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Steve Ladd and Ginny's on-going modifications to their still unnamed (Hobo? Pepper?) Sea Pearl 21
Overview
Ginny is taking these pictures, Steve is writing this text. We bought our 1985 Sea Pearl from Kern Thomas in Panama City Florida in November, 2008, to serve as our home and transport while exploring good snorkeling locations in the Caribbean. In the process we may even circumnavigate that sea. She was in good shape, stock, with few accessories. She came without water ballast but with the pop-up pram. We sailed her once in Panama City, then again at the November West Coast Trailer Sailor get-together at Lake Harris, Florida. On that second sail we turned her turtle while tacking in a gust, with the sheets both cleated, which was our main error. We were near shore and recovered our gear with little expense. The experience confirmed what we meant to do anyway: make her capsize-proof.
Flotation in the masts and booms
This is less important but came first in time. We were having Marine Concepts update the fittings on the masts and booms. While the spars were apart we stuffed them with "water noodles," which are available even in the winter time at swimming pool supply stores. We had to cut them into rather small pieces to cram them in with a long plastic pipe. This will add a little bouyancy in the knock-down position and prevent losing the spars from sinking.
Cabin
Most important will be to make it so water doesn't enter in the event of a capsize. A rigid cabin similar in shape to the pop-up pram (photo 1) will accomplish this. Also, the cabin will create buoyancy in such a position that she will be unstable while upside-down. The cabin must fit the existing "hold" coaming (photo 2). I lofted the shape on mylar (photo 3) then transferred the sections to particle board and built a mold (photo 4 & 5). Now we are waiting for the 3/8" x 3/8" bead-and-cove cedar strip plank to arrive from Ontario.
Ballast that serves as drinking water and dry storage
We are having a metal fabrication shop help us with this. We will cut 4-inch-square aluminum tubing into lengths such that they will fit transversely and fill in most of the flat floor space between the masts. Some of them will be made into water tanks averaging two gallons each. They will be sort of like custom thermos bottles. The others will be made into long skinny bins, with five sides and no top. We will store food and tools in these bins. Thin floor boards will cover the tanks and bins and hold them down yet allow access. The water and stores will weigh about the same as the water ballast tanks supplied by Marine Concepts on their post-1985 boats. More on this project later.
Sliding-seat rowing station
Rather than have a motor, we will use components from a sliding seat rowing station we have that is made for dropping into a canoe (photo 6), The oars are standard sculling oars. We will mount the sliding seat in the cockpit and mount the oarlocks on special platforms I have made that attach to the gunwales. (Photos 7 & 8). More on this project later.
Restore the gel-coat
This is Ginny's project. The gel coat was oxidized and gave off a powdery residue. First she wet--sanded the hull with fine sandpaper, then she buffed it with a sander-polisher and rubbing compound (photo 9). She used rust remover to remove what apparently were faint rust stains over much of the boat. Then she rubbed in Penetrol to restore luster. Now she is buffing again before filling in the many, many dings, scratches and cracks and doing the final waxing. More on this project later.
Conclusion
We are working full-time on these projects at the home of friends here in Tampa. In addition to these projects we also have a lot of stowage and equipment details to work out. We look forward to being done. She sailed like a dream those two times prior to the capsize!
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