Sailing a Spindrift 10 . .

[Pete McCrary]

Anticipating that next year I will be "downsizing" from "Chessie," [CS20.3 #4] to a sailing Spindrift 10 -- I'm remembering some very "wet" experiences sailing my 11' 1" dinghy back in 1963.  Its mast was stepped forward (cat rig) and I was at the dock dousing the sail.  With my weight forward, the little boat was so unstable that she went right over!  An embarrassing moment.

 

Question for Spindrift sailors:  With the zippered luff and sailing solo, how do you douse the sail in a hurry?  

[Joe Anderson]

Pete,

I love sailing my Spindrift 10.  I almost always raise and lower the sail standing in knee deep water.  I have lowered the sail from the boat standing just forward of the thwart or sitting just forward of the thwart and reaching up to unzip the luff but I find this pretty awkward. If I was landing at a dock I think I would raise and lower the sail while seated on the dock with my feet dangling in the boat.

 

To be perfectly honest if I was downsizing from a CS20 MK3 I think I would give serious consideration to something like the Bay River 15. I have never sailed the 15 but I like the way Don Silsbe uses his. If you come to the Mess-about I would give his boat a close look. I love the Spindrift because it is so responsive, but with that come a certain tenderness. The 15 is roomier, more stable,  and has more rigging options. 

[Hirilonde]

I think if I sailed a Spindrift as my primary I would go with track/cars or slot/lugs as they are the easiest and quickest way to take down the sail while on the water in wind.  I have the luff sleeve (short enough for one reef) on my 9.  I would take the mast down with the sail still on from the stern of my Renegade and the dinghy docks while cruising. In light winds some times from in the boat. I would switch if I used the boat much.

 

[Pete McCrary]

Thanks, guys.  Good information, lots to think about.  Plenty of time.  Might try some small boats at the next MessAbout.

[Steve W]

Pete, I have an 11N with the zippered sleeve luff. I love the performance of that little boat, so if your main use will be as a hot rod little sailboat, it's pretty stable platform. I wouldn't build the nesting version, unless you have a storage issue. I think the reality is that a trailer is the way to go. As light as I built my 11n, getting up on the top of the car is a two person job. A second problem is that the boom is really long and it sort of defeats the purpose of having the collapsible mast.

 

Also, I use the boat in a different way than it was designed for so I don't blame the design. I often fish or motor, which it really does well. But you are forced to leave the sail at home if rowing, as the rig doesn't scandalize well. It's a lot of sail and getting the sail up isn't super quick. I am thinking about making a little balanced lug or the sprit rig of the cats-paw sail for it. Performance wouldn't be as good, but dousing it all alongside me for some rowing/fishing would be easier. I strongly suggest you wait to sail one at the messabout before you make a decision. 

 

Steve

[Hirilonde]

1 hour ago, Steve W said:

Pete, I have an 11N with the zippered sleeve luff. I love the performance of that little boat, so if your main use will be as a hot rod little sailboat, it's pretty stable platform. I wouldn't build the nesting version, unless you have a storage issue. I think the reality is that a trailer is the way to go. As light as I built my 11n, getting up on the top of the car is a two person job.

 

Steve

 

Totally agree.  If you expect to use the boat a lot the original design is much more suited to sailing.  Nothing beats a trailer for launching and your frequency of use is inversely proportional to how much of a PITA it is to get on the water.

 

As I was contemplating the move to a daysailor as my boat I ruminated over size for a long time. I now have come to the conclusion that 15-16 feet is the ideal size. (certainly a debatable issue)

 

You apparently want even smaller.  I would therefore recommend the Spindrift 12 which can be built sloop or cat.  I0 can certainly be fun to sail, but I would not call it comfortable. My real recommendation would be the Core Sound 15.  I almost built one, but then came the Lapwing.

[Pete McCrary]

Thanks, guys -- for good advice.  There's no hurry, especially while getting ready to sell Chessie.  At the MessAbout I'll try to sail a number of small sailers.

 

You all have just given me an idea.  My daughter, Suzie, has the Penobscot 14 (a plywood lapstrake w/a lug rig, designed by Arch Davis) that I built about 10 years ago.  It also has 2 pairs of beautiful oars that I made out of Sitka spruce.  It sits on an aluminum Trailerx .   I know she doesn't use it much.  It's a little heavy, but she sails really nice.  I'm sure she'd let me have it back.  I'd have to build another tiller for it -- the designed tiller doesn't tilt up.  So when you come about, you have to practically "walk around" the end of the tiller in order to move to windward.

 

You guys got me thinking an all 'nother way.

[Don Silsbe]

@Pete McCrary— let’s go for a sail on my BRS 15 at the Messabout.  I love this boat.  A Spindrift is sweet, too.  I thought about building that instead, but I’m glad I chose the 15.

[Pete McCrary]

Don, I'll definitely take you up on sailing your BRS 15 at the Messabout in October.  I plan to be there showing off Chessie -- hoping to impress potential buyers who may want a CS20.3 without investing two years of sanding and poxy work.

[Don Silsbe]

@Pete McCrary— maybe we can work a trade!  LOL

 

@Steve W— I plan on bringing Two Bits, too, along with her spritsail rig.  Maybe we can drop the rig into your S11N...  That would really be messing about, wouldn’t it?

[Steve W]

Don, I'm on the fence about bringing the Suzy J. It's a 13 hour drive and I want to have Graham and/or Alan give me advice about my mizzen staysail while I'm there. But I'd really like to explore other rig options. We bought a camper and I want to have this boat as an all around row/sail/electric motor. In retrospect I wish I have built a 9 or 10, but Suzanne and I can still put her on the roof.