Just inherited a Chrysler 16... no mast, rudder or sails...

[bengatte]

hello everyone.
this is our first posting and let us introduce ourselves. we are ben and lora in schenectady ny.
we just became owners of a chrysler lone star 16... we believe it's a chrysler lone star 16 because it says "chrysler" and is 16 feet long. and she looks like the chrysler 16s and not anything else in any of the pictures. the hull appears sound although there is a bit of floor rot which i think would be best covered with nicer veneer rather than removed (it is dry and stable).
the big issue is the lack of rudder, mast and sails... i think she my have been used on a lake with an outboard motor, perhaps never even sailed? i know that there is an aluminum mast fabricator (dwyermast.com) which might be one way to go or can i use any mast that fits (from time to time there are masts that are individually sold, just saw a 16' one that came off a canoe which might work).
i guess that is our big question... do we want/need to replace things exactly or can we improvise. the 16' might be short? and where do we go for rudder and sails?
finally, there doesn't seem to be a centerboard, but there are two symmetric channels underneath...
well, we are happy to be here. it's been a long time since i've sailed and lora is excited about sailing for the first time. we welcome any advice.
ben and lora
we will try and post some pictures at some point...

[LeatherneckPA]

ben and lora in schenectady ny ..... we just became owners of a chrysler lone star 16 ..... there is a bit of floor rot which i think would be best covered with nicer veneer rather than removed ..... the big issue is the lack of rudder, mast and sails ..... can i use any mast that fits ..... do we want/need to replace things exactly or can we improvise ..... where do we go for rudder and sails ..... there doesn't seem to be a centerboard, but there are two symmetric channels underneath

First of all, welcome aboard homey. I'm originally from Sharon Springs NY. And I happen to own an LS-16 also. What you are describing certainly sounds like one. Pics would certainly help.

Regarding your floor rot - it should have a fiberglass floor beneath that rot. Personally, I would never leave rotten wood in place. The PO for my LS-16 had installed pressure treated 5/4 deck boards in her. I will be taking them out and replacing them, either with some nice hardwood boards or maybe I'll build a grill floor that can be removed for easier cleaning.

I just went out and measured my mast and boom. I know my stuff is OEM. The mast is 24' from step to head. The boom is 9' 8" from end to end, not including the gooseneck. Is your mast step still in place? If not, it may change what you choose to do. On Dwyer's website the mast that comes the closest to mine in cross section is their DM-284 mast. And the mast head and step they show also happen to match mine. It comes in lengths to 24' 7" feet. At $15.75 per foot it's $378 for the mast alone. The Dwyer boom that comes closest to mine is the DM-275 boom with the DH 6560 outhaul cap and the DH 355-IL sliding gooseneck. They say $186.40 for the boom alone.

If you choose to improvise there is an excellent chapter on building your own spars in Reuel Parker's The Sharpie Book.

As far as the rudder goes, check out this thread, especially page 2. surveywaters did a nice job of reconstructing the one he lost. Granted, this was for a C-22, but the concept is the the same. And I can get you pics, measurements, etc for the OEM LS-16 rudder and tiller.

Sails will be very dependent upon what you decide to do regarding the mast and boom. Personally, I'd spring for the Dwyers stuff, but that's just me. I like the aluminum mast. There are any number of places to get sails. I bought my first set from Atlantic Sail Traders for less than $600 for both the main and the jib. The main turned out to be too tall so I did some investigation. It'll cost me about $250-$300 to get it cut down to where I want it. Instead, I bought a LSZ-1 sewing machine from Sailrite and will be cutting it down myself. This ONLY made sense because I am also going to use the machine for sails and cushions on my C-22. You may want to look at Sailrite's site and consider making your own sails from a kit.

Those two channels in the bottom are where your bilge boards are supposed to be. You should have two aluminum handles in your cockpit that lower them when you're sailing. I sure hope you still have those. If not, you may try contacting a member by the screen name of Alfonso. He was advertising an LS-16, disassembled, for sale. Maybe he'd be willing to sell you the parts you need if he hasn't had any bites on that yet. The catch? He's in Huntington Beach, CA.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything else.

[hp18carr]

Not to hamper your enthusiasm... and welcome to the forum by the way. Just a thought, it may well serve you best to use the money that would be needed to overhaul your c16 with so many parts missing on say a c22.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26 1980
Pandora (for now)

[Lucky Jack]

Not to hamper your enthusiasm... and welcome to the forum by the way. Just a thought, it may well serve you best to use the money that would be needed to overhaul your c16 with so many parts missing on say a c22.

And there was one in Jersey for $900 if it's still there. No trailer though.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/1808266998.html

[Alfonso]

Just read your post. We have everything you need; the center boards, rudder, sails, mast, etc. No dry rot on this hull. The only problem is we are on the west coast.