TECHNICAL MANUAL
Introduction
If you are a new Tomahawk owner, or even if you have enjoyed sailing one for some years, we hope you will find this manual useful.
The Tomahawk Owners’ Association was formed by a group of enthusiasts in 1999, and for more than twenty years its members have been recording their technical experiences in the Association’s bulletin, The Tomahawk.
The Tomahawk 25 was conceived, essentially as a home-completion sailing cruiser, and although several were completed professionally, many more were purchased as basic moulded grp hulls. Their original owners had the opportunity to fit them out to meet their cruising needs, and consequently interior layouts vary.
So from its very beginning the Tomahawk was a boat for practical sailors, and the twenty plus articles in this manual reflect the hands-on, practical enthusiasm of TOA members.
In the following pages you will find articles which will help you to maintain, modify, improve or repair your own boat. The Association makes the usual disclaimer that it accepts no liability for any article in this manual, or in its bulletin. You will see that often members involve professional assistance and advice when undertaking major tasks, while saving costs by doing most of the work themselves.
We hope you will find membership of the Association valuable too. All we ask in return is that you record and photograph your own repairs, improvements and modifications. Our bulletin editor, Gordon Keyte, will be very pleased to publish these in The Tomahawk. Email to gordonkeyte@gmail.com (If writing is not your thing, just submit the photographs with accompanying notes and a TOA volunteer will turn it into an article for you.)
Should you wish to contact any of the members whose articles appear in this manual, please email our Honorary Secretary, Tony Hepworth, on tony.hepworth47@gmail.com. A few may no longer be members, having sold their Tomahawks, but he will endeavour to put you in touch with a member with experience in your project.
Should you have any comments on this manual please contact me, Don Baines, TOA Technical Officer, on donbaines@keme.co.uk
Now enjoy!
Table of Contents
1: A winter boat cover 1
2: Curing a wobbly keel 2
3: Mast step repair 3
4: Cockpit main sail reefing 3
5: A new engine 4
6: Tomahawk Rudder Repairs 8
6.1: Rudder repair – fin keels 9
6.2: Rudder repair – twin keels 12
6.3: Rudder repair – an alternative solution 15
7: Replacement rudder shoe bearing 16
8: Overhauling a cutlass bearing 17
9: Gelcoat repair 19
10: A new fore hatch 20
11: Designing and fitting a water tank 22
12: New headlining – and windows 23
13: A Tomahawk main hatch garage 27
14: Midship cleats 28
15: Cockpit Tent for a Tomahawk 28
16: A twin bow roller 30
17: Fitting a furling jib 31
18: Bleeding a diesel fuel system 33
19: Single line reefing 35
20: Anchor hatch modification 36
21: A Tomahawk built in Lego! 39