Restoring a Pearson 35, Hull no. 35

[sv Whimsy]

I thought everyone on this board might be interested in my restoration of hull no. 35:

www.sailingwhimsy.com

Work to date includes wheel-to-tiller conversion, new propane tank locker, repairing the mast compression post and rot under the mast, a new anchor locker, adding scuppers to the thingypit, painting everything inside and out, mast steps, etc etc  

[alexbaizeau]

Hello!
Thanks a lot for sharing! I''m in the process of replacing the centreboard mechanism and rebuilding the sheave box in the bilge as it is leaking!

Good luck with your restoration projects

[msparks378]

Alex - Please share your experience and lessons with the sheave box. Mine isn't leaking yet but I know I will have to replace it sometime!

Thanks,

Michael

[Dana Beausoleil]

Hi, I recently bought a 1973 Pearson 35. It was mint/stock, and all it really needed was the bottom painted. I paid the yard to do it and they did a wonderful job. Sadly, when they finished, they left paint rags stuffed in the bilge overboard. This causes all bilge pump to recirculate into the boat through a plenum on the port side, which is connected to the thingypit drains. My boat was on the hard and rainwater filled the cabin. SO...first off, I got the $4400 insurance claim last night for the $5600 in damages. Second, that a "torturous path", so the next project (after drying out the boat and replacing all the water damage) is to reroute the the bilge pump to a direct line out the back of the boat overboard, but I digress. The reason I wanted to jump on this thread is I own one of these where the PO converted it from a centerboard to a shoal draft w/o centerboard BECAUSE of chasing the leaking centerboard issues. I thought about selling it and finding another Pearson (since a Southerly is out of my price range), so I looked around and found nothing in the condition/price range of my boat (including new engine). I did, however, look at one Pearson 35 that was sinking at the dock due to this issue, so I'm both thankful I don't have the issue and I'm an engineer, so I'm highly interested in figuring out what it would be to undo the work they did and restore the board/ rig a new centerboard system. From what I know, the original board is blocked in the boat.Thoughts?

[roverhi]

If the board is still there it shouldn't be a big deal to restore it to a functioning condition. Do you still have the C/B pin in the bilge?? That would be a big indication that the board is still there if the pin is in the housing. Probably best to haul the boat before pulling the end caps off the pin housing. Is the cable tubing and winch still in the boat. If that is missing you'd have to machine two turning blocks and source bronze for the cable to run through. The winch is two sheaves, one large and one small to bive mechanical advantage and could be cobbled together. If the Board and all the ancillary equipment for the board is missing wouldn't try and restore it. Even if you are a machinist, glass worker, and rigger, resurecting it would be beyond the value of the boat. Have made improvements to my boat that cost more than the boat is worth. Would have been smarter for me to scrap the boat than repair it.

I've sailed very little with with board down. Unless you plan on sailing hard on the wind all the time, you'll get by just fine without the board.