Tanzer 16 -- Some time off -- Banderas Bay

Tanzer 16 -- Some time off -- Banderas Bay --  November 24, 2015  --  Taking a few weeks off for Sunshine Therapy in Mexico to inoculate ourselves for the gloomy winter ahead.  (Plus we missed a few storms at home.)  Fred and Judy invited me out for a sail in their Serendipity 43, Wings.  They have raced their boat all over the world and circumnavigated during a 15-year cruise.  Great people. Great boat. Great time.
In three ways, their boat is a lot like a Tanzer 16. It has a pointy end.  It has sails that are

roughly triangular in shape.  The wind makes is go.

Fred has an incredibly interesting blog at Wingssail.blogspot.com.

Fourth thing.  It has a tiller instead of a wheel.  

Tanzer 16 -- seat patch finished

Tanzer 16  seat patch finished -- November 5, 2015  -- To finish off the patch, one layer of cloth was added on top the mat.  Then sanded the last layer of build-up back so it faired in with the seat surface.  Now for a couple of coats of heavy primer, and it will be ready to paint. Started filling the holes and dings.  After 40 years, it will take quite a bit of fussing to complete before painting.  While the resin was mixed we also filled in a few factory "owies" in the gelcoat.

Before.

After.

Tanzer 16 -- seat repair continues

Taner 16 -- seat repair continues  -- November 3, 2015  --  At this point the patch is secure from below.  A number of small pieces of cloth were laid in to make the patch level--it had some low spots.  A layer of mat was applied.  When it was sanded out, the patch was stronger than the surrounding area, but it was still too low.

So a piece of mat was torn (as the U-Tube video suggests).

Then the mat was laid into the center of the patch to bring it up to grade.

We'll give that a day to set up.  Then we'll sand it out and see if we need a layer of woven cloth or some resin with micro fiber to bring it up to final height.

Tanzer 16 --Buy, Sell, Trade, Substitute

Tanzer 16 --Buy, Sell, Trade, Substitute -- November 2, 2015 -- It's not easy to find parts for 40-year-old boat.  Especially since some of them were custom made for the Tanzer.  For some reason I have developed kind of a mild* personal obsession with keeping these special, old boats in the water.

Kind of thinking that it might be helpful to add a page to the blog where people could list items they would like to buy or sell--or trade.  And maybe we could list tips on things that can substitute.  (Such as the hinges from the O'Day Day Sailor for a hinge.)  I was thinking maybe we could find somebody to cast the plugs for hinged mast conversion--or I could make them out of oak.  

I would never advocate scrapping a hull that could be saved, but when it can't be saved, such a page could be a forum to list parts, sails, etc.  (Heck I even know where you can find a free hull that's sound.)

If you think this is a good idea, let me know at jslosson@aol.com.  Thanks for following this blog.  If you would like to send a picture of you and your boat, sail number, and a little narrative, I would love to post it for others to see.

jim

* My wife would argue with the mild characterization, but she has never known any really hard-core sailors.

Tanzer 16 -- Boom tent on #1460

Tanzer 16 -- Boom tent on #1460  -- Brian Mrachek adds a boom tent, October 31, 2015  -- Received the following email and pictures from Brian.  He is the Floridian who did such a nice job on his boat's refurb. That refurb is shown in the pages section.  Brian is also the guy to likes to take his Tanzer out on 70-mile open water races.  Too bad he doesn't like to race short -course, with a roller furling jib and spinnaker launching tube, he would be pretty competitive.

Jim,

Good luck on the boat.  I reinforced my centerboard truck. I probably added a little too much weight but I am not racing around the buoys like you guys.

My boat is now a true Gunkholer.  The boom tent is completed and we made cushions that can act as a bed.  Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to race this year.  We are expecting our second grandchild and its due the same time.  My wife is using her "Veto" powers.

I am thinking on doing the Florida 120. It would be good practice.  Its not a race but just a cruise with like minds.  I can also use the kicker and save a little rowing.

Anyways, I thought I would forward a couple pics. 

I really enjoy the blog.  Please keep it up!

Regards

Brian   

Notice Brian's trailer is pretty sweet too.

Practically the Hilton.

Tanzer 16 -- change of watch #699

Tanzer 16 -- change of watch #699  --October 30, 2015-- Received the following email from Joe McIntosh.  I asked him for information about his new boat.

Jim

I'm in Fairhope, Al. I bought the boat, hull 699, from Gregg Warren in Commerce Ga. He raced the boat in 2008 and won 5th place in a national race. After that he apparently put the boat away. Its in good condition and I should be able to sail it after a little work ( like getting the mast up - it does not have a hinged mount). It is not an overnighter. It was made in 1973. Attached is a pic.

Regards, Joe.

I paid particular attention to the motor mount since I am thinking of changing
to the same type.

Tanzer 16 seat repair continues --making the patch

Tanzer 16 seat repair continues --making the patch  -- October 29, 2015  With the bad material removed, it's time to start putting the seat back together.  The first item was to glue some of the detached small blocks back into the bottom of the seat where it meets the vertical wall of the seat.

The small blocks that fell out were slathered up with a
thickened mixture of resin and clamped to the underside
of the seat.  When the glue set up, the seat was already
stronger.

A piece of thin, 1/8-inch plywood was cut--4 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the the hole.  It needed to be thin so it could be drawn up to the hole by shop-built clamps.

Two layers of cloth were laminated to the plywood.  One was cut straight, the other was cut on the bias--which probably didn't make any difference, but it couldn't hurt.  After the epoxy resin set up, some 1/4-inch bolts were inserted and tightened up.  These will hold the clamps.

Thickened epoxy was added to the edges of the patch.  After inserting it into the hole, the plywood strips went on the bolts.  They were tightened up and the patch was pulled up tight against the bottom of the seat.  With the clamps removed the patch was quite secure.

The bolts dropped down into the seat where they will
probably rust  Wish I used stainless.

Small blocks of plywood went on top of the patch held in place by thickened epoxy.  The level of the patch is now below the finished level or the seat.  This will leave room for the matt glass top of the patch to bring the whole think back up the level of the top.

Since the boat is still out in the "Covered Bridge" it needed a little heat to help the epoxy set up.  A small space heater set on low worked nicely.  The cardboard is just to contain the heat.

Next:  Building up the top with matt.