January/February 2005 Issue 40 www.goodoldboat.com 7-25274-97035-3 02 00 00 $7 (Canada $9 CDN) 02 7 25274 97035 3 On newsstand until February 28 Poor man’s Hinckley Turning an aging Pedrick 41 into a dream boat by Sonny Furman Y LOVE AFFAIR WITH BOATS BEGAN “Neshuma began life the refurbishing and repairs myself. in 1971, while I was ferrying After much searching, I fi nally found M aircraft in and out of Vietnam as a sloop, but with a the best candidate suited to the task, via Ching Chuan Kang, a Chinese Air a basically well-kept 1983 Cheoy Lee Force base in Taiwan used by the U.S. pitiful anchor storage Pedrick 41 keel/centerboarder located Air Force for C-130 operations. arrangement and some in the Gulf of Mexico. During downtime, I would travel I bought the boat and had it to the southern ports along the coast, undesirable weather helm. shipped to my home in Annapolis, mesmerized by the sleek yachts under Maryland. By the time it arrived I al- construction for wealthy foreign own- I decided to change her into ready had a fair idea of what it would ers. I would sit and dream, hoping a cutter and add a more take to turn my dream boat into a re- that someday I might set sail in one of ality. So I set about on a two-year task these beautifully crafted “leaky teak- suitable bow platform and a that did a good job of wearing down ies,” as those early Taiwanese boats means of extending the rig.” my fi ngers as well as thinning out my were sometimes called. But it would bank account. not be until many years later that, still humbled by the craftsmanship and labor that went into building those ate speed in light air, moderate draft, Neshuma, Sonny Furman’s Cheoy boats, I would realize my dream. and the ability to stand up well in Lee Pedrick 41, has been extensively Years of sailing and four boats lat- offshore conditions; be a dry sailing modifi ed. He added a bow platform and er, I embarked on a quest to fi nd what boat with comfort both in the cockpit re-rigged her as a cutter. He added a might become the perfect cruising and below; have good storage; and, windshield to protect the cockpit from boat for me. Knowing that all things naturally, be affordable. are at the very least a tradeoff, I set In order to keep such an ambi- spray and davits to carry a dinghy. out to fi nd a boat that would fulfi ll my tious project within my budget, I also He installed new roller furlers for the most basic needs. It must have moder- knew that I must be capable of doing headsail and staysail. 46 Good Old Boat January/February 2005 “I located a newly rebuilt 65-hp Perkins 4-154 Changed to cutter feat shoehorning that beast into place, Neshuma began life as a sloop, but diesel. Of course, it was with a scant 1⁄8-inch clearance going with a pitiful anchor storage arrange- down the companionway. ment and some undesirable weather no easy feat shoehorning helm. I decided to change her into a that beast into place, Tight squeeze cutter and add a more suitable bow The engine had to be stripped of all 1 platform and a means of extending with a scant /8-inch accessories then reassembled after the rig. I constructed the platform of clearance going down having been fitted to the beds, all in laminated teak strips, through-bolted a space that scarcely had room for a internally every 10 inches with stain- the companionway.” hand on either side. The entire swap less-steel threaded rod. I also fabri- took me more than a month of inten- cated the custom twin rollers, scuff sive labor and much custom fabrica- plates, headstay fittings, and all other to manage singlehanded. tion in my basement shop. The repow- metal fittings. The original engine was a 44-hp ering required new engine beds, a The platform was firmly bolted Universal model 50 diesel, with barely complete new custom exhaust system, through the foredeck with massive enough power to make headway and a plethora of custom fittings, each backing plates and an adjustable in- into any kind of seaway, especially requiring careful engineering and fab- ternal truss rod in the anchor locker to considering the boat’s 24,500-pound rication, including special machining take the load of the inner stay. A bob- fully-loaded displacement. I decided to adapt the Hurth V-drive. Of course stay connected to a heavily reinforced to replace it with a bit more heft, so I all the boatyard mechanics said it bow fitting takes the lower loads and located a newly rebuilt 65-hp Perkins couldn’t be done . not enough space. those of the truss rod to equalize the 4-154 diesel. Of course, it was no easy A new custom three-bladed propel- forces. I then cut the original ler and shaft were provided bow rail and welded in sec- by Jimmies Prop Shop of tions to extend it. Miami, Florida; those guys I installed new roller really know what’s going on furlers for the headsail and and delivered superb service staysail. These increased the and pricing. Yes, I could have total foretriangle area by 120 gotten one locally, but at An- square feet. This alone made napolis prices. With the new a vast improvement in light- engine and prop I can attain air sailing, decreased the weather helm, and provided Sonny replaced the 44-hp much greater flexibility in engine, at left, with a more sail combinations for all con- ditions. Neshuma is now very powerful one, below, well balanced on nearly all which barely fit through the points of sail and much easier companionway. www.goodoldboat.com 47 The galley, before, at left, and after, at right on facing page. Early on it became apparent that with the low coachroof, the boat seemed more likely to get green water in the cockpit, making for a somewhat damp ride at times. I hit on the idea of a hard windshield, remembering just how many soft dodgers I’ve had to replace after just a couple of years in service. A quick look on the eBay web- site turned up a nice used powerboat windshield, which I bought for less than the price of dinner at the marina, herein known as a “marina unit.” All I really wanted was the frame hull speed quite handily, but I normal- and larger teak-faced panel. It was material anyway, so work then began: ly cruise at 7.5 knots at 2,400 rpm. mounted with a piano hinge so the en- making templates, cutting, weld- In the electrical department, I fit- tire affair can swing out for servicing ing, and forming up a coaming from ted a new 100-amp Balmar alternator, (see photo on Page 50). It houses all along with a Heart 2,500-watt inverter of the radios, radar, and instruments and three gel cell batteries totaling with a built-in look. “ . I bought [a nice used 525 amp-hours. It’s proven to be a real bulletproof system. I also decided to Teak and stainless powerboat windshield] upgrade the entire electrical panel I wanted my cockpit instrumentation for less than the price of and rewire the entire boat, since most mounted in a pod at the wheel, but of the wiring was old and marginal. all I could find were rather expen- dinner at the marina, I also built a custom breaker panel sive pods made of PVC. I rounded into what had previously been a shelf up some scraps of teak and cut out herein known as a space at the side of the nav station. the side of an old stainless-steel fire ‘marina unit.’ ” The rewiring job was daunting but extinguisher (see photo on Page 50). ultimately worth the effort. I needed Hey, this modification didn’t even to replace and upgrade all the elec- cost what I call a full “boat unit” ($100, marine ply and fiberglass. I had a lo- tronics, but I knew right away that the because it seems that’s the minimum cal glass shop make up the windows original open shelf above the nav desk you spend every time you open your from tempered plate. The finished was inadequate, so I built in a new wallet at the marine store). product looked almost as though Hallberg-Rassy had put it on at the factory. A new custom mini-dodger was made up that could stand alone over the windshield and further keep out spray, and the new Bimini top was fitted with a center section that can be zipped in to complete the entire ensemble and provide full shade and weather protection. Since I normally carry my dinghy while sailing, I looked high and low for davits that would do the job, but most were quite expensive and even a bit flimsy, so I welded up my own, us- ing 1½ inch-square 316 stainless tube. I designed it so that both arms can swing up out of the way in a crowded storage area or tight slip. I simply Sonny welded his own davits for the dinghy, at far left, and constructed the anchor platform, at near left, out of laminated teak stripes. 48 Good Old Boat January/February 2005 For the most part, Sonny left Neshu- ma’s interior as it was, concentrating instead on her sailing characteristics and exterior.