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Saving a Kingfisher 20 in the US

4384 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Kingfisher20, Jun 3, 2022

stagg

Discussion Starter · Apr 6, 2020

Kingfisher 20 Mark II.
Bought last April by my brother. After letting the boat age a bit more it was time to get to work.
This April we have started rebuilding her.

Telling the story with pictures. Here are the photos from the previous owner, in the craigslist ad.

Check out the home made rudder. Whittled out of a solid piece of wood, and clad in fiberglass.

Aft end with her old-new name. The red paint looks a lot better in pictures than it does up close and personal.
Plenty of dents and dings in the gelcoat. Looks like it was repairable but I guess the previous owners wanted it red.

Now we have in the yard, and with warm weather have gotten the bug to start working on it. A couple of small projects and new rigging, will have this little pocket cruiser ready to go.

Now looking at the interior from the cockpit. The interior is the original blue, and intact. A few holes from previously mounted bits and bobs.
Really pretty nice inside. A few bits of tinned wire and a new battery and this will be a bright nice boat.
Looks like it will need a new compass though.

Welcome to the Kitchen.
Somehow the companionway bridge was damaged, and mostly repaired by someone. A quick project to cover us in fiberglass dust, but nothing tough here at all.

I already have a couple of surplus stoves from SV Sunflower's kitchen, so this one is going to be quick to kit out.
Most aggravating part is going to be replacing the drains, plumbing and pumps for the sink. It had nice whale-pumps, but they are seized up solid. Hopefully they still make a rebuild kit for them.

Still poking around for the Hull Number. Unfortunately somebody pulled the original hull number plates off the boat, and replaced them with an assigned OHIO number.
Only old looking number left is this one, found in the aft locker beside the fuel tank. Seems like the painters left it uncovered when the bilges were painted.

More to follow. We are going through the sails, and the boxes of random loot what always accumulates in boats.

The plan is to get it ready to sail lake Erie, in May or June.
For now the biggest battle is finding information on this specific boat, and info in general, since the Owners Association doesn't seem to be as active as it once was.

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stagg

Discussion Starter · #2 · Apr 6, 2020

Sails. Sails! SAILS!
For a small boat this vessel is packed with sails. The previous owners sailed her on Lake Erie, who ever bough the sails in England was planning for some serious weather sailing.
Quite a nice find, since these really are a tiny blue water boat assuming the sails and rig are setup right.

Start with measuring the sails.

Head Sails. Storm-jib, working jib and Genoa. Not pictured is the Spinnaker.

It was a calm morning so we ran the sails up, so we could see them on the rig, and try to figure out the running rigging which is missing of course.

The working Jib. Seems to measure at about 90%. Does this look like a yankee cut? It seems to be made so you can see under it while sailing.

Genoa. Maybe a 110%. Still have to measure this one.

Another picture of the Genoa

The sail suite includes two mainsails. One sized per the sailplan. And a small storm sail pictured here.
We have not gotten the boom working yet. It has a roller furling mechanism that doesnt move right now. And we have now figured out how to attach the boom to the mast yet.

And here is the regular Mainsail. Both of them have a single reef point, but also can be furled around the boom.

The inspector of boats, was no help at all.

Boom and spinnaker pole are made in England.

Photo of the rolling boom at the goose neck. Any ideas? Seems like a gear mechanism is hiding inside and needs to be oiled enough to start moving again.

And now for something different.
The mast head. This has been modified several times, and looks like the weakest part of the rig right now.

It also looks like it had a fractional rig or a something? Have not put my finger on what it was from the factory.

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RobGallagher

· #3 · Apr 6, 2020

Nice photos. Keep us updated

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Aswayze

· #4 · Apr 8, 2020

Excellent work, that little beast should be a ball up on the Lakes!

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jephotog

· #5 · Apr 8, 2020

Nice looking project. I want to know more about the deuce and a half in the background.:grin

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stagg

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 9, 2020 (Edited)

jephotog said:
Nice looking project. I want to know more about the deuce and a half in the background.:grin

Well it just so happens that we have an entire thread on that very topic.
www.operationeastwind.com/forum/index.php?topic=3459.0
This is a link to the website for Operation Eastwind, and the story of that particular truck.
For those that wonder about the name for Aswayze's boat, this website contains the answer.

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dreamdoer

· #7 · Apr 9, 2020

Good for you! The boat reminds me of my Westerly Nomads. Like a little sister. Enjoy!

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stagg

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 10, 2020

There are aspects of the Kingfisher that make me wonder why it does not look more like the nomad. The side decks for example are tiny, and effectively useless.
Other than (maybe) aesthetics, the Nomand full width cabin makes more sense.
There is just something fun about having a pair of boats, which also ends up making everything a race.

We hope to sail this one in May or June on the great lakes. But in the meantime we have refit work to do, and plenty of planning for routes, especially where to put in the water.

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dreamdoer

· #9 · Apr 10, 2020

You are right in what you say. I looked ad dozens of boats before happening upon the Nomads. In small boats, many builders sacrificed functionality for convention and ascetics. I looked at a 19 foot bilge keel boat that had side decks so narrow I couldn't place my foot sideways without it riding on the toe rail. In a small boat concessions need to be made. One thing I want to mention is that bilge keel boats get a bad rap for being slow, but my experience is that a majority of them were built in England for North Sea conditions which are much more extreme than the East coast USA where I sail. The sails are heavily built. If you want to maximize performance, get the largest light air (ie. light fabric weight) sails she will carry and you will be amazed at the difference.

One of the greatest advantages of the Nomad is that she has external cast iron keels. No need to worry if you bump anything in skinny waters or roughly settle on rock when drying out. Fiberglass is much more prone to damage so be careful there.

Fair winds

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gbwebbart

· #10 · Feb 20, 2022 (Edited)

I looked at this same Akron twin keeler.
What did you do about the rusty keel nuts? I've seen people drill fresh holes into iron keels tap n thread for fresh bolts between the old bolts

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Kingfisher20

· #11 · Jun 3, 2022

stagg said:
There are aspects of the Kingfisher that make me wonder why it does not look more like the nomad. The side decks for example are tiny, and effectively useless.
Other than (maybe) aesthetics, the Nomand full width cabin makes more sense.
There is just something fun about having a pair of boats, which also ends up making everything a race.

We hope to sail this one in May or June on the great lakes. But in the meantime we have refit work to do, and plenty of planning for routes, especially where to put in the water.

What's your status with this boat?
Did you ever complete?
Looking for info on the keel bolts.
Lee C
K20 sail # 111

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