Dejan Radeka has written several terrific articles describing major projects we all have contemplated as we sail and restore our SS23’s. Here are excerpts from 4 with links to the Technical Section of the website for the full article, including pictures.
Replacing The Chainplates
Sea Sprite 23 Chain Plate Upgrade/Replacement Project – by Dejan Radeka
By now, the youngest SS 23 is just shy of being 30 years old. As discussed elsewhere in the forum, there are many structural components on these boats that are at or near failure and will require some sort of repair, replacement or upgrade in order for the boat to continue to be safe and functional.
The chainplates are probably the most stressed set of components within the rigging system, closely following the oft cursed deck support beams and sodden mast step area deck core issues.
Please note that this article assumes that you have already tackled deck core and mast support beam issues. All of these systems must be sound, and work in unison, in order for your rig to perform optimally and correctly.
Chainplate failure can manifest itself in the following ways:
- elongation and/or hardening of the clevis pin hole
- cracking near the hole or the body of the chainplate
- corrosion and failure (cracking or breaking) of the chainplate within the hidden section glassed into the hull
Before discussing the repair/replacement, it is important to first understand how they were installed during construction………….
To read the entire article and to view diagrams and pictures, click here
Building A Mast Compression Post
Mast Compression Post Project – by Dejan Radeka
Eventually, as with most older fiberglass boats with deck stepped masts, the under deck support beams on your Sea Sprite 23 will begin to get tired. Unlike larger boats with bulkheads that can help spread the load of a deck support beam, the 23 has no such interior components. Instead, the builders glassed two athwartships wooden beams across the deck layup (upside down) before flipping the deck and laying the deck onto the hull. In addition to the two beams, once the deck was laid onto the hull they also glassed gussets on either end, to attempt to spread the load to the hull sides.
All of this will be easily visible in all but the Ryder built boats (which have a head liner), so it is relatively easy to inspect for the impending failure of the deck supports. You’ll need to lie on your back, look up and inspect the beams for any cracking. Also look at the radiused transition/edge of the forward cabin trunk and deck for cracks.
Up on deck, you can look for more cracking or crazing, again at the radiused transition of the forward cabin trunk and deck. Note that this area can be confusing to inspect, because in parallel, the boat may also be suffering from a sodden balsa deck core around the mast step area. The deck may look compressed, in addition to showing cracking and crazing. The mast step itself may also look like it “sank” into the deck, which is a good sign that the core has failed.
To read the entire article and to view pictures, click here
Porthole Replacement
Porthole replacement/upgrade project – by Dejan Radeka
This technical article about porthole replacement is adapted from several of my posts in the Forum about this topic.
With three different builders, and some 500 plus hulls built over a span of almost 40 years there are many variations in fit, finish and hardware found on the Sea Sprite 23. A good example is the set of portholes that came with your boat. Unless you have a late model Ryder built hull with the nice bronze portholes, you most likely have some variation of aluminum framed plexiglass fixed port, or perhaps a slightly better quality, yet non bronze, opening port. If they are the former, I’m sure they leak like a sieve and are cloudy and nasty looking, with corroded aluminum frames.
After contemplating this for several years I bit the bullet and decided to get some new portholes for Firefly. I wanted bronze. In my opinion it was the only option for the pretty Sprite.
For almost two years I searched eBay, consignment shops, etc for used ports. The main problems I found with used ports include:
1) They never have the trim rings, which make them essentially useless.
2) The condition is never very good
3) They’re always too big for the Sprite
4) They’re way overpriced.
I finally had enough of the searching. I bought new, bronze opening ports from NewFound Metals in Port Townsend, WA http://www.newfoundmetals.com).
To read the entire article and to view pictures, click here
Rebuilding The Lazarette
Lazarette Deck Rebuild Project – by Dejan Radeka
This was the first major project I undertook on Firefly. Many Spriters with pre-Ryder boats like mine, will ultimately recognize this major flaw in the execution of the lazarette deck hatches for the outboard motor well. These hatches were simply cut out of the deck lamination, with hinges and trim added. The balsa core was simply covered over with sealant. Over time, water would get into the deck laminate, saturate the balsa core, and cause delamination.
We’ll take a quick detour from the project to provide some context. Carl Alberg actually designed the Sea Sprite 23 to have a small inboard motor; this is evident from the lines drawing. The vast majority of Sprites built however, did not have the inboard option, rather they were equipped with an outboard motor mounted in a lazarette motor “well.” Many sailboats of this size and vintage were so equipped. With this option there is virtually no above decks storage available as the motor takes up most of the lazarette area. Another disadvantage is that you cannot fully tilt the motor out of the water, therefore the boat suffers the associated drag while sailing, and the lower unit becomes fouled during the course of the season. Lastly, on the Sea Sprite this is a really lousy design because to mount the outboard means you have to leave the lazarette hatch open all the time because the outboard head unit stands proud of deck level.
Now back to our story. When I bought the boat in March, 2009; there was still snow on the ground; everything was frozen, and the sodden lazarette deck was not obvious to me.
To read the entire article and to view pictures, click here