Pearson 365 and 367

I understand that poor engine allignment can also be a significant source of vibration and noise.  I am trying to attack the noise problem also, but thought I would start by checking the allignment.  The book "This Old Boat" has a description of how to check/adjust engine allignment for a traditional setup, but not for the V-drive system found on the P365.  My boat was repowered by the previous owner and I wonder whether misallignment is the cause of the strong vibration I feel.  Does anyone know the steps to check allignment on the P365?

Has anybody had any experience with a Flexofold prop on a P365?  If so, please give a description of your experience, including size used, impact on sailing and motoring speed, etc.

Mike

The Admiral and I are thinking about installing davits on our Pearson 365.  We have a 8.5 foot inflatable (weighing about 65 pounds) and a 2.5 HP outboard (weighing around 37 pounds).  It appears that davits would make it a lot more convenient to launch and retrieve the dink, and we would thus use it more often when out on a trip.  However, we have no experience with davits and would appreciate any comments or suggestions from those who do.  Any suggestions regarding the type or make of davits, or any special problems with instoillation would be also appreciated.  If you have pictures of davits on a 365, we would welcome those also.     

Well, I decided to go ahead and get a gallon of Silent Running SR 1000 and give it a try.  My expectations aren't terribly high.  I will be happy if it will just reduce the vibration and noise a little bit.  I'll report on the results in a week or two.

The Perking 4.108 in my Pearson 365 makes a lot of noise and I would like to figure some way to quiet it a little.  It doesn't look like it would be very practical or easy to build an effective enclosure for the engine, so I was wondering whether sound deadening paint applied to the bottom of the cockpit sole and other internal surfaces might help.  Has anyone had any experience with this?  I know the best solution is to just stop the engine and sail, but I really would appreciate any suggestions for engine noise reduction.

Mike

I am a little confused.  Some people indicate they get 5.5 kph, others 6.00 kph and still others 6.5 kph.  Also, the prop on my boat is a 17" x 10", while one reply indicated the size should be 17" x 12".  Is it possible that Pearson changed the prop size at some point during the production run?   

The V-drive is the original one by Walter.  I never run the engine at 4,000 RPM, so maximum HP is just theoretical.  According to the manual, it develops 83 lbf ft at 2200 RPM, which is very close to my usual cruising speed. 

My impression is that a modern prop of the same size (and even without a more powerful engine) should give greater speed than the prop that came on the boat thirty years ago.  Has anybody upgraded props, and if so, can you share your experiences? 

I am thinking about a new prop to improve mototing speed, but would like to hear from some 365 owners who have some knowledge or experience to help with this decision.

My 1979 Pearson 365 was repowered by the previous owner with a Perking 4.108, rated at 55hp at 4,000 RPM.  I believe the original Westerbeke w40 was rated at 37hp at 3,000 rpm, so the repowering resulted in increased power.  I'm not sure about the transmission, but the V-drive appears original.  The current three-blade prop (17" x 10") may also be the original.  It drives the boat at approximately 5 kt at 2,300 RPM, which seems slow to me.  I have been led to believe that the Perkins 4.108 should give me at least 7 kt with a modern prop of the proper size. Is this reasonable to expect?  If so, does anybody have any recomendations about prop maker, prop size, pitch, etc?  My current thinking is toward a fixed three-blade prop, but I am curious about folding or feathering props.

I now have two new aluminum tanks ready to install, but am unsure of the proper installation method.  If anyone has replaced their old tank with two aluminum tanks, please describe the platform you created to support them and the steps taken to prevent crevice corrosion. 

I recently removed the 50 gallon steel fuel tank from my 1979 Pearson 365 in preparation for the installation of two replacement tanks.  Of course, one alternative is to pull the engine and remove the old tank through the passageway.  Then it can be replaced by a single tank of equal size, installed through the passageway.  After receiving an estimate for this approach, I decided to cut the existing tank in half myself, remove the halves through the cockpit lockers, and replace it with two tanks, each half as wide as the original.  This seems to be a project that many 365 owners have already tackled or are facing now, so a brief description of the removal process is provided.  Actually, it is not as big a job as I had feared.  The removal of the old tank can be completed by a single person in a single day if you are well organized.

The first job is to remove as much fuel from the tank as possible.  Disconnect the fuel hose where it attaches to the primary fuel filter and use an electric fuel pump or a hand pump to transfer the fuel into five gallon fuel cans.  It is best if the tank is less than half full before beginning.  (Due to the shape of the tank, there are only about 20 gallons in the tank when the fuel gauge reads half full.)   

When I emptied as much fuel as I could, I poured in a gallon of degreaser and a gallon of water.  I know that diesel is less easy to ignite than gasoline, but I didn't want any unpleasant surprises.  I then siphoned out a small amount of the mixture and tried to ignite it with a BernzOmatic torch.  It failed to ignite, so I began cutting.

The first step is to cut out two rectangular sections on each side of the tank.  The baffle runs perpendicular to the centerline, so one section is in front of the baffle and the other is aft. Cut these sections as large as possible to afford maximum access to the inside of the tank.  I used a reciprocating saw with a heavy duty bimetal blade with 14 teeth per inch.  The tank is .125 steel, but cutting goes quite fast.  Once the sides are opened up, the remaining mixture can be removed with a plastic scoop or a cup and a few wads of paper towel.

The baffle is thinner metal with three holes in it, so it is easily cut.  Cut to the center hole from each side of the tank.  Due to obstructions and cramped space, the front and back walls of the tank are most easily cut with the saw inside the tank. Again, start from each side and cut to the center. 

Once the tank is cut in half horizontally, the top half is easily removed, although it is heavy.  The bottom half is a little trickier for one person to get out, but it can be done.  After removing the tank, be sure to vacuum up all the small metal pieces so they don't leave rust spots.  I have some pictures if anyone is interested.

After removal of the bottom half, I inspected it carefully to convince myself that it was a job that needed doing.  Although there clearly were some spots with internal rust, no place seemed on the verge of leaking.  Of course, there was an enormous amount of crud in the tank.  Would I still undertake this project if I knew then what I know now?  I think so.  I am looking forward to nice clean tanks and plan to install the necessary systems and take the necessary steps to keep them clean.  Peace of mind has a high value when far from shore.

I know this topic must have been covered here before, but I can't find it.  The prop on my P365 spins when sailing above 4 knots.  It doesn't matter whether the Borg-Warner Velvet Drive is in forward, reverse or neutral.  Is this a problem?  If so, what can be done to fix?

Mike Sibley

Recently purchased a 365 that needs some updates, such as new battery charger, switches, misc. electronics, etc.  The prices I see advertised on the internet are much better than at the local West Store, but I don't know which internet sellers of marine equipment can be trusted?  Are there any good dependable mail order sellers?  Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Please add me to the list of P365 owners.  I recently purchased Talisman (hull #252).  At present, she is on Lake Pontchartrain (New Orleans) and my wife and I are preparing her for some longer trips.  Any other P365 owners on Lake Pontchartrain?

Mike Sibley

I have seen many 365s but have never observed one that had the halyard and reefing lines led to the cockpit.  Is it impossible or very difficult to add the deck hardware necessary to do this given the headliner or other obstacle?  I would really like to be able to reef the sails without going to the mast in messy weather/seas.  If anyone has accomplished this, please describe the process and any problems encountered.