Launching of "Three Sheets to the Wind"

[Fintan Murphy]

Is it Ireland's first Weekender? I don't know but I suspect so. I think the Stephensons may have mentioned it.

http://www.fnarr.net/3sheets/

If so, then it makes me proud

By the way, I've been up to my eyes in a new project at work, so sorry for not keeping in touch.

Anyway, the date was set for Sunday, but the forecast was so bad, we moved it forwards to Saturday. The forecast for both days was for gales, so I was playing it by ear to see if we would launch at all. I wanted it to be a low-key affair, and had invited my two friends, John and Turlough along. Both had sailed in the past, so the three of us were going to go out. Irene sensibly declined

The trailer had arrived on Friday, and we spend Saturday morning putting the boat on it and getting the tongue weight right etc. So by 2 o'clock we were ready.

The wind was whistling through the trees outside, and I am not ashamed to say, I was very nervous at putting an untried boat in the water. But the lads twisted my arm (or had more faith in my building skills than I did myself), and we headed for the slip.

I was glad I had put in the reef points, and made a staysail, because there was no way we could have gone with a jib and full main, even with three of us in the boat.

I set the staysail, and raised the main, but left it scandalised (peak halyard loose). We sailed out on staysail, and, as you can see from the photographs, we were going along at such a clip, I was hesitant to even raise the peak.

I eventually did, and just as I did, the hanks on the staysail (build from Sch. 40 as per plans) gave way. The lower grommet in the staysail ripped out, so we brought it down and stowed it. I have since replaced them with shower curtain rings - they have positive closings.

So we were sailing on reefed main alone, and were still making just over 5 knots (gps), but she felt very stable.

With reefed main, it had some weatherhelm, in that it was possible to hold a course, but difficult to fall off the wind, but this was to be expected, and was not too bad. If we had the staysail I'd say she would have been nicely balanced.

If I wasn't so busy I would have felt elated. It took a while after the sail before the realisation of what we had done hit me. I had sailed the boat that I had built for the first time :shock:

That's why you see the champaigne opened at the house after the sail.

The only other problems we had was that the steering acted up slightly, and it was difficult to get the rudder down. I had used an elastic cord, but so much of it's elasticity was used in ensuring that the rudder was down, that there was not enough left to allow the cord to remain in place and pull the rudder up with the rope at the back.

There are a couple of jobs left to do for the winter, e.g. the portholes, and trailboards. But as long as there's sailing weather they can wait

I am still undecided about the wheel, having sailed with a tiller up to now. I got it wrong a few times, as the action is opposite to a tillers, and you do not have the feeling of "directness" that a tiller gives you, as well as the visual confirmation of the postion of the rudder. I'll leave it for now though and see how it goes.

To anybody building, I'd suggest the reef points and maybe a staysail. I have the jib on a furler, which is raised by a halyard in the position of the original forestay. I've moved the forestay to the original clubfoot eye, with the mast attachment about a foot down from the jib eye, and hank on a staysail there. I have two sets of blocks and cleats for the sheets. This allows me to use the jib (and full main) if I am sailing on my own, the staysail if it's windy (with reefed main), go cutter if I am feeling energetic, or have crew, or the winds light.

The other thing which I can still see in my minds eye was when we were barrelling along, I looked aft, and saw the long trail of bubbles spiralling underwater that people had mentioned. It looked fantastic (even if John said that it reminded him of a trail of snot :shock: )

I've repaired the staysail and steering, and we are heading out again tonight. Even though the forecast is for F4 gusting to F6. Looks like we will be reefing again

And a big thanks to all of you who answered my questions, listened to my ramblings, and generally hung out here at Franks Moaning Chair Site.

So now I have the boat built after 3 years, the Diploma finished after 2 years. What am I going to do now :?: (rhetorical :!: )

[rolandblais]

Simply awesome. Congratulations, Fintan!

[Dave R1]

Way to go Fintan. I love the name, too.

Good work.

Dave

[Mike Henderson (Oregon)]

Outstanding :!:

[Mike Pennington]

Congratulations, again. Glad your on the water, and now you have graduated to maintaining the boat Thanks for the pictures.

Mike

[Dave Ruedel]

Congratulations! That first sail is always fantastic. Switching from the pvc to shower curtain hooks is what I did on my old pocket cruiser for the jib years ago. thanks for bringing back the memories! Fiar winds and good sailing!!

[Barry Pyeatt]

Long time coming but it looks like it was all worth the wait. Congratulations on your launch and successful first outing.

[Craig]

Great Looking boat! It looks like a good time was had by all.

[Steve Downs]

Great job Fintan. The boat looks great. I am surprised however, that you did not paint it green. Glad you're finally in the water though. I'm trying.

[Jan Williamson]

Congratuations Fintan , What a great looking vessel!! Thanks for the pictures. You guys look like you had a great time!

[buck]

Congratulations Fintan! Great looking boat, good choice of colour! fantastic effort.

[Tim Diebert]

Well done Fintan. You look a happy lad. A Grand event to be sure.

Looks like a perfect day for a first sail as well. Nice and windy.

Great pictures.....but I spotted something wrong with your car, the steering is on the wrong side. You must have reversed the image in your camera.......LOL

[Frank Hagan]

Congratulations! A boat and a degree ... now you can change careers!

In a way, its a shame you were out in such a blow, as you didn't get the "wow" feeling until later. But the good thing is that once you get it you have it ... and it lasts a very long time indeed!

You should have some good sailing days still left this summer to take advantage of, and by the end of September you'll be very comfortable with her.

[Johannah]

It's a good thing you're not closer in distance. If I had know ahead that you were to venture out in that weather, I would have been that worried!!! Well done. When do you start the next boat and the next course of study? Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Mark Hughes]

Congratulations Fintan! She looks beautiful! Sorry I'm so late in getting to this, but I've been drowning at work, and haven't been able to catch up with the forum. Say... Whatever happened to that wooden trailer you were building from the plans the Stevensons sent you? I remember an initial discussion regarding your short tow distance, but never saw anything more on it.

[Guest]

Congrads in order. It amazing that the feeling is almost the same as childbirth. :wink: I am bending an elbow with you. Nice web page too.

3 CHEERS FOR YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY

[Fintan Murphy]

I go a chance to reduce the image sizes etc. and wanted to show you this. There is a barrier across the launch site, to stop caravans etc. from setting up home there. When I arrived for the first time, we crawled under it with about 1mm to spare. I couldn't have built it any closer if I had tried. It was a pure fluke, I didn't know it was there before launching :shock:

Another pound of air in the tyres and I would not have made it.

Mark, I decided that the wooden trailer was too much hassle. I was having trouble finding the parts, springs axels etc. so I shelved the idea.

[Fintan Murphy]

I go a chance to reduce the image sizes etc. and wanted to show you this. There is a barrier across the launch site, to stop caravans etc. from setting up home there. When I arrived for the first time, we crawled under it with about 1mm to spare. I couldn't have built it any closer if I had tried. It was a pure fluke, I didn't know it was there before launching :shock:

Another pound of air in the tyres and I would not have made it.

http://www.messing-about.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=588&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500

Mark, I decided that the wooden trailer was too much hassle. I was having trouble finding the parts, springs axels etc. so I shelve the idea.

[Tim Diebert]

A squeaker!

I had a similar problem at my launch ramp. Sometime over last winter they installed a light pole at the waters edge and had to run a power wire from the top of the ramp, across the ramp road, to the pole. I had launched before I noticed the thing. :roll:

Not as tight of a fit as yours, but close enough to pay attention in the future.

My buddy launches a 26' MacGregor Classic there and was fortunate to notice the new wire in time.

I guess they didn't figure on sailboats using the ramp. :?:

[Steve Day]

Looks like your encounter with the barrier reinforces the phrase "Luck of the Irish" that gets thrown about over here so much.

What a great adventure! congratulations on your launching and successful first sail. You've got a fine looking craft there, Fintan!

Thank you for sharing your event with all of us.

BTW, that makes another 2004 model for us to record.

Steve