LM28 problems?

[atsea]

I'm looking to buy a bilge keel LM28. I'd be grateful for any adivce on problem areas to look out for before buying. Thanks

[johnc]

Hi Atsea, just bought an LM28 about 4 months ago. Due to the very low asking price, I had to buy it on the spot so I did not have time to get a survey and was only able to see the main cabin etc through the small sliding hatch from the wheelhouse.

To be absolutely honest, I have got the bargain of a lifetime as the boat although needing quite a bit of TLC in the wheelhouse and cockpit, the main structure of the boat indicated by a survey carried out 5 years ago gave it a clean bill of health. In addition, it had been fitted with a new 36HP Bukh 10 years ago. That said the one weak spot I have found is that the the mast compression support post has deformed the internal hull fibreglass support section. I have a friend with an LM28 with the same issue. In my case, its only about 3 to 5 mm but will be fixing it.

The LM28, as all LMs is very well built, the bilge keel webs are massive, the mouldings are very well finished.

Things I would look for are signs of mast support issue by sighting along the coachroof to see if the deck is sagging and looking at the foot of the mast support. If you lift the two floorboards you will see the support section.

You should also be aware of the potential cost of replacing the saildrive diaphram, also check for corrosion on the saildrive if the anode has not been replaced regularly. Check the prop as Bukh cost is ~ £650 but you can get lower price elsewhere.

I have a couple of leaks at the rear of the rear of the wheelhouse side windows so look for water damage behind the helmsman seat. You should make sure you lift up the door between the cockpit and the wheelhouse as it can suffer from water damage.

One area of the 28 which tends to suffer is sun damage to the woodwork in the wheelhouse due to the large windows. In my case, I have tried to gently sand the veneer to get back to the original mahogany colour but veneer is too thin so I will be applying new sapele mahogany veneer throughout the wheelhouse.

I wish you well in your search for an LM28, I am very pleased with my LM and am so looking forward to next April when I plan to launch her.

[Sula]

I have no direct experience of it, but I am aware of an LM26 (the smaller sister of the 28) that had suffered some deformation of the support under the mast compression post. Whether this is common I have no idea.



There was a few years ago a somewhat limited account of the problem with the LM26, and the repair made, posted on either on this forum or the YBW forum. As I recall, the existing support was ground out, then replaced by building up a new support block using epoxy resin.

[atsea]

Many thanks for that. I wouldn't have suspected problems at the base of the mast support.
The LM28 seems ideal for what I want (although expensive). The only downside for my purposes seems to be the difficulty of installing an electic windlass that will feed the rode into the locker, or an enlarged one below the present locker. The LM27 appears the same. Anyone found a cunning solution?

[Sula]

My LM27 has an electric windlass. Horizontal axle - so chain feeds over the top, and drops down into the the original chain locker. The triangular locker lid (some have a circular lid) has had to have part of one side cut off to accommodate the windlass.

It works fine in terms of lifting and dropping the anchor and chain, but it doesn't leave enough room for the full length of a suitably large anchor to sit in front of it when the anchor's not in use. I currently have an inherited arrangement whereby the anchor is cantilevered out overhanging the bow, which puts an unfair strain on the bow roller. I am pondering having a modified bow roller made, something like a stubby bow sprit. This would also keep the further anchor away from the hull when being retrieved.



If you look at photographs and videos of LMs on the internet, you'll see a variety of windlass and bow roller/sprit arrangements. The Scanyacht 290, a later British-built modified version of the LM27, has as standard a tubular stainless steel 'bowsprit' arrangement, supported by a smaller tube coming up from lower down the bow.  You can see part of it in the photo below which I found on-line.



I'd be interested to see how others have tackled this issue.

[atsea]

That looks a simple and effective arrangement. Certainly simpler than some I'd been mulling over (and I haven't managed to buy a boat yet!).
Does the rode self feed in ok, especially rope? I'll be mainly single-handed.

[Sula]

Sept 17, 2019 17:38:52 GMT atsea said:

That looks a simple and effective arrangement. Certainly simpler than some I'd been mulling over (and I haven't managed to buy a boat yet!).
Does the rode self feed in ok, especially rope? I'll be mainly single-handed.

If you're referring to the arrangement on my LM27, the chain feeds in and out perfectly.  I have about 30m of 7mm chain IIRC, with a further length of nylon rode spliced to it.  I don't think I've ever needed more than the chain, and I can't remember ever checking how well the rope runs.  I really should do so, and if I get a chance in the near future I'll report back. 

I'll also check what model the windlass is.  I think it's a Lewmar and 700w.  Obviously numerous different makes available, but that power seems perfectly adequate to me, and the wiring to it (which is in accordance with manufacturer's instructions) surprisingly modest in thickness.

I often sail single-handed, and the windlass has been fine for that, except for having to trek backwards and forwards between the windlass control in the wheelhouse (can be reached from outside through the hatch) and the bow when I wanted to see how much chain was left, the angle the chain was making to the bow, or whether the anchor had broken the surface.   I've subsequently bought a cheapie (£12?) unbranded Chinese wireless remote control off eBay, which will enable me to control the windlass from the bow.  (Apparently these cheap remotes operate with a slight delay, but I can live with that, and it's far cheaper and simpler than fitting other arrangements.)   

[atsea]

Thanks johnc. I checked the base of the mast compression post on the one I'm looking at. It seemed solid. However the owner says the deck under the mast had sagged in the past and been repaired. He claimed the the deck under the mast is a balsa core wich had got wet and rotted. Bit (?!) surprising.
Thanks sula - I'll be looking at windlass options once I've managed to buy a boat.