INVESTIGATOR 563

Hi all,

Well after a few weeks of deciding "which boat' then deciding on an investigator 563 then spending a month or so looking and finally spending 3 hours today clambering over and under an Investigator 563, I purchased Bultaro, #41098 and I managed to save a few hundred on the already cheap price.
Pros
She looks to be very sound but I'll not have a chance to 'test' how sound until she is in the water as she was/is on her trailer. She is very solid to walk around her deck with NO flex on the deck especially from the mast forward (I'm a pretty big built bloke @ 98kg's) and with me 'bouncing up and down there was the faintest flex in the area between mast and anchor well and NO flex any where else and believe me I gave her a good bouncy walk lol.
She is an early version because the front hatch has 1 hinge. Her pop top raises easily enough and locks into position easily enough but I doubt one would sail with it raised because it's simply a big area that could quickly fill with water. However, on a weekend she will be a nice addition.
She came with a furling jib (Ronstan Brand) but the diameter of the drum is small so it's prob a furling and Not reefing furler. It will still be useful for dowsing the jib. It's a weird furler because the jib 'hanks' onto the stay but the stay swivels at the mast so the jib has to 'wrap' its self around the stay?
She has 2 mains that look in good nick, 2 number 1 Genoa, a spinnaker that looks virtually new and a number 2 jib (No storm jib)
She has a full compliment of MUST have safety equipment but no "recommended equipment; for the areas I'll be sailing. (I'll need to get a VHF although, my sailing area/requirements do not require a VHF (MAST - Tasmania) recommends one which I'll add.

Interesting
I've no History on her other than a single name strip on the Starboard side and her number. There is a Deviot Sailing Club sticker on her transom (The Deviot Sailing club is situated on the Lovely Tamar River, in Launceston Tasmania) I'll email the club to ask if anyone knows of her history there.

Cons
The interior cushion covers are past their use by date and ratty so I'll replace them and I own a sewing machine (hahahaha.. not many big built blokes own sewing machines let along know how to sew lol) so I'll sew some new covers with a bit of colour to brighten up the interior (but not so bright I'll not be able to sleep). I'll also replace the cushions as well just to keep things nice and new

I'll replace a few jam style cleats, some blocks and other items as I come across them as they look sun damaged and although, they still seem strong they are on my "replacement recommended"
I'll replace the grab rail on the cabin top as the wood looks rooted so I'll replace that with hopefully alloy or similar but if that proves too difficult I'll just use wood again.

As mentioned previously the wooden toe-rail has been removed so I'll look into replacing that with wood (Tassie is after all the land of wood ) or if not wood I'll look into alloy or similar.

Miscellaneous

She came with a Volvo Penta 90, long shaft outboard (9hp I believe). I have NO idea about the engine but it fired up 2nd pull from cold and chugged along with out much effort. from the colour scheme and look it's definitely from the 80's. hell I don't even know if it's 2 stroke or 4 (but I'll have a look for an oil fill which will soon sort that)

She is on a "break style trailer" so I'll need to read up on this style of trailer.

Lastly, I was very proud of my little 1.6ltr Honda with a max towing capacity of 1200kg as she towed the 563 137km's today, up and down a fairly twisty road here in Tas (Frankford Rd) and the little 1.6ltr Honda did a fantastic job. About the only issue was starting from standstill, whilst parked on the hill we live on because it took me 3 goes to get the 563 backed nicely into my driveway. However, on the 3 attempts I had to start from stand still and move UP our hill to line up the 563 for our driveway so my little Honda struggled to move from stand still whilst pulling the 563 up our hill but a few good fist full's of revs and the Honda was away without burning out the clutch but I did not want to tempt fate with too many attempts at reverse parking. I was also proud of my reversing techniques as I'm not very good at reverse parking trailers... so very happy with my effort today (I'd been dreading reverse parking the 563 into our drive because, I'm not very good at reverse parking a trailer, I've never reverse parked a boat and our hill is steep so I was unsure if my little Honda would haul the 563 up our street.

Looking forward to getting out on the water soon (Easter I think by the time I do a few odd jobs)
Cheers, Pete

Welll done mate, you will not be disappointed.

The furler system you describe is standard and works well when you get used to it. You need to tie an extension onto the jib halyard to get the halyard down and then remove it to sail. Sister clips are handy and came with my 563. I use a tent spring to tension the jib rig. I have diagram somewhere I'll post if you need it.

Hi Ozzie,

A few photos would be fantastic and certainly appreciated as I'm having trouble trying to visualise how to use sister clips on the jib its self. The jib halyard seems to have the extension but I did not take notice of how the extension is joined to the halyard so when I get the mast stepped I'll rig her up and see just what goes where. When I was clambering over her yesterday there was so much to take in a few things (like the halyard extension) went unnoticed.

Thanks for the good advice and offer of a few photos.
If it's easier you cam email them directly ?
scorpiopete@hotmail.com

Cheers, Pete

Congratulations on buying a great little boat!

You might find a number on one of the sails, or under the design award plaque which may be fitted next to the companionway hatch. Another potential spot is under the starboard forward bunk cushion. The Investigator563 sail numbers are maximum three digits.

Rather than reversing up the hill, it might be more economical to invest in a plastic tarp see-http://www.investigator563.com/forum/vi ... ?f=4&t=172 , and park on the street. It is easy to burn out the clutch when you are trying to drag more than a tonne of boat and trailer from a standing start. Coincidentally today my little town car is in for a clutch replacement and it's going to cost nearly $1,000, compared to $120 for a plastic tarp.

The tilting trailer allows you to get the boat on and off the trailer without totally submerging the trailer. We have some posts on this site showing pictures of the launch and retrieve. On my boat the balance is a little bit marginal from a trailer stability point of view, however on the ramp, once I have disconnected the security chain and winch cable, flicking the tilt restraint off and a gentle lift, and away she goes!

Pictures Please

Hi all,
She's number 53

Well I've spent the best part of late this afternoon after work looking over my 563 and could not locate a number anywhere on her, I then unrolled the main and she has number 53 emblazoned on the main. I take it she is boat number 53 which would seem correct because she is showing her age and she has the single hinge on the front hatch cover (indicating an early build).

She seems to be one the very early builds.... not sure if this is a good thing or not as sometimes the later version have the 'bugs' ironed out but then again sometimes early versions may have been built 'thicker & stronger' ... but again, not sure.

I'll do some more reading up on the build line & versions.
Cheers, Pete

No 53 is only 3 away from Yara, which is No 50. No design problems that I have found except that flimsy single hinge on the fore-hatch, and the lack of solid support under the mast. Both items easily fixed. We have a few posts on the mast support design. The well for the outboard was the only other major change in the design over time, and it looks like that idea was dropped at very low single digit hull numbers. The original rudder design was a bit akward, and a number of boats have changed that.

Yes, the fore hatch seems flimsy but looks secure enough.

I've got 2 rudders with her and one is a lot lighter and less pronounced in shape than the other heavier one. I'll take both out with me and see how they go as a comparison.

I'll check the write up on the mast support and investigate mine as to whether mine needs extra support although, it may be well worth doing as a precautionary measure. I'll also investigate the rudder design and see what others have done

Cheers, Peter

http://www.careel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1821
Mate sorry this took so long could not find the diagram , but located it again on the above site. Down the page after the few photos. Where they have the jib tensioning blocks I just go down through the metal triangle on the furler back up to a tied loop and use a tent spring to provide tension.

The other point is mentioned in the vintage 563 documents is to interlace the down ward jib halyard through the hanks to stop the lot bowing. This can prove annoying getting the sister clips to pull down . Needs sleeving with something to make it pull through smoothly.

Good luck