Part One:

When people say sailing is very communal, as a new sailor, I never really understood this comment and I’m still just scratching the surface.  James always spoke of how social a sailing life can be, how the people around pull together to help one another.

We have been writing posts since the beginning of October since we purchased our sailboat Ocean Phoenix.  Our first post “From the Beginning” to our most recent post “Relocate…One Country to another” have been learning experiences for us.  We have written 19 posts and really enjoyed the feedback and comments.  We share our posts through our website, our Facebook page, and other Facebook groups and on the Cruisers & Sailing Forums.  The majority of responses have been from the Cruisers Forums.

We would like to thank everyone who has responded to one of our posts.  It is amazing to hear the thoughts and opinions from so many different people.   In keeping with the community aspect of sailing, we would like to share some of the responses with you.  Below you will find the title of our blog in “Italic” and underneath that will be some of the responses.  Unfortunately, we can not include every response, as much as we would like to.

“The Power of sailing” – 

• You should also search the web for Service Bulletins. They’re those pesky notices about how the original manuals were wrong and other things you NEED to know about upgrades to the engine. Very important.
  Engines 101 – The BIGGEST & BEST collection of M25 Series Universal Engine Information on the Internet, plus some M35, too
  Diesel Engine – c34.org
  Also, find out what rw pump you have.
• Aw, c’mon. You can’t expect me to let that statement stand!
  The comments about fresh fuel are correct. To expand on that, probably 90% of the auxiliary engine failures I’ve seen on sailboats follow the same pattern.
  Your fuel is rarely used if you’re truly sailing. Bugs (bio-fouling) and sediments are stirred up by a brisk day sail. Motoring back in, the stirred-up sediment eventually clogs the filter. Right around the time, the boat is approaching a lift bridge or some other immovable hazard.
  It happens with frightening regularity. I’ve seen boats dismasted by a bridge, and I’ve pulled people off a boat being heeled over by the current, with the mast stuck on a bridge. Always the same cause.
• I have an M35. It starts extremely quickly and seems a very remarkable engine all around. Like all diesels (and really all engines), it requires some essentials to start. When those essentials are not there, things go to poo quickly.
  I have had issues for the better part of a year with mine but I can’t blame the engine. It seems to be related to a VERY tiny air leak in the fuel supply line. The resulting problems are VERY fickle including being apparently dependent on the level of fuel in the tank. I think I have it solved (but then I thought that before).
  There are a number of other little things that can drive you insane trying to figure them out. Despite all of the problems I have had, I LOVE that engine![/QUOTE
  Install an electric fuel pump with a switch as close to the tank as possible. If you have 2 tanks install it right after the Y valve. When on this will pressurize the lines & show you right where the leak is. Plus it’s great for changing filters & can also run the motor if the primary fuel pump quits on you.

“Ocean Phoenix” – 

• Have you Had a look at this yet?: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%26C_37/40?
  Or here?: https://c-c-37-40.blogspot.ca/
  …and here?: https://c-c-37-40.blogspot.ca/2017/0…-drawings.html
  …and for some photos, try this: https://c-c-37-40.blogspot.ca/p/photos.html
  Those will get you started.
  Which 37R did you purchase?
• The following link is to previous threads in CF that mention the boat model you now have. There are good tips and comments about the boats in those threads. I saw several that should help you with tips about chain plates, core, rigging, handling, etc. Look beyond or deeper than the thread title, as often the comments that are very helpful are not closely related to a thread title.
  Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your new boat and cruising too.
  https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403…037&gsc.page=1
• Had a C&C 38 with a customs keel, 7.5′ draft, based out of Narragansett Bay, I sailed the snot out of that boat up and down New England and NY area in all conditions and loved it, it’s long gone now but I still miss that boat. C&C tended to make well rounded, good performing boats that still handled challenging conditions well and comfortably. Mine had an inner forestay added, to fly a storm jib, which added much flexibility to the trim options, it’s something you might consider, it helped bring the center of balance inward in big wind, it was removable, so it didn’t interfere with tacking the large (155%) headsail in normal conditions.
  Perfect boat for the area you’re in, good upwind performance, good seakeeping traits(for a racer cruiser) and a level of comfort and stability most racer cruisers don’t offer. Oh, and by the way, I was able to outpoint most J’s, which gave me no endless joy. One thing though, due to the inner mounted genoa tracks offwind headsail trim could be inefficient, so I used to carry extra genoa lines with snap shackles and s hooks on the ends, on broad reaching days I clipped them to the toe rail to bring the trim of the headsail out from the center of the boat which made for much better broad reaching sheeting angles. It’s worth noting.

James and Tammy on svoceanphoenix.com