Chrysler Sailors Forum

I arrived back in town late last night with a mast, boom, mast step, and 75% complete standing rigging for my Chrysler 22. I've been looking for 3 years and finally the budget, timing, and parts availability all lined up perfectly. I'm sorry to say I went shopping outside our forum membership but distance, price, et al were exactly what I was looking for. The couple I purchased from were wonderful folks and had their own little slice of paradise on the bay in St. Pete Beach. Every view from their home looked across their pool, to their boat dock, and the incredible vistas beyond. They told me about watching a space shuttle launch from their patio right after a boat parade passed by. They could even clearly see the 2 outboard rockets/fuel tanks detaching and falling back to Earth, sounded incredible. The fellow had a pretty cool cradle/lift for his sailboat. You motor onto the cradle and raise the boat straight up out of the water. I've seen these for motorboats and personal watercraft but not for a sailboat, shows how much time I've spent on/in saltwater. All in all, great folks to meet, converse with, and purchase from. I had no photos or detailed info on what shape their parts were in but I was pleasantly surprised.
On my truck, I used some grass catcher/bagger parts from a dead riding mower for my center mast rack to facilitate the ability to still access my truck tool box and bagger mount brackets attached to my front bumper to stabilize the mast up front. I enlarged 2 holes on the bagger mount, removed 2 of the truck's bumper bracket bolts, then reinstalled them through the bagger mount with a thick piece of rubber between my chrome bumper and the bagger mount. It worked out really well and was perfectly vertical even though my bumper tapers toward the truck as you look toward the ground. It took less than 2 hours to build and the only thing that belied my roof rack was a metal bracket protruding out maybe 8 inches x 12 inches high from my front bumper. I test fit everything, removed a block of wood, 2 bolts, and stowed everything in the bed of the truck for my trip south. It took me less than 15 minutes to assemble after I arrived: 2 3/8" bolts, 8 screws, 1 block of wood with a radius cut to match the mast profile, and 2 tapered wedges. It sure beat the heck out of listening to the wind blowing through the whole thing for 500 miles, not to mention a 4 foot post wobbling side to side looking toward the passenger side of my windshield. I'll snap a few close-up shots in the AM and add them to my pics link if you want to see them.
As for my parts list, in the past, I found a part here or there (or in California), no free cash when parts were available, or almost complete boats which meant yet another project boat to resurrect. I missed, Moonshine Jim's, I think, boat by a few months as well as the famous, or infamous?, Sandpiper that one member, Mario something?, cut up with a sawzall. I was in the red at the time so I had suspended my search for awhile. I was getting pretty frustrated but I am a happy, happy camper today. The Chrysler stars were in perfect alignment for me this week. I hope the same stars were lined up your way too.
The icing on the cake was that I was afforded a long overdue visit with a family member near and dear to my heart. The mast, etc. were @ 40 miles south of their place and my drive home took me right by their exit so I enjoyed a day + with one of the sweetest, kindest, caring souls I've ever had the privelege to encounter, besides Mom and Dad probably my favorite person on the face of the Earth.
I'm just not sure what I'm going to do with my free time now that I won't be searching ebay, craigslist, this forum, and several other sites endlessly. No, I know exactly what I'll be doing: shifting into high gear on my trailer work, inspecting and prepping the rigging, and re-wiring my new mast. I need a spreader mount, bits of hardware, mast mounting pin is badly rusted into the mast, and I want to include downlights on the spreaders, going LED I think. There's some light oxidation? or buildup on the mast from the salt air and I'm not sure how to address this situation, also some rigging continuously slapped across the mast for awhile and left its marks. Any suggestions? I intended to be sailing on my birthday 2 years back with a friend or two and some family members and I really want to make it happen this year. I'm in a hurry to be prepared for the days where I can slow down to enjoy riding the wind with a good friend or 3, sipping a cold drink, and sharing a good meal somewhere in the middle. If my luck holds out I'm sure there's an unforgettable sunset across the water to look forward to as well.
Please forgive my lengthy post. I'm just so relieved and excited to have made some forward progress after such a long and fruitless quest and I felt compelled to share my excitement and joy with my fellow Chrysler sailors. I'm sure many of you have felt the wind and water beckoning you as the new season leapt into our lives. Yes, Spring has sprung, and things are definitely looking up for me lately. I wish you all the same. I've got alot of work to do between a busy schedule but I'm really looking forward to it. I'm anxious to erase the ugly mark that wicked tornado left on my little Chrysler 22 and bring her back to her former glory. She's the only craft moored to the dock that wasn't destroyed, including the dock itself. I owe her a good re-birth after her gallant and successful survival.

Excellent Report! Happy day when all the parts come together. Now is the time to put them all on the boat. I still have 2 small wiring projects and a mast hinge plate and I'm calling it "Done". I got that hinge plate 18 months ago. Wow, am I behind on my boat fun, or what?

Okay "Done" as in the major projects for a safe, reliable boating. It will never be, really "Done." Someone here on the forum or at a boat show or some other really cool thing that I see, well I simply must have it will cross my path. "E to Brute'?"

Thanks
Alan

Hi Alan. A happy day, indeed. I'm ready to continue on to the many steps I've prolonged for so long while searching for a mast and boom, etc. I now have a viable sailboat with which to invest time, sweat, and money instead of a hull sitting in a friend's yard. My list of wants or improvements is long: grill, bimini, stern rail, LED lighting, swim ladder, alter dinette table top, cockpit cushions, setup for single handed sailing, pretty sure I'd prefer a hinged step like you have on your to do list- time will tell me that, totally new set-up for electrical panel- already chosen the spot and most of my needs including placement of speakers and batteries, spinnaker pole and sail, sand the bottom and paint, big ideas for the trailer set-up including a tongue extension, issues related to mast storage while down and during transport, possibly a sliding galley- will decide after a few cruises, and on and on. I'd really like to mount my compass and other guages where they are all easily viewable from the cockpit but I haven't decided on their placement since I've been on the hard so long, may mount the compass in the lowest companionway hatch board but that might trip me or others up so time will tell after a season of sailing and seeing what works and what doesn't. I won't skip or go lightly on any safety issues but all else can really wait for next winter as far as I'm concerned. I could have handled many of these items in the past but was unwilling to do so for a sailboat that I may or may not have ever found necessary parts for. I hemmed and hawed about parting her out a few times but couldn't seriously consider that a prudent or responsible choice due to the condition of the boat minus the mast, boom, etc. Right now, my desire is to simply get on the water where the heart of the matter really lies. Everything else generally centers on comfort or convenience barring the grill (still for comfort and convenience so probably getting ahead of myself already and I've been home less than 24 hours), nice to sear a decent cut of beef during the calm part of the afternoon while still eeking out a few knots here and there. Fall really is the best time for consistent wind here. Spring and Summer can be great too if you have the luxury of dropping everything when a good day comes along, best chances for that are in early Spring, I think. The brisk chill of an early Spring windy day and most anyday in the Fall chases the motorboats and jetskis indoors so that's a bonus. I hope I remember why the boom is called just that, the BOOM! It's been a long time since I've been sailing but I'm ready to hit the water.
I've already decided to simplify my trailer plans for this year. I'll mess with the quick change options to accomodate different hulls next winter. I expect to have the trailer ready for the boat by this coming weekend and maybe transfer QAR from blocks to the trailer sometime next week. I'd better handle the boat registration in there somewhere as well so Dept of Natural Resources doesn't try to board my vessel without permission or against my wishes. I'm the pirate in these here parts LOL.
Just for old time's sake I looked on ebay tonight for masts, found a complete rig minus sails for a Tartan 27 listed for $250 or best offer in Charlotte, NC. The guy is even willing to sit on the parts for a bit to accomodate the prospective buyers schedule to travel. It appears to be a good candidate for a Chrysler but I don't have to research the issue anymore and I'm darn glad about it.
Like you said, we're never really done. There's always maintenance, something in the planning stage, in the works, or on the wish list to consider and, like you, coveting the still elusive Chrysler 26 or maybe, just maybe a swing keel Catalina 27, but nothing more important than just good old sailing. I'm guessing you've been very busy the past few months. Your posts and replies aren't nearly as frequent as in the past. I've always liked the way you encourage and support others here. You always have a kind word for members and their vessels. Thanks for the kind words on my behalf. Good luck on getting your last couple of to do items handled quickly. Let me know how you like your hinged mast plate after you've used it a bit. Alot of folks here seem to prefer them over the original J hooked step. My posts always seem to be really long winded, my apologies to all, but if anyone finds themselves in a dead calm I might be a good one to have around.

Glad your wishes came true and filled nice looking 22 with a cradle there that can come in handy. it looks like a Dakota for the tow vehicle I also have a Dakota and I have been towing my C26 with it but at 302K miles she is getting tired and am looking for 2500 or 3500 of course a Dodge I cannot see a Chev. or Ford towing a Chrysler and yes I am prejudice on make but may have to settle because of money.

A dodge truck is a beautiful thing. I had a 1984 1 ton dually with a utility bed- awesome truck but my work needs changed so I sold that one, 2 1990 3/4 ton 15 passenger vans for business only, a 1980 15 passenger van that I learned to drive in that ran for many, many years, a 1976 15 passenger that was poorly maintained by the PO van for a short time, and I'm on my second V8 Dakota and couldn't be happier with them. The V8 5 speed has alot more torque and is a blast to drive where the V8 auto does the job capably but without the thrills when it's time to play. I had 2 1966 Chargers- still kicking myself for letting the first one go- my favorite vehicle of any I've owned, and 2 go fast Darts over the years so I'm with you on towing a Chrysler product with a family member. Did you notice the Plymouth Fury hubcaps on my utility trailer? LOL.
As far as choices for you the only drawback to a Dodge is gas mileage; they're below the average. I've rented a few 1/2 ton Silverado 1500's and was really pleased with the mileage they got, also nicer amenities, including fit and finish, but I've been driving a Dodge truck for over 20 years and not likely to change. Their (Chevy) 3/4 ton truck is a gas hog, though, and the fuel pump at the gas station shuts down at $100 so 2 transactions are required- that was a depressing day let me tell you. I'll never buy one of them unless I were to hit the BIG jackpot somewhere and still highly unlikely even then. I wrote you a few minutes ago about a 3/4 ton Ford you might want to consider. From what I've heard they sound like a good all around package, close to 30 mpg in a 3/4 ton truck sounds great to me.