==============================================================
Subj: RE: H-28 Solitaire
Date: 1/1/2003 2:37:43 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Jcomer_at_MurrayYachtSales.com (Jeff Comer)
Reply-to: Jcomer_at_MurrayYachtSales.com
To: THAschman_at_aol.com

Theo - Thank you for your response. YES... the H-28 (modified) is the same one that belonged to Mr. Charlie Pitman. I traded my boat (Express 27) and some cash. It seems that the complexity and extensiveness of the work to maintain the old girl was just more that Charlie could deal with. I have found the original owner (not the first owner who it seems never sailed her). He owned her for some 20 years and gave her up reluctantly as he could no longer keep her up. The next owner it seems did extensive reworking of the entire boat which it seems included all the glass work and remodeling of the cabin. The engine was added later. I am still working to document the true origins of Solitaire. I do have a USCG origin certificate but I am not sure how much work was done by this "builder". I did find a copy of the old Far East Yachts brochure with other "ships papers" and she does resemble the early wood boats built by them (before the fiberglass versions). As a cutter rig with the bowsprit, Solitaire has a very distinctive look and does sail well in the light air and will shoulder down when necessary in the afternoon squalls which come through here on the Northern Gulf Coast. Once again thanks for the information and I look forward to any additional what you might wish to pass along.

Jeff Comer
Murray Yacht Sales
Mobile,Alabama
251 471 2944
251 401 4702 cell

==============================================================
Subj: H-28 Info
Date: 10/21/2002 12:16:33 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: CMILLS_at_techdata.com (Mills, Casey)
To: THAschman_at_aol.com ('THAschman_at_aol.com')

Hello,
I am writing to see if you can provide any information on the H-28's built my Parkins Marine in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in the 70's and 80's. I have recently found one for sale, an unbelievable $14K, but it has sold before I had time to make an offer. I am interested in seeking out another one of these fine boats, but have had no luck finding leads to turn to. I notice the webpage mentions Middleton Marine, also in Fla, but attempts to contact has been unsuccessful. I would appreciate any knowledge you can provide.
Thanks,
Casey Mills
Ozona, Fla

Hi Casey,
Try http://h28.org.nz/The_H28/parkins.htm and http://h28.org.nz/The_H28/middletn.htm, which are from theNew Zealand H-28 website .
Theo

==============================================================
December 30, 2002

Hi Jeff,

Take a look at the e-mail below from another person who had an H-28 also named solitaire. He included a photo and the unusual engine type, which would help determine whether they are the same vessel.

Regards,
Theo
----------------
Subj: My H28
Date: 10/18/2002 10:00:23 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Jcomer_at_MurrayYachtSales.com (Jeff Comer)
Reply-to: Jcomer_at_MurrayYachtSales.com
To: THAschman_at_aol.com

I am in the process of purchasing an H28. She is named Solitaire and is glass over wood and seems to be in good shape. Any sources of information on the specific boat or on the H28 design would be very helpful. Thank you in advance.

Jeff Comer

-----------------
Subj: Just bought an H28
Date: 10/20/2002 6:29:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: JBComer311
To: THAschman

I came across your site while looking for information on the Herreshoff H28s. I just purchased (this Friday) one of these fine little boats. I have many questions and will most likely come up with many more. A little back ground on the boat I've purchased. She seems to be fiberglass over mahogany with an oak frame. I have a title which says it is a 1987 but the owner says 1986 but I think she may be much older. She is a cutter rigged ketch with a bow sprit making a total length of just under 34 feet. The tile does call her an H28 but I've no other indication. She does also have the stepped doghouse, galley along the starboard side and the head is port aft with a dinette forward of that. The current name is "Solitaire" but there does not seem to be any documentation. I was told that she has done two circumnavigation's ('86 - '90). Do you know this boat? There are numbers on the forward lower bulkhead could it have been documented in some other country? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff Comer
Mobile, AL
251 471 2944 work
251 928 2998 home
============================================

Subj: h-28 solitaire
Date: 7/16/2002 4:22:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Charley Pittman
To: THAschman
File:sol1.bmp (230454 bytes) DL Time (50666 bps): < 1 minute

Hello, my name is Charley,
I have a katch rigged, full bow sprite, glass over wood, extended cabin, 30 HP kabota diesel h-28. My question has to do w/ ballast. Weighing in at nearly 12 k lb. I feel that the bow is light (possibly due to oversized engine). Where can one find water line measurements
thank you
Charley

-------------------

Hi Charley,

If she's an original H-28, you can buy the plans from Mystic Seaport, and that might help you. If she's a modified design, like a Bermuda 30 or a Far East 29, you might be able to get plans from them. If all else fails, you can try the following approximation:

Assume the waterline should meet the stern right at the bottom of the transom.
Then, if the boat is in the water, trim the boat so that:
(or, if the boat is hauled out, string a string or tape to mark the waterline so that:)

1) the low spot in the sheer is about 28% (8 feet) forward of the stern, somewhere near the forward end of the cockpit, and the scuppers drain the side decks properly; or

2) the cockpit drains properly, if the cockpit is original construction. The mast angle is not a reliable indicator, since the masts in the original design rake 4 or 5 degrees, but are vertical in some designs. Also, if the mast rake is adjustable, it is hard to know which is the right mast position to use to trim the boat.

Perhaps a better way is to look at the boat from the side in a boatyard or in calm water, and compare her appearance and bow/stern proportions with the diagram on the plans page.

Thank you,
Theo

==============================================================

Subj: Canadian H-28's
Date: 9/30/2002 8:41:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: dellard_at_tbaytel.net (Don E)
To: THAschman_at_aol.com

Gentlemen,

I am a member of a trio of bearded individuals that now own two H-28's. We have had the first one for about ten years, and have just acquired a second. The first boat was yard built in 1956 at Bay City Boat Works in Chicago. The second is home built here in Thunder Bay Ontario, Canada. The first boat is mahogany on oak, and the second is cedar on oak.

I have enjoyed the website and it's contributions and look forward to sharing experiences. Our first boat is near the end of a laborious rebuild of the cabin and cockpit, it was repowered shortly after we got her (Atomic four in place of a Universal Blue Jacket Twin). We have just acquired the second one which has a 4 cyl. Palmer engine. They are both ketch rigs and we love these boats. They both have wood stoves (a necessity in our climate).

Don Ellard

Hi Don,
Thanks for writing! Send photos if you like and I'll post them.
Theo

==============================================================
Subj: Motor Advice
Date: 1/4/2002 6:52:40 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: williams_at_warp1.net.au (john williams)
To: THAschman_at_aol.com

I have a cold moulded H28 Sloop with a 10 hp Stuart-Turner motor (1969)and wish to replace it with a 8-10 Hp desiel. I have read the articles already printed but I still dont know what type of motor to get. Iam trying to get one that would fit the existing engine mounts without to many or difficult alterations. The current motor is offset with the shaft/propeller to starboard. Is there anyone that has had a similar Stuart-Turner and has converted to a desiel and what problems they had in particular the profile ie. is it the same height as a S-T as mine sits below the cockpit floor. Would having a generator/starter motor be a problem? I am a bit of a novice regarding marine engines and would appreciate any help or advice anyone could give me.

Thanks John

Here's my two cents worth below. If anyone has advice or can recommend a good engine, please write.
Date: 1/25/2002 12:11:24 PM Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: Motor Advice
From: THAschman
To: williams_at_warp1.net.au

Dear John,

Having the engine fit the bed would be the easy part. The trickier parts would come when seeing if the propeller shaft height (and angle, too) above the bed is close enough to the old. Then trying to make the engine fit under the cockpit will not only depend on the engine's height above the bed, but also the engine's height above the propeller shaft. In the worst case, you might have to alter the bed, the propeller shaft aperture, and even the cockpit.

The best place to start is to get the dimensions of the available engines from the dealers or manufacturers, and see which ones will fit the space best, and work from there.

We did the same job three years ago, and it went well. We also have an offset propeller shaft, although it's to port. The previous engine was larger, so fitting was no problem. We did make new engine beds since the fit wasn't close enough to reuse the old ones. The beds of a Diesel take a pounding and protect the boat from the vibration by spreading the load, so we didn't economise there. Diesels vibrate much more than gasoline engines.

We used a Yanmar 1GM10, a 9.1 Hp 1 cylinder Diesel. We wanted light weight and it is only 160 lbs. There were very few engines to choose from, since every one makes 18 and 25 Hp engines, but almost no one makes Diesel engines as small as 9 or 12 Hp. The little 9 Hp is very powerful and pushes us faster than the old gas engine did, probably because we got the right-sized propeller, which usually means big. In our case it was a 14" diameter x 9" pitch two-blade.

Our tiny package includes a generator and a starter motor with no problem. They're usually on the side so the fit usually won't be a problem. We couldn't function well without them. I've never yet been able to start my little one-lunger with the hand crank.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Theo

==============================================================
Subj: H28 Yeah!!!!!
Date: 7/4/2001 10:09:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: chalant_at_pacbell.net
To: THAschman_at_aol.com

Currently I'm in the process of restoration on an H28..w/ the modified cabin.. I love the boat... I'm using many of the old rotted parts as templates. Please would anyone in the H28 association be able to direct me to a set of plans or dimensional drawings.. Thanks so Much!!

May I also have information about the LF Herreshoff Association?

Hope to hear from you, Thanks again

Vic

Hello Vic,

The original plans drawn by L. Francis Herreshoff in 1942 are now owned by Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut. They will sell you individual sheets or the whole set at a reasonable price. Details are on the website on the plans page. I bought a set 10 years ago when rebuilding Lark's deck and mainmast after Hurricane Bob. Good luck with her restoration! Please send photos while it's progressing!

I found a few L. Francis Herreshoff websites:
L. Francis at his home in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
L. Francis Herreshoff  (Note: He was born in Bristol, Rhode Island, not Bristol, Connecticut.)
Herreshoff Owners Association

Regards,
Theo

==============================================================
Subj: New H28 owner
Date: 5/26/2001 9:53:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Frank_at_fparth.com (Frank Parth)
To: THAschman_at_aol.com

Theo,

Let me introduce myself. My name is Frank Parth, I live in southern California, and I've just taken possession (pending results of a structural survey) of an H28.

The boat was built by Far East Yachts in Japan around 1960, the current owner tells me it was the third boat that came out of their yards. It's a modification of the original design, with a bowsprit, a steel keel instead of a lead one, and an extended deckhouse. The last owner put in a refrigerator and made some other mods to it. He lived on it for 17 years and made it comfortable for himself.

The boat has been sitting out of the water in a storage yard for the last 6 years and has deteriorated badly in its appearance. A marine surveyor and I walked around it two weeks ago and the damage appears to be all cosmetic except for buckling of the fiberglass-covered plywood deck. The engine, the original Atomic 4, is rusting on the outside but the owner tells me he turned it over just a couple of weeks ago so it's apparently still functional.

I intend to replace the plywood decking and refiberglass it, strip the deteriorating paint off, recaulk and repaint the hull, and probably rip out all of the deteriorating cabinets inside and rebuild them. Any advice or pointers you can give me (this is my first big boat project) would be extremely helpful. I've read the links on your site and found them highly useful. As far as the engine goes, I don't know if I want to keep the Atomic 4 or sell it for parts and put in a new diesel. Any thoughts you might have are welcome.

I've taken some pictures of it sitting in storage that I'm going to put on my website (http://www.fparth.com) as soon as they're developed.

Frank Parth

Hello Frank,

The first advice I can give is that most boat restoration projects take two or three times longer than expected. Often an owner finds himself three years into the project, with the boat on land, and several major parts of the boat disassembled. The best way not to get caught by that tendency is to do one project at a time and start with one of the smaller ones. That way you'll find out how long the others are likely to take. You'll also be able to do plenty of sailing between projects, and see which projects turn out to be more urgent or desirable.

The best item to start with could be repainting the hull, since it's done each year, it's the smallest item, and one shouldn't launch if the peeling bottom paint is exposing bare wood or fiberglass. If the hull is wood, don't strip the old paint until just before painting her, since the old deteriorating paint actually helps protect the hull from drying out and shrinking too fast.

The next item depends on the need. If the deck is leaking rainwater into the boat, that should come next, since the bunks may not be habitable for humans or gear, and because leaking fresh water will cause rot in the wood in the deck or interior. (Salt water kills rot, which is a fungus, and fresh water promotes it.) Make sure all your joinerwork and the fiberglass covering are designed to drain water. Any joints which hold water will rot soon.

The engine can wait unless it doesn't run at all. You can test the engine on land by putting the raw water intake hose into a large bucket of water and trying to start the engine. It will run for a minute or two on a 1 or 2 gallon bucket. I winterize Lark's engine (both the old Atomic Four and the new diesel) by sticking the intake hose in a gallon jug of antifreeze and running the engine until it drinks the gallon.

The interior should come last, as boat interiors usually take much longer than most people expect. A boat's construction cost breakdown is usually one quarter for the hull, one quarter for the rig, one quarter for the interior, and one quarter for the engine. This means that a whole new interior could be as much involvement as building a bare hull. You could also start with a small interior project to see how long it takes.

I wish you luck with her, and hope it goes quickly! Write again and let us know how she's progressing.

Sincerely,
Theo

==============================================================