Andy B

google "pad eye". It's a piece of hardware that is a ring, or partial ring, anchored by bolt or screw into the sprit.

Here's my best idea. String a rope between the masts to get a little pitch in the structure. Take the long piece of material and cut two slits, one from the front to the main mast, and one from the back to the mizzen mast. Now you can get the cover on around the masts. As for the slits, the fabric I had once would probably take some adhesive velcro. I would use that to seal up the slits. Not perfect, but probably good enough.

I don't understand--are you looking to tarp it up with the masts laying down, like in this picture? Or with the masts up?

I'm dredging up this old post because Small Craft Advisor re-published an older article (issue 98) about mast floats, author Stu Whitcomb. This great sketch of his boat caught my eye:

Just FYI for the seller or anyone interested. Last summer I purchased a Core Sound in Denver and had it shipped to Elkhart, Indiana, using a site where transporters bid on jobs. The cost was $1,500. I have relatives in that area and because of the RV industry and proximity to major highways I suspect the job was cheaper. I know it was much, much cheaper than transport to northern Michigan--a Great Lakes peninsula is wonderful but is pretty much an isolated cul-de-sac for the shipping world! I did get lucky, the shipper took another job about 100 miles from me so was able to bring it to my driveway for an additional cash payment.

Thanks, Ted. I hope we have a good turnout. I wish you could make it. Wouldn't your wife be delighted if you took a detour to go "sailing with people from the internet" as my kids call it?

Here are some photos of some B&B boats at the finish.

So far we have two core sound boats, and five others! Still room for camping reservations.

I am planning an informal meet-up (messabout) on September 6-8 in Muskegon, Michigan. It will be at the Muskegon State Park campground. I am sending this out to several small-boat groups. Reservations for the campground open March 6! The plan is to sail together on Saturday, meeting up for lunch and/or dinner. You can come for just that day or reserve a spot at the campground or a nearby hotel. I am planning on trying to get several sites in the “channel campground” area. While I have not scoped the area out, it looks like the “snug harbor” area close to that campground area would be a good anchorage for the weekend. Further details will be available, but I am planning to keep this very informal and casual because I’ve never organized something like this before. Please send me an email if you plan to come. Andy Blodgett blodgett.andy@gmail.com

Tuesday morning, the first overall boat (Spawn) just finished. Alan and Mom and three other CS boats just pulled in to checkpoint 2. It looks like Alan at least is quickly shoving off south. Looks like low winds from the east, moving to ESE, should allow for some sailing today.

Funny! Now that I have both I suppose I am the ultimate

Probably, but I am not convinced the sailors are the same. I think each Sea Pearl has just a single sailor in it, so that would obviously make a difference in rest and fatigue in a rowing contest, for instance. And I bet he median age of the SP sailors is 10+ years on the CS group. That probably also matters in a rowing contest. I'll just have to sail both more this summer and compare! I think I'll end up agreeing with Steve W, who has owned both, that the CS is the faster boat in nearly all conditions.

I'm interested in comparing the Core Sound boats to the Sea Pearls, as an owner of both now. The Sea Pearls are quite behind the CS boats. That's interesting because from what I've read the two conditions where a Sea Pearl would have an advantage are light winds and rowing, both of which have been the conditions here. I would have thought this race might be one where the Sea Pearls keep pace or lead the CS boats. Potential caveat: it might just be the sailors. The CS boats are faster overall, so maybe they just attract a more competitive crowd as owners.

The light winds make for phot ops, I guess. Here is Southern Skimmer, the EC-22: Here is a photo from Alan on Carlita, Graham's CS 17mk3: Finally, here is a snip of Graham himself who was greeting and assisting at checkpoint 1 over the weekend: