Plastic Classic Forum

Henk

My 'delusion' factor was twice the estimated time and 5 times (!) the amount of money... If I were to sell her today I'd get only half back. Hummm. But there is a bright side. I restored the whole boat, everything. Every nut, screw, wire, spar and the engine has been replaced so we now own a new boa...

Henk

One of the better trained monkeys.

Henk

I added about 700 lbs to our 1963 Islander 32. Just filled the old water tank in the keel with washed gravel... I can't say that I notice much of a difference. These designs will be tender initially no matter how much ballast you add. Only when you heel say past 25-30 degrees will the extra ballast ...

Henk

When I installed the transducer, I installed it in a BIG goop of silicone. Then I leveled it out while looking at the screen to make sure it was still receiving. I then taped it to the hull so the silicone could dry and it wouldn't 'sink' into the silicone and slide down the hull as it cured. This w...

Henk

When I installed the new stanchions I moved them up to the cap rail. No more toe stubbing, wider decks, and higher lifelines above the knee. Each stanchion is through bolted with four 1/4" x 4" machine screws and all welded construction. http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab37/hiensch/0044...

Henk

Ahem, is that a little horizontal smudge on my monitor or did I just see a nine letter P word? No, it couldn't be... could it? We use a Humminbird 150 fish finder on our sail boat... And I don't even fish. But the nice thing about them is it shows bottom contours and with a bit of practice you can a...

Henk

After our refit I went without lifelines for six months. Yes, it looked sleek and pretty but I felt very vulnerable. I usually sail solo and the lifelines are my last 'safety net'. I do not depend on them, nor will I trust them, although the stanchions are through bolted with four 1/4" bolts, b...

Henk

I also used the zip-lock bag trick, but it didn't work until I made the outside of the bag wet as well. One little air bubble will prevent the transducer from working. After finding a good and reasonably flat and 'level' spot where the sounder showed good readings, (underneath quarter berth) I used ...

Henk

The boat's looking great Gordon, live your dream.

Henk

up_the_mast 1.jpg Thanks and I am still very happy how it turned out. Now I find the trick is to keep her looking just as nice. (which is not easy.) As you all know, salt water and UV is a terrible combination. Now that the weather turned cold and damp we no longer go out for a weekend but I just d...

Henk

This time of year (and for the next six months) here on the west coast of British Columbia it rains and rains and rains and rains and ... But it's not always like that. The summer months are quite nice thank you very much and just to prove it here is a video of our two week cruise around the Souther...

Henk

I'm sure there are many others drooling, I'm one of them.
What a beautiful boat, ahem, yacht. Your project is inspirational. Thanks.

Henk

On our 32' Islander we use the Simrad Tp32 tillerpilot. Works very well, I would not do without one. Most of the time I'm by myself and 'Simbad' as I call it is the one at the helm. Only going in and out of the marina or through a narrow passage will I hand steer. The only time I have a problem is w...

Henk

Not a nice day at all. A setback for sure but I don't think the end of the world. I understand that the plywood is still bare? Then I would think the moisture can still evaporate. I've got visions of roofers applying shingles on the plywood sheeting a day after it rained. The underside is exposed to...

Henk

None of the chainplates in the pictures look healthy. I would like to say that a little WD40 and some duct tape should do the trick but my gut feeling is to check all chainplates and remove/repair/replace what you have to. If the discontinued ones are not the source of the bulges, and show no rust s...

Henk

When the boat is thoroughly clean the fun part begins. Rebuilding. I started really enjoying myself once our boat Aurora, an Islander 32, was completely clean. But scrubbing and scrubbing with a brush in difficult to reach places to remove nearly 50 years of gunk, grime, soot and mold on a very roug...

Henk

That looks like a Dutch boeier. Believe it or not, they sail great.

Rachel, I just realized that 'schot' not only means bulkhead but also divider (like in a hold) or baffle. Perhaps this will clear things up. -or not-

H.

Henk

Hi Rachel, I've translated the few words that you were missing. 'wrang' is a support that creates stiffness like a knee. 'schotten van het zeilwerk' translates to 'bulkheads of the sails' (??) 'mastspoor' means Mast rail, and 'binnenschalen' I believe means large liner pieces. On the hull I have a l...

Henk

Seen in Poet's Cove, South Pender Island, British Columbia, on a big power boat...
'Kiss my Aft'

Henk

Looks like you're past the dirty work. Now comes the fun and expensive part. Here's how I made a shelter. It gave me 7 feet in the cockpit and to work on deck I just slid the tarp the the front like a curtain. If it would start to rain it would take me less than 1 min. to close the shelter. http://p...

Henk

Rachel, a 'Mik' is a boom crutch. A support for the boom, holding it up and out of the way when the boat is anchored or moored. Unlike a gallows frame, a crutch is stowed when boat is sailing. So it does the same as a topping lift but better, much more better. It is indeed a Frisian word, I lived an...

Henk

Thanks for the compliments. It's been fun making the photo's, video's, refit, what's not to like about boats? (other than the cost)

Henk

Here is a movie I made with Windows Movie Maker. Just a little 4 min. video. The first half is yours truly sailing and the rest is of the refit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U821nYO-qiY

Henk

Hurray! Just came back from the marina. I used the grinder to make the opening bigger. Now it has 1/8th opening. Sure enough, the 'pincher bolt' tightened the tiller head right up. No more play on the tiller. Such an easy fix. That's probably why I couldn't come-up with an answer.
Thanks,
Henk.

Henk

It looks very similar to this http://www.rigrite.com/Hardware/Rudder_Hardware/_derived/Rudder&Tiller_Heads.html_txt_PP_83-910BR_2.gif On the right side of the pic. is the key. It fits fine, too fine I guess. On the left side of the pic. is the bolt to clamp/squeeze/tighten the whole thing onto t...

Henk

Thanks for the ideas and possible solutions. I went to the marina this morning to tighten that bolt once and for all. Brought lots of tools but not the 1/2 wrench that I needed... Good thing too, reading the replies. Next time I will bring not only the right wrench, but also a hack-saw to create som...

Henk

Thanks David. I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll torque that tiller head until the bolt (almost) snaps. I always thought the key was there to prevent all movement. This would sure be the easiest solution. I'll know in 12 hours if it worked.

Henk

Hello all, After the refit of our boat, the Islander 32, there was one thing (okay, several things) I didn't fix/finish. One of them was the little bit of play of the tiller. Now that I've been sailing and using the tiller pilot, the play is becoming annoying. The rudder stock 1 1/2" (I think) ...

Henk

I used formica too. It is very inexpensive and (almost) doesn't scratch or stain. It comes in hundreds of different colours and patterns and is very easy to install. Make sure to use a router and nothing else to shape/cut the coutertop after the formica has been installed on the plywood. Here's a pi...

Henk

Peter, I did install the windows myself. I ended up getting the rubber gasket from a local auto-glass and upholsterer shop. The min. radius was 4" I seem to recall. Any smaller and the rubber doesn't bend but starts to 'fold'. So I used my trusty ol' router and made the small portholes a little...

Henk

Here are my two cents. I struggled with the same question. Cost was also a (big) issue. The original larger portlights couldn't open and since the boat is from 1963 I wanted to keep the 'look'. The small windows did open but I decided to use this system for all eight windows. It works well although ...

Henk

Thanks for the advice, I've sailed all my life but always on smaller boats and have very little experience with a roller furler. That said, I was going downwind, down-gale I should say. The problem I had was caused by a lot of little things. The sail had never been used. Very very stiff, think milk ...

Henk

Yeah, some first sail. Looking back it was fun and stupid at the same time. Although the whole idea was to find out what I missed. Well for starters a bunch of cleats. Another couple of things came to light during those couple hours and all of them are addressed by now. Except for the lifelines. The...

Henk

Ah, a lovely day. November 13, 2008. Six years and 13 days since that fatefull day when we bought her. A lot has happend. But now that it's sunny and there's a bit of wind let's go for a sail. Wasn't planning to go sailing just motor around abit, getting more familiar with the boat. You know, all th...

Henk

Lovely lines.
That picture from above is great.

Henk

The boat's finally in the water, and all is well. There's just one more major item missing before I can do any sailing; the mast. http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/7/d/0/106122/preview_00120.jpg Our boat had wooden spars. They looked OK when we bought her and so they too weren't in the budget. But.......

Henk

Thank you all for your kind words. I really could not have done it without you. Tim's websites and this forum are a goldmine of information. Here's a link to my 'Shawphoto share' of the Launch Day. (If I can make this work) It should play on its own. There's what looks like an X in the top right cor...

Henk

Sailing, ah that noblest of traditions. I had my first sail with our Islander 32 just two weeks ago. Maybe I'll post the story in the 'sailing and cruising' part of the forum. but first I'll post the rest of the pictures of my adventure. It is time for the bottom to be painted. Finally! Now that the...

Henk

Thanks, and you're more than welcome. After the diesel was installed it needed a battery and some cables to start the thing. And while I was working on that I figured I might as well continue with the house bank. I like the KISS principle but still ended up using more than 700 feet, yes sevenhundred...

Henk

Thank you all for your replies. We really appreciate it. I say we because although I did all the 'work', I could not have done it without the support (and patience) of my wife. So to continue the saga, the distributor of SOLE diesel engines had an engine in an airport storage facility. It was sittin...

Henk

Thanks for the comments and compliments. Yes that is Toplac. Like a mirror and easy to apply as long as the weather is cool. Keeping a wet edge was very hard to do. But it is soft though. The mast and boom have Awl-grip on them and it is much harder. We'll see how it holds up. http://photoshare.shaw...

Henk

Know as Orion, this yacht came from the US. Her port of call was Boston Harbour, although the last owner used her as a live-aboard in seattle. Build in 1963 by Wayfarer yachts and designed by J. McGlasson in Costa Mesa, California. I'll always wonder where she's been, did she sail to boston and back...

Henk

Ok let's try this.

I think it's working!!
Question: I would like to post lots of pictures about the restoration here. Do I need to start a new post each time or should I post a 'reply' to my own original post?
Thanks,
Henk.

Henk

I hope this will work. I don't know how to post/paste/glue any pictures on this forum yet but here's a link to my web-site detailing (sort-of) the work done on my 1963 Islander 32. http://hiensch.shawwebspace.ca/ An old boat which was falling apart to a beautiful yacht. (in my opinion) I'll try to f...

Plastic Classic Forum

Search found 44 matches

Re: Worth Restoring?

Re: Engine Vibrating Excessively

Re: Adding more ballast to Triton

Re: Installing In Hull Transducer

Re: Lifelines

Re: depth sounder vs fish finder

Re: Lifelines

Re: Installing In Hull Transducer

Re: I'm nearly ready!

Re: Two week summer cruise

Two week summer cruise

Re: Not plastic but....

Re: Autohelm

Re: Boat photo project

Re: Chainplates

Re: Deck hardware removed

Re: The Dutch Touch...

Re: The Dutch Touch...

Re: Another outstanding bad boat name

Re: Chicane... A Full Rebuild! (Warning Image Intensive)

Re: The Dutch Touch...

Re: Islander 32 Aurora sailing and refit video

Islander 32 Aurora sailing and refit video

Victory

Tiller head play

Islander 32. Aurora's first sail

The finishing touch.

Islander 32 picture

Islander 32 from A to Z