Forums, Internal Fixtures and Fittings, Vessel lifting point

Zoom 495 at 02/12/2014 00:41:30
My 1977 vintage Contessa has a vessel lifting point that extends up from the keel through the "water " tank and terminates at the cabin sole with a female thread which can accept an eye bolt.
Do all Contessas have this fitted?
As I wish to fit a bladder tank ( hopefully) to the above keel space, does anybody have some input on removing this hardware?
Thanks,Kris

George Isted at 02/12/2014 12:44:15
That’s a new one, never seen that before. It not used I expect it could be removed by cutting out.

Got any pictures you can share?

Zoom 495 at 02/12/2014 20:04:14
Must have been a custom fit right from the yard. The original owners who bought it from J Rogers wanted to sail it from Eastern Canada to the Caribbean, and I believe single point haul outs are the normal down there. Anybody know that for sure???
Anyway, it will go eventually.
What is the capacity of the water tank? I will use this figure to get a bladder tank.
Thanks,kris

George Isted at 03/12/2014 14:05:20
The original tank fitted to Concerto in ’78 was around 50-60L, The new stainless tank is about 80L.

Be careful if/when removing your lifting point as the keel structure needs bonding over the top to tie the sides together and stop the hull from flexing when beating hard.

Zoom 495 at 03/12/2014 15:40:56
So, is the water tank at all structural?
Is there a void between the bottom of the water tank and the top of the keel?
I just assumed the bilge from the forward areas just flowed over the water tank to the bilge well.

George Isted at 03/12/2014 15:52:29
The water tank itself is not structural but there is bonding that goes over the top of the water tank onto the hull each site that is important.

As an overview – there is a big lump of lead in the bottom of the keel, this is sitting in resin with a layer of glass mat over the top. Above this is the void where the water tank sits, there is an air gap at the sides and below the tank to hold any bilge water. Therefore any bilge water from up forward flows aft under the tank not over it.

There should be some holes drilled in the bonding over the water tank (that is immediately under the floor) so that any water on the floor will drain down to the bilge past the water tank.

Hope that helps explain what’s going on down there.

Rclark1977 at 06/01/2015 14:25:33
Hi

Just seen this post. Carolina has the same threaded “socket”, Jeremy
told me that at one time it was used for moving hulls around the factory.
Nothing more exciting Im afraid.

Richard

Zoom 495 at 30/01/2015 04:42:36
Richard, does Carolina still have the “threaded socket” then?
If not, did you remove it?
Cheers,kris

Rclark1977 at 30/01/2015 09:02:36
Hi Kris
No it was removed when the old tank was replaced with a new stainless steel tank
a few years ago. I understand it was a bit of a devil to remove!
Best
Richard