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Calling All North American Spirit 23 Owners

73K views 247 replies 38 participants last post by  Pernerewski0802 
#1 ·
If we get enough action here we may get our own Thread, but these beautiful boats are few & far between.!!
 
#35 ·
Paul, I can't get any pics of that for a couple of weeks or more, I'm about 750miles down the road from the boat...I like it a WHOLE lot better. I think I used a Bomar 1070 for the bow, I think that was the number, got it off of Ebay for like 90 bucks, with bug screen..like new, but I did add some stainless strips inside the hatch, in case of an errant big foot. So much better when motoring in calm waters to have that hatch up for ventilation, plus, in my mind, better privacy at a dock. If one were to use a hatch of a 1070 size, one would have a crown to contend with of about 1/2 to 5/8 inch on each side but if you know epoxy, it is a pretty simple build up. As for the old hole, I just used some (I think) 5/8 inch ply(three pieces) using the old hatch as a reference to get, basically the same lines. Someone else may have better luck, but I found building up the "plug' on the boat was easier then trying to build up a "plug" off the boat, then hoping it fits. I went that way first, it ended up in the trash. I did cut out the vertical part of that lip that is inside of the old hatch with a die grinder, leaving the "horizontal" of that lip to "catch" the ply. Then bolting in the plywood. Once you get that first layer of cloth over the ply, it will hold itself for more layers. I used long enough bolts so that the interior is now a magazine, small chart, whatever rack. Then it was just building up on the outside with mat and cloth to get to the original lines of the old hatch and coach roof, fairing it in, and paint. Not as easy to egress or ingress as the original, but I don't use it for that much anyway. And when working around the mast, a whole lot better.
No more leaks from that area.....now the windows. Just about to glass them in to, and then paint the outside black to mimic the original windows, but i may go the WindyWay treatment. I have yet to pull back the curtains inside. Also might glass down the poptop, I have it sealed down...I don't use it, and that cavity outside of the seal is just a place to collect dirt, water, whatever. Good luck with your Spirit..I really enjoy tying mine up beside a Catalina 22.
 
#37 · (Edited)
I had someone forward a pic from a "work in progress" album. This pic was taken before final layers of glass to bring it out flush, and before hatch was bedded. We wanted to use the boat, so I slapped some paint over the project at the time, anyhow, I think you can get a feel for what it would look like on your vessel. Notice my "crutch" on the mast and boom. I have since had one made of 1/4 inch stainless plate, with a couple of wings nut at one end.(about 6 x 8 inches, the width of the mast, and lined inside with padding). Slip it over the mast at the gooseneck, and tighten it down. It makes the boom and mast "one". I then use the mainsheet tackle to easily raise or lower the mast forward, not over the stern as some do. I just have to always remember to unplug those antenna cables before I lower. And the masthead light just clears the forward part of the bow rail. We have a community boatramp about 300 feet from where this boat is parked, but I have ONE power line to contend with, the ONLY one within a mile. Twenty years ago the power company would have buried it for a couple of hundred...now it would be over 5000, minimum. I'll just continue to raise and lower the mast for the time being thank you.

Also, I posted another pic on that other thread, but after I noticed that thread was in a chartering section, I figured I better get back over here. Like I said, that hatch and those thru hull cockpit drains are the achilles heels of these hulls. Take care of those, and also, I have my poptop held down by six 3/8" x 5" stainless carriage bolts. I don't trust those factory tie downs when tooling down the road at 60mph.

And I guess everyone has seen this North American/Spirit 23' Sloop (sailboat) resource page Ricardo's youtubes are a treat.

 
#39 ·
A Treat for the 23's

Basically the keel cable routing is the only design flaw I saw on this boat. The inner moving cable exits the outer shroud at an impossible angle and chafes that's why the cable breaks all the time. I built a bracket that holds a pulley & mounts inside the stub keel that allows the inner cable to exit in a straight line from the shroud and allows the cable ro rotate the 120deg required by the swing keel. No more broken cables! I've used the boat all last summer and it works like a dream. I've attached a picture for your perusal.

Fair winds
 

Attachments

#41 ·
Forward hatch

OK Paul. You actually found a rare Spirit 23 for a steal. That was luck. But finding a hatch for one? No one could be that lucky. Take the old plastic hatch to a fab shop and they can make an identical duplicate from fiberglass. I have duped many boat parts over the years, dorades, comings, hatches. But it will cost some $$$.
Sell more insurance :)
Stan
 
#42 ·
haha, yea that would be nice. But the hatch was gone when I got it. haha so out of luck going that direction. I made one from scratch, but don't like the way it turned out. Debating glassing up the hatch and cutting a flush mount into the foredeck..
 
#45 ·
Email I got from Mr. Alspaugh 1-14-2010. FYI

"Paul,
I have 4 hatches from my latest production run. They are smoke colored plexiglass and cost $295.00 each including shipping and handling to the lower 48 states. If you are interested I accept checks, paypal and major creditcards. I can be reached at 405-818-9296 for any questions.
Thank you,
James Alspaugh
Sailors Valet "

I'm sure he won't mind me advertising for him.
 
#46 ·
I've enjoyed reading about all of your boats. I have owned a 1977 North American Spirit 23 for 6 years and she is my favorite boat to sail. She has beautiful lines and is very comfortable both to move around on and to sail. She handles bad weather beautifully and inspires confidence when other boats are heading to port. I purchased her from the original owner and sail her on a lake in Northwest Louisiana. Mine is not the pop top version and has a solid rudder as opposed to the swing rudder. My engine mount is also on the port side where I see some of yours are on the starboard side. I'll post pics soon.
 
#47 ·
Whodat ! Great to hear from you! I would love to see a picture of that fixed rudder. I agree the lines on these boats are just awesome! I've only sailed her 6 times so far, basically finished the sea trials from the restoration, but once was in 16 knot winds and she just FLEW! I was sailing down 12 ft waves like she finally made it home! GREAT BOAT !!!!
 
#48 ·
Bump!

I have owned NA23 boat for the last 3 years, and I love it.
My current project will be to get it out of the water and restore all the wood, and, bear with me now -- 36v 101lb thrust propulsion.

I will have 2 sets of 3 parallel linked 12v deep cycle batteries that will come out of super computer UPS backup system, and an additional 12v battery for all accessories. The navigation lights, cabin lights, and all trim lights will be replaced with LEDs. I know, they are not CG approved, but.. they are much brighter than normal lights anyway.

Currently the boat is powered by 6hp SeaHorse. The problem is, while the motor works very well when running, it's a ***** to start, and a big chore to get it up and down out of the water... The motor is at my friend shop getting serviced. I am thinking about selling it, but part of me wants to leave it as a backup to the electric motor.

Do you guys have any experience with electric trolling motors, especially with 36v or 48v? The power and the charging are not an issue for me. I'd like to hear your experiences. I sail at a reservoir, so currents are not bad, but wind does pickup sometimes and it does white-water. The 6hp has no problems slowly cutting through those waves.

I'll leave you with pictures from yesterdays engine pickup chore ;)
 
#52 ·
yes they are, I've been looking around. The electric motors that would be big enough to push you around are even more expensive.. Gotta get the motor, and a couple of batteries if your running the 36v.

You can pick up a decent 9.9 pretty cheap. I have trouble finding a long shaft around here though, nobody uses them. And whoever mounted mine was using a long shaft, so it's either move my motor mount down, or bite the bullet and go w/ a long shaft.

Also, you guys sign up for facebook and join some of the sailing groups.

The Trailer Sailor | Facebook

a little easier to use than this forum and alot easier to share pictures.
 
#53 ·
There is always an alternative. You can install a big electric motor from a forklift and with some intelligent gearing with a chain or a drive belt you can propel a nice drive shaft. The motor could be installed inside the cabin, behind the galley. This conversion would also cost around $1000, and you would get even more thrust.
 
#55 ·
Windy Way Re: modifications.
I bought my Spirit new in 78 for $9000. Within 3 months, I was cruising it to the Bahamas. That shakedown cruise shook it down more than anticipated.
The rudder fell off because the 2 gudgeons bolted to the transom that received the 1/2" stainless rod/hinge were cheaply made and broke apart. Had a line on it so it wasn't lost.
The mast bent and flexed so much, I was in fear of dismasting.
The aft boom mainsheet was a pain in the a** because there was no control on a broad reach or run and it was always slapping the driver up the side of the head.
The cable for the swing board was glassed into the board so repairs/replacement was impossible.
The plastic forward hatch flexed and leaked when taking big waves over the bow.
The poptop was secured with 4 flimsy fasteners which I thought was totally inadequate for emergencies like a rollover.

So here is what I did to make it sound.
For safety, I added a stern rail. An additional scupper/cockpit drain was added by glassing a piece of 4" PVC straight out the back. The openings were covered with PVC shower drains. The forward hatch was replaced with one built out of plywood and glassed. I used the original as a template. The poptop was secured with 6 much larger bolts and I fabricated 2 mahogany boards that spanned the opening inside. These were attached to the holddown bolts while underway on a crossing. In theory, they would prevent the top from being ripped away in a rollover. I never had the chance to test my theory. I added safety harnesses with snapclips to the gear locker so anyone on the outside in heavy weather was always strapped on. I added an RDF; no GPS in those days. Hell, we still navigated with a compass and sextant. A large Danforth with 15' of galv 3/8" BB chain and 100' rode hung from the bow pulpit. Rode/chain was stored in a fiberglassed anchor locker built into the bow area under the deck above the Vberth. Drainhole through the side and access through a standard hawsepipe fitting on deck.
For convenience and performance, I bolted a traveler across the seats and moved the mainsheet to midboom. It did create a step-over but I didn't care because the lowest companionway board always remained in place while underway to keep following seas out of the cabin. A combo steaming light/deck light on the mast. New larger running lights off a Hunter mounted on the bow rail. Spinnaker gear and jib travelers. Larger, selftailing Lewmar winches. DataMarine knot and depth meters.
This is really straining my brain to try to remember all this stuff from 32 years ago. :)
OK, the kickup rudder worked well and was quite adequate for lake sailing but didn't last 5 hours in a following sea. Ripped away as easily as opening a beer can. It was not designed or built for ocean work. Using the original gudgeons as a template, I fabricated 4 heavy duty ones with the help of an old Aussie sailor in JackTarr Marina, West End, Bahamas. They were tig welded inside and out whereas the originals were only welded on one side. That's why they broke. The lowest gudgeon was mounted just above the waterline and the kickup portion of the rudder was through-bolted to it when underway to prevent any side to side movement. There is a lot of leverage on that rudder when slewing down the backside of 20 footers. This solved all my rudder problems. Just had to remember to unbolt it before getting into the shoals.
The dinky little mast and boom were woefully inadequate. Watching your mast turn into a pretzel in 40K winds is just plain scary. So upon my return to the US, I scrounged a mast and deck step and a boom from a Catalina 25. Cut to fit, and since it was complete with 1/4" rigging, I now had double lowers instead of the single 3/16" originals. I hated the toe- stubbing chainplates poking up through the deck, so I attached 3 12" SS chainplates to the outside of the hull on each side (like the factory did on the backstay), just bigger and stronger. Since the mast stepped forward, I had to release the aft lowers before stepping. No biggie.
The swingboard cable was replaced with a larger diameter and was attached to a bail that I through-bolted to the board. This job was done completely underwater while swinging on a hook in Great Sale Key, Bahamas. The original had broken. Thank God I had scuba gear. I never thought to add a block like you did, but it never gave me any more trouble.
The only interior mods that I can remember was the addition of a 8" Beckson inspection port just aft of the mast post because there is a hidden, inaccessible bilge area there that always holds a lot of water. I also found a few well dented beers in there when I opened it up. (I stored beer in the bilge to keep it cool in the Bahamas. No ice. Never knew about the 'secret' bilge). I added removable baskets under every seat locker to keep stuff dry and out of the bilge. Actually bought teak/holly for the sole but never installed it. Bare fiberglass was just easy to deal with. At home, I rolled carpet over it, but carpet has no reason on the ocean. Curtains on the windows, and across the Vberth.

I don't have photos of these mods but I hope my descriptions are complete enough so that you can visualize them. That pretty much covers it from stem to stern. Sailed the Lorilei for 10 years. Awesome boat and really fast. Clocked over 7 knots on a plane.
Oh yeah. The solid ash tiller that guided me across the ocean through the worst Mother nature could throw at me, is now installed on my C-26. I just had to keep it!
Stan
 
#56 ·
Thanks Stan!

What an adventurer you are! Stan thanks so much for the detailed explanation of your mods. I found that hidden bilge area & built a removable pump frame, so my bilge pumps (2 electric & intake for the manual) are all at the lowest point.
 
#57 ·
I just noticed this thread. I haven't seen this series of boats referred to as North American very often. I have a 1979 Spirit 28, but I refer to it as a Glastron Spirit 28. I believe the history of the boat (at least my model) was that Glastron designed it and licensed the design to North American to manufacture. Or was it the other way around?

Anyway.. I love mine--first boat.. was in sailable condition when I bought her two years ago for $5,500 from a guy who had been in a motorcycle accident and couldn't pull lines any longer without pain. :( Since then, she's seen a lot of upgrades, replacements, enhancements. Great boat.

Always happy to hear of other Spirits out there.
 
#58 ·
Help with Mast

I too just purchased a Spirit 23 for $500. With engine,sails and trailer. (friend of mine gave me a good deal). I have one problem however. The base of the mast got mangled and they cut off a few inches. My friend said the rigging is off. My Mast measure 25' 9 1/4 inches and I am trying to find its orginal length. Can anyone tell me the length of their mast?
Thanks
Chris
 
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