Pearson 365 and 367

Just sold her...a little sad

Our 1976 Pearson 365 ketch S/V Firefly is for sale in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.

The boat is fully outfitted to cruise immediately with all necessary gear, electronics, safety equipment and a 10' Caribe dinghy with two motors. For a complete description and extensive gear list please visit our web pages at: ( http://sailingfirefly.wix.com/cruising-sailboats ) and ( https://www.facebook.com/Firefly.Sail?fref=ts&ref=br_tf )

We have lived aboard now for six years. The first three years were spent refitting and outfitting for an extended cruise from Florida to the Bahamas and on to the Greater Antilles. The past three years have been spent doing exactly that. Future plans now take us away from the sea in hopes of exploring Europe and eventually emigrating to New Zealand to be near our daughter and her new family.

Firefly is currently berthed at Marina Pescaderia ( http://www.marinapescaderia.com/ ) in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico awaiting her new owners to fulfill their own dreams.

Also, Diana and I have really enjoyed being members of this forum. We have learned so much from all the posts that you guys take the time to sumbit. Thanks for everything and best wishes to all.

Stew & Diana

I have a "stock" alternator that serves fine since I primarily charge with 3 x 135w solar panels and a Honda generator. The solar panels and regulator were purchased new (scratch and dent company in Arizona) all for $1100 shipping included. Rarely run the Honda; pretty much only when heavy overcast for multiple days.

This also avoids all of the alternator drive belt problems that others have with big alternators. Downside is that the panels do take up some space. I put two on a custom bimini and the third on my davits.

Regards,
Stew

Thanks Dale, I'm originally from Orchard Park. I'll stop in if I ever get back there visiting family.

Anyway, I may have to replace my propeller shaft strut soon (corrosion) and I remember you mentioning a while back that they are still available new. Is that still the case?

Never heard of it. Checked out the website...looks pretty cool.

That's brilliant Pete! I too have been thinking about going hydraulic vs electro-mechanical...also have been keeping my eye on eBay  .  Just 5 weeks and I'll be back on the boat to verify exactly what I have to work with.

Just noticed this link that Garner put up a while back. It's a great link to his autopilot install:

http://www.sailingseadragon.com/AutoPilot.htm

Great stuff Pete!

I too am concerned about the fire/overheat problem. We had mechanical actuators on a couple of the helicopters that I used to fly, and they were the number one failure components (always do to overheating). Best case would damage the drive and worst case would start a fire in a very difficult location. Pretty sure that I know what your alluding to regarding the controller, as it was mentioned in one of the articles, in that when you look at the SPX-5 configuration it is one of the items that does not allow editing.

I'm wondering if I could also solve the 'current limiting' problem by adding a 'hold' relay in the clutch circuit. An over current situation would open the 'hold' relay to disengage the drive. The controller would however still be feeding 'drive' inputs to the acuator. I'm not sure how that would affect the drive (i.e. when the clutch is reengaged)? An ammeter in the drive unit supply might work as a monitoring solution as well.

Fun project anyway and if it works, I can upgrade my system in two stages (which fits my budget much better).

Stew

Definitely adding this to my 'to do' list

Pete it's all your fault that I've spent the last 24hrs surfing autopilot stuff!

Yes, I also agree with you and Garner about the remote. Also thanks again for the dodger Garner, we are still using it 
( http://www.sailblogs.com/member/firefly25/index.php?show=gallery&aid=27235&pid=571407 )

I really like the looks of that Octopus drive. Also after researching controllers and control heads, I have a new idea that perhaps you could toss your opinion at.

I currently have a Raymarine XPS-5 wheelpilot installed that suffers from all the problems everyone always mentions. After some research I found a couple articles about converting the spx-5 to a below deck hydraulic drive or electric linear drive. It seems that there are a couple differences beween the spx-5 controller and the dx-10 that you mentioned. The primary problem for operating a linear drive is a the lack of a 'clutch' output from the spx-5 controller. That can apparently be overcome by adding a manual engage switch which that may or maynot require feeding a relay or MOSFET to control the clutch solenoid on the linear drive. The other main issue that you have already mentioned, is current draw depending on the type of drive used. The articles also talk about using relays or MOSFETs to solve this as well. Apparently adding the rudder position indicator helps a lot as well.

Here are the articles that I'm referring to:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/cockpit-pilot-spx-5-and-hydraulic-pump-possible-75897.html
http://albin25.eu/our-a25ak-dido/35-modifications/78-changing-the-wheel-pilot-into-a-qhydro-pilotq

I still have a least a couple months to come up with a plan since Diana and I are currently in New Zealand visiting our daughter (and going broke). The boat will be on the hard in Puerto Rico til we arrive the 1st of April.

Anyway, If this could work I could save about $1000 on the conversion. Thoughts?

Thanks Pete,
I'll look up all of these...thanks again.
Stew

Thanks guys this helps a lot. I've been looking to upgrade my AP for a while with much confusion. I haven't been on the forum for awhile (shame on me) but should have started my research here.

Stew

I use my 4-107's actual burn rate of .75 gph @ 2300rpm (my cruise rpm). That gives me approx 70hrs of running time. 

I then use 5kts to calculate average range (worst case depending on conditions) and get 350nm. 

Since we also carry 4 x 6 gallon jugs, that gives us about 7 hours each or 35nm. So in my mind, our range is about 500nm.

It's a rough estimate since actual conditions vary so much (beating into the trade winds, we have been as slow as 2.5kts), that it works out pretty close.

Also. our boat is always fully loaded for cruising at over 20,000lbs which probably makes us much slower than yours however.

Bottom line...just measure your ACTUAL burn rate and go from there.

Depending on where the stains are, i have found those white "Magic Erasers" will remove stains from many things ( they are abrasive so do no use on wall paint). They work great around the sail locker doors and other places where my husbands hands are always seeming to be greasy haha.

I replaced my 35lb CQR after dragging in grass-over-sand in the Abacos. I now have a 55lb Rocna with 125' 3/8" chain and 250' of 5/8" nylon three-strand. I pull it up by hand with help from a Seatiger 555 manual windlass.  A little overkill I guess, but be have slept very well all the way to the USVI and now back in Puerto Rico. Normally a 35-45lb  Delta or Rocna should do nicely.