I'm Back!!!

[Florin {VACATIONER}]

Hi All,

Been gone for about 6 mo now but finally got back. How's everyone? Any spectacular news?

Glad to see you are all still here.

Cheers

[Frank Hagan]

Wow, where have you been! There has been some big news in the last 6 months:

- Capt Jake admitted he has been using a sanding surrogate, and the projects he makes himself are definately "workboat finish"

- Charlie Jones gave up sail boat building and is now mass producing fiberglass Bayliner clones

- Wild Dingo was named Professor Emeritus of English at Oxford

- Fintan Murphy revealed he's really British, not Irish

- Barry Pyeatt revealed he's been channeling the ghost of L. Francis Herreshoff in his postings

- Ray Frechette, in a tragic boat buidling accident, was "encapsulated" in a Cats Paw 10 ... luckily it was a nesting version, so he was able to break out

- Bob Smalser sold all his hand tools on eBay to buy the new Ryobi cordless kit

- Oyster sold all his belongings and tried to join a cult, but they told him to get more belongings and sell them first

- Greg Luckett admitted that Michigan can get cold, and that's why his boat building projects take so long ... he's waiting for the epoxy to cure

- Dave R1 said Minnesota is colder, so he can take longer than Greg

- Tim Diebert bought a giant prototype Hummer "H5", produced by welding three other Hummers together (it has a 500 gallon gas tank)

- Craig revealed that he had Bruce Kershaw build Saralee, so we should really stop picking on Bruce for never finishing his boat

- Bruce Kershaw said he told us so ...

- Mike Pennington moved from Alaska to New York City, and said he was "tired of the sticks"

There's more, but I'll let the others fill you in.

[Greg Luckett]

:shock:

[capt jake]

Ditto, :shock:

[Greg Luckett]

Okay, Florin, will you tell us where you have been?

[Craig]

Hey Bubba, I was thinking about you the other day. Where ya bin eH?

[Barry Pyeatt]

Yes, we were all wondering about the launch and sailing adventures now that Summer is here. Welcome Back! We've tried our best to keep the fire stoked up and the moaning chair warm.

[Guest]

Filling in for Oyster here, this is Ms. Pearl. I caught him reading the post from Frank and I must report that he collapsed backwards in his chair. Will check back with an update in the not so distant future. [Now where do you folks store those gremlins]

[capt jake]

This is getting better all the time! I actually gave up sanding and got into a motorcycle gang. Too bad Oyster can't join the cult yet. The whole gang was going to go out there and roust him! Sailboats are just too quiet! that's why I switched to a Harley.

I also took a new job as a tatoo artist. 'bout time I changed my dasterdly ways! :shock:

[Frank Hagan]

I also took a new job as a tatoo artist. 'bout time I changed my dasterdly ways! :shock:

Do the customers hate it when you want to "sand it down and start over again?"

[Florin {VACATIONER}]

Well, we've had a really busy winter here. Managed to start building a driftboat this spring too. The plan was to have her done in a month so that we can start using it for fishing early this summer but she's only about 25% done and 150% to go.

My 15 yr old son moved in with us about 2 mo ago (he lived with my ex for the past 10 yrs but he saw the light). He is now gladly helping with building the drift-dory. We did enroll him in a 2 week sailing camp and he is now officially a sailor with a CYA license. He was happy to come with us on our first outing on SV-BARBARELLA couple of weeks ago. He says she handles much nicer than the dinghies they were using at the sailing school.

We took the afternoon off yesterday and went fishing... caught a nice sized pike and decided there was at least one fish in that lake.

In about a week we are leaving on vacation for a week and we're all excited about it.

I'm not entirely happy with the way the main is hanging.... Has too many wrinkles in her and no matter what we do we can't get them out. Looks like it creates a pocket in the front half, and the aft doesn't even come in to power the boat I am seriously considering going loose footed. Anyone there can give me some good hints on this please? I've got to do something about this before we leave. Thanks a lot.

Got to run to work now to get caught up if I want to leave by next Thursday hehehe.

Cheers

Florin

[Craig]

Here are a couple of outhaul photos for a loose foot main Florin:

[Guest]

-My rig is loose footed and was not happy with the ballon affect that was created and had several suggestions, one being a traveler across the transom. Well my tiller handle is raised over the transom so I placed single blocks at the corners with jamb cleats and use both to pull the main to give it a bigger air area using both corners to tighten the main, stretching the sail out. I am not an expert but this has made my boat quite pleasent to sail.

[Steve Day]

One more thing -- I moved from Nebraska to Alabama just to get closer to the hurricanes. Had two here in the first week after I moved!

Glad to see that you are back.

Steve

[Florin {VACATIONER}]

Thanks guys for the warm welcome back and for the handy tips.

We were gone on vacation for the past week. Just got back last night.

Vacation was good... was great to get away from the crazy busy life in the big city.

Couple of days before we left I decided to modify the sail to loose footed. Got the lashing off the boom and the schedule 40 tubing. After a few minutes I managed to rig up a makeshift outhaul which wasn't too fancy but worked great for now.

After a dry run in front of my house we decided it was good enough and we were ready to go.

When we arrived at the lake (Buffalo Lake) about 2.5 hr drive N/E of Calgary we were told by one of the campground staff that the boat launch wasn't that great and we may not be able to get the boat off the trailer (funny how they didn't mention that when I called a week prior to make reservations).

Next day we backed up the trailer down the "ramp" but the water was too shallow. This lake is quite shallow and you can walk for 300 yards before you actually have to swim. We needed another 6" of water to fully submerge the bunks and be able to push her off the trailer. And since we couldn't back up anymore out of fear of getting the vehicle stuck in the soft lake bottom, we were lucky when some innocent by-standers offered their help to muscle the boat off the bunks. We were lucky I guess because it worked. Five of us pushed and pulled her until she finally landed in the shallow water. We managed to raise the sails quite easily and we are very happy we did install a boom lift. The wind was quite gentle in the small cove we were in, so it took us a couple of minutes to get out in the open. We sailed for a half an hour before the wind started to pick up nicely and even saw 6.5m/h on the gps fish-finder. The main sail got full of wind and it looked better than ever. Unfortunately she started to rear at the clew where the outhaul was attached.

We did some minor repairs got underway quite promptly, but since the wind wasn't letting off we decided to make our way back to the marina while the sail was still workable (kind of). Loading on the trailer was a lot easier with the help of the winch and we made sure to soak the carpet on the bunks to ease the process. We ended up not putting her in the water for the rest of our stay because of the sail condition and the lack of ease while launching. The condition of the pier did not allow for mooring it either so we decided we won't be sailing anymore this time around.

Few things learned from this experience:

1. The tarp sails aren't quite what we thought they were... We've briefly used them last season (about a month) and kept them covered all winter, yet now they are getting quite deteriorated, the duct tape is getting rotten and it comes off the tarp leaving the dried up glue and a bunch of fabric strands hanging off the sail making it look very unsightly. The tarp lacks strength, and I think this is why it let go at the clew when the wind picked up.

2. The bunks are a bit too tall... I have noticed last year that I could lower the boat about 6" by shortening the bunks uprights. I guess I'll have to do that now. This would entail dumping the boat at the local lake and leaving the girls to watch her for at least half the day while my son and I bring the trailer home boatless and perform the necessary modifications.

This would accomplish a few things... give us the ability to launch the boat in shallower waters, at the same time we wouldn't have to back up so far in the water at the regular boat launches. Center of gravity would be lower thus making the rig more stable on the road.

Easier climbing in and out of the boat while on the trailer.

3. Even with the loose footed main, there are still some wrinkles at the top of the sail which are created by the lashing on the gaff. Is there a solution to this, maybe making it loose on the gaff as well?

4. The jib seems to us like it is way too small. Would making a larger jib get her to sail faster?

5. The clubfoot is a pain in the a$$. The jib sheet doesn't seem to let out with ease at all. I often have to send someone forward to coax the jib to let out because of too much friction in the blocks. All of those blocks over there seem to be quite the overkill. Could this setup not be simplified by just using one single block as opposed to having the two clunky double blocks? It seems to me like there is quite a bit of drag induced on the jib sheet by having that contraption there.

That's it for now, I'll add more as it comes to me, hopefully someone with more experience can chime in and help with some ideas.

Thanks

Florin

[Florin {VACATIONER}]

Just thought of another one (or two).

The plastic pipe hanks which are suggested in the drawings for the luff of the jib and main didn't work worth a damn for me. Firstly they were extremely hard to install, and then impossible to remove... I've had to cut them off with the sidecutters to get them off the forestay, or off the mainsail luff. I've come up with an easy solution and a very affordable one by using different type of ready made hardware and it works great. Takes seconds to remove the sails.

Did anyone try to use sail tracks on the mast and boom? Seems to me like the sail would get a lot better shape if it were in tracks.

Florin

[Florin {VACATIONER}]

And since we are talking about sails, I think we'll make a new tarp sail for the remainder of this season, but we'll definitely order a new set of real sails for the next season. You guys and gals know of a reputable sail maker where ai can order mine from? I will also need them to assist me in coming up with the proper dimensions for this rig and different options in rigging and sizes.

Thanks

Florin

[Barry Pyeatt]

Hi Florin,

Nice to see that you're back

To help address some of your issues. The tarp sails can last more than a season with care. I would take the time to remove them "off season" and store them indoors where they will hold up better over the winter months.

Sewing in 2-4 multiple, consecutively larger radius patches on the clew corner will really help to maintain the integrity of that corner. Same at the tack. The sails as designed were not intended to be used "loose footed" The lashing along the foot carries a great deal of the stress loading of the sail. The tension on the outhaul keeps it taut but the clew doesn't have all that much stress to carry when the foot is lashed. I too want to use a loose footed main. Reinforcing the clew and tack in this manor will allow the stress loads to be handled by them with no problems.

When fabricating the loose footed main you can also allow some roach in the foot that will help to create more of a "belly" in the sail which is the primary reason for going loose footed in the first place. Then the outhaul will allow you to either lenghen the foot or tighten it up for working upwind or in heavier air when you want to flatten the panel.

I would switch to the inexpensive, commercial, plastic jib hanks that just twist/snap onto the luff of the jib. They make it so much easier to work with.

You also might look at a slightly different approach to lashing the head of the main to the gaff. There are several variations to accomplish this and several of them will help keep the head tight and smoother under sail.

I would recommend that you also cosider creating a Lapper out of polytarp material to try instead of your standard jib. It essentially fills the area of the foretrangle back to the front shroud. It will balance out the overall sail plan a bit better and give you better control. It doesn't work with a clubfoot since the foot is too long. So you set up dual jibsheets. A long length of rope with a clip in the middle to attach to the clew. A block on either side just aft of the second srhoud and a cam cleat on either side of the deck at the cockpit where it is easy to reach. You will have considerably more power as well as better helm balance. Very easy to sail with and control. Incredible light wind performance. Save the standard jib for heavier air when you may want or need to reef the main.

You could also set the lapper on a furling spool to mount just behind the forestay. Then the halyard will simply allow you to raise the lapper and snap on the sheet and furling line and go sailing. When it comes time to douse the sails, you simply pull on the furling line and keep a bit of tension on the jib sheet and it rolls right up. No venturing to the foredeck and trying to control the jib as it comes down.

Watch e-bay for a luff wire furling system. (Type in "Furling" in the search, all catagories.) Middle weight one from Harken would be perfect. Simply a spool with swivel in its base and a connection to the luff wire on top. Swivel to attach to the top of the luff wire and just clips onto the halyard. To store it you just coil up the furled system and put it in a bag or lay it in the forepeak coiled up ready to go.

There is an entirely different way to set up your clubfoot so that it becomes truly self tending and much easier to work with to let it out. It involves installing about a 24" traveler rod just in front of the mast and putting a ring on the rod to attach the block. The jib sheet gets led forward, rather than down and back. It can run forward to the fore end of the clubfoot and then thru a single turning block and back along the rail thru fairleads to the side deck at the cockpit where a cam cleat or jam cleat will control it. If tacking, you will set the jib as desired on one tack and simply let it continue to tend itself while tacking back and forth. When you reach you can tighten it for better control and sail shape and when you run downwind it will let out much more easily than with the stock layout. There is nothing really wrong with the way it is designed, but the stock layout eliminates the traveler and thus a bit of expense. The traveler in it basic form can simply be a 3/8" or 1/2" threaded rod with a length of CPVC piple over it. The ends are positioned an inch or so off the deck with just two wooden blocks with the rod run thru them and a couple acorn nuts to hold it secure.

For sails for the Vacationer, I would seriously recommend the set from the Stevenson's. They are well made and high quality at a pretty darned reasonable price. Only thing that they lack is reef points and the loose footed design.

Here is a link for an Eastern Seaboard small sail loft that has provided extremely well made sails that will last for years with lots of options available. http://www.dabblersails.com/index.html His pricing is also very competitive with other lofts. Give him a copy of your sail plan, the dimensions of the mast, fore triangle and if for a lapper the dimensions of the foot length from the forestay to the shroud.

Tell him about your sailing conditions and your experience, that you want to have a loose footed main and he will provide you with a set of sails custom made for your conditons and experience. You won't be disappointed in his work. I have a lot of acquaintences that use him.

For very comptetive pricing and good quality and all the options as well from what is one of the largest sail lofts in the world with excellent reputation, try http://www.rollytasker.com/

Good sailing Florin.

[Florin {VACATIONER}]

Barry, thanks for all of your good advice.

I've already changed all of the hanks to miniature carbiners. THey work well. They are not plastic, instead they are made out of some sort of plated steel.

As far as the sails, I'll have to make a new main out of tarp this season now and just lash it again... or maybe I'll make a slider on the boom and mast, we'll see what I can come up with. Thanks for the links for the sailamkers.

Cheers

Florin

[Mike Pennington]

Florin,

I still use my stock jib on windy days. But the lapper Barry was speaking of is definitely the way to go. We are talking at least another knot in speed.

I got my sails from PJ, the poly sail is holding up, despite the fact he himself did not.

I have seen the sails that Stevenson's sale on Mark G's Weekender, sweet and well made.

When I made my first lapper out of tarp and duct tape, I noticed that if you stretch the tape to much it will shrink back to it orignal length and cause the sail to be baggy.

Also when lashing the sail, I not only pass the line through the eye, but back through the loop of line. This holds the sail in place, when you tie the line off at the end of the gaff and boom. Stretches it out so to speak.

Now as to moving to New York :shock:

Well some folks swear Wasilla residents are ruder and that they certainly drive worse than the reputation one hears about innocent New Yorkers. So in away moving to the big city is true, Frank. However, I have a solution to tail-gaters, I place a single bladed Plum ax in the stake bed hole in my truck bed, the flapping blade usually keeps the pesky hiney sniffers back a couple hundred yards

The trees are taller here than in the interior, but it rains more too. However that rain has to go somewhere and as a result there are way more lakes to sail and the big water is much closer.

Glad you have all your kids under one roof now, it is great how that usually works out. Good sailing to you.

Mike