Barn fresh typhoon

[Oswego John]

Jsin,,

You received some very good advice, pro and con. I can't top the advice, so I'll add to it. But only 2¢ worth though.

First off, I don't think a boat in such condition warrants you spending mega bucks for a Triad customized trailer.At today's prices, were talking pretty close to $4,000 bucks. Dont get me wrong, I own a Triad and I think that they are great. In your situation, I think that a used trailer that costs 1/4 or 1/3 of a Triad would do you just fine. How handy are you, how much time do you have on your hands? Many boat owners have built there own customized trailers.

I tend to agree with Rich A. Try to borrow a trailer to get the boat home. If you can't borrow, rent a trailer or have a local move it for you. When you get it to where you'll be working on it, store it on jack stands or build a cradle for it.

It has already been mentioned what you should look for. You might also check out the rudder system, blisters on the hull below the water line and rot and other deterioration on the wood trim.

Does the boat have a boom and mast? What shape are they in? Are there sails, and what shape are they in? Any thing else? Even an old outboard motor, mooring setup, anchor(s), chain, dinghy, whatever?

Agreeing with what Dan said, maybe you shouldn't think investment should you buy the boat. But,you know what, if you do buy the TY and it should never see the water, you really won't lose much except the time you invested, and you might even turn a profit.

People don't seem to realize the worth of a boat with all it's necessary components. Years ago, we raised sunken boats, some with insurance, some without. More than once, the totally disgusted owner would turn the ownership to us in payment for services.

Even if the boat isn't repairable, it is something like an automobile after a collision. It can be parted out. Sooner, if not later, there is always someone looking for sails or a rudder. Masts and booms are usually in demand after severe storms. Used winches go like hotcakes, also small outboard motors and dinks. What goes in a heartbeat is the authentic CD outboard motor bracket. We've even torched the keel lead and sold it bulk to the charter fishermen to make cannonballs for their downriggers You never know what someone is looking for.

Recouping your investment of a few hundred is a no brainer, (providing that you don't go out and pay thousands for a new trailer). You just might wind up with a beautifully restored Weekender.

Take a shot. Good luck.

O J

[Bob Condon]

I agree with John on his comment about the trailer. It is now around 4000 but when looking for a trailer for the Balboa with a 3500
lb displacement, all there was, was junk on the market which is common even today.

I suppose you can get a cheap 2000 lb displacement trailer out there but not the case when I purchased.

If you get the boat for a few hundred and get it moved professionally (350), you may make some money... maybe

[Oswego John]

Hi Bob,

When you need a trailer and look very hard to find a suitable one, they're as rare as hen's teeth. After you do buy one, they seem to pop up all over the place.

Possibly what I was remiss to mention was if the Ty was parted out, the trailer would be sold separately as well. Used boat trailers are usually a hot commmodity.

If it proves worth fixing and restoring the Ty, the new owner will probably be needing a trailer and already have one.

Should the owner decide to sell the restored Ty, it seems easier to sell the boat if it comes with it's own trailer. (Price adjusted accordingly)

Just my thoughts,
O J

[bill2]

Bob

IMHO only -

Starting with an old story. I used to have a 73 ford 3/4 ton pick. Over the years it got more tired and worn out till it wouldn't pass state inspection. My family friends and even strangers said off to the junk yard. Except for one - my one friend said that for a case of beer he'd cut out the old rusted body mounts and weld in new ones. Many years later I sold it to a buddy who then used it to move his family out to Calif while towing a Chevy S-10.

So what I'm trying to say is that if you want to learn boats you can go out and practice on a high dollar ready to roll job - or - you can pay a couple hundred bucks for a basket case roll up your sleeves and learn alot while you go. You're friends and neighbors may think you're looney but there's a lot worse ways to squander your money. Just keep in mind that you almost certainly won't turn a profit but you may end up with a very well (re)built typhoon weekender - and you might at least try to see if the hull is reasonably sound ( a rubber/plastic mallet will help ) before sinking much time and $$$.

FWIW the boats that were ( lovingly ) built by their owners almost always tend to be head turners when done . I would put my money into the boat and hold off on high dollar expenses. I also tend to go with the read all the books I can find and then do it - sometimes redo it if needed.

Much Good Luck ( as it will be needed ) . . .

[Tom Tucker]

I have read somewhere, but cannot remember where, that the eyebolt you refer to was used by cape dory to install the ballast and was not to be used to lift the boat.

Maybe someone else can provide additional information.

Good Luck if you decide to buy the boat.

[Neil Gordon]

I have read somewhere, but cannot remember where, that the eyebolt you refer to was used by cape dory to install the ballast and was not to be used to lift the boat.

You read it "somewhere"? Here on this message board, more than once. It's disputed here whether the eyebolt is adequate for lifting the boat. Not as robust a discussion as tillers vs. wheels, of course, but there's a difference of opinion.

Short summary of the discussion:

Either: The eye bolt wasn't designed to hold the weight of the boat.

Or: The eye bolt will easily hold the weight of the boat.

There haven't been any reports here that I've seen about the eyebolt failing.

[Steve Laume]

I once bought a Typhoon as a project boat. I really didn't need another project. Part of the appeal was the challenge of getting the thing out of a very tight barn door opening and onto a trailer. A commercial hauler had poked it in there but I was not willing to pay one to get it back out. It was like an ancient Roman building project only we didn't have thousands of slaves. I built a wooden cradle under the boat after jacking it up a bit. Then we put a bunch of pieces of 3/4" pipe under the cradle and pushed the thing to the door. Getting it up onto the trailer was done with some very stout oak ramps, more pipe and a come along. Once it was balanced on the trailer we jacked it up again and pulled out all the pipe. I strapped that puppy down, gathered up our toys and we were on down the road. It would have been much easier out in an open area. It would be easier still if you had a big wrecker truck to lift the boat. The point is a flat bed trailer is much easier to borrow than a boat trailer that will fit a Typhoon. You may want a cradle anyway so you have very little invested but time. Getting a derelict home is the least of the problems, Steve.

[Steve Buckley]

Hi jsin,

I agree with all the advice you have been given. Basically, for a couple hundred bucks you are probably committing yourself to an investment, um, excuse me, "expense" of at least several thousand in order to make her sailable -- and that's if you do lots of the work yourself.

BUT! If you like to have a "project" and like having the satisfaction of restoring something old and beautiful to its original condition, there is no happier day than the one when you will drop her in the water and take her for her first sail in 18 years. I'm sure everyone on this board would love to follow your restoration, and celebrate with you on the great day that another CD was brought back from the brink of destruction.

Just don't let her sit in YOUR backyard for 18 years if you don't like "a project"

s

[Bob Condon]

Where are you located?


Bob Condon

[Keith Wood]

Which Cape Dories, besides the Typhoon, have eye bolts in the keel? My 25-D doesn't have one.

[RayDewick]

My 1976 CD 25 has an eye bolt.

[Joe Montana]

My owner's manual shows where straps should be placed to lift the Typhoon. I'd infer from this that the eye bolt is not for lifting, or they would have said so and would not have shown strap positions. Also, none of the yards that has hauled my boat has ever considered using anything but straps. Lastly, that eye bolt just doesn't "look right" to me for lifting the boat, but it does look like something that would have been used to install the ballast; I'd go with instinct even without the previous two factors.

[Dick Villamil]

1. Do not use the Eyebolt since it might be very rusted. Instead borrow 6 short jackstands from a local marina - this is summer and they will have many unused ones available.
2. Borrow or buy a trailer capable of carrying 2000 lbs - perhaps even one from a Ty owner in your area.

3. Two people can then jack the boat up and slide the trailer under the boat - using 6 stands allow you to move the stands and reposition the trailer.

4. $300-$400 bucks is a reasonable offer for an older junker like this - - do not hesitate to get it home at this price. If you lose interest of the project too daunting the hardware and mast will be worth more than that!

5. The experience at fixing up a classic boat like this is worth thousands of dollars in experience!

6. Tap the decks with a plastic mallet or screw driver handle around all fittings - shroud, fore and aft decks and mast step areas being the key areas.

7. Have a blast restoring her - I did and Victoria is now a boat that draws a lot of praise and comments - took two years but every minute was worth it.

[RIKanaka]

My owner's manual shows where straps should be placed to lift the Typhoon.

That page appears to be missing from the online manual on this site. Any chance you could post it or make it available somehow to others on this board?

Mahalo,
Bob Chinn

[Joe Montana]

Bob, I'm afraid I don't know how to post the page, but when I went to the manual to look at it again (my previous post was from memory), it was clear that the drawing is a "generic" and meant to represent all CD's. It just so happened that the Typhoon line drawing was on the facing page. It simply indicated that the forward strap should be just forward of where the keel angles downward, and the rear strap should be just forward of the rudder (not accidentally placed under the rudder). These are the only lifting directions I could find in the manual. Nothing about the bolt.