Went through survey today on a 1979 Tartan 37'. Overall, things are looking pretty good, but there's one little thing ...
This Tartan has a lifting keel. During the survey, the keel jammed. While it was hanging in the lift, I got a good luck at what happened: the line that lifts the keel had gotten wedged between the keel and the side of the chamber it recesses into. It was jammed pretty solid, and the yard claimed that it would take some work to unjam and that they couldn't do it right then -- the owner would have to book time to get it fixed.
In any event, early on, when it first happened, the owner claimed that it jams occasionally and pulling on and releasing the line usually frees it up. It was jammed too well for that to work this time. After the survey completed, I spoke to the broker on the phone and mentioned my concern that I'd never heard of this problem with Tartan lifting keels, and was therefore concerned that there may be something in the lifting mechanism (like a guide or something) broken, or something else was rigged wrong. An hour later, after talking to the owner, he called back and the story changed a bit ... apparently when the yard put the mast on a week ago, they accidentally let a lot of slack drop into the keel box, and that's why it jammed.
I thought the lower portion of the lifting line was usually cable, and spliced into nylon (or some other "fabric" line ) somewhere above water line? This is not currently rigged with cable, and I'm worried that the increased flexibility of the line is allowing it to jam more easily than a cable would? I have no experience with this type of lifting keel, though, so the owner's story sounds equally feasible to me. Although it does seem a bit suspicious that the design would allow an easy mistake like letting out too much slack jam the keel so solidly.
So, Tartan owners, what am I looking at here? Is this something to be concerned about? Should I just insist that the owner sort things out with yard and get it working before I proceed? Or should I take a more active role and insist that things be inspected more carefully, and possibly the lifting mechanism be re-rigged with cable? Anyone out there know how Tartan designed this to be rigged?
This Tartan has a lifting keel. During the survey, the keel jammed. While it was hanging in the lift, I got a good luck at what happened: the line that lifts the keel had gotten wedged between the keel and the side of the chamber it recesses into. It was jammed pretty solid, and the yard claimed that it would take some work to unjam and that they couldn't do it right then -- the owner would have to book time to get it fixed.
In any event, early on, when it first happened, the owner claimed that it jams occasionally and pulling on and releasing the line usually frees it up. It was jammed too well for that to work this time. After the survey completed, I spoke to the broker on the phone and mentioned my concern that I'd never heard of this problem with Tartan lifting keels, and was therefore concerned that there may be something in the lifting mechanism (like a guide or something) broken, or something else was rigged wrong. An hour later, after talking to the owner, he called back and the story changed a bit ... apparently when the yard put the mast on a week ago, they accidentally let a lot of slack drop into the keel box, and that's why it jammed.
I thought the lower portion of the lifting line was usually cable, and spliced into nylon (or some other "fabric" line ) somewhere above water line? This is not currently rigged with cable, and I'm worried that the increased flexibility of the line is allowing it to jam more easily than a cable would? I have no experience with this type of lifting keel, though, so the owner's story sounds equally feasible to me. Although it does seem a bit suspicious that the design would allow an easy mistake like letting out too much slack jam the keel so solidly.
So, Tartan owners, what am I looking at here? Is this something to be concerned about? Should I just insist that the owner sort things out with yard and get it working before I proceed? Or should I take a more active role and insist that things be inspected more carefully, and possibly the lifting mechanism be re-rigged with cable? Anyone out there know how Tartan designed this to be rigged?