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C&C 27 Project Boat help!

5K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  chef2sail 
#1 ·
Hey all, I have begun work on an old 74'(?) C&C 27 sailboat. It's currently in the water, in a slip, but is in distress. It needs a lot of work to be seaworthy again. I am generally handy, but I am new to boat repairs and I was hoping some of you fellow C&C owners could give me some pointers.

Here is the link to the album of pictures: Photo Album - Imgur

To start, there was water in the cabin for who knows how long and its left a pretty stubborn scum line. Nothing I've thrown at it is doing anything. Any tips for getting this stuff off?

Some of the teak has torn away from the areas that it was screwed into the balsa(?) cored boards and is rotting. I was told GitRot would be a good remedy for this, any other solutions?

The forward hatch hinges have torn away from the fiberglass, as you can see in the pictures, and need to be remounted. Any tips for remounting them?

Then, you can see the backs of the cockpit compass and depth finder sticking out inside the cabin. It's pretty unsightly. Should they be sticking out this far? If not, whats going on here? And if so, is there supposed to be a back plate to cover them up or should I fashion something myself?

And last but most certainly not least of all is the damn engine. It's an atomic 4 universal gas engine and it's in pretty bad shape. I can't even truly diagnose whats wrong with it because I can't get the head plate off. I've gotten every bolt out but two. I've been pouring solvent and liquid wrench on them daily and putting upward pressure on them by wedging between the headplate and faceplate. I've been giving them constant vibration and solvent in an attempt to break them loose, but to no avail. Are there any experienced atomic 4 owners that might have a tip or two for me here? I'm almost at my wits end.

I would appreciate any comments or tips that you might have! I'm really not knowledgeable about boat cleaning products, working with gelcoat or fiberglass, or boat repairs in general. So any and all advice is welcome! Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
You might try Mr Clean Magic Erasers for the scum line.. that stuff is pretty amazing. Failing that it might be wet-sanded and rewaxed if necessary.

The exposed compass and knotmeter are the least of your worries.. that's not unusual to see, btw.....

You'll have to rebuild the deck area around the hatches to accept the hinges again.. dig out the old/damp core and fill and fair with thickened epoxy.. there's no avoiding some paint or some way of hiding the repair though..

As far as the engine goes, you may have nothing more than an anchor there.. no point in trying to wedge the head off if there are still bolts holding it down, you'll just crack something. I think I'd be removing the thing whole and trying to work on it in a garage or shop somewhere... Assuming it's worth the effort, that is.

Does look like you've got yourself a bit of a project, alright!
 
#3 ·
I agree with Faster on all accounts but the motor may be rebuildable. If not there are a lot of good used parts there.
The old Atomic bombs have a lot of metal in them and can be rebuilt even if there has been a lot of ware or neglect. Although, looking at the motor and not knowing what's wrong with it would lead me pull it out of the boat first. Jamming those punches in between the head and block was probably not your best moment as these surfaces have been machined to tolerances of a couple of thousandths of a inch. They will need to be resurfaced now.
Just a quick google found two Atomic 4's for sale in my local, one is a fresh rebuilt both are well under a thousand dollars and your old motor will be a good source of parts. That is something you need to think about for the future.
If you are still determined to get those bolts out heat works the best, but firing up a torch on a gas powered boat is probably not the best idea.
I would pull the motor and disasemble it in a clean shop and then make your decision to rebuild or replace.
 
#5 ·
Sounds like you're committed to reincarnating the old girl. Wanna spend the best $40 of your boating life? Consider "This Old Boat" by Don Casey. It's an instructional encyclopedia for all thing nautical DIY. I don't even own a boat and I've gone cover to cover twice.....good reading and probably just what you need. You can probably get a used copy online for less. Hope this helps and Good luck!
 
#8 ·
I hope your project is progressing nicely. I bought the last MKI (hull# 167) about 6 years ago and have re-done everything except the engine, which is next. Your best source of help with that Atomic 4 is undoubtedly Moyer Marine, google them. They are the most experienced A4 specific guys out there. I just finished taking my boat from the head of the Chesapeake Bay to Florida down the ICW and the 40 year old A4 finally bit the dust in Georgia so I'm looking to re-power, probably with diesel this time. If you have any questions don't hesitate to e-mail me: chris at chrisferrier dot com I have done all the work myself so can answer most any of your questions. Good luck! You've got a great little boat there!
 
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