8
Force 5 Dinghy Rhab (lemmy.world)
submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

Picked up a Force 5 dinghy plus trailer years ago, for the low low price of $100. Prior owner had let water sit in the mast tube, cracking it vertically. Trailer bunks were set up improperly as well, leading to some gnarly cracks in the hull. Without having any sailing experience, I was besotted with her (I can't resist a good project), until I learned the sail slipped over the mast and wasn't raised via halyard. I set her aside for a few years while I worked on other boat projects that fell into my lap (O'Day 19 & Westerly Centaur).

I'm based on a river with height restrictions in both directions, preventing me from actually sailing with the O'Day and the Westerly. The dinghy can make it under with feet to spare. I'd like to get some actual sailing in,, so I've set myself a goal to finish the rehab and get her on the water before the end of the season.

Mast tube has been repaired. Ground out and beveled the cracks in the hull, then fiberglassed several layers over. I hate mixing gelcoat, so I'll be painting instead. PVC replacements for the thwart bits are sitting in the pile, ready to go.

Trailer needs some work as well: bunkers need to be secured better, tires and bearings need inspection.

top 3 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

I bet the trailer was worth at least $100 ๐Ÿ˜

[-] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

That was my thinking... If the fiberglass work proved to be beyond my skills, I could always make the money back selling the trailer. Profit if I parted out the hardware.

I'm too stubborn to turn down the repair otherwise, and too sympathetic to cut up a hull. I hate seeing the death of a boat.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Looks like a fun time. With one other guest I bet you can lower the O'Day mast to get through the bridge (while on the water) I you really want to sail it!

this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023
8 points (100.0% liked)

Sailing

826 readers
2 users here now

General

Welcome! This is a place to discuss sailing, all sailing related questions and share sailing images.

Please post freely about sailing and comment generously. User adoption and use is the boon which will inspire more users to join!

Known Issues

Posts created in portrait mode automatically rotate to landscape mode. This is something across Lemmy that seems to be known. To address, the image must have the correct metadata, not just rotated in your camera roll before uploading.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS