CS17- value of optional mast position

[Peter HK]

Hello

I'm wondering about the value of the optional mast step/position.

I will have tracks and halyards and slab reefing so I can't see any point from the sailing point of view. Is there any thing I'm missing here?

I see some shift the mizzen mast at anchor when setting a large tent- does this make much difference when camp cruising? I plan a dodger of some sort for the central sleeping area and a boomtent aft and thus leaving the mizzen where it is would be fine.

Not fitting the mast position means a little less work and no hole to let water into the bunk area.

Any opinons from those with experience on a CS17?

Peter HK

[Ken_Potts]

I haven't sailed my CS17 yet so I can't speak from experience but I do remember one CS owner posting here who went the longest time without using the third step and once he tried it he was very enthusiastic about it.

I can't remember who related that story but I'm pretty sure he was in Florida.

You can always make a nice plug for the step when it isn't in use. I'll probably turn one out of walnut and use a piece of bungee on the underside of the foredeck to hold it in place.

I fully expect to use that step because I have sleeve-luff sails and I've heard that the third step is much better than reefing for those sails (unless you've maybe got a zipper in the lower part of the sleeve, but that's another discussion...)

[Peter HK]

Thanks Ray

I hadn't thought about rowing- not that I expect to do much rowing...it's sails or motor for me.

Peter HK

[Gordy Hill]

I loved having the third mast step. With the sleve luffs I would wrap the main around the mast and reposition the mizzen. If I were just going for a local sail on a windy day I'd only take the main in the mid step. When sailing like this the boat barely tips, it just scoots! It's also pretty idiot proof for a novice sailor. You can send just about anyone out and they will have a great time.

Since my seat came further back across the front of the cockpit I rowed from a spot forward of the mizzen. I would straddle the centerboard trunk and have plenty of room for rowing.

[JeffM]

I've fiddled with reefing my sleeve-luff cs20 a number of times now. I've found the best method is reefing around the masts, but maintaining good sail shape by putting a tie through the snotter grommet and around the the furled sail, then hooking the snotter to this tie, rather than the snotter loop sewn-in at the reefing point. This is by far my favorite way to reef. My sails bagged too much whenever I tried to use the reefing point. Also, the last time I tried to sail with the mizzen in the reefing step in light winds (I have both reefing options), I experienced a fierce lee helm that made it impossible to sail to weather. (I reefed on this occasion because I was sailing late at night and intended to anchor and put up my tent. This might not have happened in stronger winds where the boat heeled more.) I might experiment with the main in the reefing step at some time in the future.

[JeffM]

Oh, I almost forgot. My third step doesn't leak a drop. I made a fairly tight-fitting plug, then waxed around the edge of the hole and ran a bead of silicone caulk around the inside of the plug and pushed it into place. Once the caulk had set, it stuck only to the plug and formed a sort of O-ring on the plug. As a result it has a weather-tight custom seal and has never given me a moment's concern.