Beaching an investigator.

[Ross]

Hello there. I’m interested in purchasing an Investigator , but am keen to be able to beach it . Given the shallow keel configuration of the hull is it possible to beach it or do you need fenders or something similar to keep the vessel level once the tide has gone out?
Another question,is there a good link to maintenance and removal of the keel. One of the boats that is advertised has a leak somewhere in the keel housing, if I purchased it I would need to pull it apart and fibreglass it. It it solid fiberglass in that area or does it have a balsa core. Is there access to the keel from above .Has anyone done similar repairs?
Your forum is fantastic ,although I seem to have trouble navigating it, but I’m sure practice will improve that.
On the issue of purchasing one, none appear available on the forum, if anyone is thinking of selling one in great condition I’d be interested, especially if it’s in Victoria.
Cheers Ross

[Elandra]

Hi Ross,

Most of what you have asked can be found by searching in the "sailing" and "technical" forums. I believe beaching the Investigator results in about a 30 degree heel which is not good for sleep but not a risk to the hull assuming no rocks etc. The keel or actually the pivoting centreboard is a known issue and most if not all have had to of been fixed. I recently did mine. The main problem is the hole where the bolt goes through wears out. Also the mild steel centreboard often rusts and causes problems. Just search under "centreboard" and there is plenty there. Others may direct you to more specific posts. You can replace the centreboard with stainless steel or aluminium if corrosion is a problem. The centreboard has to be removed by raising the boat a bit or moving the trailer enough to drop it out. The centreboard housing is solid fibreglass and you can only access the centreboard pivot bolt from above and there should be an access hole in the floor (sole) to get to this. Most boats have a fibreglass liner on the sole which I removed on mine to gain more access to repair the pivot hole. Not a big job but fiddly.

Good luck

Andrew

[Peter T]

Hi Ross, although some do beach their 563's, my advice through my experience with mine would be to be very careful if you do so. When I bought mine and parked it in my garage on its trailer, water dripped out from around the centre board opening for about 3 months. The whole keel area was completely full of water. Had it not had a paper thin one layer of glass over the lead each side of the centreboard and had it been a moored boat, it would have sunk. A previous owner had grounded the boat severely on rocks to the extent that a narrow hole about 3 or 4 inches long had been torn into the under side of the keel beside the front edge of the centreboard opening. I had to fully remove the lead from each side of the centreboard, dry it out completely and epoxy fibreglass the bottom of the keel from both the inside and outside of the bottom of the keel. A massive job.
When I did this, the original thickness of the glass on the bottom of the keel was surprisingly very thin.
When I repaired mine I beefed up the whole of the bottom of the keen and it is now probably an extra half an inch thicker of solid epoxy fibreglass than it was when it was new.
Even with it beefed up now, I would not ground my boat deliberately but life is full of choices, so it is up to the individule I guess.

Don't want t o frighten you, but this was my experience.
Cheers.

.

[Ross]

Thanks Peter,that’s great information. I hope to inspect an investigator next week. Any information regarding checking the boat for structural issues,including the leakage and damage to the keel housing that you have mentioned. I’d appreciate some photos of the work that you did if possible. I still don’t understand how the swing keel operates, is there a weakness in the connecting keel bolt as there is in the Sonata seven. I’d be keen t chat to you if possible. My email is ross,taylor1@hotmail,com Ph 0400821860
Thanks again for your generous response. Cheers Ross

[Ross]

Thanks Andrew that’s great information, I’ll try to access those links through the forum. As I responded to Peter ,any tips regarding doing an inspection of a boat for sale would be much appreciated! Cheers Ross

[Ozzie]

viewtopic.php?p=3968&hilit=Checklist#p3968

The above list Ross by past member Dr Peter may be of assistance.

As has been said before on the forum there is much variation in how Investigators were maintained and even built in the first place as the build location and as such the subcontractors also varied. No problems are insignificant but also not generally insurmountable. The general standard of these boats given their age has been mostly good. Most members have eventually found them to be a rewarding purchase.

It’s worth remembering that the original design of the long keel was to take the full weight of the vessel while trailering, distributed over just the five or so double rollers and on Australian roads!!!! So it is meant to be sufficiently strong to do that. The side bunks in the trailers are only there for stability, they should not taking any weight. By comparison sitting on a sandy bottom provided its sans sharp objects should be fine. People being people however are sometimes careless.

Good luck with it all

[Peter T]

Hi Ross, only just saw your reply. I will give you a call tomorrow . Cheers