Converting your boat to a turbo is a pretty big project, but it really makes a difference. Of course, if you can find a turbo, it would be cheaper to buy that than to convert your boat. I’d say you could get the whole boat for the cost of converting.
However, there are some short cuts. I’ll go into the regular conversion first, then the McGuyver version.
Stock version:
You absolutely, positively have to have a dolphin striker. The add-on one from Hobie or Murrays is about $80 and attaches with four rivets. I installed one last weekend in 15 minutes. If you don’t have one, you stand the chance of collapsing the front beam when you hike out—and you WILL hike out.
The jib blocks attach to a wire that runs under the trampoline and connects to the chain plate on the side bars where the shrouds attach. The Turbo chain plate is longer and wraps around (underneath) the side rail to stick out under the tramp about an inch. The jib block support wire attaches to them and is adjusted with a turn buckle. You need a HUGE grommet in the tramp (I think a #10) that is about a foot back from the front beam and a foot in from the chain plate. The jib block attaches to the jib block support wire through that grommet.
Adding the jib is actually the easy part. You need to get new bridles, a furler and an upper forestay with swivel. The jib stay acts as the forestay in the stock set-up. So, yes, you have to step the mast with the jib. The only thing remaining is installing a small cam cleat or jam cleat on the front beam to hold the furling line.
The cost-effective McGuyver way:
The $80 dolphin striker is by far the easiest striker, but you can make one for practically nothing provided you have the tools. I took a 16 dolphin striker/mast base and converted it. 16 frames are a dime a dozen and there are a ton of them out there. You will need to straighten the wire, chase it, cut it shorter and then bend it to fit in the 14 castings. You will need to drill two holes in the frame under the mast step base for the pole to stick through. Personally, I would spend the 80 bucks.
OK, I took my tramp to an awning/tent maker and had them install the grommets. That was $20 because I interrupted the guy’s lunch. Next, I installed 2 of the regular chain plates next to the standard ones under the side rails. I happened to have an extra set of 14 side rails to get the chain plates from, but you could really use just about any strip of stainless for the plate. I think boats newer than ’82 have the longer plates.
Next, I got a used set of Hobie 16 rigging. 16 rigging is also pretty cheap on eBay or any used cat site. I have swaging equipment at home, but if your local West Marine has a swaging station like my local West Marine, you are in good shape. I cut the forestay, jib halyard wire, side stays, bridles and trap wires down to fit the 14. The idea was to rig the boat like a 16 so you wouldn’t have to step the mast with the jib. I leave my boat on the beach, so I didn’t want to leave the sail out there. The only thing left was the jib support wire. I had some extra wire around, so I made it a two piece system. I attached one end of each piece to the chain plate and tied them together in the middle. I made sure there was a few inches of space between them so I could run a line through them and get it pretty tight.
For the 16 set-up, I also had to install a cleat on the side of the mast as well as a cheek block for the jib downhaul.
That’s it! All you would need then would be a sail and the blocks. Granted, the sail is the hard part to get used, but they show up every now-and-then. I think this conversion cost me $50 in hardware, but it did take me a while to fabricate everything. If any one wants the exact measurements, email me.
