Art,
How many people did you have on the bow to offset your weight? Maybe Stan  
needs to place a capacity label on the boats from now on.
 
Rummy
 
 
In a message dated 5/27/2008 4:00:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
czerwonky at earthlink.net writes:

Mike,
Re replacing the thru-hulls - was not a problem for me,  although I was on 
the trailer.  You have an idea where the waterline  is.  One caution - the stern 
will dip unless you can offset your weight  with someone on the bow.  I used 
1 1/8" thru-hull fittings from West with  heavy duty white hose.  Obviously 
you will need 4 of these with the  hose.  Check the hose fit onto fittings 
before you leave the store.   I enlarged the hole diameter with a Dremmel tool and 
the largest sanding  fitting - be careful on symmetry of the hole, but not 
really a problem.   Clear silicone worked well for sealing.
Have fun  -
Art

-----Original Message-----
>From: "Michael D. Weisner"  <mweisner at ebsmed.com>
>Sent: May 27, 2008 3:48 PM
>To:  Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject:  [Rhodes22-list] NEWS ITEM *****FLASH***** Shanghai'd Summer 
Finally   Launched May 25!!
>
>On Friday I picked up the 2-1/2"  square 1/4" thick steel tube stock that is 
now the new extension tongue for my  R22 trailer.  After fitting a new 
coupler and drilling many holes in the  steel on Saturday, I pronounced the trailer 
"launchable" once again.   Sunday morning I removed the winter tarp and 
checked out the boat.  All  was as I had left it last September when we failed to 
launch due to a  collapsed extension tongue at the ramp.  I purchased fresh gas 
and oil,  ran the old Suzuki DT7.5 engine in a garbage can (started on 2nd 
pull!) and  hitched up.
>
>We launched without incident.  Once I was  happy that there were no major 
leaks or problems, I parked the truck and  trailer.  We motored over to our 
mooring to get away from the busy ramp  area.  Once safely anchored, we stepped 
the mast and rigged.  We  went for a short sail (2 hours) and came back in to 
discharge passengers  (helpers) and clean up.
>
>I noticed that we had a bit of water in  the laz.  We pumped out about a 
half gallon, total.  We had been in  the water for only four hours.  Oh well, she 
hadn't seen water in several  years (I think 3 years of repairs and 
restoration), maybe some seals had  shrunk and would swell when wet.  Reluctantly, I 
boarded the dinghy and  made for land, dinner and some well deserved rest.
>
>The next  morning, Sheryl and I went back out and were pleasantly surprised 
that only  about a half gallon of water was present in the laz.  The forward 
bilge  remained dry.
>
>I mopped up the water and found the leak to be  coming from the cockpit 
drain through-hull fitting.  I had suspected this  and brought along a wrench.  It 
was fairly loose so I tightened it  securely and the flow is pretty nearly 
stopped.  I am afraid to put too  much torque on the nut since it and the 
fitting are from 1980 and failure  would be catastrophic.  I assume that the sealant 
(gasket, bedding, etc.)  has deteriorated significantly over the years.  At 
this time, I am afraid  to play with it any more than I have until she is 
safely on the  trailer.
>
>Has anyone had experience with rebedding or replacing  the drain 
through-hull fitting while in the water?  Is there a safe  method of beaching to access 
the area below the cockpit drain?  I think  that when I service it, I will 
replace the fitting, the hose and the clamps  just to be safe.  Does anyone know 
the size of the fitting, the hose and  the clamps (you needn't run out and 
measure them - I will measure mine in the  next day)?
>
>Is there a way to seal the fitting (temporarily)  without removing the 
fitting, so that it may be done while in the water?   I was thinking about using 
some duck-seal or similar putty or  caulk.
>
>Somehow, while I was rebedding all of the portlights,  deck fittings, the 
seat drains, etc. I forgot about the cockpit drain.   Word to the wise, on a 25+ 
year old boat, service and rebed everything,  especially the fittings below 
the water line.
>
>Thanks to all on  the list who provided information and links to information 
that helped me  learn the art of fiberglass repair.  Probably the best 
information I  received was to purchase Don Casey's books - I now have the entire 
set, I  think.
>
>Even with the slight leak, it is much better to be in  the water and 
sailing, finally ...
>
>Mike
>s/v Shanghai'd  Summer ('81)
>Nissequogue River,  NY
>__________________________________________________
>Use  Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?  www.rhodes22.org/list

__________________________________________________
Use  Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?  www.rhodes22.org/list





**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with 
Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.      
(http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)