and not visible. When I pulled mine the bottom 2-3″ was almost gone. Can you say Swiss Cheese? Rig-Rite offered a replacement that raised the step enough to compensate for cutting the bottom off the mast which I highly recommend. Gets the base of the mast off the floor of the bilge. I made my own replacement step and it was pretty easy. Purchase a couple of blocks of UHMWPE. Screwed a 3″ block onto the bottom of the bilge, took a 2″ rectangle a couple of inches wider and longer than the oval shape of the mast. Cut the mast oval out of that block and screwed it into the new 3″ higher base. To allow for wear I put a 1/4″ AL plate between the two blocks so the mast base would sit on the AL. 5-6 years and a few thousand miles, no problems.
I have seen the 42 series with both the W58 and W60. My 422 is a 1984 and came with the W58 which is indeed a Perkins 4.154. The Westerbeke parts are really expensive and hard to find but you might do better with the Perkins versions.
If you’re interested I have a W58 block that came out of another 424.
I believe Bryan is correct. My 422 has a 2:1 reduction in the v-drive and a 1:1 ratio in the BW Velvet drive.
PS. Hang onto any nuts bolts and screws! They are really weird sizes, and only available from specialty fastener shops. Seemingly only vintage motorcycle ppl have even heard of this standard. You can re-tap some of them to a standard 8mm metric thread, but don’t unless you have to. (since they are only off by 1 thread every inch or more there is onlya small loss of strength, but then you have to remember which you tapped)
Are you perhaps referring to Whitworth standards? That was used on older UK motorcycles as well as the infamous Seagull outboard. If so, that engine is based on a pretty antiquated block. It is a good, solid engine but Whitworth?
Hi Charlie. Checked part numbers online for some standard parts for a W60 and a W58 and the ones I found didn’t match. I’m starting to think that contrary to a couple of comments I’ve seen on the net a W60 and a W58 are different blocks and totally different parts.
A couple of the standard \westerbeke parts suppliers show the fresh water pump as no longer available. Looks like your options are to try to rebuild the one you have or figure out what block Westerbeke used for the W60 and find a generic.
If you rebuild usually new seals and bearings are all it takes and those are 99% of the time standard items and available from industrial supply houses.
Hi Charlie,
I learned that the W58 is the exact same engine as a Perkins 4.154 and read somewhere that the W60 is the same engine as the W58. Not sure if this is true or not but I bought a Perkins fresh water pump from a tractor dealer in Iowa that is a perfect fit. The only differences I found, blue paint instead of red and almost $200 cheaper.
Also called peeling on the mainland as well but some do call is shaving. The whole process is a peel and seal. Catchy name eh?
The good news, I had mine done about five years ago and so far not a single blister. The bad news, I only launched about three months ago.
The peeling left a very smooth surface, barely a ripple when the guy was done. You use a tool like a very heavy duty power planer. The depth of cut can be adjusted to take off more or less depending on how bad and how deep the blisters go.
At least one article I read by one of the many “experts” claimed peeling was much better than soda blasting as it didn’t make all the pits and break the cloth structure as much. Of course just about every article I read differed with the one before so who knows. I even read one that said it’s a waste to do a bottom sealing job unless you take off at least three layers of glass and build it all back up from scratch.
Cost. I just paid for the whole process, peel and seal so don’t have a breakdown. However, it only took him a few hours, maybe 3-4 if I recall so if you wanted just that part done and the rest DIY I’m making a wild guess at under $1000. I can ask the guy if you like. He’s coming to finish some more work for me. I pulled off the eyebrow and he filled the screw holes and matched the gel coat so they’re almost invisible.
I had blisters on my boat. Thousands but most relatively small +/- 1/2″ but a few almost quarter sized. Fortunately all very shallow, just under the gel coat. After hours and hours (and hours) of reading dozens of opinions and “expert” recommendations I decided to shave the bottom instead of soda blasting and was very happy with the results. Only took a few hours and left a really good, smooth surface for sealing. Saved many hours of filling and fairing.
If you plan to do the job in NE Florida I have a guy that I can recommend.
Skip
We are very interested in Green Cove, having stored our boat there for many years. Can you tell us what damage, if any, happened to the boats in the storage yards? So many of them belong to our friends. Robert and Diane Richmond, s/v Silver Girl
Hi Robert,
Good to see you here. Hope all is well.
Saw no problems in the yard at all. I don’t believe any of the boats on the hard were toppled or suffered other than superficial damage from flying debris.
Skip
s/v MayaI rode it out on board in Green Cove Springs on a mooring. Would have preferred hanging on my own anchor but, long story short, a number of circumstances (including a bit of complacency and/or wishful thinking on my part) left me on the mooring.
When I got to the boat Thu evening there were 21-22 boats in my mooring field. When I left yesterday there were 8 and I was one of the 8. I made it through partly by preparation but luck definitely played a part. I watched the boat next to me, similar size, drag his mooring across the harbor until he fetched up against the pier. I confirmed at least three boats dragged the moorings (probably at least 1-2 more) but two were large cats with a lot of windage. Most of the other boats broke free when their pendants chafed through.
Quick survey, the great majority of the boats that broke free had NO preparation. Moored with single lines, sails still up, even bimini tops and in one case a very large awning (that miraculously stayed on the boat albeit in tatters and that boat made it). I only noticed one other boat >40′ that made it through on the mooring. The smaller boats definitely fared better.
It was pretty hairy but if I hadn’t been on board I almost certainly would have ended up with severe damage. The very last boat that broke free was the only boat that hit mine. He landed on my bowsprit broadside and his shrouds tangled in my 65 lb Mantus. I was on close watch, saw him coming and was at the bow when he hit. No way on earth I could have fended him off but I was able to quickly unhook his shroud and he spun off, bounced once on my port side (where he took a gouge out of the toe rail exactly where the PO had smashed it and I had just patched it with a new piece of teak) and drifted free.
Hi David,
I have to look at my log but I thought my cutter air draft was 52′ but I included masthead lights and antenna. Didn’t worry about fine tuning that too much on the ICW since bridges are almost all 65′ more or less but will probably get an exact measure now I’m back in the water so I’ll know.
I did do the math and theoretically I could clear a 47′ bridge if I heeled the boat 30 degrees which seemed a bit extreme. Have you tried to heel that far?
Hello Skipmac
My track is one inch, secured to the mast with screws in tapped holes every 4 inches. The track is Harken, as is the car. The car has shackles top and bottom to secure the car control lines. The inboard pole attach point (on the car) is a standard ring, not one of the fancy U-joint things. It works just fine, as long as you occasionally lube the plastic bearings with a drop of the appropriate stuff, McLube I think. You also need to generally watch alignment as it goes up and down the track. Hasn’t been a problem as long as the car bearings are lubed. I purchased this setup about two years ago from West Marine.
I’ve used the pole to pole out the jib, but have also used it for my heeling bag. I need to heel the boat to get under some bridges around here. I hang about 600 lbs of water from the end of the pole, about 20 or so feet from the center line of the boat. This hasn’t appeared to damage anything, and I am sure there is a lot of inboard pressure on the car and track.
David
Thanks again. I was starting to wonder if the 1″ track was enough but for my needs and based on your experience I think it should do the trick.
So how low is the bridge you get under when heeled? Do you have the standard mast, 52′ if I recall? There’s a 45′ bridge blocking my way to a more cheaper and more secure berth upriver that I have been eyeballing.
Related question. I’m looking for a whisker pole for my 424 cutter. What is a reasonably safe diameter and length?Roger
Forespar, on their web site recommends a LC 13-24 for light to moderate air or LC 15-27 for heavy air. The 13-24 uses 3″ and 3.5″ Al tubing, the 15-27 3.5″ and 4″ tubing. The numbers are the lengths, closed and extended.
