08-28-2006, 05:49 PM
Glad things are going well for you Mike. The new house location sounds grand. I was in Anchorage for a few days years ago and really love the look of the country. All that damned rain, snow, and mud leave a lot to be desired though. I never saw moose before and it seems like there was one in every ditch and swale. I suspect Alaska winters are like hurricane season. They just sort of grow on you until you just take them in stride. My youngest in Jacksonville called tonight so I told him "Duck you sucker, yer turn". He just laughed.
I took the Saralee out yesterday. I took Friday off to finish rigging the sail and worked in the yard all day Saturday, then back into the sun to sail on Sunday. By 10 AM the wind chill was over 100 F. But I went anyway. The topmast and mount plus the mast itself make the assembly too heavy for me to lift by hand. I use a triple block set from the inner forestay mount to the inner forestay and an A-frame to raise it. It seems to work OK; but, I need to get rid of some of that weight aloft. The winds yesterday were 6-10 and gusting so any speed gain was difficult to detect. I can see the light air advantage. The sail, raised from the port side, seems to set OK on a port tack but is fouled by the rigging on a starboard run. I expected this, however, being so small it is useless close to the wind, it just lufts way before the main or the jib. The ripstop may not be jeavy enough. I will consult with PAR on this. Off the nose it sets pretty well with about 1/2 the sail pulling and the rest bulging between the gaff halyards. Possibly adding a second down haul line on the foot would allow releasing and pulling the foot over the gaff rigging for a better set. Light air may also eliminate the problem. I took one puff that was the cause a near round up when I was distracted and sitting on the main sheet. She lay over smartly but never dipped the rail and I was able to catch her before she came all around. I havenât got the Yankee done so expect any speed gain will come from that sail.
That new rudder is a gem Mike. I can now lash the wheel and main and she will sail herself. I can even wander all over the boat. She would never do that before. She would always gibe or round up if left for more than a few seconds. In the strong wind: ~ 10 kts (I forgot to take my wind meter) the rudder deflection is approximately 4 degrees, if that much, and the wake is as smooth and uniform as you please. No more eddies or vortexes from the rudder or keel. I have been told the topâsl is more trouble then it is worth, but it sure as hell looks cool up there. I think it is going to take a bunch more use to learn how to make it work for me. The over all shape is not right either but it is the iteration that I will use this year. I am thinking that securing the foot to the gaff jaws behind the bridle with a line on either side would solve the setting problem. I will have to ponder that a bit. Redesigning the topmast mount is also a must for a trailer boat. All in all I think the experiment proves the concept and reinvents an obsolete 18th century artifact. That being said, the top'sl has been worth every dine it cost to play with this and learn first hand what I now know.
These little boats are much more than mere playthings. They are tools, teaching devices, hobby construction sets, keepers of old men from out of the traffic, and sometimes therapy for frustrated engineers. Somewhere to go and consumers of all your spare and not so spare change.
How is it said, â⦠nothing so rewarding as messing about in boatsâ!
I took the Saralee out yesterday. I took Friday off to finish rigging the sail and worked in the yard all day Saturday, then back into the sun to sail on Sunday. By 10 AM the wind chill was over 100 F. But I went anyway. The topmast and mount plus the mast itself make the assembly too heavy for me to lift by hand. I use a triple block set from the inner forestay mount to the inner forestay and an A-frame to raise it. It seems to work OK; but, I need to get rid of some of that weight aloft. The winds yesterday were 6-10 and gusting so any speed gain was difficult to detect. I can see the light air advantage. The sail, raised from the port side, seems to set OK on a port tack but is fouled by the rigging on a starboard run. I expected this, however, being so small it is useless close to the wind, it just lufts way before the main or the jib. The ripstop may not be jeavy enough. I will consult with PAR on this. Off the nose it sets pretty well with about 1/2 the sail pulling and the rest bulging between the gaff halyards. Possibly adding a second down haul line on the foot would allow releasing and pulling the foot over the gaff rigging for a better set. Light air may also eliminate the problem. I took one puff that was the cause a near round up when I was distracted and sitting on the main sheet. She lay over smartly but never dipped the rail and I was able to catch her before she came all around. I havenât got the Yankee done so expect any speed gain will come from that sail.
That new rudder is a gem Mike. I can now lash the wheel and main and she will sail herself. I can even wander all over the boat. She would never do that before. She would always gibe or round up if left for more than a few seconds. In the strong wind: ~ 10 kts (I forgot to take my wind meter) the rudder deflection is approximately 4 degrees, if that much, and the wake is as smooth and uniform as you please. No more eddies or vortexes from the rudder or keel. I have been told the topâsl is more trouble then it is worth, but it sure as hell looks cool up there. I think it is going to take a bunch more use to learn how to make it work for me. The over all shape is not right either but it is the iteration that I will use this year. I am thinking that securing the foot to the gaff jaws behind the bridle with a line on either side would solve the setting problem. I will have to ponder that a bit. Redesigning the topmast mount is also a must for a trailer boat. All in all I think the experiment proves the concept and reinvents an obsolete 18th century artifact. That being said, the top'sl has been worth every dine it cost to play with this and learn first hand what I now know.
These little boats are much more than mere playthings. They are tools, teaching devices, hobby construction sets, keepers of old men from out of the traffic, and sometimes therapy for frustrated engineers. Somewhere to go and consumers of all your spare and not so spare change.
How is it said, â⦠nothing so rewarding as messing about in boatsâ!