Jump to content

Core Sound 20 Mk 3 -- #4 "Chessie" . .


Pete McCrary

Recommended Posts

Pete, 

 

The boat looks great. Thanks for posting the pictures. The rudder fit in the cockpit well was just a happy accident. My Dad and I always trailered our CS-20 with the rudder off the boat but it is such a pain in the rear. Graham has taken to leaving his rudder on all the time on Carlita also because he has the boomkin which provides some extra protection and something to lash to. On my CS-17 I also not leave the rudder up full time and put an extra "safety" line around the rudder and up to the top of the lowered masts. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Pete, she looks awesome. You should be proud! I can't wait to see it a the MASCF. I won't have mine done by then, but I'll be there and look forward to seeing Chessie and hopefully getting a sail. When the weather is right we sail out to Wye Island on Thursday and sail back Friday morning. Keep that in mind.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My canvas shop made a canvas "sleeve" for the rudder with webbing loops that I can wrap around the thwart.  Once I'm satisfied with "Chessie's" sailing setup, I'll rig that for road transport and driveway storage.  But in my garage the rudder has to be removed in order to have the whole rig inside.  However, that should be infrequent.

 

BTW, overnight I decided not to rush things -- so I'm skipping the SWS cruise next week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Pete McCrary said:

Steve,...  We'll definitely get in some sailing with you and others at the MASCF in October.  But Annie will probably be with me and we'll [both] be bunking at a B & B -- which would rule out camping on Wye Island.

I get it, but didn't you build a boat with two bunks? My Sea Pearl only sleeps one, so a big part of building the CS is so I can bring her. But who knows if she will actually come with me once I finish it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, but for the last 40 years, Annie doesn't go on the water, even for a short day-sail..  That's why I make everything work solo.  My overnight crews have [so far] always been teenage grandchildren with the understand that they will promptly obey every polite request, rude demand, etc. with no questions asked.  From watching my grandchildren in the presence of their parents -- I just can't trust the pre-teens to understand how important that is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys for the rudder-transport tips.

 

Now, another problem.  Once I hinge the forward hatch cover I'll no longer be able to raise the mast while standing in the hatch opening.  So I've been thinking of solutions for a solo sailor.  Here's my conceptial sketch:

 

image.thumb.jpeg.7a395426f4094faf825e9a9055fe5f57.jpeg

 

I'm sure this "wheel" has been invented before -- but I haven't been able to find a sketch of it.  So, in the next day or so I'll be trying this.  The idea would be to fabricate a pole ~ 8' long with an concave arch cut in its 3"- end that could find purchase just under the eyelets used for the snotter.  By standing in the companionway, the sailor raises the mast by hand to his shoulder, then placing the 3" end of the pole under the mast (and below the snotter attachments) -- and then raising the mast by leveraging the pole [against the mast and the purchase provided by the snorter attachments] until the foot of the mast is snug against the tabernacle.

 

At this point he would wedge the foot of the pole against a jam-block at the aft end of the garage roof and its breakwater.  Then he would duck below and thread the mast-securing nut to its bolt.  Fini.

 

Lowering the mast would be a little easier [physically].  Standing in the opening of the forward hatch, the pole is jammed between the mast's snotter attachments and the garage roof's breakwater.  Below, the mast-securing nut is removed and then, returning to the hatch opening, the sailor removes the jam pole and lowers the mast and rests it on the partially opened hatch cover (positioned so that the mast and hatch cover are perpendicular to each other).  If the mast can be reached (from standing in the companionway), then it is raised slightly so that the forward hatch cover can be closed and the mast then lowered completely into its transport crutch at the mizzen [position].

 

Bear in mind that it is important to this octgarian not to have to climb up onto the cabin roof.

 

PLEASE !!  Critical commentary, suggestions, alternatives, watch-out-fors, etc. would be very much appreciated.  This has to be solved before I hinge the forward hatch cover.  And I'd like to do that before her first cruise.

 

PS -- The pole would be stowed on (or in) the tow vehicle.  If anticipated cruise would encounter low bridges (or a canal cruise), then it could be stowed in one of the cockpit coaming (seat backs).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My only concern would be instability of the pole on the water if the boat is rocking. This could cause the mast to sway sideways while you are not holding the mast and either cause the pole to come loose or put undue sideways stress on the tabernacle, possibly splitting the tabernacle. If you can avoid any tendency for the mast to sway sideways, the idea could work I would think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good point.  My neighbor helper had serious injury and boat damage raising (or lowering ?) his mast when a wake toppled them both.  Best practice is don't do it.  Maybe in a canal.  But in about 7 yrs of sailing folding mast boats, I've only needed to lower a mast on the water one or two times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete, I had never considered this problem. I assumed raising with the tabernacle would just be walking the mast forward and standing on the cabin top. I used to have a Catalina Capri 18 and that is how I did it and the mast was really heavy. It did have the advantage of having side stays that sort of kept it going up straight but I think the captive nature of the tabernacle should provide a similar amount of guidance. The tough part seems to be once you've walked it vertical how do you hold it to get the nut on? I liked your solution of a "jam" against the bow eye backing block. Or maybe a loop of chord that stays at the pivot and slides down. It will be interesting to hear Jay or Doug chime in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Until I realized that the hatch couldn't open with the mast folded -- I had planned to hold the mast upright (while moving to the cabin) by reeving the halyard thru the anchor roller and belaying it to the anchor cleat.  But even that won't work if I can't stand in the hatch opening.

 

I really don't want to walk on the cabin roof, especially with boat on the trailer at the ramp.  A fall to the Tarmac could be crippling or worse.  With my CLC PockerShip I had to walk on the cabin roof to the foredeck-- and didn't like it one bit.  At least on half the trips I had the side stays to hang onto.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete, 

 

If you step the mizzen mast first and then tie the mizzen halyard to the top of the main mast, you can use the mizzen halyard to raise the main mast to about  50 degrees which should be plenty to open the foredeck hatch. Then you just need to push it the rest of the way up while belaying the mizzen halyard. 

 

Better still, tie the main halyard to your anchor roller and finish the job by pulling on the main halyard and belaying the mizzen halyard. 

 

To bring the mast down, raise the main halyard to the top of the mizzen mast and cleat both off, then undo the tabernacle bolt from the fwd hatch and lower the mast down while bringing in the main halyard until the main rests at the top of the mizzen mast. Then finish the job from the cockpit by lowering either the mizzen or main halyard. 

 

58fd609e1f08c_mastraising.JPG.97819f0c0a0a61b5ac17c0c11e5c7e80.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another consideration, It might be better using the halyard for the mizzen staysail (provided you have one) because the block for that is on a swivel and on the front side of the mizzen mast. Using the halyard blocks might cause a lot of friction as the they are only designed to lead the line straight down. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any halyard you send up the mast, you'd need to tie a retrieval line to so you could pull it back down. 

 

If you tie the mizzen staysail (or mizzen topping lift/whatever) halyard to itself to form a "halyard loop" like on a flagpole and then attach the main halyard to that loop then you could raise the main using the mizzen halyard to position 2 and cleat it off. Then if you were just going to push it up the rest of the way, you could belay the main halyard until the mast was fully up and bolted. Then you just retrieve the main halyard with your mizzen halyard loop.

 

You could also use the main snotter with a length of line tied to it as an extension made fast to anchor roller or bowsprit to bring the main mast to vertical. In fact, you might be able to eliminate the halyards altogether. Just raise the main mast as high as you can from the cockpit and then pull it up the rest of the way with the main snotter and extension line. If you could tie that extension line to say the roof rack of your car then all the better as it would improve the initial staying angle. The snotter has a good purchase too so probably be really easy. You'd just have to work out how much of it you needed so you didn't get two-blocked before the mast was up all the way. 

 

Another thing Pete might have fun designing is a ratchet pawl that engages once the mast is vertical down in the anchor well that would hold the mast in place until you got the tabernacle bolt on. It would be suspenders on top of cleating off the snotter or halyard or whatever. Of course it could backfire badly! as it requires one to REMEMBER something. I can imagine the mast clicking into place just as someone comes up to talk to you and you finish rigging the boat without putting the nut on the bolt! 

 

Now if you just made the ratchet pawl thingy as strong as the tabernacle bolt then we could do away with the bolt altogether! Hmmmm

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...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

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