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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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SACRIFICIAL ANODES AND GALVANIC ISOLATORS

Q: We have a small sacrificial anode fitted to the propeller shaft of our Hurley 24/70 but no hull anode. The propeller shaft anode quickly depletes and is a pain to replace as it means that the yacht has to be lifted out of the water every six months. Is there any way to fit a larger anode without going to the trouble of fitting a traditional ‘pear—shaped hull anode? Adrian and Sian Hawkins. Hurley 24/70 ‘Larc’. Cardiff

A: We also have only a small, sacrificial anode fitted to the prop. I made up an anode that can be frequently replaced and costs very little. I attached a conventional pear-shaped zinc anode to a length of 4mm galvanised,steel wire and lower it over the side when the yacht is on her mooring. The other end of the wire is bolted to the engine block and is electrically bonded in exactly the same way as a hull anode. It’s very easy to monitor the loss of the anode but you would need to pull it up when you go sailing. I put ours in a small bucket to keep the cockpit locker clean. I bought the galvanised wire from B&Q very cheaply. The wire is PVC coated so it does not stain or mark the gelcoat. Nick Vass

Q: I have been experiencing extreme wastage on the sacrificial anodes fitted to my Hurley 27’s hull and propeller shaft. I like to leave a de-humidifier plugged into shore power through the winter and I have been told that this will not help. I have been advised to fit a galvanic isolator, whatever that is? What is a galvanic isolator and how does it work? Mark Hughes, Poole

A: Before talking about galvanic isolators I first must explain what makes your anodes waste. Corrosion results from different metals found on boats exchanging electrons. Metals have loosely attached electrons and some will readily give them up compared to other metals. Galvanic corrosion occurs because the various metals used in a boat have different electrical potential properties. The different potentials (willingness to give up electrons) are measured on what is called a ‘galvanic scale’. We fit zinc sacrificial anodes because zinc is higher on the galvanic scale and will be eroded away well before your bronze or stainless steel hull fittings. Zinc is also present in the alloy bronze, the zinc is easily dissolved away turning your bronze fitting into copper and making it weak and unsafe.

The metal that gives ‘waste-away’ electrons is called the anode. The metal that receives the electrons is the cathode, but the metals can’t exchange electrons unless an electrolyte such as seawater is present. A zinc anode protects cathodes such as bronze seacocks. Once the zinc anode has been sacrificed, the seacocks will become an anode and the zinc content in the bronze alloy will waste away in favour of the stainless steel propeller shaft. This transfer of electrons is an electrical current and is exploited to good effect in a battery.

Small electrical currents will always travel between the metal skin fittings and components. The seawater is an excellent electrolyte and the whole circuit creates a big battery. Currents will also travel between the metal components of your boat and that of other boats nearby. The problem could be worse if you have a steel or aluminium boat close by or if the marina’s docks and pontoons are made from steel. Sunken/discarded objects in the water around you such as old anchors and lost outboard motors can be a big problem. Joining boats together via shore power ground wires will speed up the galvanic corrosion process.

Your shore power 230-volt lead will be earthed at the pontoon socket end to the ground close to the waters edge on the land. The ground or earth wire (green and yellow) will be connected to a metal rod that is literately pushed into the ground and therefore wired to allow any stray currents to dissipate away instead of harming people or property. Your yachts 230-volt shore power inlet socket will be protected by an earth wire that ‘grounds’ the yellow and green earth wire to the sea water via your anode, keel, lightening grounding plate, propeller shaft, ‘P’-bracket or engine block. Potentailly dangerous stray currents will always find the fastest way ‘to ground’ as they would in your home.

The problem is that there is an electro-chemical potential difference between the land and the sea of about 0.7 volt.

Another word for a galvanic isolator is an ‘isolator transformer’. It de-couples the earth ground from the sea ground. There might still be a magnetic couple between the sea around your boat and the marina’s ground wire and this magnetic coupling might show on an oscilloscope but this phantom voltage will disappear as soon as a load is placed on the yachts electrical system. In other words the boat and the ground would appear to be connected but no DC coupling will be found if a galvanic isolator is fitted.

By fitting a galvanic isolator you isolate the yacht's ground safety system from the marina’s power supply thus cutting out the small potential difference between the two entities and so stopping 0.7-volts from passing through metal components of your yacht. It is this movement of electricity which could be depleting your anodes due to galvanic corrosion.

The galvanic isolator is fitted in-line into the ground wire of your shore-power system. Simply cut the ground/earth wire close to the boats inlet socket and connect up the two ends to the isolators two in and out terminals. The galvanic isolator will also disconnect your boat from the marina’s main earth but will automaticly re-connect should there be a fault.

CROSS CHANNEL PAPERS

Q: What papers do I need for a cross channel passage?

A: CROSS CHANNEL PAPERS CHECKLIST
Guide for HOA members. Care has been taken in compiling this guide but no liability is accepted for inaccuracies or omissions

All papers should be originals, not copies. Please tell us to add, modify or remove anything that you find is needed to improve this guide for us all.

Sources - mainly PBO no. 538 p72 + RYA

HURLEY 27 HULL NUMBERS

Q: Have you any idea where on board a Hurley 27, I might find a hull identification number? I've looked high and low to no avail.

A: I pressume that you are filling out a form such as CG66, Ofcom VHF or SSR application? If you tell me your sail number I can tell you your boat number from our records and the original Hurley Marine sales ledgers.Your Sail Number will be a one or two figure number 1 to 91.Your Boat number will be a four figure number beginning with the prefix 5, which denotes the 27 model (for other models see Boat Numbers below). For example 5023 was the 23rd Hurley 27 built.

Ninety one 27s were built between 1971 and Feb 1974. Five of them were sold as kits and so were not issued with a Hurley Boat Number or Sail Number. Sail Numbers ran from 1 to 91. I am looking at the sales ledgers now and can see blank spaces in the boat number and sail number columns against some invoice numbers.

When I have inspected Hurley 27s myself, I have found the four figure boat number 5xxx stamped onto the underside of locker lids, inside cupboard doors and onto the underside of the saloon sole board. Boat numbers were also painted onto the underside of the GRP main hatch garage.

You will not have a Hull Identification Number! The HIN or now known as CIN (Craft Identification Number as the system includes inflatables without rigid hulls) was an American idea that only caught on in the UK and EU with the introduction of the RCD in 1998.

Nick

HURLEY 22 STIFF RUDDER

Q: Why are the tiller and rudder of my Hurley 22 so stiff?

A: Your Hurley 22 would have a galvanised steel rudder tube. There would be a simple bush at the top and bottom of the tube as the tube exits the hull at the bottom and exits the superstructure moulding at the top. You will not have a rudder post gland. Glands were used on later SCM boats around 1975. No spares are available as Hurley Marine folded in 1974.

The stainless steel (or sometimes bronze) rudder post is a 1" rod that is glassed into the inside of the rudder blade. It might be supported by a skeg or if it is of the semi-balanced sbare type it will be supported by a pin through the post above the top rudder tube bush. This stops the rudder falling out with gravity.The tiller stock is attached to the rudder post by simple bolts and it should be obvious how to remove it.

It is possible that rust and dirt has built up inside the rusty galvanised tube and is preventing the rudder post from turning. It is possible that water will lubricate the bushes and the gunge in the tube when launched but it sounds as if you now need to replace the tube. They are galvanised steel scaffolding pipes and its a wonder that it has lasted this long.You will need to cut an inspection hatch into the aft end of the cockpit and you will need to loose some girth around your middle as you will need to crawl under the cockpit sole to cut away the old tube. No spares are available so you will need to measure up and have a new tube made out of stainless steel. Bushes can be made top and bottom but will need to be specially turned by a marine engineer or precision engineer. (bloke with a lathe in a shed will do!). Details of how people have had new tubes made are on the technical pages.

HURLEY 22 TOILET REPLACEMENT

Q: How do I replace the toilet on my Hurley 22? Is it dificult and will a new Jabsco toilet fit? I have an old SL400 which no longer works.

A: I replaced my Simpson Lawrence SL400 for another SL400 that I re-built and serviced. It was not possible to remove the nuts from under the GRP toilet compartment moulding in my Hurley 24 so I left them in place. For some reason the base of the replacement SL400 had holes at different spacing so I fitted it using self tapping screws. This worked well. The SL400 is still available brand new from Lee Sanitation Ltd in the Midlands. However it is four times the price of a Jabsco or PAR/Jabsco at £400. When Simpson Lawrence closed and was taken over by Lewmar, a chap who worked in the factory pulled the tooling for the SL400 out of a skip and eventually set up a small cottage industry factory building them. Unfortunately Lewmar found out and realised that they owned the rights to make the SL400 and have tried to close him down.

I have fitted Jabsco Compacts into Hurley 22's but they are too tall. You need to do without the seat and file away the plastic base of the pump unit. You also need to throw away the plastic pump handle as it is too tall and fit a shallow plastic knob. You would need to get a knob from a DIY shop and tap an M10 thread to fit onto the pump spindle.

You will need to remove the heads of the retaining bolts with an angle grinder. However, most of the ones that I have done were simply bolts that were glassed into the base from below. All I had to do was to undo the nuts and retract the toilet. I then ground the bolts flush with the bottom of the moulding with an angle grinder.

We have a Jabsco on our new boat. It's great and a good product! With two children it gets some use! However, the Jabsco is a big loo! H 400mm, W 450 and depth 410.

The Hurley 22 also came new with a Raritan toilet! You could fit a Raritan directly as it is smaller and might even use the same bolt footprint! The same model of Raritan that was fitted to the Hurley 22 is still in production! Its called the Raritan Compact II now. H 340mm, w 432mm, Depth 420mm. However, they are American and I'm not sure if they supply the UK anymore? Leesan sell the bigger Raritan PH model but the compact is not shown on the website. The Raritan Compact II is exactly the same as the ones taken out of Hurleys. Lee Sanitation appear to be expensive compared to chandlers

Another good loo is the new Thetford Comfortmate. This toilet has a separate pump unit and will go into tight spaces. This toilet is so new that it is not yet on the website. I came across it in a review of the company in a US trade magazine called Professional Boat Builder. I did not realise that Thetford was a Dutch company! I presumed that they were from Thetford in Norfolk.

I have several Raritan toilets and two SL400's behind my shed if you need to offer up for size?

Nick Vass

Note: One of our members reports that "the Jabsco Compact Twist & Lock Toilet has a height of 330mm with the handle locked. So in it went, the only modifiction being cutting the three bolts off and drilling four new holes for the self tapping screws and there you are, a brand new toilet.(ps. the handle must be locked down).

PORTSMOUTH YARDSTICKS

Q: What is the PY Number for my Hurley?

A; The Portsmouth Yardstick numbers for Hurley boats are as follows;

Boat Portsmouth Yardstick
Silhouette MkII 1214
Silhouette MkIII 1234
Hurley 18 1157
Hurley 20 fin 1126
Hurley 20 bilge ?
Felicity ?
Hurley 22 fin 1137
Hurley 22 bilge 1137
Hurley 24/70 fin 1125   1B2 F 1262
Hurley 24/70 bilge ?
Hurley 27 1098
Hurley 30/90 1100

UNSTEPPING THE MAST ON A HURLEY 22

Q: How do you un-step the mast on a Hurley 22?

A: The easiest and safest way to Unstep a mast is to ask your nearest boatyard or marina's crane driver to do it for you. They will tie a rope around the mast, above the centre of gravity, and support its weight by the crane's strop. They will then slacken the bottle screws one by one and then remove the split pins and crevice pins from the top toggle or fork of the bottlescrew where they meet the cap shrouds, lower shrouds, backstay(s), babystay and forestay. They will then tidy the shrouds by tying a rope around them, securing them to the mast. They will then remove the pins through the tabernacle or deck 'T' plate. The mast will then be raised away from the yacht and then lowered onto the ground or a pair of trestles for you to carry away to a mast rack etc.You will be expected to un-bend the sails from the boom and forestay foil and to remove the kicking strap and boom fitted slab-reefing ropes etc.

Having a crane do this will cost around £100 but will be stress free and ensure that you don't drop the mast on the coachroof or knock someone's teeth out should the foot of the mast spring up in an assistant's face.If you choose to un-step the mast without the use of a crane or dolphin device you should do the following:



It is important to remove the bottle screws from the rig or vessel so that they do not get bent when trodden on. Label up the shrouds with waterproof laminated labels so that the rigger can make you new shrouds like-for-like.You should be able to lower the mast on most boats with the capshrouds and lowers still fitted but slackened off. They will help stop any side-to-side movement. Otherwise you will need to get some extra assistants with long ropes.Don't try to un-step the mast ashore as you need the bow rope to be as high as possible so that it has a good mechanical advantage.Don't try this job on a windy day!

You can buy a mast stepping device that bolts to the mast or you could simply use a spinnaker pole. Using such a device is useful when your mast is stepped by a tabernacle rather than a deck plate. Essentially you need to fasten a pole at right angles to the mast, perhaps using the spinnaker pole eye if you have one. The outboard/forward facing edge of the pole needs to be held horizontal by a halyard and the pole also needs to be held downwards by a rope from its forward/outboard end to the base of the mast. It also needs to be tied preventing twisting or side-to-side movement. Alternatively you could secure a long pole to the bow roller or forestay/stem head fitting. The outboard/forward end of the pole should be secured to the genoa halyard and lowered in a similar way to that of a pole being fastened to the mast itself.

Essentially what you are trying to achieve is to take the moment of effort as high and as forward from the mast as you can, thus increasing your mechanical advantage. Keeping the pole at a right angle to the mast. You then secure a rope to the outboard/forward end of the pole and run it through a pulley that you secure to the babystay 'D' bolt on the deck or to the centre bow cleat if you don't have a babystay. Pass the rope through a winch and allow the mast to be lowered by slowly releasing the forward rope in a very controlled manner.

Nick Vass, Vice Chairman. HOA

H22 REPLACEMENT RUDDER TUBE

Q: Who can make me a new stainless steel Hurley 22 Replacement Rudder Tube?

A: Ryan at The Metal Clinic Ltd. Unit 6 Eastlands Boat Yard, Coal Park Lane, Swanwick, Southampton S031 7GW

Tel: 01489 582264 www.themetalclinic.co.uk

RUBBING STRAKES AND WASHBOARDS

Q: Who can make me some new washboards and replace my Hurley's rubbing strakes?

A: David Rickard has just replaced my (Nick's) rubbing strakes on my Hurley 24. Last year he made Omega some new washboards. They fit and look perfect. The rubbing strakes are superb and are in teak. Lifts the whole look of the boat. David did the work quickly, without fuss and for a very reasonable sum. I can warmly recommend him. Plus David has a Hurley himself!

HURLEY 22 WEIGHT

Q: How much does a Hurley 22 weigh?

A: A Hurley 22 would be roughly two metric tonnes. That is 2,000kg or two tonnes. The advertised weight of a dry, just out of factory, Hurley 22 was 1,769 kg (3,900lb). Howver, the working weight with fuel and clobber would be more like 2,400kg (5,500lb) depending on how many pies you eat? A metric tonne is 1,000kg. An Imperial ton is 1,016 kg (2,240 lb). The Hurley 22 would therefore be 1.7 tons imperial dry or 2.4 tons imperial under normal cruising conditions

The imperial ton was something to do with the weight of a barrel of wine?

The Thames Measurement (TM) of a Hurley 22 would be 4.3 tons That is a formular derived from length of hull x distance from ballast to gunwhale in inches x 1.2 This is not the weight of the boat! It was a figure arrived at to
estimate the cargo capacity of a ship and therefore how much money to charge to berth it. It is now called the Tonnage Measurement as it is now metric. So now mean length x Beam x mean height of inside of hull x 0.35.

INSURANCE FOR OLDER HURLEYS

Q. Can you kindly suggest a good insurance company that deals with older H22s?

A. Try Simon Winter Marine and mention Nick Vass's name. Simon is a specialist on small older craft. You could also try GJW Direct.

DISCLAIMER. HOA take no responsibility for any dealings between a member and an insurance company.

WEATHER HELM

Q: How do I reduce the weatherhelm on my Hurley 22?

A: Hurley Marine altered the shape of the Hurley 22 rudder in 1972, increasing its size by 1.3 square foot. The newer shape rudder is shown on the Technical page. It is the same as the Ravensail/Hurlwind/Blaxton mould. Increasing the size of the rudder is not a total solution to the problem as a larger rudder can in itself be a disadvantage.

A small amount of weatherhelm is desirable, as it gives you a feel for the helm but if weatherhelm is excessive you have to put the helm hard over, effectively putting the brakes on as the rudder would sit at a right angle and act as a flap. A ‘balanced boat’ is referred to when the forces put on the hull by both sails when it turns on its central line of lateral resistance are equal. That is when both the genoa and mainsail are equally balancing the boat out laterally.

My Hurley 24 can often be described as well balanced. The high aspect rig with narrow main and large genoa balance the boat well but give a little weatherhelm which feels reassuring as the boat would round up into the wind should I fall overboard. More weatherhelm is felt during strong winds when the genoa is furled in and the mainsail takes over as the main source of propulation. Although the masts are nearly the same height, the Hurley 22 sail plan is very different. The mainsail is comparatively larger. In fact the sail area of the 22 is more despite the displacement being very different!

H22 disp 1,769 kg Sail Area 24 sq m H24 disp 2,285kg Sail Area 20 sq m

Therefore I would conclude that reefing in and balancing the boat by effective reefing and good quality sails is of paramount importance and a more effective way of reducing weatherhelm on a Hurley 22 than the size of the rudder alone.

Weatherhelm on a Hurley 22 can be managed by reducing the size of the mainsail or increasing the size of the genoa/jib. This adjustment in sail area and relocation of the main driving force can be described as moving the centre of effort. The opposite to weatherhelm is leehelm.

Weatherhelm is the tendency for a yacht to round up into the wind. If the helmsman has to pull the tiller towards him or her to make the boat go in a straight line then the boat is said to ‘carry weatherhelm’. The hull of a Hurley 22 turns on a point called the Centre of Lateral Resistance (CLR.). The CLR is the central area of the underwater profile of the yacht. The wind force on a sail creates a point called the Centre of Effort (CE). Both the main and the jib/genoa have their own CE. Both CE points combine and create the boat's Centre of Effort. If the boa's CE is aligned with the CLR then the boat will be balanced.

On the Hurley 22 the CE is often aft of the CLR. The pressure of the wind turns the stern away and the bow towards the wind creating excessive weatherhelm. At this point the main should be reefed. The hull shape of the Hurley 22 makes a big difference too. The Hurley 22 has overhangs at the bow and stern so that the wetted area of the hull is kept low when the vessel is upright but the waterline length is increased when the boat is heeled over when sailing. The Hurley 22 is narrow compared to modern yachts and carries its beam just forward of the CE. This means that when the boat is heeled over the buoyant beamy part of the boat kicks in and tries to float up, pushing the bows around to windward thus creating forces exacerbating the weatherhelm. The Hurley 22 widens dramatically as you look at the profile above the waterline. Modern boats carry their beam much further aft making the boats a lot lighter on the helm.

The maximum speed of a hull is around 1.4 times the square root of the waterline length in feet (or x 3.28 in metres). Therefore the hull speed is greater when the hull is heeled over and the faster the Hurley will go but conversely the more rudder is needed, putting on the brakes and slowing the boat down. It was considered that a slim boat was a fast boat, as seen on Bloodhound for example. Modern boats are very beamy and blisteringly fast but need to be sailed upright as their waterline length does not increase much when heeled as they have stubby bow stems and flat transoms.

So, try trimming and reefing your sails before you buy a bigger rudder.

Nick

HULL/BOAT/YARD/ORDER NUMBERS

Q: Where is my Hull/Yard/Boat/Order Number displayed?

A: Your Order/Hull/Boat Number should be displayed on a small metal plate in the cabin, screwed to the mast support transverse beam. However, they are often missing, as after 40 years they simply fall off and get lost. It might be stencilled onto the inside of locker lids or other pieces of joinery such as the saloon sole boards or on the underside of the forepeak infill. It will be a four-figure number starting with 3. (Hurley 20 example). The number will be close to but not the same as the 1,2 or 3 figure Sail Number. For example. A Hurley 20 based in Sweden 'Stella Maris' has Sail Number 295 and Order/Boat/Hull Number 3306.

Hurley called the Hull Number the Boat Number but in other documents they refer to it as the Order Number and even Yard Number. All amounts to the same thing. The Hurley 20 prefix was 3. You don't need the above info to join if it has been lost in the passage of time.

Prefix Numbers are as follows:

Silhouette 1
Alacrity 5
Felicity No prefix. Same as Sail Number prefixed by F
Hurley 18 7
Hurley 20 3
Hurley 22 8
Hurley 24/70 6
Hurley 27 5 (I don't know why it is the same as the Alacrity)
Hurley 30/90 9

 
Hurley 22 Hull Number Plate
Hurley 22 Hull Number Stamp
Hurley 22 Hull Number Stamp
  

Nick

SPLITTING RUDDERS

Q: The rudder has split apart on my Hurley 20. Is it because the tangs rudder post and tangs have become corroded causing them to expend and crack the rudder shells apart?

A: I had to rebuild the rudder on my Hurley 20 due to corrosion on the stainless post where it exits the boat. I used a grinder with a thin cutting disk to cut around the periphery of the rudder, then split the two halves, removed the old rudder post and tangs. Glued the two halves back together with epoxy resin and filled the perimeter of the blade with thickened epoxy. One other thing I did was use a dremel tool to router a cove where the stainless rudder post enters the top of the rudder blade and exits the bottom of the rudder blade. I filled this cove with 3M5200. The reason for this mod is that the flexible 5200 is less likely to let water into the rudder than the brittle epoxy.
The rudder was then filled with expanding polyurethane foam and the sinker and riser holes for the foam filled with epoxy filler. Darren (See also the Rudder Page in the Technical Section)

A: I recently had the same problem with my early H22 "Dreamer". It is caused by water ingress to the rudder blade moulding causing the tangs to rust and expand. I have replaced the post and tangs with a stainless fabrication which was made using the old as a pattern. My bearings were a little worn but rather than replace the bearings which looked as though it might have been awkward the post was made 1/8th inch oversize which fortuitously fitted perfectly. The blade necessitated moulds being made from the old blade which were bonded to the fabrication and filled with foam. I was lucky enough to come across a part-made replacement from an ex Hurley owner and the only difficulty was that the top of the post being oversize did not fit the stock so had to be turned down. It is also necessary to be accurate in the alignment of the holes for the top bolts or you will find that the tiller will be slightly offset when in a straight line. Hope this helps - Ian C

A: The original Hurley 20, 22 and 24/70 rudder moulds are stored for us at Blaxton Boats. www.blaxtonboats.co.uk
Maurice recently made a new rudder for a Hurley 24. Both spade and scimitar rudders are kept for the H22.
I did the same as Darren and Ian to my Hurley 20 in 1986. The tangs had corroded causing them to expand and crack the rudder shells apart. The shells were split, foam ground out, rudder post and tangs replaced and whole lot glued back together with epoxy. Nick

RUBBING STRAKES

Q: What is the rubbing strake on my Hurley 22 made from?

A: Your original rubbing strake and raised gunwale capping would have most likely been made from iroko - screwed into place at 6" intervals with No8 1" stainless steel screws. Hurley Marine tended to use iroko rather than teak but did swap materials around. Please see H22 brochure on brochures page. I have replaced mine with teak which is easier to bend and more weather resistant but more expensive. Hurley would have used iroko as it is cheaper but does much the same job. Both woods are from the same family and are treated with teak oil or ‘Deks Olje’. Iroko is better for the environment as it is farmed. Proper teak trees have to be about 80 years old before they are any good and are a rainforest wood. (I used recycled ex science lab worktops). Please see pictures on the Technical Page


BALL-HED TOILETS IN ALACRITYS

Q: I have a Ball-Hed sea toilet fitted to my Hurley built Alacrity. Where can I get spares?

A: Under no circumstances should you go to sea with an American 'Ball-Hed' sea toilet in your boat! Most have thankfully been removed by now but some still remain. The Ball-Hed sea toilet used one large hole for both flushing water in and waste exit. This hole was much larger than other heads with separate inlet and outlet. The 'Ball-Hed' was flushed by sealing down a rubber diaphragm and pumping it up and down with a knob fitted to its centre to draw water in and push waste out. As far as I know no one supplies spares. You will need to glass over the huge hole in your boat with resin and matting and create two new holes for proper skin fittings and seacocks when you fit a safer loo like a Jabsco compact.


Click on image for a larger version

HURLEY 22 TOILETS

Q: What toilet would have been fitted new to my Hurley 22?

A: The Hurley 22 would have been fitted with a 'Compact' sea toilet made in the USA by Raritan Engineering Co, Millville, NJ. The model was called the 'Compact'. Or it would have been fitted with a Simpson Lawrence SL400 which was made in Glasgow. The SL400 was a very low loo. Both are available from Lee Sanitaion but are expensive.

A modern Jabsco Compact sea toilet will fit but you will have to do without the seat and lid so that it will fit under the forepeak infil/toilet cover. You will need to replace the plastic handle with a flatter knob because of the height restrictions and file a bit off the right hand side of the pump unit to make it fit.

The SL400 was fitted to the H24/70, H27 and 30/90 but a Jabsco will easily fit into the heads compartment.

BALLAST RATIOS AND BALLAST

Q: What is the ballast ratio of my Hurley and what is the ballast made from? Also why does it heel over so much?

A: The displacement of the Hurley 18 was 1,100 kg. The ballast was 450kg giving a ballast ratio of just under 41%. Most fin or long keel Hurleys have a similar ballast ratio. However the boats aren’t that beamy and so have a slightly low buoyancy ratio compared to modern flat-bottomed beamy yachts. The Hurley 18s that I have sailed performed very well but they are only 18' and have a waterline length not much longer than a big dinghy. The Hurley 22 is stiffer; the 27 stiffer still and of course the 30 are stiffer still.

The Ian Anderson yachts were inspired by the Folkboat but had slightly shorter keels to give better turning performance. Other Folk boat derived designs also heel a bit alarmingly as they lack buoyancy. No harm in that though. Other examples include the Contessa 26, Achilles, Twister, Varne 27 and Cutlass 27 etc.

The Hurley 18 had several builders after the demise of Hurley Marine. Including Arthur Curnow Ltd and so knowing the exact material used for the ballast will be problematic. It is most likely that lead shot was used. Although I have known of a Hurley 22 with iron shot, which expanded cracking open the keel part of the hull. Steel strips were used on early Hurley 22s to help spread the loads of the ballast material over the keel part of the hull. I have seen several Hurley 22s and a Hurley 24/70 where cracks have appeared around these 2" wide strips. This has happened where moisture has entered the keel area over the years and rusted the strips. Air will be present around the shot balls. The strips then expand outwards into the GRP as they rust as the compacted shot allows less movement.

Hurley would have used lead shot as choice as it does not rust and is heavy but the shot would sometimes be contaminated by scrap metal and even old nuts, bolts and screws. Cast lead ballast would have been a better and heavier option as air voids would not be possible between the shot balls and the cast lead would not settle and create air pocket voids. It is possible that the voids that you have seen are due to settling or compacting of the shot. It might also be because the shot has stuck together in places and formed air pockets in others. You do however, still get air voids in cast lead ballast keels. For example I have surveyed several Contessa 26S and 32s with voids
in the keel. They have cast lead ballast blocks dropped into the GRP moulded keel. Inevitably spaces will occur as the keel block would be difficult to make in an exact fit shape.

Hurley liked to use shot as it was cheaper and they did not have to use a foundry to cast the keel. Most components of the boats were made in house and George Hurley liked to be self-sufficient. Lead shot could be bought in as a commodity. I would imagine that they might have used other filler metals as the cost of lead went up? The ballast material would then have been flow coated over with resin and matting to make it watertight. But moisture can get in
around the steel straps that some early Hurley's have to help position the ballast. Nick

HURLEY 22 OUTBOARDS

Q: What kind of outboard should I buy for my Hurley 22?

A(By Tim): You need a long-shaft, sail-drive outboard. Sail-drive means a high-thrust prop, plus optional battery charging.

I have had 4 seasons with a Mariner 4HP Sailmate, 2-stroke. This is the minimum HP, although it was generally adequate. Integral tank gave about 1 - 1.5 hours endurance, meaning that I often had to re-fuel at sea, when doing protracted passages without wind. This is not ideal. Great advantage of this engine is it weighs about 22kg - meaning that it can be removed from the well fairly easily - when at your berth, to flush and keep in the dry - when at sea, if you get rope/nets etc round your prop.

I have just bought a Tohatsu 6HP, 4-stroke, Sail Drive. This has an external 12l tank and I am hoping to get great endurance. Also it is very quiet. Like the Mariner, it weights only about 23k - in fact it is basically the same engine - but with different carbuation etc. A number of members recomended this engine.

If you go for 8HP or over, the engines start to weigh-in at 30kg+. This I think would make frequent removal from the well rather difficult.

BOAT MAINTENANCE BOOKS

Q: Can you recommend a good book about boat maintenance?

A:

‘Sailboat Maintenance’ By Don Casey
‘Hull and Deck Repair’ by Don Casey (USA). ISBN 0 7136 4867 8
‘Simple Boat Maintenance’ Pat Manley (UK) ISBN 1 904475 02 7 available from Fernhurst Books

Visit the Wiley Nautical website.

The ‘Simple Boat Maintenance’ book is a must! Very well presented.

SAIL DIMENSIONS

Q: Can you tell me the dimensions of the sails for my Hurley as I want to buy some new ones?

A: It is always best to use your old sails as a template or get the sail maker to measure the luff, leach and foot of your boom, mast and forestay. Genoa measurements given by Hurley will be of no use as you might now have furling gear. Does your furling gear have a top swivel?

Are you sure that your mast and rig is original or has not been cut down a little to remove corrosion?

Mast sizes varied on Hurley yachts. Masts were built in-house and dimensions changed frequently as the boats evolved. Few boats are exactly the same so beware of copying other peoples sails as this could turn out to be a costly mistake. Lots of people have been there and got the tee-shirt.

There is no such thing as a stock size-off the shelf Hurley sail.

Q: I need a second hand set of sails for my Hurley

A: It is unlikely that anyone will want to sell a set of serviceable second hand sails. Hurley yachts are mostly cheaper/smaller yachts that owners often run on a tight budget. They will make sails last and like me use the old set of sails for winter sailing. Second hand sails will probably be shot or from a boat that has been broken up.

Put an ad for sails wanted on our For Sale page, ask on the Yahoo Group or try Ebay.

HURLEY OWNERS YAHOO FORUM GROUP

Q: What is the address of the Hurley Owners Yahoo Forum group?

A: This has now been replaced by Facebook. See Home page for details on how to join.

REPLACING BACKING PADS AND MAST SUPPORT PADS ON A HURLEY 22

Q: The backing pads and mast support pad on my Hurley 22 are rotten. How do I replace them?

A: The plywood plates are backing plates. They do not need to be very well attached by resin and matting as they are held in place by the objects that they are backing. I.e by the bolts and screws that fasten down deck fittings such as winches and stanchion bases etc. The mast compression pad under the deck plate is held in compression and again will not need to be well glassed in.

It would be a good idea to replace the plywood mast compression pad, deck plate bolts and sealant between deck plate and coachroof mast support pad as the seal often breaks down allowing the pad to become sodden. Water will also leak into the accommodation through the deck plate holes. It would also be a good idea to replace the deck gear backing pads as a precaution.

You will need to remove the old pads with an angle grinder and then glass in new marine plywood pads using resin and matting. Hold the new pads in place with wooden posts jammed between the saloon sole and the pad until the resin has set.

REPLACING CHAIN PLATES ON A HURLEY 22

Q: How do I replace the chainplates on my Hurley 22? They are loose and are leaking.

A: The most secure way is to remove the old chainplate, screws and backing pad and remove all traces of the GRP matting and resin that secures them to the inside of the hull and deck.

Glue new backing pad/pacers to the inside of the hull with glass fibre matting and resin. Screw or bolt the cleaned up chainplates to the plywood pads and seal the deck area with sikoflex from the underside. Using screws will be secure enough but using round head bolts or machine screws through the hull will be even stronger but will look a bit ugly.

You can buy covers that go over the chainplates on the deck that hide any Sikoflex and help reduce leakage. I can’t stand the sight of thick sealant. Sikoflex is promoted as a glue but is really only a sealant and should not be relied upon for strength and attaching fittings together. Sikoflex is rubber. You should not use any products with silica or silicone on a boat as the acetic acid used to cure it damages stainless steel.

Some members have fabricated stainless steel gussets that spread the load of the chainplates between the deck and hull. These web like, L-shaped gussets look triangular from the side view and fit inside the yacht from under the deck and run down the hull for about 150mm. They are usually bolted to the hull by two stainless steel machine screws with dome heads or counter sunk slotted heads. IF CS is used you can cover the heads in white gelcoat to hide. They are then bolted to the deck using a ‘D’, ‘A’ or ‘U’ bolt which also acts as the tang on which to attach the shroud bottle screw (turnbuckle) toggle fork.

Many Hurley owners have by now had to replace chainplates.

SUPPLY OF SAILS, SAIL COVERS, DODGERS, SPRAYHOODS, UPHOLSTERY FOR HURLEYS

Q: Who can you recommend to supply a sail cover, dodgers, sprayhood, upholstery and sails for my Hurley?

A: Quay Canvas of Southampton are excellent and cheap. They give discounts for Hurleys. Ask for Rene and mention that you have a Hurley and that Nick sent you for a discount They can be recommended for small sails, covers, sprayhoods, sail covers, dodgers and upholstery.

A: Darren says: If anyone is looking for a competitive source for sails, I ordered mine from Lee Sails of Hong Kong last year and was very happy with the result. $660 Canadian for a loose footed, partial battened H20 Mainsail with two reef points, 4.93oz challenge high modulus dacron.

HURLEY ROLLER REEFING MAINSAIL

Q:Should I replace the roller reefing on my Hurley with a slab reefing sytem?

A:Roller reefing can be a good method of reefing a mainsail but not as fast and simple as slab reefing.

Have you got a reefing claw for the kicking strap? If not you can buy one new at Retreat Boatyard, Topsham, Devon. If you don't have a claw it might have been lost or broken.

How do you attach the kicking strap to the boom at present?Your boom might have been fitted with a riveted on U fitting? This will dig into and damage the mainsail as the sail is wound onto the boom.You need to remove it and use the cumbersome claw with inhaul and outhaul ropes.

Slab reefing is more efficient and faster but you will need to have cringle eyes fitted to the sail. What condition is the mainsail in? If it is worn a sailmaker might refuse to fit it with cringle eyes and reefing ropes as it might be a waste of money. A new sail will come with reefing cringles as standard. You might need to service your roller reefing mechanism. They often seize up. You might need a new roller-reefing handle? Retreat sell those too. The single line slab reefing lines are led to the cockpit on my 22. You are welcome to look at the system and measure up.

I would look in the HOA directory and find a member near to you. Then contact them and ask to have a look at their system. Or better still go out for a sail with them? Then go on a rally and compare sails? Nick Vass

SAIL LOGOS

Q. I'm buying a new mainsail for my Hurley 22, How do I find a copy of the sail logo that my sailmaker can use?

A. The images (JPEGs) below have been traced from a Hurley 22 mainsail. They are meant to be printed out at A4 size and then stuck together. Printing out directly from the screen does not seem to work properly. Click on the link below and when the image opens, right click on it and then select Save Picture as.... to save the picture on your computer and then print it out in the normal way

saillogo1 saillogo2 saillogo3 saillogo4 saillogo5 saillogo6

Click here for an electronic copy of a Hurley 20 sail logo