Jump to content

Lapwing #27 Lula


Kennneee

Recommended Posts

Dave- Thinking about oars and a few questions come up for me.  I placed my oarlocks according to the plans.  In order to row from the center thwart I would have to move the mizzen to the forward step.  Not a big deal but a bit inconvenient.  I seem to remember you having added another removable rowing seat.  Did you wind up moving your oarlocks?  How has that worked out? Any suggestions given your experience?

Ken 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


@Kennneee— Your boat sails like a dream!  The sails are not only a beautiful color, but have a gorgeous shape. You’ee going to have loads of fun with this boat.

 

One thing— You didn’t sail downwind much, but when you did, the mizzen kept flipping over.  I am not ashamed to say that when sailing downwind, I set my sails a little by the lee.  That is, a little further forward of perpendicular to the wind.  I lose a little sail efficiency, but the sails stay put.

 

Thanks for taking me sailing!

 

p.s./ It looks like you must have heard Hirilonde, because you took your fenders in, later in the video.  Funny.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don and Dave- Thanks for setting me straight. I must have heard your voices a few minutes into the video when I realized they were hanging over the side!  I had just dropped Luanne off to take a few shots and didn’t take them in quick enough to claim status as an old salt.  If you guys would give me a second chance I promise to be more attentive.

I did tell Luanne about my transgression and that someone on the forum would notice.  Her reply “tough crowd”.  I love it!

  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 1/30/2023 at 9:22 AM, Kennneee said:

On my second sail with Lula Luanne shot this video.  Still playing with sail trim.  It is unedited so maybe longer than you want to spend watching me do circles.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/THZy9YrxSUNSBWEN9

Hey Ken - nice work. I love seeing shots of the boat sailing - many thanks for posting. Some are easy to  'off-fend' - but we all know what's right.  Sails are indeed a wonderful colour and the mizzen looks easily managed. The main looks pretty full, especially at the head of the sail - right where it is a handful to manage. Your heeling angles suggest that if you don't want to hike on the side deck at all, then maybe a good pull on the snotter line could help flatten the main making it easier to mange in the puffs. A a stiffer top batten might help too. Although the Lapwing is quite a powerful shape (wide) she also carries quite a lot of sail area so the sails can be set reasonably flat and still give plenty of drive. And then the extra area can allow some fun downwind in a breeze. On the matter of controls I'm a total fittings Nazi - I need controls to fall naturally to hand - whereas it appears you are looking around a bit to find sheet cleats - especially the mizzen. I know some have led the mizzen sheet forward to a block near the mast base - I'll be doing that - after over 40 years of racing Lasers I'm too old to adapt. Just a thought. Meantime I'm still taking my orbital sander to bed with me 'cos my hand won't open properly after a day in the shed....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Murray— I started with the mizzen sheet running up the sprit, but changed it back to the recommended way.  E81C2C23-BEDC-457F-A416-538007BB2B8F.thumb.jpeg.48f25a668f489f067e4ea5f3fbf2ae3b.jpeg
After talking with cat ketch owners (and designers), I learned that the power is in the main, and the mizzen is secondary.  constant tweaking of the mizzen is not necessary.  I focus on trimming the main, and then adjusting the mizzen mainly for balance.  Again— this is not a Laser.  She will be fast, but not as touchy to tweaking as your Laser.

Have you sailed one of B&B’s cat ketches yet?  A few moments at the helm will help you understand a lot.  Where do you live?  Who can you snag a ride with?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in Morocco, so watching videos is tedious.

I found the top 2, full length fiberglass battens too stiff for light to moderate winds. I spent a lot of time playing around with Maple, making them of various thicknesses and tapering to thin from a few inches aft of the leading end back to about 1/4 way aft. I am not usually OCD, but when it comes to sail shape, bah, even the rest of the boat, I am a fanatic. I am pleased with the result. The amount of bend can then be adjusted by the tension applied by the Velcro strap holding them in. If you want more info I can post pictures when I get home.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Murray- Glad you took the time to look at the video.  I always appreciate constructive input.  I have sailed Lula a few more times and have fine tuned some technique.  I agree with Don that the mizzen doesn’t need as much attention as I would have thought.  Still playing with snotter tension but haven’t messed with the battens.  One of the wonderful things about sailing is you can be chill or obsessive and still have a good time. I vacillate between the two.  Looking forward to your observations when you get some time on your Lapwing.

Dave - Morocco sounds pretty exotic.  Would like to see your boat pics when you return and hear about travel in Morocco.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Hirilonde said:

I am in Morocco, so watching videos is tedious.

I found the top 2, full length fiberglass battens too stiff for light to moderate winds. I spent a lot of time playing around with Maple, making them of various thicknesses and tapering to thin from a few inches aft of the leading end back to about 1/4 way aft. I am not usually OCD, but when it comes to sail shape, bah, even the rest of the boat, I am a fanatic. I am pleased with the result. The amount of bend can then be adjusted by the tension applied by the Velcro strap holding them in. If you want more info I can post pictures when I get home.

Morocco!  A few years since I was there - just loved the markets. What takes you there Dave?

14 hours ago, Hirilonde said:

I am in Morocco, so watching videos is tedious.

I found the top 2, full length fiberglass battens too stiff for light to moderate winds. I spent a lot of time playing around with Maple, making them of various thicknesses and tapering to thin from a few inches aft of the leading end back to about 1/4 way aft. I am not usually OCD, but when it comes to sail shape, bah, even the rest of the boat, I am a fanatic. I am pleased with the result. The amount of bend can then be adjusted by the tension applied by the Velcro strap holding them in. If you want more info I can post pictures when I get home.

@Hirilonde It's not OCD, it's CDO - IT HAS TO BE ALPHABETICAL... from one who knows...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Don Silsbe said:

@Murray— I started with the mizzen sheet running up the sprit, but changed it back to the recommended way.  E81C2C23-BEDC-457F-A416-538007BB2B8F.thumb.jpeg.48f25a668f489f067e4ea5f3fbf2ae3b.jpeg
After talking with cat ketch owners (and designers), I learned that the power is in the main, and the mizzen is secondary.  constant tweaking of the mizzen is not necessary.  I focus on trimming the main, and then adjusting the mizzen mainly for balance.  Again— this is not a Laser.  She will be fast, but not as touchy to tweaking as your Laser.

Have you sailed one of B&B’s cat ketches yet?  A few moments at the helm will help you understand a lot.  Where do you live?  Who can you snag a ride with?

Hey Don - only once sailed a CoreSound 15 that my brother in law built some time back. We went out in a stiff 20+ knots, puffing towards 25. Upwind was hard work, and yes I agree the main is sufficiently larger than the mizzen so that was the one you played, but I found holding both sheets in one hand and the tiller in t'other allowed tidy progress. I used his tiller extension so that hand was semi available to assist with major sheeting movements. BiL was best employed hanging on. (really hope he is not reading this...!) Downwind was however a great surprise. I was showing BiL how to balance a boat downwind by sailing on the leech of the main, with the mizzen out the other side and largely ignored. The tiller went light as a really solid puff hit - guessing close to 30 knots.   BiL is not so experienced so I was thinking this could get interesting - but to my delight, the boat flattened out to a balanced plane and we had a fantastic ride. In that much wind, the waves were getting up - nothing serious but you needed to steer through them, and the core sound was totally manageable. So, no while I don't have much experience of a cat ketch, I got a taste of the potential, sufficient to attempt to build one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Don Silsbe said:

@Murray— I started with the mizzen sheet running up the sprit, but changed it back to the recommended way.  E81C2C23-BEDC-457F-A416-538007BB2B8F.thumb.jpeg.48f25a668f489f067e4ea5f3fbf2ae3b.jpeg
After talking with cat ketch owners (and designers), I learned that the power is in the main, and the mizzen is secondary.  constant tweaking of the mizzen is not necessary.  I focus on trimming the main, and then adjusting the mizzen mainly for balance.  Again— this is not a Laser.  She will be fast, but not as touchy to tweaking as your Laser.

Have you sailed one of B&B’s cat ketches yet?  A few moments at the helm will help you understand a lot.  Where do you live?  Who can you snag a ride with?

@Don Silsbe Interesting pic Don - your side hatches seem wide?  We're looking after grandchild #4 while grandchild #6 is being delivered so I don't have access to plans nor me boat. Does that one hatch allow access to the two side compartments? I think the only pic I've seen of your boat. Forgot to add, we live in New Zealand. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Murray— Local Honey is a multi-purpose craft.  I love sailing, but I also love fishing.  I widened the hatches from standard, so I could store fishing rods into either compartment.  She is a Bay River Skiff, the predecessor to the Core Sound series, and the first of Graham’s cat ketches.  (I love this boat!)  Here are some photos for you.

 

Fishing Mode:

78BC5E32-D084-4759-BAAD-B8B37240607F.thumb.jpeg.ae7706a9829c892404c063c3298fdeb9.jpeg
CC9FA11C-1572-4901-969B-6C90CCA69129.thumb.jpeg.72fac500da77fe19eaba9e8abbd27a9c.jpeg


Rowing Mode:

EAB5490C-4AEF-4B76-94B7-A3B871F80F99.thumb.jpeg.482430abe91ffbbaa915153fb96ff9e8.jpeg

 

Sailing Mode:

60649D93-5042-4D23-A82E-B3762594B72F.thumb.jpeg.0f967006218cbec19cde8f0ab8c016dc.jpeg5A659158-EBE5-4210-8DD1-40FA33656A03.thumb.jpeg.180bff8eb5edc3c25ec90e3e0ca92f6e.jpeg

 

This is how my First Mate likes to sail:

4DDD1991-D23A-4FAE-BCA1-81D15EC8063E.thumb.jpeg.935e32c840179c99f0f1a3ef4bce3afb.jpeg

 

And my favorite sailing posture, at least when my First Mate is lying so far forward.  Note the revised sheeting arrangement:

597BCB21-06EF-423B-B365-FCEB65B7DB34.thumb.jpeg.c00ea04bcaf3cfb9136fbdee140fa434.jpeg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew I would arrange my main sheeting that way before I bought the plans. In any real wind I must have the sheet coming to me so I can either hold it at the ready, or lay it across my leg at the almost instantly ready. Knowing I can dump the main in a split second means I can relax and enjoy myself. This is probably the only detail I disagree with Graham about.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Hirilonde— One of the things I appreciate about Graham is is concern for cost.  Those Ronstan RF-58’s now cost $75 apiece.  The Clamcleats are only $11.  I started with a pair of Clamcleats for the main, but didn’t like the restricted angle required to cleat the sheet.  You had to line things up just right to get it in.  I don’t know of anyone who uses them for the mainsheets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...


Supporting Members

Supporting Members can create Clubs, photo Galleries, don't see ads and make messing-about.com possible! Become a Supporting Member - only $12 for the next year. Pay by PayPal or credit card.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.