A trip to Angel Island would make the perfect overnight shakedown cruise for Spirit. It will force me to install that Seacook stove I bought a month ago (I hate drilling holes in new boats). And a tip on Whale one-way valves if you are considering them: They don't work - at least not on the newer M-17s with the drain hoses running through the transom. Spirit's cockpit is constantly awash in backed-up seawater. Singlehanding draws only a cup of water (I'm 6'4" 220# and there's a 60# 4hp Merc hanging off the stern bracket). With three full-sized adults in the cockpit the amount of water sloshing around on the cockpit sole gets ankle deep on the leeward side when beating to windward. I'd call this a design flaw but the current drain configuration is NOT how Lyle Hess originally designed it. My advice is that If your below-the-waterline through-hull configuration keeps the water out then stick with the basic design, but upgrade the materials it if they are suspect. And, if anyone out there is contemplating ordering a new M-17, work out a cockpit drainage solution that obeys the laws of physics. Jim M-17 "Spirit" On Jun 23, 2008, at 11:09 PM, Michael Ray Wisely wrote:
Hey Jim,
I'm sailing in my front yard right now. I hope to get "Meg" ready by late July, early August. I'm going to pull the CB and I'm replacing all the exterior teak. Just got back from buying the wood...Teak is at a whopping $26 a board ft. yikes...decided to bite the bullet, so I guess I can't complain. I want to do the Angel Island overnight as one of my first sails when we are shipshape, but I will get up with you when we get her ready.
Now:
Here's a question for everyone out there. My M-17 #383 has the drains that are attached to hoses and exit thru and under the waterline. This concerned me when I first saw it, but they have appeared to work fine in the relatively calm conditions that I have been in so far. Any reason to think it is not good the way it is?
I read a lot of info on changing/re-working cockpit drains. Is there any reason to?
Any thoughts?
Wish I was sailing right now.
Soon.
Michael Ray M17 The "MEG" SF Bay
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