MisterMoon

That would be the simplest solution except that I have sail track. Lashing would interfere with raising and lowering the sail and would be a pain to rig once the sail was set up.

One area that really concerns me as I prep my CS17 for next year's EC is the snotter attachment. My boat has tracked sails and aluminum tube masts. The snotters are both little becket blocks with SS hooks that hook into a SS strap eye that is simply screwed into the mast tubes with SS flathead sheet metal screws. Those screws scare the heck out of me that they'll pull out in the middle of a moonless night and I'll be having to figure out how to sail without a boom. I'd like to make the attachment of the SS strap eye more robust than just relying on the screw threads in tension with the thin aluminum tube walls. But for the life of me, I can't figure out a better way to use nuts and bolts to hold it on. Any ideas? Once I figure out a way to do this better, I'm going to go ahead and bolt on spares 1" above and 1" below the current strap-eye just to be safe.

I"m guessing you have the sleeved sails then? Does it have leech lines you could adjust? Mine has the battened racing sails. Only problem I had was yesterday when I was letting the sail flog for a minute while fooling around in the boat, one of the battens launched itself out and sank. Didn't seem to hurt the sail at all, though. Going to buy a new one (and spares) pronto. The other great trick I learned yesteday is that you *MUST* ease the snotter if you want to sail with the main by the lee in strong winds. I was going about 11 mph when eased a bit too far and the main boom split right down the glue line. (I didn't build it.) I'd always thought that glue line looked suspect and now I know. I did discover you can sail downwind at a pretty good clip under mizzen alone in strong winds.

Never name your boat with a pun. "Feelin' Nauti" only belongs on a large gin-palace powerboat owned by a strip-club manager! As for the SOS instructions... No lie, I painted the centerboard on my EC challenge Daysailer bright distress orange. I figured if I ever turtled out in the Gulf of Mexico, it woud be a good thing to have a three and a half foot tall bright orange beacon for any rescuers to see. I'm planning on doing the same on my CS17 before next year's EC. Also, orange foils are FAST!

I've got a set of too short oars that came with my boat. On my old Daysailer, I used 9'ers which seemed about the right length. The CS is a little narrower, so I'd suggest 9'ers again. FWIW, I purchased some perfectly functional 9' oars on Ebay for $100 including shipping. Since I lost one of mine on the EC last year, I'll be buying another set from the same supplier. http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCELLENT-Pair-WOODEN-OARS-108-Paddles-9-Boat-NEW-/110730730317?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c810db4d In fact, I think I'll do that right now! On my boat there is only one set of oar sockets that are usable only when the mizzen is stowed. Where do people suggest I put a second set of sockets? I mostly singlehand if that makes a difference.

The sheet runs parallel to the boom then parallel to the mast after it makes the turn. I've not noticed any effect on sail shape. The forces are not that high, anyway. I'd love to be able to show you a picture, but I'm recovering from some major surgery and I'm on a ten pound weight restriction, so I'm not allowed to go sailing until September. Here is the only photo I've got where you can kind of see it: You can see the block up by the snotter that leads the sheet down to the turning block on the thwart. And, yes I know my motor is too big. But it's brand new and it came with the boat so I don't see any reason to change it. JB

When I got my CS17, it had the motor on the transom. The builder had solved the sheeting problem by mounting the sheet block mid-boom and to a bridle mounted about 18" forward of the transom. This worked after a fashion, but the sheet really interfered with the sail on one tack, especially downwind. In order to move the sheet back to end of the boom it was necessary to move the motor to a mounting bracket. It's much better this way, IMO. My mizzen sheet is rigged differently than what's shown on the plans. Let me see if I can describe it: At the end of the boom, there is a becket block. The sheet starts on the becket then goes to a another block on a short bridle on the transom across the top of the tiller. It then goes back through the sheave on the boom and up to another block up at the snotter end of the boom. From there it goes down to a turning block on the mizzen thwart and to a cam cleat mounted on centerline. I really like this set up as it keeps the cleating point in front of the skipper, unlike the one shown on the plans where the mizzen cleats behind you. Neither my method or the double ended version shown in the plans will work with a motor on the transom.

Sounds like you boat on Clark Hill Lake. We have a similar clay bottom over here on Allatoona. I've heard that it's sometimes hard to get a Fortress set in harder bottoms. Our heavier steel Danforths set reliably as long as we've got 3:1 out. Our lake is quite deep, so we're always anchoring in 20'-35'. Going to the Gulf coast is always an eye opener for me. There you can be offshore 5 miles and it's still only 20' deep. Most inshore waters are 12' or less.

Seven to one is a good idea, but it's not always practical. We were cruising in the Thousand Islands a couple of years ago where if you put out 7:1 in some anchorages you'd be all over your neighbors. We frequently had to live with 4:1 or 5:1 overnight. I personally consider 7:1 a storm scope. You also have to consider what kind of bottom your anchoring in and how good it holds. In fair weather on a good bottom, i find that 4:1 or 5:1 is perfectly adequate.

I think it's 1/4" galvanized.

I carry 100' with about 8' of chain on an 8# danforth. During the EC, I securely anchored off the coast in about 22' of water with this rig. I figure if I ever need a longer anchor rode I'd just lengthen mine by tying on additional line using a secure double fisherman's knot. FWIW, I routinely anchor our 27' powerboat in 35' of water with the same rig as above as a day hook.

I personally find a leeward heel more comfortable. I think the point is that if you are by the lee and the leeward heel becomes excessive, pulling the sheet in flattens the boat unlike other points of sail where easing the sheet gives the same effect.

I personally find a leeward heel more comfortable. I think the point is that if you are by the lee and the leeward heel becomes excessive, pulling the sheet in flattens the boat unlike other points of sail where easing the sheet gives the same effect.

How heavy is your rig? The 25 foot aluminum spar on the boat I sailed this year wasn't any problem to just walk down. On my CS17, I just walk up on the foredeck and lift out the mast. No problem.

You may not see all that much at Placida. I saw several boats there and we all seemed to be pretty efficient at getting the rig down. I was just grateful that I came and departed on favorable tides.

Had a really good sail today on my new boat. I've put better blocks on the snotters, put the motor on a lifting mount and re- did the mizzen sheet. This boat is seriously quick. I'm very pleased. Getting her up on plane at about 8.5 knots on a reach is very cool. I sailed in company with a Catalina 22 and an a Hunter 23.5 and we just blew them all away on every point of sail. I don't think either boat was very well sailed, but it was satisfying anyway. The snotters are a revelation! Adjusting them to varying wind velocities has a huge impact. I do plan to double end the one on the main so I can easily adjust that one on either tack.

Thanks for the continued tips. Do you know if the running off under main alone while reefing the mizzen will work with sails on tracks? My experience with sails in luff grooves is there is too much friction unless the sail is streaming straight back from the mast.

You're way overthinking the snotter issue. I'm just sayin'.

Thanks all. I understand how no handicap system is perfect. But it's what we have and it gives me a chance to race my boat when there will never be a one-design start in my area. Re: Everglades Challenge. It was my attempt this year in my Daysailer that prompted me to look for and purchase a CS17. But that race is as much or more about the skipper than the boat, I think. Wasn't the Small Reach Regatta last year a real drifter? I think I saw a photo spread in WB that showed a lot of glassy seas and oars deployed.

I appreciate the data point. I do think your numbers seem a lot low. Hopefully you'll get out in race in a little more wind where you can get another data point that will confirm what you've reported. I feel pretty good that my boat is faster than my old Daysailer (98.3), I'm just not sure it's that much faster. The base boat for PY in the USA is the Thistle at 83. I don't think we're anywhere close to Thistles in terms of speed. Their upwind SA is around 190 sq. ft. and they fly a symmetrical spinnaker downwind. They are in about the same weight range as the CS17. They definitely have a good power to weight ratio. We have a large fleet of Thistles here and they are FAST! My guess is it's somewhere north of 90 but less than 97 or so. There is a race here next weekend where I hope to find out. Unfortunately it will be against a bunch of 22-25 small keelboats like Catalina 22's and we'll all get smoked by the J/29. The Thistles will likely be out as well, but on their own circle.

Any idea on the Portsmouth Yardstick numbers for the CS17? I occasionally race with club that handicaps boats using the PY numbers. My guess is somewhere around 97 for the CS17, but I'd like more data. For those unfamiliar with the Portsmouth Yardstick, see this link for a list of centerboard classes and ratings. The lower the number, the faster the boat.

Ok, I've searched and searched, but I haven't been able to find anything in the forum. Here's the scenario: I'm out in the Gulf, a couple of miles off shore and I decide too late (as usual!) that it's time to reef. I head up into the wind sheeting the mizzen in hard while letting the main sheet fly. I go foward and reef the main. Now what?! I can't for the life of me figure out how to control the boat while dealing with the mizzen if I've waited a little too long to reef. All I can see in my mind's eye isn't very pretty. Any collected wisdom would be appreciated!

Is this the boat advertised in the back of the most recent WoodenBoat?

FWIW, I think the report of getting a CS17 in the teens with a mildly hot rodded 5 HP might be a little hopeful. Wide open with a brand new 6 HP motor doesn't get me quite to 7.5 knots (8.6 mph) on mine. She's a lot happier at 5.5 knots (6.3 mph)... I had a flattie powerboat of about the same size and weight (AF-4) and it would only go about 20 mph with 15 HP. I'm guessing "mildly hot-rodded" was an understatement!

I've only just purchased my CS-17, so my experience is limited. Coming from a 17' sloop I've found the cat ketch rig is a lot easier to handle and is much less physically demanding than the sloop. Sheeting forces are an order of magnitude lower and it's easier to keep the boat on its feet by playing the main. If rigged per the design it's very easy to single hand. All the sheets are right at hand on from either side of the boat. If you really think you'll have four plus dog aboard (and the pre-teens will get big, fast!), I think you'd be happier with a CS-20. Three aboard the 17 isn't exactly a crowd. But I'm pretty sure two more bodies is more than I'd want for any period longer than an hour. I've seen a couple of 20's up close and they would handle the larger group much more amiably. I can't imagine the CS-20 is any more difficult to single hand than the 17'er. It's no more complicated to build than either the 15' or 17' versions and cost of going up a size only will add incrementally to the materials. I was really looking for a 20 when I found the 17. I'm still very happy with the smaller boat because it meets most of my needs. The only thing I give up is hauling the whole family for any length of time.