Skin fittings and Cocks.
During the season the forward heads inlet cock broke internally leaving it permanently closed.
It would appear that Conyplex at that time used the cheap red-handled cocks rather than proper bronze ones. (NB All seacocks now Bronze - Webmaster) With boat out of the water I tackled this and found that the elbow between the cock and the skin fitting was badly de-zincified. On the heads outlet the skin fitting itself was badly affected, and on removal a light hammer blow was sufficient to create a 15mm hole!
Charles advised replacement of all cocks and fittings. Not easy since the originals had been assembled with a locking fluid. That at least was decent quality and meant that most had to be cut out. Having done so with considerable labour, all the others were found to be in good condition.
I feel sure now that the proximity of the bow thruster grid metalwork had caused an electrolytic reaction, particularly as the tiny anode fitted was exhausted after only six months in the water. I will seek a larger one.
With the exception of the cockpit drains, I have replaced the fittings and cocks using bronze so far as possible. The cockpit drains on the 40S are extraordinary – the drains are at the aft end of the cockpit, and proceed down and then forward to the front of the engine bay, diving down ahead of the motor to make the cocks almost totally inaccessible. Having cut them out, replacement with conventional cocks would have probably required removal of the engine. My solution was to use high strength glass reinforced Marelone ball valves, screwed directly from underneath by a Marelone skin fitting and bedded in polyurethane sealer/adhesive. These fittings exceed the requirements of the American ABYC, and offer the comfort that in the event of a lightning strike they will not blow out through the bottom.
I obtained all the materials from Aquafax in Hamble.
Variable Pitch Prop Options - Derek Gange
The reason for changing from the Autoprop was that it gave a heavy clunk that made you feel the stern would drop off on engagement, then because it adopted fine pitch to get the boat moving, high revs were needed in manoeuvring, and even then acceleration was slow. Also. I suspect that because the Contest has a prop log, each blade came under a 'shadow' on passing the top of its rotation, such that at low revs an unpleasant rumble was felt and heard.
The Variprop, bought from CJR in Southampton, is cheaper than the Max Prop, and has the advantage in my mind that it can have the pitch adjusted externally, ie, with no need for dis-assembly, and that separate adjusters are provided for ahead and astern, thus allowing a finer pitch astern. It has transformed our low speed manoeuvring,(although nothing will eliminate prop walk!), is quiet, and seems to perform well at higher speeds and motor sailing. Early days yet, but so far we are well pleased with it.
Incidentally, because the manufacturers recommended additional anodic protection to the end cone, I have fitted a conventional anode on the hull by way of the prop. The good news is that although Contest had strangely made this an option which the original owner did not take up, at least the flexible drive coupling already had an electrical pathway, so installation was easy.
