Other Interesting Data
BOAT DATA
Boat Name: Radiant
Sail #7124
Year 1965
Hull Number 24
Previous Names: Holiday Too
Previous Owers: Bob Allen, Ken Croan .
I bought the boat in 1980.
History Races /Results: Skip & Scott Allen won Transpac in '67; They won several class championships, as did Ken Croan. We've won twice, and still hunting for #3. The boat won the Congressional Cup when sailed by Scott Allen in '67, Skip Allen in '68, Dick Deaver in '76, and Ted Turner in '77. (I did the bow in '68 and '76). History Cruising /Destinations:
Original Delivery Port : Newport Beach, CA
Boat Now Laying: Los Angeles Harbor, Los Angeles Yacht Club PHRF Rating - 111 LA Harbor.
Base rating is 114.
Other Interesting Data: In 1983 the boat was stripped of all exterior hardware, teak trim, portholes, mast & rig and trucked to Dennis Choat's (Dencho) shipyard in Long Beach. Factory non-skid was ground off, boot-stripe was re-drawn as straight-and-level, topsides were faired and painted with LP, and new non-skid was applied in the "stock" pattern. (we have re-LP'd twice since then)
BOAT STATUS If Modified or Repaired or Known Weakness, Please Describe No structural modifications.
RIGGING
Mast: Replaced as stock following dismasting in 1969. Mast Tune: Currently plumb, as far forward as possible at the partners. All halyards are internal (an easy modification which I did the first year we had the boat). Spreaders: Aluminum. (I was nearly dismasted on a San Francisco Cal 40 in 1969 when the leeward spreader broke at the bolt-line that holds it to the spreader bracket).
Standing Rigging: All rod (I was replacing anyway, it's easy to clean, and shines like crazy. Very "Radiant". As with many of our local racers, the forward lowers have been removed. I recently removed the tangs as well (obvious toe-stubbers, and unattractive) My plan is to move the standard lower to the forward hole at the spreader bracket, leaving the aft hole for runners or lazy-jacks, depending. Running Rigging: Wire & dacron for cruising, mostly Spectra for racing (minimal stretch and it doesn't absorb water). The "good stuff" (even the main-sheet) is always put away after races, so it should last a long time).
Mast Winches: Nearly standard, mast mounted. Spinlock flat-mounted jammers for spinnaker halyard and topping lift. And old Shaeffer jammer and ball-swedge for the main halyard. Because most of our racing is short-course, windward-leeward, so we generally run with just one genoa and one spinnaker halyard.
Boom: We replaced the old roller-reefing boom with a new one by Sparcraft in 1985. We had "ears" welded on the mast to accept the boom and vang attachments. Main-sheet runs internal, as does the outhaul, reef, and flattening reef. Spinnaker Pole: We use a 3" alum. pole, set up for dip-pole jibes. It's too small for ocean racing, but OK for our short leeward legs and at 18 pounds, the foredeck is happy.. Main Sheet: Stock 4:1 to a self-tailing Barient 18 mounted on the cabin-top, out-board of the main hatch slide. Traveler is a continuous line to an Antall "box" (a continuous line winch) that is mounted on the aft side of the cabin, just out-board and to port of the main hatch-way. It is operated by a standard winch-handle. Lots of leverage, easy to shift in the tacks, but you can't "pump the main" with it. We have the solid Hall-Spars vang to provide constant leach tension, and its a very neat installation with all lines running below-deck. The roller-bearing traveler is mounted on the forward edge of the stern seat. This permits a full cushion across the back, and the main-sheet doesn't interfere with using (sunning) on that seat when we're reaching home from a weekend at Catalina. Vang: Hall Spars Running Backs: none, as yet.
Backstay: Navtech Hydraulic...Works fine. We seem to be faster with less pressure. 1200# at 10 kts TWS, Roller Furling: No. It seems like you need more headsail selection for efficient sailing, racing or cruising. Besides, I've still got two kids who'll help me fold sails. We have a double-groove head-foil and capacity for dual genoa halyards. Cutter Rig: Years ago I re-cut an old 200% genoa into a Jib-Top and a staysail out of an old light 150. The staysail was flown off of the topping lift. It seemed pretty fast, but only worth the effort on an ocean race. I consigned it to the re-sale loft several years ago. I'd replace it with quality sails if we ever start ocean racing. Chain Plates Stock, (forward-lower tangs removed as indicated above)
. Other Interesting Info!
STRUCTURAL- DECK HULL COMPONENTS
Beam (Steel) Looks OK, except for some rust on the tab in the head from head over-spray. I coated the tab with rubberized caulking.
Rudder: Stock, but we had quite a bit of horizontal and vertical "play" at the rudder shaft. I replaced the spacer-rings under the rudder head with teflon rings, and the guys at Cabrillo Boat yard shimmed the rudder shaft. I think that they used a mixture of graphite and resin, though I not clear about the process, though I think that they essentially plugged the bottom with the rudder and greased-up shaft in place, and then poured in the resin mixture from the top.
Note: I and several others are in the process of buying a new rudder designed by Carl Schumacher. Slightly narrower, slightly deeper, elliptical, more balanced.
Hatches: Stock , but all have been re-built a time or two. Dorade Box: We have solar powered Nico-Marine mushrooms near the mast and in the stern hatch cover
Decking: Minor spider webbing filled and refinished, replaced nonskid surface.
Deck Hull Joint: Teak was removed, joint was pried apart where practical, and seam re-caulked with something similar to 5200.
Bulkheads: OK
Bulkhead tabbing: OK
Decking Plywood: OK
Hull: After years of basically ignoring the 100 or so blisters that we had, and with the possibility that the hull had never been stripped, we went down to bare glass and fixed the blisters 3 years ago.
Topsides: Sterling
Keel: Same as hull
Tiller: Just being replaced with laminated teak, as the old one was de-laminating at back end. The tip of the new tiller will be faired into a horizontal "T", just wide enough to support the female plug-fitting for the removable tiller extension.
Tiller Bracket (the casting that holds it to the rudder-head) Significant cracks just forward of the bolt that holds it to the rudder head. I just had a new SS bracket welded.
Life Lines: Double life-lines, gate with fore-and-aft support struts at center of boat, each side. Easiest location for boarding, rafting, and it keeps the wet swimmers out of the cockpit.
Swim Ladder: I had a custom ladder built. Stainless tubes with teak treads. It does not fold, so the bottom steps don't rock up. And, the bottom two steps are just the stainless tubes (no teak treads), so waves and current can roll through without causing the ladder to slam against the hull. It stores easily in the "junk bunk" (stbd. side torpedo berth).
Toe Rail: Stock Teak, but I couldn't stop the fastener-bleeding problem, so I replaced it 3 years ago.
Port lights: replaced with Go-Marine
Portholes : replaced with Lewmar
Headliner None, Penetrating bolts screws have "sex-nuts" (basically, a threaded barrel with a screw-head) flush to headliner to help protect scalps and look good. It's been faired and painted with LP, as has the rest of the interior painted surfaces. Gel Coat: LP, Sterling
Through Hulls: Mostly Marlon (Forespar "plastic")
Other Info
COMPARTMENTS / STATIONS
Stair/Engine Box: Small mahogany box, formica top, Stainless steel ladder with teak treads. Anchor Locker Stock.
Ice Box: Stock box, Norcold 12V. refrigeration, liquid-foam insulation on all sides and under. Closed-cell foam on lid and under counter. Head: Wilcox-Crittenden Skipper. Robust, but uses a lot of water. Pumps into a custom-fitted 20 gal. stainless holding tank in lower portion of the hanging locker.
Drawers: Stock
V Berth: Major rebuild. The original owners had removed the port-side cabinet before the '67 Transpac. I cut out most of the shelf on each side, leaving a 2" wide flange. I then built non-storage partitions on each side, wider aft, to re-shape the bed space into more of a rectangle. I raised the level of the berth approx. 4'. Because the boat gets wider as it goes up, this increased the width of the berth at the forward end (and it increased the storage under the bunk). I extended the length of the bunk approx. 6" down the center. This still left room to stand in the forward cabin area, and the raised height of the berth makes entry and exit through the hatch somewhat easier. This arrangement left space for a small seats port and starboard with storage under. With the 4" firm mattress it's a comfortable bed. We sleep with our heads forward where the bulkhead separating it from the anchor locker works like a head-board, and each side has a halogen reading light. Galley:
Stock
Sole: Stock
Stern Lazarette: Essentially stock with wooden hangers installed for rope storage. In the area that is under the aft seat of the cockpit I have installed a "well" to hold two 1.2 gal. alum. propane tanks. Access to this "well" is through a round, gasketed port cut in the seat. All of my engine gauges are mounted in the aft wall of the cockpit...you can actually see them from the driving position. I only wish that I could have them read out through my Signet "Smart Pack" instruments, but more on that later. Because of our small engine box, we just have a fixed window where the original instrument panel used to be.
Hanging Locker: As mentioned above, s/s holding tank just below the lip of the locker door. Above that are two shelves, one at about the level of the lip, and on half-way between there and the deck. I'm something of a nut about things being put away, so when we have guests aboard, the can keep their sea-bags and other gear on these shelves. Chart Desk: Stock configuration on ice-box surface. In forward ½ of outboard storage we have 2 shelves for glasses and coffee mugs. Slots have been cut in the aft ½ to hold the most-often-used liquor bottles. Sliding plexiglass hides it all.
The aft wall has the Cruising Equipment battery monitor, the Garmin GPS plotter, stereo, permanently mounted cell phone, and VHF.
Torpedo Berths: Starboard: most of the excess woodwork for the old engine housing has been removed, leaving a very clean, clear area aft. Just inside the berth area is my circuit breaker panel (AC and DC). The panel is fastened to the fore-and-aft bin-divider at the bottom, and to the inside of the cockpit molding at the top. The panel is about 18" wide, running fore-and-aft. Mounted to the inside of the bin-divider are the battery charger, the refrig. compressor, the amps for the stereo, and the "brain" for the cell-phone. The CD changer is mounted under the deck. We never sleep in this bunk (which we refer to as the "junk-bunk"). It has no cushion, but is covered with indoor-outdoor carpet. Port: The bin-divider has been removed and the outboard portion filled in to create a near-double bunk. The aft portion of the bunk wraps around the back side of the engine box to further widen the bunk. (Obviously, the fuel tank is no longer here. It's in the bilge).
Slide-Out berths: Stock
Pilot Berth: Stock>
INSTRUMENTATION : NEXUS. We have three "jumbos" mounted on the aft side of the mast, just below the goose-neck. Their wires lead into the mast and down to a junction box in the head, then aft to the "brain-box". The GPS is integrated into this so that I can get all speed/wind/nav information from these on-deck presentations. The numbers are big enough to be easily readable from the back of the boat, so anyone standing aft of the mast can see them. And rarely is anyone standing or sitting in front of them.
AUXILLARY POWER
Engine: Grey Marine 4 banger, flat head, gas.
Engine Controls: Morse removable-handle shifter on starboard side of cockpint well; push-pull cable for throttle control mounted at forward left corner of cockpit well. Transmission "V" Drive Standard
Propeller Martec Folding, Two blade
Other
TANKAGE
Fuel Tank: Fuel Tank, Aluminum, 35 gallon in bilge. Fills through a long, 1" hose from starboard deck just aft of the cabin, and then leads down just behind the engine and through the port-side engine mount and down into the bilge to the tank. The aft edge of the tank is about 1' forward of the aft edge of the lead. Two 4D gel batteries sit (one on top of the other) on that remaining 1', and are cantalevered over the bilge, supported by a ¼" piece of "G-10" (factory formed fiberglass) cut to the shape of the bilge, and supported at the back end by a s/s wire up to the cabin sole. The fuel tank has a 1" dip-stick access port. It's cap is just barely above the hole cut for it in the cabin-sole and the carpet. To verify fuel level we just remove the cap and "stick" the tank with a ¼" dowel.
Water Tank: 16 gallon s/s tanks under each slide-out bunk. These are pressure-fed from a female hose fitting in the cockpit and vented back to the same area. When both vents start to "spit", the tanks are full. These tanks feed the galley elect. pump. 20 gallon bladder in head cabinet which feeds the electrical pump for the head faucet and the deck-shower (a 3" x 14' ABS tube, fresh pressure water into the aft end, a 6' hose and shut-off sprinkler-head at the forward end). This set-up produces plenty of warm, fresh water for a quick rinse-off after the day's swimming.
Holding Tank: 20 gal s/s tank with float-monitor in bottom of hanging locker. There is just enough room to run a 1 ½" hose under the "bridge" that supports the mast. And while I'm in the area, we used to get trapped water under the mast, in that "well" you can reach from under the head. While the bilge-fuel tank was out, all I had to do was drill a few holes in the block of wood they put in there during construction. Now it drains just fine.
Other:
ELECTRICAL
Charging: Engine Driven: 100 amp alternator controlled by a Cruising Equipment Co. "Amp Hour + 2" voltage regulator/battery monitor. Shore charging: Newmar 15 amp. charger.
Battery System: 2 @ 4D Gel's (180 amp hour each) mounted in the bilge as discussed above. Because we have an easy-to-start gas engine, because we are a sail boat, and (worst case) because we have a "Vessel Assist" program, I am inclined to use both batteries (Set on "ALL") most of the time. I watch the voltage rather closely over the days on-board, and when it gets down below 12V, we charge, and get the efficiency of charging relatively low batteries. Generally, we can go for 2 days easily without charging, and while running 12V refrigeration, stereo, lights, etc. DC Distribution: 3 Marinetics sub-panels with six breakers on each panel.
Interior Lighting: Incandescent "dome" style s/s fixtures, one on the overhead just aft of the mast (I ran its power source up through the mast and out), one under the cockpit bridgedeck, and one on each aft wall of the forward cabin for general illumination. Each bunk has an elegant ABI (1806CH-D) chrome reading lamp (20 watt halogen with dimmer). I have Aqua Signal florescents in the galley, but may change these for something with a little more light. They work OK but I really don't like the florescent color, and we have plenty of battery to support the lighting we do.
AC Electrical System: Shore power circuited through a Marinetics AC panel with double-pole master breaker, polarity indicator, and 4 sub-breakers. It then powers the AC/DV refrigeration, the 115V outlets, the Newmar charger. Bonding: the engine and electrical panels are bonded to the one bronze through-hull for the lower port cockpit drain.
GOFAST AND MISC
Sails: All by North. Relatively flat dacron main with Kevlar at head and clew per local class limitations. Mylar 155 (weighs 35# per local class limitations). .6 Poly primary chute. .5, .75, and 1.5 Nylon back-ups.
Kevlar-Mylar #2 (140%)and works great in 16 Kts+ TWS. New, and hardly used yet is a 7 oz Dacron, full-hoist "blade", which is sheeted to the middle of the deck, just aft of the mast. I think that this will be the perfect sail for 20 kts+. TWS. However, you can only sheet such a sail if you remove the forward lowers. We have a full set of cruising sails, so we wash and fold the "good stuff" after racing (we even fold the spinnakers) so they last a long time. We also have an over-sized genaker (3' wider and 3' taller than a standard 180% spinnaker). The genaker shape gives almost effortless steering on a 15 kt. TWS beam reach, and is VERY fast and VERY fun. So far, we've used it just for cruising. We fly it either off the regular pole, set low (about boom level) and we've also experimented with a "sprit" (a spinnaker pole fastened at the aft end to a heavy s/s Shaeffer pad-eye mounted to the forward starboard corner of the cabin house, and extended through the pulpit, and held down to the bow-eyes). I bent one pole doing this, even though I had reinforced it. So the concept either needs more money or more engineering, or both.
Winches: the original Barient 28's as primaries (for genoa and afterguys), moved to the forward end of the winch island (they are aft in some boats which made sense in 1967 when the boats sailed with 180% genoas under the old CCA rule). Barient 25's for the spinnaker sheets, self-tailing 18 for the main, lead to the port-side cabin top. Split fore-guy: runs from a single block at the end of the pole, then down to twin blocks in the middle of the foredeck, then out-board of each stanchion back to a small Harken turning block on the deck just inside of the rail, and opposite the middle of the winch-island on each side. It then enters the winch island and secures to a jammer mounted to the inside top, just inside the teak lip. Stainless (s/s) rub-bar on the teak to protect it. With this, the person who is adjusting the afterguy can also adjust the foreguy, or it can as easily be adjusted from the other side. And because most of the foreguy path is out by the rail in the "gutter", there is rarely a "butt-cleat" problem. Generally, all deck blocks and jammers are from Harken.
Computers & Software: None.
Auto pilot: Navico, seems to work OK.
Sail Track Movement: by "screw-pin". I've considered a roller-bearing set-up, but since our racing is against other Cal-40's that also have the same set-up, I'm not sure how much relative advantage this would offer. Besides, I like the look of my polished s/s track.
Faring the keel and bottom.
Yes.
? Ideas?.
Heating: none
Refrigeration: Norcold, mounted in the forward-outboard corner of the box.
? Works great. Generally, we just take ice-cubes for cocktails when we cruise for 3-4 days.
Fire Protection: Automatic Halon system in engine compartment, Other fire extinguishers in the hanging locker, the port torpedo bunk, and under the deck just forward of the aft hatch..
Cal 40 Strategies: Beat the Eddys (Callisto, #50), and hope that Jack Woodhull (Persephone, #1) doesn't show up. In windward-leeward races, a few more bodies on the rail are fast (in L.A., at least, where we have a fairly consistent 15 kt. afternoon westerly). The basics: get the weight out of the ends, reduce weight where possible, gear break-downs are the skipper's fault, smooth bottom, good sails (with good spreader patches and spreader boots), consistent crew and practice with them, conservative tactics. Concentrate on target boat-speeds. It's easy to sail the boats either too high (and slow) after a tack, or too "hot" once you're up to speed. Know your tacking and jibing angles.
Creative Ideas: In '77 I co-skippered a 40 in the Transpac. Crew of 6. We had three relatively good drivers, so we split into three watches of 2 each, three hours on and six off. I am totally sold on the results. We were better rested, we never hesitated to get everybody up for a sail change, and we squeeked out a corrected time win in our class by less than 1 minute after nearly 12 days of sailing!