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Morgan 24

19K views 51 replies 9 participants last post by  gpwil3847 
#1 ·
Recently bought a 1967 Morgan 24 as a project boat. Used to own a Morgan 25 in the early 80's so there is some nostalgia. Mr Morgan built a good boat, and though she is very old I am beginning to realize the quality in her building will allow me to bring her back and enjoy the boat for the years ahead. I do have some questions, and hope the title will attract other Morgan 24/25 owners. Not sure there is a thread here for that yet but it would be nice as we would all have something in common. Anyway...there appears to be a rather large metal tank under the forward V birth toward the bow with a tiny (3" dia.) access hole and the cover is gone. I am assuming this is the water tank for the sink as the faucett has a hose that runs forward under the bulkhead?? How would I ever be able to clean this tank out to use it for drinking water again, if that is not possible I will assume it might be made potable for washing dishes?? and does anyone know what kind of cover fits in the access hole? George in Biloxi.
 
#2 ·
I also will need to replace wood below the bilge access but am not sure what was down there as there is no blueprint available online apparantly. The wood there is extremely waterlogged from years of neglect, and some crumbles in my fingers as if it came off an old spanish gallion! - but I am excited. I feel a little like Robinson Caruso engaging my ingenuity in tinkering and fixing things to make everything ship shape again - this is going to be fun.
 
#4 · (Edited)
That's a good thought, so far I have seen a really nasty picture someone took of the inside of their tank after they cut a hole for an access window - he stopped drinking the water then and there! I have heard Bleach, Vinigar and probably the best advice is to use bleach and rinse it out then use the water only for dishes, or hand washing and carry bottled water when cruising. The RV sites may have a better answer.

I do have lots of plywood, but someone told me there are sheets of a 3/8" fiberglass like material that would not rot. One thing about wood is sooner or later it is going to rot, I do have some left over treated lumber that I could cut up for the floor supports around the bilge access, I may try that. There may be treated plywood?? I suppose painting the inside of the hull and the wood with an off white perhaps a shade of cream enamel would be nice, resistant to mildew and make the inside of the boat look new again too? I am retired retired as my wife suffers from early onset dementia - the boat is part therapy to take my mind off of all of that - hard thing. I have always loved sailing our dock is in our front yard, I just restored water to the dock, and added a security gate, and a very unsatisfactory solar light which does little more than shine dimly for about 5 hours after the sun goes down then goes out just intime for pirates to come in the night! Oh well, will have to pay a few hundred for electricity I suppose....
 
#5 · (Edited)
I have had wonderful results bringing back a mirror like shine to my old weathered wench handles, and the block holders that run along a track that the jib blocks attach to. I started with a 100 grit sand paper and a sander, then progressed to a very light sand paper almost the grit of wet-dry paper then to 0000 steel wool using my sander on top, then used some polishing compound and my buffing tool which used very small cotton fiber buffers. then some brasso, followed by a clear coat so that I do not have to do this again any time soon. I also was successful making a new centerboard winch handle out of a 1/2 inch steel rod, with no equipment I placed the rod into a metal pipe then pulled it by hand to bend the rod, then I had to use a maul hammer and locate two heavy pieces of concrete wth just enough space to hold the rod while I beat my rough bends in the rod into two 90 degree curves. I then polished the rod using progressively finer abrasives as I did above down to steel wool, and finally some polishing compound. I cut off the tip of an old shovel handle then drilled a 1/2 inch hole down the center, I had to ream the end next to the bend out a little and finished by placing a washer on the tip then using a hammer to brad the end of the rod so that it flaired out and held the wood handle in to the rod. I plan to use a flat bastard file to file the opposite end of the rod to fit a wrachet that fits into my centerboard wench and will use a fine drill so that I can use a pin to hold the wratchet to the other end of the wench. I do not know of a supplier of wench handles to fit my centerboard winch so I have made my own for about $10. and alot of work - the wench looks pretty good considering I did not have the proper equipment. I am surprised and thrilled at the outcome. The rod I purchased at Lowes where they have short pieces of steel stock in hardware. My new Tiller with an 8" rise laminated from ash and mahogany originally made for a Pierson, read somewhere that it is a very close match for the Morgan 24 tiller - found it on Defender.com for $79!! a great price as some places want as much as $150!!!. Besides I didn't want to use an Ax Handle again - I want my Morgan to be very close to the original but aged gracefully.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I have decided to write some about my work on my 1967 Morgan 24, I have adapted this from correspondance with Mr Bob Horan on his Morgan 24 site. I have my waterfront, and enough income to live in relative comfort, the sail boat will complete a life goal. Of course retirement does not always go as we would have planned, I am 54, my wife 55 and she has early onset dementia. I am of course heart broken over my wife's deteriorating condition - I have to say that I live with a smoldering grief, and saddness - but Nostalgia and working on something I love is good at taking my mind off of all of this pain. My first Morgan 25 I owned in the early 1980's, had the dinette that made into a double berth, the closet and the Head off to the port side behind the bulkhead, but Morgan's arn't exactly falling out of the trees around here so I purchased what was available - a Morgan 24 with the "traditional layout." I will miss the dinette and the 54" gally, the closet and the more private head - but I will get used to it. I may figure a way to create some kind of table hinged down the center? Will rig a curtain, and a couple of easily removable panels to hide the head when not in use and to provide sort of a shared "night stand area" for the V berth. I am just so pleased to have a Morgan back at my dock - soon - still waiting for the yard to haul her out. Have been working on the centerboard winch - now referbished, shiny and greased up but the winch handle is gone so for now I am using a wrachet wrench to work it. I pulled the frozen mass of rust that once was the first pully in the internal centerboard system that sits in the bilge - but with naval jelly, a wire brush and some hammering, and a lot of work I have worked a small miracle and will be able to reinstall the pully! the hammering just came to me, tapping like opening oyster shells I jarred the pully and was gradually able to make it turn freely again. I am lucky the pully was made of heavy enough metal that though pitted, once belt sanded, and wire brushed down to bare metal, sprayed with rust converter, primer, and silver metallic paint, I finally greased the heck out of it and will be able to reinstall it - Ha ha!!, I have one more stuck pully but the bilge pully was by far the worstIf I need a new centerboard that will be $835 + $100 shipping From NewRudders.com a site I found which luckily has the mold for the Morgan 24 centerboard - Hurray!!!!, I am keeping my fingers crossed that the board is held in the trunk by marine growth--- we will see. I am really enjoying all of this as you can tell. Will check out the Yahoo Morgan group, Thanks again, George.
 
#7 ·
I hope writing a kind of log on my progress is ok? I hope so... no one has said anything yet. Anyway I am making use of lowes for round and flat steel stock. I purchased a new tiller with an 8" rise, believe it is 42" laminated ash and mahogany similar to what the original tiller was like. The old tiller was cracked badly weathered and so I decided on a new tiller - $88 from Defender.com, about $140 from other sites, but the butt end is 3/8" narrower than it should be so I have made two 3/16" spacers using flat stock, simple hack saw, then used the holes I drilled in the tiller as a guide to start the holes in the steel 1/4". I purchased 3" stainless hex headed bolts, a washer on the outside each side and a wingnut so that I can stow the tiller out of the weather, and place a piece of treated lumber to secure the rudder in dock. I am currently shaping the centerboard tip of wench handle for the centerboard wench - a 3/8" hex head using a flat bastard file, my eye and a wratchet head as a guide - It's going very well so far - just a lot of filing, i have the wench handle in a vice to hold it steady. I have the #2 pully for the centerboard cable cleaned up, #3 turns freely and is not exposed to any water in the bilge which I keep as dry as possible now. Like Charles Morgan I wonder why people fail to maintain their investment - occasional grease on the pullys, the wench, and the cable. keeping track of the wench handle. I am doing all of this but I still do not know what I will find once the boat is pulled. I have a new handle for the inletvalve for the head to reinstall. Also have a 3/8"x4" carrage bolt will have to install another chunk of an oak garden tool handle after shaping for the wench handle on the mast which currently is just a piece of flat stock held in the pully by a pin - I will figure a way that will allow me to remove the handle when I desire. My goal was to have the internal centerboard system up and running, I have accomplished that, or will after my next visit to Felicity. Hopefully the shipyard will be ready to go once the new year passes???
 
#8 · (Edited)
Thrilled at my new CB Wench Handle, amazed that I made a perfect fit for a 3/8" wrachet with nothing more than a vice to hold the wench handle, a 3/8" hex head tip as a guide and a 3/8" wrachet to check for fit and a file - I did it and the wench handle looks wonderful - all for about $10.00!!! I was so proud I posted a picture of it on my face book site. I figure I will just glue the old tiller back together and perhaps sand and varnish it to install when Felicity is docked, I have to polish up the flat steel 3/16" spacers for the new tiller which is 3/8" too narrow. Need to finish up and grease the #2 sheve I believe Mr Morgan called them. Then make a wood handle for the wench handle on the mast. Won't take too long to put the sheeve back in, bolt the centerboard cable back together and ensure she is well greased. Then I will be waiting for the haul out! I need to inspect the halyards as the nylon part on each one are well past the time when they should have been changed, may need a crimping tool so better measure the diameter of the wire used for the main and the jib and see how the two were joined then it's off to lowes which carries braded line. Don't know why boat stores want to charge 4X what everything is really worth!
 
#9 ·
Hi George, I'm new here. I too am working on a Morgan 24/25. She's a 1969. Much of your story sounds like what I am/will be dealing with. I have little to no experience with boat repair, but I couldn't pass this opportunity up. I have to pull up all of the flooring, reseal the windows, and am hoping to sand and re-stain every thing. The centerboard/bilge looks like an absolute mess. Perhaps you could send me pointers, and even pictures (I am a visual learner!). Email me!
 
#10 ·
Hi, I remember my Morgan 25 had beautiful wood flooring that needed to come out but I never did it because I did not think I could replicate it. My M24 has a fiberglass floor, but the wood under it is pretty much gone, what there was of it but I am not at all certain what was down there. I am assuming that most of it was just around the bilge access because the flooring there is not as rigid as it should be. There is not much clearence so I am assuming that placing some treated and painted lumber in that area may suffice to stiffen up the floor. I do have some basic equipment in my home shop, drills, sanders, skill and table saw, jig saw, router table, hammers etc.... and used to build cabinets prior to my 20 years as an Air Force RN and Diabetic Educator so I feel fairly confident that with my noggen for tinkering I can do alot on my own. I am sorry that I have no pictures but will share them when I get there. My main focus is safety and seaworthiness right now. I really want to have the centerboard system operating as Morgan designed it. Lights, New halyards, New Jib. I believe the Starbord chainplate for the shrouds needs to be assessed. Another sheet of 3/4" plywood was bolted in at some point, and the bolts there do not inspire confidence. I may have to use halyards to support the mast when I replace that entire bulkhead - um! not a job I am looking forward to - because it is so important that it be done right as that chainplate must take quite a load in heavy air on a starboard tack. There are others here who will be happy to answer questions too. Merlin has been here a long time take a look at his M24, and then also Bob Horan has a Morgan 24 site that has quite a bit of information and Mr Horan is very friendly, has answered emails and questions, you can google his site: Try Morgan 24 site.... George
 
#11 ·
Oh, almost forgot... My windows are all yellow with a million cracks and crazings, so I plan on going to lowes and for $54 they sell a sheet of 1/4" plexiglass that may just give enough material to change out all of the ports. I see the port frames appear to have screws holding them on the outside of the cabin - if so, I may start with one of the small ports first to see what I am getting myself into. I have a belt sander to help shape edges, and with a fine toothed saw table and jigsaw with care I have cut plexiglass before. Once shaped it will be a simple matter of reinstalling and sealing - should work for at least a few years I would think. Unfortunately there are no blueprints available online.
 
#13 ·
Wild Goose

Wow, if you can create a great web page like that you can refit your nice looking Morgan! I have my internal centerboard system working, my wench handle is a perfect fit. The boat yard has the boat sitting in the slings FINALLY! I am waiting for mooring pilings once the permit clears, and after talking to the boat yard ordered a new centerboard from NewRudders.com $935 including delivery, am going tomorrow to see if there are any remnants of the external CB cable primarily the fittings if one is left in the pennant tube so I can order a new 19.5" cable that will fit from West Marine Riggers. Purchased 1/2"X2" Stainless bolts and aluminum to extend the chain plates using 6 bolts per chainplate. will need new halyards and running rigging as well, and a new Jib eventually. Boat means Break Out Another Thousand! or a hole in the water you pour money into! But once things are right and with some maintenance it will finally be done. I just want a wonderful boat that looks as if she has aged gracefully, and everything works as it was designed. Each system is fairly simple, you just have to take one small step at a time - it's not rocket science. Will go back to read your site in detail. Hope you post some pictures here, or more on your site. You had an inboard - are those pictures behind the companionway? George
 
#14 ·
My wife has her DNS, MSN, RN taught for years, followed me around. I have my RN, MSN, CDE the I retired! Spent 20 years in a career field I only tolerated - but it provided an income. School was intense, thousands of hours studying. I refused the PHD rout believing it really is only Piled Higher Deeper! Seemed the more responsibility the fewer the benefits somehow as the work became greater. Now it is time to find my youthful idealism and interests again which includes sailing, playing some guitar, my Triumph Spitfire, and tinkering on things in my shop. I am really a caregiver now for my wife - advice is to ensure you enjoy life as you go because if you wait it may be too late to do so.
 
#15 ·
Visit to the boatyard. Felicity is up on the blocks, hull has been pressure washed and scraped. I did a walk around tapping and looking. Sure enough the centerboard is completely gone - But the bronze plates and screws holding the centerboard pin and the pin are intact and waiting for my new board to arrive, need to order the CB cable also won't be cheap and while i have probably all the information I will need on the internet - you never know if there is something different about the fittings on either end that must fit and accept the correct size clevus pin or all that money will be wasted potentially. Unfortunately the yard had the keel only inches from the ground so I could not see up into the trunk to measure or look at anything on the end of the pennent tube dang it! I may have to take my chances?? The larger issue is a 5" crack inset about 1/8th inch right below the waterline above the area of the sink drain - I was correct the hull was indeed weeping in that area under the sink - it wasn't a leaky toe rail screw after all! I do not believe this is a major problem, I believe some coarse sanding and several layers of fiberglass and cloth probably less than 12" in width should fix this as the crack ends apruptly and is just about 5" long - apparantly the impact was the end of a blunt object - as if someone took a heavy metal mallet and slammed it into that area. Internally as I stated there was only some weeping, the damage is deep but did not appear to be wider than the 5", and could have sunk the boat if it had been much harder. would have need probably some fabric, a piece of plywood and a 2X4 to hold it in place while working the bilge, or perhaps tying fabric over the hole from the outside like in the movie Master and Commander - fothoming or something like that along with working the bilge. Not sure a wood cone would work - would have to be an extremely large cone. Oh well, the good news is the rest of the hull is very sound!!!! Hooray!
 
#16 ·
George and MorganGirl, thanks for posting your progress. It's useful information for the rest of us, Morgan owners or not. My thinking on "have to take my chances" is .. don't. You have the opportunity to fix things now while she's on the hard -- make sure she's seaworthy. Don't get impatient.
 
#17 ·
I am glad if this is helpful. Yeah, will need a look at the cb when it comes, and at the end of the pennant tube to see how big the slot and the hole for the clevis pin are - I was hoping that no one bothered to remove the fitting on the end of the broken cb cable. Right I am spendng enough money to address these issues. I am glad that the hull appears to be basically sound except for that 5" crack!!!! Morgan built a very strong hull. I have enough scotch in my genetics to pinch pennies when I can, but some things are best left to the pros. If my wife were in good health I would load up my equipment and head to the yard for the next week, unfortunately that is not the case. At the relativey young age of 49 Dementia started it's relentless process about 2006 as best I can figure.
 
#18 ·
Hi all! I'm happy to be posting, I am so obsessed with this boat project, my head could explode! The few pieces of brightworks are looking amazing. I know it's small steps, but much of the work needs to happen on the boat, and we were hit with snow & rain today, and terribly cold temps all week. That being said, doing any work, even in the cabin, in these temps, is not a good time. There are a few things I have been plotting. George, I noticed your first post included some info on the Water Tank. How did you make out. I would really love to access the tank, but the screws have been practically impossible to remove. Also, I am a novice here... the metal cap?? for lack of a better name, also seems impossible to remove. I am certain this tank hasn't been thoroughly cleaned since... well ever, probably not accessed since installation in 1969. I am just a thorough person, and since I have intentions of inspecting every last inch of that boat, I need to get into the box/housing.. Any advice is appreciated.
 
#19 ·
Hi MorganGirl, seems like the term "sailing season" has true meaning in your clime, I live on Back Bay Biloxi Mississippi so we are simi-tropical. Except for the really really hot months the rest of the year here is spring like, our winter is January and February and is relatively mild, when a front moves through the temperatures can drop for a while then moderate. Snow is a light dusting to about 3" once every 10 years, our lows are the teens on occasion. But I know you would probably die of heat prostration down here! Especially in the 100 degree weather with 90% humidity in our long summer months. :)
I am waiting for things like the water tank which is a shiny metal box until I have the boat home at my dock. My focus right now is safety, and seaworthiness, the other things will come once those things are squared away. I did find out that the sink drain actually drains through the hull! through a SEACOCK! Pretty cool I thought I can pour things out and they don't end up having to be pumped from the bilge. There is a tube connected to the faucet that runs to the tank. Of course as you read above none of us plan on actually drinking water from the tank, but perhaps it could be made potable for washing dishes, perhaps? Will investigate how to do that later. Looks like a wrench could be used to unscrew the cap. Would have to reach through the stowage locker under the v-berth. There is also a 3" hole I suppose so I can see what I am doing with the wrench. It could be that the tank could possibly be taken out for work when I replace the forward bulkhead where the bow lights are. I suppose If I can get the tank out I can clean it out better. Probably need to add a cap full of plain bleach to a full tank of water perhaps and run water through it every few months?? Sorry I really have nothing to offer but speculation at this point. I really suspect that my boat is in fairly good shape - could be much much worse! You can see felicity on the Morgan Owner's group on Yahoo in the albums. I have more on my facebook site - I will give you that address in a minute and hope we don't scare you when you see what I we look like!!
 
#20 · (Edited)
Welcome to Facebook - Log In, Sign Up or Learn More or perhaps try George'nPatWilkins our Facebook address. Not sure if you have to be frended? If so ask and it will be granted to you. OH!! I forgot, I plan to add a switch in the line so that I can buy the bottled water in those large square containers and see If I could pump water out using my faucet long enough to clean it out, and then would be able to pump drinking water, keep the drinking water under the sink, then switch back when washing dishes?? It's an idea..... If you really want to use the faucet to get drinking water. Otherwise just carry drinking water separately.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Purchased a swagging tool at lowes today $25.87 can swag my own wire rigging anything from 1/16th, 3/32,1/8th, and 3/16th without having to rely on expensive riggers at places like West Marine who charge 4 times what it's worth! I will only go to an expensive marine store when there is no way to avoid it. Nothing bothers me more than being taken advantage of by suppliers who sell things at prices so high it is as if everything is plated in 24 carat gold! Lowes sells the same wire cable used on our sailboats, and the lead thing-a-ma-bobs which hold two pieces of wire together - like around a thimble, or to place a fitting on the end of a wire perhaps I can indeed make my own rigging?? Just looked it up - the very same swagging tool at West Marine - $249.99 - Un believable!!!! See Page 941 of the 2011 West Marine Catalog - Where do they get off ripping people off like that!? That is nearly 10 times what I paid! Caveat Emptor. It pays to shop around for other sources and to use your head.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Purchased a swagging tool at lowes today $25.87 can swag my own wire rigging anything from 1/16th, 3/32,1/8th, and 3/16th swagging tool at West Marine - $249.99 - Un believable!!!! See Page 941 of the 2011 West Marine Catalog - Where do they get off ripping people off like that!? That is nearly 10 times what I paid! Caveat Emptor. It pays to shop around for other sources and to use your head.
It might be useful if you posted a link to the Lowes part and the westmarine part so folks can make an accurate determination as to what you are talking about.

I would recommend that you do a little more research however. The machine that does roll swaging that professionals use costs thousands of dollars not hundreds.

Under no circumstances would I use anything from Lowes on a boat for rigging unless I was absolutely sure I was positive it was the right part and I checked the metallurgy.
Let me ask you a couple of questions.
You are pretty new at this boat stuff right?
West Marine has been around for many years and has hundreds of stores right.
All manufacturers of sailboats use rigging parts that are with few exceptions from the same small group of marine manufacturers that west marine sells.
So what do you think is more likely. Everyone in the world, manufacturers and buyers of new boats, designers of custom boats, and manufactures of boats for the last 40 years are so unbelievably stupid that they over pay for these parts just because.
Or that you being new to this sport is missing something important.

Please be very careful. Even in your small boat if the mast comes down expectantly someone can get seriously hurt.
You are railing against WM and frankly we all do, the stuff is expensive. On the other hand using parts like 3 strand for running rigging while it might have worked for you in the past is a significant downgrade from what the designer and the builder chose originally. Again do you really think that they were so stupid they didn't know they could use the cheap stuff.

Don't get me wrong. Sometimes you can use cheap parts and it only impacts how long it will last, it's looks or performance. Three strand for running rigging probably falls into this category although it will substantially impact all three. Do what you need to do.
Sometimes using cheap stuff risks the life of you or your crew. The standing rigging from Lowes will most likely fall into this category.
 
#23 ·
Welp! my mooring pilings are in, about 18' high to keep the boat in the slip through most storm surges below a Cat III but our dock is well protected for most storms. We are on the northern part of the biloxi peninsula on the south side of back bay so the bank blocks wind from the south. My $935 centerboard arrived in bubble wrap and a wood crate. Made contact with the yard owner who assured me we should be out of the yard by the end of February...we will see. Emailed him all the documents I had on the centerboard system.
 
#24 · (Edited)
There is a lot that I can do once I have the boat home. I did fire up the engine an 8hp Johnson sailmaster and ran it for 30 minutes in a garbage can, shifted gears several times, idles fine on low speed, and ran toward the high side for 5 minutes in fresh water on fresh gas, used Penzoil marine 2 cycle which exceeds the standard. then burned the gas out of her. I also ran my old sailmaster 9.9 but it needs a tune up, I believe the fuel line needs to be cleaned out. The water pumped out was never more than luke warm. I also believe I will use 1/2 inch three stranded nylon rope for the halyards, that is what was used on my O'Day 21 except it was 3/8th inch and it has lasted 20 years - works for me and I can splice the loop myself to the thimble on the wire part of the halyard - beats the hell out of nearly $200 for fancy line from the west marine robbers, of course for the new boom sheet I wll need a smoother brade of nylon but again does not have to be the fancy expensive stuff. (I believe the fact that my halyards have lasted 20 years and worked fine on my old boat means outrageously expensive line from a bunch of highway robbers is not necessary and a huge waste of money. I also plan to visit the supplier for the local shrimping fleet to see what can be had - bet it may be lower priced than west marine or similar marine suppliers.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Thanks, David, let me clarify. and I do get angry when prices are highly inflated, try having any work done after a hurricaine! I am not into racing, or anything like circumnavigation just day sailing or perhaps a little coastal cruising, used to dream of circumnavigating as a teenager. But, older and wiser I realize that even true professionals are taking a risk in the open ocean - I have respect for anything dangerous believe me. A 25 (24'11" in my case) foot sailboat is really relatively small. If a halyard fails the sail comes down, but that hasn't ever happened to me anyway. Besides the Halyard on my boat is only about 35' long, goes around a small wench and to a cleat. Anything going through blocks I plan on using a higher grade of nylon line. I am not talking about roll swagging (though I did imply that in my excitement above over the new tool in my arsenal), this tool, I gave the page number in the 2011 West Marine Catelogue, can give the part number as well works on the sizes of wire cable I need, and is used on things like the centerboard cable, or attaching wire to itself after fitting it around a thimble - using the lead fittings for this purpose. I am not going to compromise on critical things but will only use an expensive marine supply house when there is absolutely no way to avoid it - their prices are highly inflated In the case of this hand swagging tool 10 times! Competition is needed and Lowes does have some items that will work - treated lumber, stainless steel hardwear, I remember paying $6.00 for a clevis pin! which should have been .90 cents thats 6 times what it's worth! I have been sailing since I was in high school in the 1970's and have owned 8 boats over that time. Believe me if It has to be done by a west marine rigger then I suppose they have me over a barrel - I have no interest in the marine supply industry but I have common sense and good judgement. Competition is needed in this industry.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I see what your are saying, let me clarify and correct myself. I do not have the ability to attach fittings to the end of standing rigging, and would of course use a marine supply house for roll swagging needed especially for rigging that supports the mast. I would not want to advise anyone to do that on their own, I will always use a professional on something critical to make sure it is done correctly - that is a safety issue. That being said there are many things we can do or make and save lots of money - I fabricated my own centerboard wench handle for under $10. and it works great! That is a noncritical item. I can order teak anywhere and have the equipment in my shop to make handrails, toe rails, make anything I want just for the cost of the lumber and the electricity and sandpaper from lowes or Home Depot where they have stainless hardwear as well to attach it.
 
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