1 . I am still "coming across" incorrectly positioned masts, as reported the last time I wrote.

So please, do check that they are upright in the tabernacles, otherwise distortion to the cabin

top locally and possible bonding failure to bulkhead below may occur.

2. Those of you with inboards fitted. This winter, check the state of your diesel tanks (not

stainless ones ) , as some are now starting to rust through, especially at the lower margins.

This being more significant on those tanks sited in the "transom" lockers.

3. Stemheads.

a) check carefully the welds on the upright webs. i have seen 3 this year with cracks

appearing.

b) One incident of the fore aft bolts on the stemhead sheering off, causing the stemhead and,

unfortunately the foredeck, to peel back like the sardine tin. This can "be checked from inside

the anchor locker.

4. Stern Glands, (inboard diesels) Again another winter job! A batch of black plastic glands,

where used at original installation, have distorted and have worn the shaft dramatically (where

it cannot be seen). The earlier white threaded glands have proved even more unreliable, with

the thread stripping, the result a rapid ingress of unwelcome sea water and submerged

engines. A point worth remembering if your alternator or starter motor should become

submerged and you are unable to strip it immediately and make good, place it in a bucket of

fresh water (and leave it there) This will inhibit the corrossion/rusting process until more

professional assistance is available.

5. Strippers (Weed/Rope cutters) A great many are now fitted. If you are laylng-up ashore

this year, obviously check the wear and condition but, more important, being a relatively

expensive Item, they tend to "walk". So perhaps cover them up to make removal more

difficult or, of course, take them off!!

6. A 9 metre sadly caught fire this year in the Mediterranean. Fortunately no-one was on

board at the time but £20,000 of damage occurred. At present nobody is sure what caused it to

start but it would appear to be associated with the gas fridge, as the seat of the fire was In that

area. Accordingly, it would be as well to check the state of all gas feed pipes and connections,

together with the appliance itself.

Flavel Vanessa, the cooker manufacturers, have advised, via the October issue of P.B.O. that

appliances with a serial number after those listed below may have been fitted with a faulty

component - and they will arrange for a free safety check by one of their service engineers.

Cookers (stove) after number 70972. Hotplate... after number 35376. Ovens after number

91155. The phone number to ring is 0926.27027. Monday to Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

7. I should have put this with Item 4, but worthy of a mention on its own. Those who have

craft moored in the warmer climes are suffering a higher breakdown rate on the rubber based

components used especially in engine installations, namely fuel hoses, exhaust hoses and the

short lengths of hose used at the stern gland to stern tube connection. Again, worth while

inspecting.

8. Sacrificial Anodes Hopefully we are becoming more educated to their value relative to their

cost and most craft have them fitted in one form or another. However, complacency should

not be allowed to set in!

a) Do NOT antifoul over them - under any circumstances.

b) Tap them with a hammer to remove the deposit. Replace if wasted and change the studs, if

fitted, at the same time.

c) Those moored in "fresh" water will find that the anode does not waste so

dramatically as a "calcium" like deposit forms over the surface and inhibits the

conductivity, causing the retaining stud to rust. Remove this deposit as frequently

as possible.

d) Finally, check all the internal wiring connections from the stud(s) to engine, P-brackets,

etc.

Please do write or make contact, with any useful information you may have to give. Finally,

an up-date on my own position.

Tom Lack Multlhull Brokerage has had a very successful year, culminating with an almost

bare cupboard following the Moodys Used Boat Show in September. With the need for a

more technical and practicable back-up to the brokerage business, I have now joined that

partnership with my parents, which will also allow Father to pursue and devote more time to

his successful photographic work.

John Lack, as a trading business, remains unchanged by this move and I am, additionally,

pleased to say that we have been appointed agents for the Yanmar range of diesel engines and

spares.

It Is also my intention to continue to provide a full "After Sales" service to the Bobcat and

Catalac classes and the new Catalac owners and I are in basic agreement that we shall be

undertaking this service for their requirements and clients.

Let us all hope that despite the failure of the building company earlier this year, a period of

stability will follow, which can only be beneficial to the Owners' Association and to the Class

itself.

between the drive cones. This is normally due to incorrect connection between the Morse

control cable and the gear box lever on the earlier 7.5 h.p. models, which most of you have.

The spring loaded connector (sprung loaded) should be on the bottom hole of the gearbox

lever. We have encountered many with seized connectors, so please do check yours and make

sure the spring system is free-moving and well greased. The later models have a rectangular

solid connector.

Another cause has been when the controls have been "locked" into forward gear whilst sailing

Incidentally, if you are putting the engine into gear whilst sailing to avoid the "rattle", then

you ought to check your cutless bearings and the state of the packing in the stuffing box.

We noted last season, associated to the age of the installation, that the Yanmar soft mounts

are starting to delaminate, so I would suggest that these are checked as part of your winter

programme. Replacements are not cheap but, compared to an engine potentially running amok

in the engine space, the cost savings are there!!

Loom connectors are proving another source of unanticipated aggravation. These are the

plug/socket connectors sited adjacent to the port aft engine mount. Lack of inspection and

regular greasing has proved "fatal". Whilst you are down in the depths, liberally covered in

grease, cursing the amount of gear loosely stowed there, don't forget the bilge pumps and float

switches under the engines. Now is the time to check connections and clear away any

accumulated debris.

little that can be done to stop the dedicated thief but, on the 9M. the addition of a brass hasp

and staple fitted to the door and sliding hatch face, will inhibit the use of a jimmy to spring

the door open or fracture the laminate at the top section, for access to the lock internally.

Derek Oakley of Batticat 11 reported entry to his 8M. via the forward "escape" hatches,

where the s.s. pins to the black nylon hinges were simply pushed out. Mr. Oakley is

considering gluing the pins in, but I consider, without the pivot facility available to both

halves of the hinge, failure may occur to the nylon. My immediate thought at the time was to

fit a further thumbscrew device (as used to lock these hatches at present) under the hinge end

of the hatch. Has anyone any better ideas please? Since drafting this letter, Mr. Oakley has

suggested that a headed rod with a split ring or pin might at least slow the potential intruder

down enough to make him give up.

except for one whom I will not name, for fear of embarrassment, but whom I know well

achievements in raising the mast manually. I didn't ask, when required to quote for a new

wheelhouse!

The original builders undertook the standing rigging in-house, using a talurit (copper) swage

to compress the wire end onto the wire body, thus holding the s.s. thimble into place. The

wire construction is 1 x 19 and, by the very nature of the job it ws intended to do, is not at all

flexible, (7 x 19 and 7x7 being those more commonly used for wire\rope halliards, steering

wires etc.) Accordingly, a great deal of unfair strain and misalignment of the separate strands

was "encountered" at the outset. By age process, these tight curves with the stress put on them

are starting to break up, not only the wire strands themselves but the thimbles are "fracturing"

across the body. So please, all of you, do check yours. Not just at deck level, up aloft as well.

Remember, a replacement mast is now over £1,000, let along the damage it can cause, not

only to the craft, but also to its occupants.

Roll swage is now the best method of "joining" wire to fittings, as described further on. If in

any doubt, please do phone or write for any advice I can give.

1 . Have you bought the right size of Marigold gloves for your wife to do the antifouling

whilst you discuss the merits of the latest Sat.Nav coupled with the new in-mast furling gear,

which might interface with the old mechanical log with the owner of the boat two along from

yours!!

2. here lurking under the floorboards or, if you like to be technical, the sole - SEACOCKS -

seized open, are they? - or rusted? - wheels lying dejected, in a state of decomposition all

alone in the bilge? - Familiarity breeds contempt - it is not until you need them that you kick

yourself - "Well it was on my list last winter!" Please remember, lV or \" apertures can create

a spectacular influx of water. As a "Business Interruption", replacement wheel valves are

available in Alloy, as opposed to coated metal, thus avoiding total replacement. However, as

the cost Is low, it might wel1 prove beneficial to replace. I favour ball valves as suitable, but

understand that, as yet, they are not recommended by Lloyds please check yours. Your peace

of mind, not mine

3. Mast raising. A continual reminder from me - please UPRIGHT in the tabernacle, at all

times. If you have any difficulty, please contact me, in order, hopefully, to avoid any stressrelated

problems to the deck structure.

4. Mast raising again. When tensioning the bottlescrews, if open-bodied type, do not tighten

by inserting a torque mechanism into the body of the bottle, for this distorts the unit enough to

strain the line of the threads and produce a bound bottlescrew - which now will cost in the

region of £18.00/ to replace.

5 - Following my previous comments, how many of you have checked your stemheads for

movement or degradation of welds? N.B. if Rotostay or similar Is fitted, that is one forestay to

the centre web, please do not offset when replacing, for ease of anchor handling, as this may

lead to unfair loading to the one side.

6 . Fixed Skegs and Rudders. Please do check the fastenings, especially on the lower

margins. In some cases, I have found the s.s. bolts used severely wasted, as they are not

connected to sacrificial anodes. Replacements should be in M6 size of A2 or A4 stainless.

This refers to 8m,9m,10m and 12m Catalacs. With the Bobcat having no lower shoe, but

fastening to the brass or bronze when withdrawn, will prove somewhat alarming (a thin

tapering point with a reddish dust residue, all that remains of the original fastening).

7.Believe it or not, some of you Catalac owners may now need a survey to comply with your

Insurance Company requirements for craft nearing the 10 year age group. For that you will

want a full overall survey ashore, undertaken by a professional person, i.e. not me, so be

prepared,

8. Gel Coat Repairs. Whilst a potential nightmare and minefield these, correctly under taken,

should not detract from the overall appearance - those that are dabbed with the car body fillers

and off-shelf colour kits, will -would you drive your car to the office looking like that?

To achieve a good gel repair, the most important ingredient, believe it or not, is cleanliness.

Gel damage, as a rule, will fall into one of three categories.

a). Minor impact, perhaps causing an over thick gel application Co break away from the

underlying substrate.

b). More serious impact damage, resulting in loss of gelcoat exposing laminate, star crazing

radiating out and evidence of damage to the laminate itself .

c). Manufacturing defect commonly referred to as a void or breakout.

So, let us attempt to achieve a reasonable repair to item (a).

Materials required:

Pigmented gelcoat

Catalyst

Acetone

Wet and dry sandpaper

Small rubbing block

Masking tape or similar

Profiled hacksaw blade

PATIENCE

The first requirement is to clean out the "wound", obviously we carry tooling for this but a

short 1ength of broken hacksaw blade ground at its end to suitable profile, provides a

miniature cabinet scraper which is ideal. We have now scraped back the damage to provide a

clean edge - DO NOT TOUCH IT to admire the "workmanship" as the "grease" from your

hands will expose itself on final "blending".

Next mix up a small quantity of gel with catalyst and apply to the affected area. If deep,

retain with masking tape to hold in place. DO NOT OVERFILL as it is harder to remove the

overspill later - indeed it is advisable to undertake with 2 - 3 fillings - by doing this you will

also avoid air entrapment (large mass under catalysation) which will prove evident on sanding

down.

Hopefully having achieved a reasonable profile, we now need to rub down. Firstly, to remove

the tacky surface, wipe over with acetone, then start with grade 320 wet and dry paper, using

a small rubbing block NOT your fingers, as these will ride over the raised area and create a

dip local to that repair. Once near a reasonable shape, change to 500 or 600 grade, then

change again to 800, then finally to 1200 grade. DO NOT rub 6" either side of the area, as

self-inflicted "scratching" is hard to remove and not time-effective. Once happy with the

overall proflie/shape, rub over with a burnishing compound, such as Solvol Autosol, which is

white in colour. Try to avoid using a car rubbing compound, usually orange in colour, as this

will deposit itself in the smal1 scratches not removed.

b) . More serious damage may prove beneficial left with your local yard, but for those selfinclined,

you wi11 need to grind back the laminate to remove any trace of stress to the

substrate, both internally and external. Then back up the laminate internally using c. s .m. in

conjunction with generous overlaps onto original structure. Externally rebuild to just below

gel line and then proceed as J tern (a).

c) Manufacturing defects. Remove gelcoat until gel adheres to underlying laminate, repair as

item (a).

9. Most of you with inboard versions are fortunate to have Yanmars of varying models and

sizes fitted - those that have Dolphins or Renaults are, in my opinion, not so lucky, but I do

know of cases where a good working relationship has been achieved between Master and

Motive Power.

My next statement is not directed to any one owner in particular, as I know many of you care

"lovingly" for those items fitted below decks, whatever trade name they have stamped on

them -indeed, I find the most reliable engines, (namely the Yanmar) are those that are most

often abused. Please do not hide yours engines, (although I know the designer gave you the

space,) under barbecue sets, concrete weights, dinghies, fishing rods, sail bags, fenders - you

name it - we've seen it. Accessibility is controllability. Abuse can only be carried so far before

expensive repairs are required.

I write this somewhat disheartened, having undertaken last year a re-build of two Yanmars,

carefully re-placed and re-installed into the craft. To my horror this year, on undertaking a

minor modification in the engine bay, I lifted the sound-deadening boards to discover the

engine "festering" externally from lack of ventilation, a short road back to the state preceding

the £1,000 spent. Take heed please , you who are abusers.

Meanwhile, hopefully not having painted too black a picture, may I wish you all a very safe

and rewarding season afloat. To those of you who seek advice, please do not hesitate to ask,

however small the problem. (We prefer the small ones!)

JOHN L