Friend,
I had a 1989 P19 (#511) until 1999 when I (unfortuantely) had to sell
it. I have recently gotten
a P15 which is all I can afford now, but also will meet my reduced needs
at this time and is
miuch easier and quicker to set up.
I have looked back through my old files and cannot find the letter I
sent to the discussion group
in 1998 about keel winches. The upshot of it was that I was finding it
very "wearing" to be
cranking the keel up with the stock winch in hot weather while I was
also trying to sail the boat.
I also had concerns that if the winch or cable failed, I would not be
able to raise the keel and
therefore, would not be able to get the boat back on the trailer.
(Picture yourself in this situation
with your family standing around late on a Sunday, knowing that all of
you have to get back for
Monday morning and school/work/etc. This could really dampen family
enthusiasm for
sailing.)
The company that makes the keel winch that was stock on our boat also
makes one with an
easier gear ratio (ie more turns, with less force needed to turn the
crank handle). If I had the
boat longer, I would have replaced the winch and cable on the theory
that nothing mechanical
lasts forever, and dependability of that thing is crucial to "happy
family sailing" without any
problems. What I was going to put in was this stronger, "easier" model
winch.
I was also going to upgrade thje winch on the trailer with a stronger
one with an easier gear
ratio, since I got really tired of straining in hot weather to winch the
boat onto the trailer. And
again, if that winch fails, what would you do late on a Sunday when you
hacve to get going?
Dependability in mechanical equipment comes at a price. I prefer to
avoid problems in advance,
rather than to have them spoil my day. They treat aircraft that way so
they do not fall out of the
sky, so why shouldn't we also follow those same princpals?
The best of sailing to you-the P19 is a good affordable boat for family
sailing.
Tom Hill
S/V P15 (Hull # 2125)
“Morning Star”
(A Little Victory)
“...only that day dawns to which we are awake.
There is more to day than dawn. The Sun is but a
Morning Star.”
Walden, by Henry David Thoreau
==========================================================
Message: 14
Date: Tue, 2 May 2000 13:53:45 -0400
From: "Alan Dimson-Doyle" <addoyle@mediaone.net>
Subject: Molly Fay Arrives Home
After many months of not-so-patient waiting, Molly Fay has finally
arrived at her new home...........
Also, while getting to know the keel system I noticed the handle for
raising/lowering rubs against the transom wall, and that the rubber
grommet
is cracked. To replace the grommet seems pretty straight forward by
just
removing the front nuts. My fear is the whole cable will unravel or the
earth will open up and swallow me.
Also (and this will be the last one), would like to know about
lowering
the keel. Since the winch is only a tension type, will the keel go
slamming
down when I remove the steel bolts? Do I have to have someone holding
the
winch handle?
Many Thanks
Alan, P-19, "Molly Fay"
New Englander
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