English Sailors new cruiser. Model: Seaward 25, year 1997.
Above: Our eldest daughter sailing our Seaward 25 with friends on the Illinois River in Peoria, Illinois.
Above: Sailing through the straights of Mackinaw. Mackinaw Bridge, Michigan, in background.
Above: Our first family sail in Peoria, Illinois after purchasing the Seaward 25. Mom and Dad are pleased with the wheel steering and the entire boat. Everyone likes the aft rail seats.
Destinations so far:
Above: Photos from raising the mast in Charlevoix, Michigan.
We are very please with our purchase of a used Seaward 25 in year 2014 after a tornado claimed our first cruising sailboat. Its 2' shallow draft allows us to use it in the Illinois River / Peoria Lake near our home. The trailer allows us to continue exploring new waters.
We are making improvements in the boat to suite our age. I am no longer as nimble as a cat while walking on deck, and I like to keep the lifting effort to a minimum so my back remains healthy. We hope to use this boat for many years, so we are using opportunities now to prepare for the future when this work will be challenging.
Raising the Mast:
Improvements For raising The Mast:
Mast Raising Improvements Still Needed:
Above: First trip to test the Suburban and trailer upgrades, on route to Lake Charlevoix, Michigan. Our son did most of the trailer rework during his summer vacation. Between boat trailers, high school classes, and FIRST Robotics, our son has become a proficient metal worker. We later updated the rear Suburban drum brakes to those used in a similar dual-axle Chevy trucks to increase stopping power.
Above: Over the years we lost many a surge brake to water in the reservoir. The towels and plastic wrap is a simple effort to mitigate that problem.
Above: Trailer for Towing Seaward 25
One of the big jobs was to find a tow vehicle. We chose a 1999 Suburban 2500 with a 6.7L V8 gasoline engine. We chose this because its had adequate specs for towing, and could hold 7+ passengers. We considered a newer suburban, but they were really expensive and borderline for towing specs. We started the Suburban purchase at $8k, we then spent another $8k to replace worn out components in suspension, brakes, rear axle, AC, ... Even at 20k expenditure, we were still well below the $30k that all newer comparable SUV's were selling for with approximately 100,000 miles.
Our first boat upgrade was to replace the old tires that came with the boat when we purchased it. We started by taking the rig to a truck stop and getting some weight information.
Improvements For Towing:
Towing Improvements Still Needed:
Lessons Learned:
Above: Boat Repair for Deck Core
The cockpit floor had a leak at the steering gear mount that resulted in the entire core compromised. After winter season storage, when the core was as dry as it was going to get, we conducted this repair. We drilled holes in the top glass, utilizing a spacer to ensure the bit does not penetrate the lower glass layer. We used fiberglass putty to seal any holes in the lower glass. We used brass tubes to seal off the steering-gear bolt holes. Then we poured marine epoxy into the holes, as it filled the void, we kept adding more epoxy until the space was filled. We then sanded the floor with a belt sander, and used epoxy putty to fill any low spots. The photo above shows the deck at this stage of repair. Then we painted with water based truck bed nonskid paint. After two seasons this repair is still working, but we found a very small amount of fuel leaked onto this paint and it came off the deck. This non skid paint serves the purpose, but the white does not clean well. We are considering resurfacing this cockpit floor with synthetic teak decking material.
Above: Rudder Repair
A relatively short tube (about 8 inches long) is molded into the rudder that engages the steering gear. It came loose and pulled out of the rudder. We had noticed something wasn't right for about a year, and we think the complete failure occurred when another boater plowed into our rudder when the boat was tied up at dock (we weren't there, but stories told, it was enough of a crash to make folks almost fall off the dock). Anyway, it was an easy fix. We sealed the end of the tube, cleaned it thoroughly, covered the hole and tube with epoxy, and inserted the tube back into the rudder. We then used metal foil covered tape (the kind used for sealing home air ducts) and made a small cup around the rudder/tube joint, and filled that with epoxy. This pool of epoxy was then free to flow into the joint to fill any voids. This has been an effective repair.
Above: Fuel Tank Repair
This Seaward has a Yanmar 10 HP inboard Diesel engine. When we purchased it, the boat had a red fuel tank that was worn out from sun exposure. The trick is the diesel engine has a fuel return line, so the tank needs two fuel ports. We were not able to find a two port fuel tank that is portable for above deck usage, so we had to modify one. We decided to modify this small tank (its capacity is about 3 gallons) because it would be light enough to carry around when full, and will reduce the amount of fuel remaining at end of the season (as in last season, half the tank).
Our studies revealed that Buna gasket material is rated for Diesel, and that no adhesive known to man securely bonds to the plastic used in these fuel tanks. So we ordered the gasket material to make the tank shown. We also put a thin layer of LifeCaulk on either side of the gasket in hopes of achieving some bond so the screws were not doing the entire securement job, and to seal around the screws. Note that BoatLife Life Calk has excellent resistance to Diesel and gasoline, and that RTV or Silocone does not. After one season, this new tank is still working like a champ.
Portable Fuel Line Quick Disconnects:
We didn't want our cruising sailboat fuel tank secured with a cheap plastic quick disconnect fittings. So we purchased Swagelok stainless steel connectors with special seals rated for diesel fuel. These seal when disconnected, but we purchased 4 caps to keep everything clean and sealed when the tank is removed from the boat. We also have a significant strap to hold the tank into the boat.
Portable Tank Vent Line:
Our studies revealed that portable tanks are suppose to be sealed so they don't vent, even when left out in the hot sun. They also have plastic valves intended to prevent the tank pressure from reaching the motor. We are not willing to use plastic valves in our main Diesel supply line, so this isn't an option!
By contrast, fuel tanks installed inside the hull are intended to be vented and there are a lot of instructions to ensure the vent does not have a low spot that traps fuel, and they also have special devices to prevent fuel spilling out the vent. Our tank is sort of in between these, it is mounted above deck, but under a seat, and supplies an inboard diesel.
Our design choice is for a vented tank. However, we don't have enough vertical space between top of the tank, and the deck, for the anti-spill valve. While we sort out this problem, our tank has a vent hose that is plugged, and we leave the tank cap vent slightly loose so pressure doesn't get too high.
Above: Fuel Filter/Water Separator
When we purchased the boat we replaced the filter element in this separator, along with the one in the engine. The replacement filters also have replacement seals for the water separator bowl. We had an instance where our new filter plugged due to sludge in the fuel. It failed while we were in a narrow harbor inlet, fortunately it was calm and there was no crazy boat traffic. Still, we had a really tough time getting the water separator bowl off the filter. Hence, the tool box is now stocked with spare filters, and two strap wrenches.
Also, a recent discovery, the fuel line at this separator had a crack and leak. Due to its location under the seat, it isn't easy to see. Fortunately our kids are more flexible and spotted the leak source. Next season, new fuel lines all around.
Above: Tools for Transferring Spare Fuel
All our cruisers have been small, and we like to keep extra for passages. There was a timeframe when gas can quality hit rock bottom, and it was very hard to find an acceptable product. The one shown was proven to seal when stored below decks in some rough seaways.
Our old Diesel fuel likes to form sludge. We are now more diligently using additives to resist this. As a stop gap, we also found this portable fuel filter / funnel can be inserted into the fuel tank opening. We discovered that it does a fine job of catching debris and sludge.
Transferring fuel in rough seas has always been a concern. We discovered a process where we can tie the spare can securely above the cockpit seat, and use this unique siphon tube. This tube works by shaking the brass end up and down in the fuel can, it then pumps the fuel through the tube until a gravity siphon takes effect. It stores nicely in a 1 gallon ziplock bag.
Above: Cabin and Crack in Cabin Ceiling Under Mast
This is about the last of our repairs for the "purchase condition" of the boat. We noticed the mast is over an arched bulkhead between main cabin and V berth. We like how this arch provides an open centerline through the cabin, it is a really nice design feature. The previous owner warned us not to fully tighten the shrouds and stays, to reduce compression on this area. Still, the previous owner's repair had cracked again before he sold the boat, and in the three seasons we have used it, the crack has grown. This is my winter research project. I am hoping the manufacturer will tell me what structural members are between the deck and this arch, so I can discern how much this fiberglass arch is structural vs. cosmetic.
Above: Modified Pump for Wet Bilge
Normally the bilge stays dry at harbor, until we all load onto the boat and set sail. Se have not found & fixed the source of the leak yet. Latest guess, the tension load from mast stays is transferred to the hull through a stainless steel plate that traverses through the cabin space. It is shown in a cabin photo above. Where this plate connects to the hull at boot-stripe level, appears fastened by a single carriage bolt. Perhaps the bolt receives so much tension that it pulls from the hull and opens a leak path? We will try reinforcing this and see what happens.
Another possibility is the rub rail. That is a significant big piece of hardware, we hope it isn't that.
We don't think it is the hull to deck joint, since it is an outward flange and the boat has so much freeboard...
We don't think it is the deck or cabin top, or hatches, because a lot of water enters in while these items appear relatively dry.
The bilge is deepest at a well at the front of the keel, approximately under the mast. It is accessed by a small hole, and appears a small space. It is too small for an electric bilge pump. We tried several pumps before settling on this solution. It is a modified marine hand pump with a fitting that accommodates a 3/4" clear braided PVC hose.