J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Need Encouragement

I have been refitting Quicksilver for the last couple of years in fits and starts. Every time I think i am getting close to getting her back in the water something else pops up. The most recent one is that somehow the transom gudgeons that were mounted on the boat when I bought her are not original and are not the correct geometry. They interfere with the rudder at more than 10 degrees in either direction. I confirmed this by looking at the gudgeons on another J30 in town. Had a local welding shop modify them, but they still need some tweaking.

Turns out the seller was not honest in known issues and a survey did not pick up on any of the big issues either. Since purchasing her she has been on the hard. The big issues, no surprise to any of you, is core rot. I have ripped open and rebuilt and repainted the transom, fortunately it was the thru hulls that leaked and not the the exhaust tube which had dry core around it. Other projects done: repaired a keel smile, repainted the bottom, rebuilt busted rope clutches, replaced missing or damaged seacocks, got the engine running again for the first time in many many years, etc. etc.

My struggle is that is seems like whenever I make headway I end up finding some other huge problem with the boat and I am frankly loosing steam. Could use some encouragement that this project is in fact worth it and possible.

This forum has been a huge help and an incredible resource over the years. Thank you!

Well, the J30 is a blast to sail so all the work will be worth it. That’s not to say that older boats are troublefrree. They all age differently based on their upkeep. I looked at 4 J30s before I decided that I could handle the issues with my current hull #409. Good luck on getting yours up to speed. Dan

You dont need to fix everything all at once. Prioritize core rot in structural regions. It still sails the same with soft spots in non structural regions. Put it in the water and enjoy it for a while. Then catch up on the maintenance when you have time.

Agreed, we're always fixing something in the off-season. You can get her ready enough to splash in the spring, and pick up where you left off when you haul out again for the fixing things season.