# New Member



## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

Idon't know how it took me three years into our restoration / retirement project to find this site. This looks like a lot of great community.

photos posted CAMPER & NICHOLOSON 58

My wife and I, mad fools that we are, bought a hurricane damaged 1984 Camper & Nicholson 58 Ketch and had it trucked from Ft Lauderdale to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2007. The trip took over a week on the road. The trucker blew 17 tires. 

It arrived with just about enought time to rush through a winterizing project. The boat was never intended to run in a freezing climate so it was a lengthy process to empty and or glycol fill the farious systems. Many parts are in the basement for safe keeping. We used this oportunity to trace and label all lines, pipes, and hoses. We removed 5 truck-loads of inventory and spare parts.

The major first project was to have the two hurricane hull penetrations professionally repaired. One in the port side and the bow stem was crushed. Both were about 8 inches above water so the boat never shipped serious water. All stanchions and pulpits were destroyed as was most of the toe and splash rail. Summer of 08 we scraped and blasted the bottom and ground out thousands of gel blisters. I also found 8 delaminations of up to about 5 inch diameter. These all proved to require a feathered patch of about 12 to 18 inches diameter and about 1/2inch thick. The hull below water is kevlar and glass and about 1 to 2 inches thick - massive. It is also egg-crate reinforced with 4 inch thick fiberglass ribs in two directions. Note that in the hurrican, I am told that the boat took out the docks on the canal where it got loose. 

The new bottom went on in August 08. After fairing and filling with West, we ground the entire bottom with 80 grit and applied 6 coats of INTER PROTECT 2000E and 3 coats of VIVID yellow. Note the block M in blue on the keel. GO BLUE. 

The boat was moved again, this time to Muskegon Michigan where the remainder of the repairs will take place. With luck and continued employment we will repaint the masts, the hull, step the masts, install new stanchions, pulpits and rails, acquire a winter cover by fall of 09. We are itching to get the boat in the water by 2010.

Our plan is to cruise the Great Lakes short-term and to retire to the boat and cruise blue water. Hope the economy makes a properous come back.


----------



## mrwuffles (Sep 9, 2008)

Welcome sounds like you are having fun with your project, good luck.


----------



## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Welcome to sailnet.

You have quite a few SN neighbors over there on Lake Mi.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

welcome aboard. Glad to have you.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Welcome to Sailnet and best of luck with the little project.


----------



## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

Mark, 'beautiful vessel, great propects, 'see you on the water, Aythya crew


----------



## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

*visit us this summer*

Stop by Torresens Marine in Muskegon if you are near and meet us.

We should be progressively easier to find as the yard clears and we are left standing alone. See our pictures posted in the Gallery. White hull, yellow bottom, blue water stipe and big block M on the keel.

Mark & Lynn


----------



## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

congratulations on your new project. Once you get the hang of boat ownership, you can move up to a big boat!


----------



## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

My cousin has been sailing blue water on a sister-ship to ours for about 8 years. He pointed us at our current Camper & Nicholson 58 because they liked their's so much. You can access their cruise record at this link

African Queen World Cruise

It is kept by their former full-time skipper, Tony. African Queen is currently for sale. Also follow the links to the Orion Project and Tony's other links.


----------



## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

MArk,

Let me add my welcome! 

It seems you really have your work cut out for you with this refit, but it also sounds as if you're cut out for the work too! 

It must be handy having your cousin as a resource. That was quite a trip they took in their CN58. Looking at the track of their journey, I couldn't help wondering if they ever regret not having crossed their outbound route to "close" the circumnavigation? From the looks of it, one long tack to leeward might have done it!    Do you ever kid him about it?  

All the best of luck to you with the refit. We don't have too many boats your size here, but I hope we can be of assistance all the same. And maybe you can teach us a thing or two as well!


----------



## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

John,
My cousin is a "gentleman sailor" He and his wife hired a full time skipper and his wife to manage and deliver the boat to places they wanted to be. The owner of the link I listed above was their skipper. Check out the ex-skipper's current new position on the ORION PROJECT at that link and a few of his previous boat positions. Kurt & Vicky had no particular goals regarding routs or circumnavigation but really enjoyed the venue de'jour. "What does Vicky make for dinner"? - RESERVATIONS. I love 'em. Note, click on any of Kurt & Vicky's photos for a link to that destination. 

I was just having another look myself and noticed they transitted the Malacca straight. Right about now that would make my skin crawl.


----------



## mgmhead (Jan 14, 2007)

Nicholson 58,

Welcome to Sailnet. Sounds like a dandy boat project you've got on your hands but I like your style. As a former Michigander (never Michiganian) I've always loved Maize and Blue, they are beautiful colors and the block M is a nice touch. 

All the best to you in this great adventure...MGM


----------



## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks MikeyMo,
The paint job is a great ice-breaker. My father was a grad but I happened to live immeadiately south and attended OU. (not OSU!!!!!!!!). Weve put two of our daughters through U of M & frankly, I think they owe me the paint job. I've so far received threats of the dreaded circle with a line through it and some creative midnight re-paints.

Mark H.


----------



## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

ya have to be careful. there are a lot of doctoral degreed MSU grads out there working as housepainters


----------



## mgmhead (Jan 14, 2007)

Mark,

So you're a Bobcat. I had an intern from OU once upon a time...good guy. My daughter-in-law even spent a couple of semesters there. Then she went to OSU briefly and finished up at Cedar Crest. 

You better keep your eyes on those guys from Moo U, they can be a surley lot. I suspect it's an inferiority complex.

You know why MSU went to artificial turf? It was to keep the cheerleaders from grazing at halftime. He-he-he


----------



## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

MikeyMo,
I livved in Ohio long enough to know that too many of those cheerleaders were corn-fed.

We usually went to the OU football games to watch the 110 Marchin' Men at half-time. (in the days when band was part of the athletic dept with no women) We only stuck around for the 3rd quarter if we needed a laugh.


----------



## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

NICHOLSON58 said:


> John,
> My cousin is a "gentleman sailor" He and his wife hired a full time skipper and his wife to manage and deliver the boat to places they wanted to be. The owner of the link I listed above was their skipper. Check out the ex-skipper's current new position on the ORION PROJECT at that link and a few of his previous boat positions. Kurt & Vicky had no particular goals regarding routs or circumnavigation but really enjoyed the venue de'jour. "What does Vicky make for dinner"? - RESERVATIONS. I love 'em. Note, click on any of Kurt & Vicky's photos for a link to that destination.
> 
> I was just having another look myself and noticed they transitted the Malacca straight. Right about now that would make my skin crawl.


Ahhhh, I see now. That explains much.

I love having reservations for dinner.


----------

