Just by way of saying 'owdo!

[Charlie]

Hi all,

Newbie here, well I signed up hoping to get some pointers and maybe a bit of info? At the moment, I have three projects on the go, a dinghy that I am re-building, a Devon Potter that I am restoring, and a Swift 18 trailer sailor, that is scrubbing up nicely and I am planning to have on the water by next Spring. So what has all this got to do with MG or Eventides?

Well, not much really, except that I have of late been having a bit of a muse about what I really want to do, and what I want from my sailing. I have always had a liking for MG's designs, and the Eventide has tremendous possibilities for an old wood butcher such as meself!

I have over the last couple of years, been very attracted to Junk Rig, I wont go into all the why's and wherefore's here, but suffice to say, that I think an Eventide would make a very good Junker. Now, down to the nitty gritty. I have been having a mooch around the Eventide website, the photos and the for sale page, but it sometimes seems to me that the for sale page aint kept very up to date?

Here's what I am thinking of doing, I think I would like to finish all me projects, and get them sold. including the Swift and buy a pretty good Eventide 26, although I am a wood butcher by trade, I don't want to end up with a pig in a poke and a lifetimes work to put it right, (I aint got a lifetime left anyway!) and I would rather like to get some sailing in, while I am still fit enough to do it.

There have been a couple of sorry tales of woe, about blokes that have bought Eventides with a view to getting 'em sailing again and have ended up putting a match to 'em because they have found them too far gone! This I don't want to be doing.

So what's the point of all this pre-amble? well in short good sir's, I would appreciate any pointers or tips that you care to sling my way, I would also appreciate a drawing of the 26 showing the sail plan as well.

Sorry for rambling on a bit.

Best, Charlie.

[Charlie]

Further to my one and only post on this forum, I got to say it aint exactly a ball of fire is it? Well that's me folks, I will leave you with it, just plow me own furrow like I always have. I am gone.

Fair winds, Charlie.

[Fiddler's Green]

Hello Charlie, think the 'For Sale page' is as up to date as the sellers make it. We are always adding new items.... it is just some of the older ones do not get removed....

If they don't tell us they have sold, maybe we helped them selland they do not want to volenteer a fiver....) then they do not get removed, till we have a clearance.... we trust anyone finding a boat or item no longer for sale will tell us....

Re the Junk rig, yes it has been tried, several times, the best example is on 'June' Norman Garnett's boat up in Scotland. You have to rethink the accomodation however, as the mast normally goes right where the fore hatch and fore cabin might be.... also you might want to increase the keel depth slightly, 3" to give any older boat the better grip and a chance with Junk rig.

Plenty of restoration projects about...

Good hunting.

John

[AdrianCox]

Hello Charlie

I am a New member here too, but sailed and Eventide for many years, and can remember some of the shockers we saw when we were searching for our first 24 footer.

From what I can remember here are some of the things to lookout for might be as follows:-

Side a fore deck - A suitble covering better than the old 'Trackmac' which was leathal if it got wet, and had no grip. Also where it folded over edge and was covered by the rubbing strake did cause some delamination if it had the ply wood deck.

Look under the bunks, in particular the area around the bilge keel stiffeners, as this area can often be a water trap unless suitably drained.

Bildge - Be watchful of added loose ballast here. As we came a across a couple like that which have 2 main issues:- 1. an unsecured load suddenly shifting does little for the handling and sability, let alone the damge it could cause. 2: it does beg the question of did someone get the centre keel weights wrong?

Keel & Skeg gap - Not sure if this applies to the 26' but we had this on the 24' which was easily remedied by having a peice of 3/8 plate made to fill the gap.

Engines - Alot of this may be by person preference but aware of under gutted engine sizes, and mismatched propeller sizes. 8hp is about as low as you affectively want for any of the Eventides, anything above that is a plus.

Props - Again personal preference, but it would be best to steer clear of folding props, 3 main reasons:- 1 You're never going to break and speed records with such a boat and streamlining would have minimal affect. 2- its yet another complicated part to go wrong and cost a packet to rectify.
3. Fixed props, if well installed will 'free Rotate' once the boat is up to speed anyway and thus drag is greatly reduced.

Hope this information helps you to a more informed descision and good luck with your search.

Regards
Adrian

Kind regards
Adrian

[Fiddler's Green]

Hello Adrian,

Seems you may have had some bad experiences.... Yes there are those built of old tea chests, but you normally can see them a mile away and they don't last long. What is still around from the 1960's and later, should be based on a fair framework. Though any wooden boat will rot if left to the elements...

Charlie was asking after details of the Eventide, well if he is enrolled with us he can get a CD with all the Eventide drawings , from the first till the Ferro and Steel versions, for just £5.00, peanuts... if you are serious about buying...

You say internal ballast points to defects in the design or keel weight. Yes you are nearly right there.

If you read the extensive information on the site you will see the Eventide 24 had two upgrades to it's keel weight since 1957. Many owners also added trimming ballast. If secure, this is a perfectly normal way of trimming a vessel. I have over 3 cwt of trimming ballast, to bring my keel weight to 2240lb, well over the plan weight, but it works for me.Then my boat is slightly longer at 27' 3".

As for deck coverings, I would recommend epoxy coating and glass cloth, suitable for epoxy. then either non slip deck paint or, as I have used, panels of 'Treadmaster'. some have gone further and fitted a thin layer of teak strips, very effective as a nonslip, as well as looking the business.

Any freshwater trapped inside a boat will cause damage, better ventilation is also the aim. I have 7 permenantly open vents on my boat, 3 UFO type and 4 Dorade. Overkill? no I don't think so. The forepeak and the stern deck area must be ventilated.. Often that is where damp will linger.

Charlie should see the hints and tips page for more on skegs and ballast etc.

I agree with you on motors, 8hp is the very minimum for a 24, 12hp for a 26. add 4 to both of those for more punch.

Props.

Yes the 3 blade, properly matched to the motor is favourite. However only if your prop spins freely, will it reduce drag. On the other hand it will wear bearings and the gentle noise can be intrusive. I lock mine in astern, even though it spins freely.

The magic number, if you are interested is 1 ft lb. If that is all it takes to make your shaft turn, when afloat, it will reduce drag to let it spin, (discounting wear), any more than 1 ft lb it is better locked. figures from Nigel Warren of PBO.

But as you say, these are not racing machines!

There is a host of information on the site and we do have advisors, so there is no need for anyone to feel left out, a call is all it takes, or a few hours, (days!) trolling through the 1 gig plus website we now have.

Thanks for the input and good luck with your search!

Regards,

John

[AdrianCox]

Hi John

Thanks for the input again
I'll be sure to add some further tips which I am well versed in with modifications which were done on our 24' Eventide, I'm sure some of the readers will greatful of the extra information.

Such as :- Engine and Gearbox coversion, keel gap plate, Twin jib stay,
Water & table combination.
Conversion from roller reefing to slab reef. (to overcome boom droop)
Mast rake curve.

But I'm sure these will have been mentioned before

Regards
Adrian