How "hard" does the hard chine have to be? Mike St

[Guest Anonymous]

Can you round that corner a bit? say a 6" radius? Or would this completely eliminate the ability of the chine to dig in?

[Barry Pyeatt]

In all probability it will not grab the way it should with that large a radius.

[MikeStevenson]

I'd have to agree with Barry (as is usually the case, it seems). The hard chine is not a problem speed-wise, and certainly adds stability both laterally and tipping-wise. The sharp chine (and it's not that sharp usually, about like the radius of the web of one's forefinger and thumb when held at right angles) certainly is a large component of the winward ability.

Plus, it's easier to build.

Mike

[Pat Mellema]

I built the chimes on Sanddragon as straight angles and am now having to repair then as the cracked on both sides in the rear half of the boat. I was thinking of grinding them off at a 45 degree angle and getting away from the bondo that I used to fill the corners in. After looking the boat over yesterday I think my repair solution should work. It is going to be kind of rough emptying the boat and taking her off the trailer to do the repairs. I should be able to do it this week and then get back to sailing. I found a 5 hp long shaft motor this weekend so I will have plenty of power to use the boat anywhere I feel like going. I found a couple of bubbles in the fiberglass that I didn't see when I had the boat unpainted so I will repair those while I am fixing the other problem I am having.