Well, it seems that my 28 year old mainsail is not in as good a condition as I thought when I bought Chubby Buoy a month ago as I ended last weekend with a tear. Don't know what it would cost to patch, but seeing as I can get a new main and jib or genoa set for $500.00, that would be the way to go.
Question is how much should I be paying for a furler? Any advice by those of you who use one would be much appreciated. Like everything else I'm sure there are pros and cons, so I and I'm sure many others who don't have furlers would like to hear them. How is stepping the mast different? Is it harder? Can I still do it myself? Would you go with a furling jib or genoa (does it depend on the average wind levels?)
Many thanks to all who respond.
Regards,
Mike.
Mike -
How's $10 sound? :)
Look in the Articles section, there's a How To that will show you.
:)
Mike,
My two cents worth is if you dry sail put your money into two head sails (Jib and genoa) and forget the furler. While I have not stepped a 16's mast with a furled headsail I have to believe anything extra just makes it harder. I have a downhaul that allows me to douse the headsail from the cockpit. The standard jib on the 16 is small enough that I don't think a roller is worth the money. Use your money to buy a light wind headsail; genoa, drifter or spinnaker.
If you keep the boat in the water and use a genoa then a furler would be useful.
Craig
Hi Craig and group,
I am considering roller furling for next season. Since I keep the boat in the water all season I only have to deal with getting the mast up once.
When it is blowing 12 - 15 mph plus I typically sail on the main only. My CP16 goes fine this way and it makes for easier sailing when my wife reads or is in the relax mode. Yesterday was just such a day.
Can ones exisiting jib be modifed for roller furling or do you need to buy a new sail?
Gil,
It may depend on the roller-furler you buy, but I believe it is a common conversion. CDI seems to be a popular brand for most daysail and overnight applications and I know I read somewhere about converting the jib to use with a CDI system.
Roller furling would make buttoning up the boat after a day's sail that much easier.
Craig
Gil,
I'm waiting for my Idasailor rudder to arrive, so I was sailing yesterdy in 15 mph winds, with gusts around 20 with original flat plate rudder. I've found the boat balances better when I reef the main and leave the jib up. I have the old style roller reefing boom. The sail shape is not good, but I have the ability to reef the main all the way down to the size of a hanky. Have you found that the Idasailor rudder reduces weatherhelm when under main only? I sometimes have trouble getting the bow to move through the wind under main only (forget tacking under jib only I have to jibe), does the new rudder help with that?
Craig
Yes, I find the foiled rudder helps under all conditions, sail set and even under power. Docking is even easier as I do not stall the boat after shifting into neutral to coast into my slip. I sail frequently on just the main when it is blowing as it makes things very simple and stable if I want to relax. ( I typically want to relax!) My wife always relaxes (lays down on one of these custom "chair" pads the boat stores sell these days) and reads while sailing so I am left with no working crew.
I have yet to try reefing my main. I only have one manual reef point. We went out Saturday in a cool cloudy and windy environment. The east wind was tearing down the "chute" to the left side of the marina. We motored off to the right side, raised the main and then sailed for a bit more than an hour going back and forth into the "wind chute". It was a blowin' and a few puffs were well over 20mph. Interestingly enough, these blasts get your attention but they are not scary in a trusty CP16. But don't doze at the at the helm. I had to change sides after every tack on Saturday as I don't like driving from the low side of the boat.
Yesterday turned out sunny, warm and with a really nice 10-12 mph steady wind. We had a delightful day! We typicall get up to the boat after 12 noon, sail for a few hours then go back to the slip and relax on the boat for another hour or two before going out to dinner. It is like being on vacation! We are not looking forward to winter!
I hope the hurricanes stay away and the weather holds as I would like to stay in the water until late October.
Hey guys. :) I found out a couple of weekends ago that the 16 really likes the 12 to 16 mph range. Quite lively with a jib and main. I did reef the main once, but found it sailed better with a full main. Pointing was reasonably good compared to lighter wind conditions. The trick I learned is balance. Weather helm decreases as the boat is balanced. If the wind piped up to 20, I pinched a bit and she behaved herself. (My wife gave me handheld wind gauge as a birthday present a couple of years ago that I have enjoyed on such days.)
Hi Mike, et al.,
I have a roller reefing boom and an add-on furler for the smallest jib on my cp16. I have spent as much time as possible whitecap sailing, as I need the adrenaline, and I can tell you that the furling jib has been of very little use to me, other than its ability to store ready to use. It is not furling on the stay, which would be of far greater use to me, especially as I can envision a furling genoa to be the pinnacle of ease and versatility, since it has the essentials for all conditions heavier than a drifter or cruising spinnaker, and can be furled down to the size of a storm jib, if necessary. I have never set one up, and have no idea of cost, but in a cp16, everything is fairly light and easy, so I'd be hard pressed NOT to at least price a furling headstay with sizeable genoa as an option if I were replacing the old sails. As far as roller reefing on the boom, I would NEVER go without that! Though the sail shape does suffer slightly when reefed, I have not had any problem with it, and remember, with that much wind blowing, sail shape is not going to much affect the boat's performance at that point, you'll have speed enough! The distinct advantage of the roller boom is that it's quick, it's easy even singlehanded to head into the wind, release the halyard, take in a roll or two, (or a half a roll), yard up again, and go! Also, with any amount of reefing of the main, you can release the downhaul, then yard up, then retighten the downhaul. What this does is lift the boom higher for more headroom - nothing to me, but a courteous gesture for those on board over 6'2". I have no idea what you'll need to retrofit on a rolling gooseneck, but you'll never regret it!
One more word about boat balance - I have not yet found, even in winds up to a steady 30 mph, that my hank on (larger) jib is too much sail forward. Somewhere between 20 to 25, I start rolling the main, mostly not to push the rigging too hard, but also to reduce weather helm. For those reading who don't know, the elements of balance here are the center of effort of the hull, and the center of effort of the sails. The former is the point on the hull, which if you could pull on it with a rope, the hull would be perfectly balanced and not pull stern or bow around, but just stay perpendicular to the pull. The latter has to do with the sail areas and sail trim, and points of sail attachment to the hull, which determine the center of effort of the wind upon the hull. If the wind center is forward of the hull center, (a rare find in cp16's), then the bow will try to point off the wind, and to correct this you will have to put the tiller handle to leeward, thus "lee helm" condition. (I recently experienced this under the most bizarre circumstance with my 85 year old father and 13 yo son in a steady 25mph blow. We put up the small jib and first reef main, then cut the motor and went off on a starboard tack. But when my boy couldn't get the motor up, I went back to try, but we were heeling 15 to 20 and I couldn't steer, balance, and hoist motor while in that position, so I decided to sail that way until we came about, but the motor dragging on the lee of the boat generated a tremendous lee helm and incredible braking action until a brief lull permitted us to recover...) The much more common condition is where the center of effort of the wind is AFT of the hull center, and so the boat is trying to come up into the wind, which to fight off you are putting the tiller to windward slightly, and thus a condition known as "weather helm". I was intrigued by the propositon in Royce's handbook that by balancing the sails, you could actually get a boat to steer itself! After much experimenting, I know they are right! But you can't always reef more sail, or put on a larger jib/genoa. The other solution is to trim the sails differently. Usually I try resetting the jib to optimum by letting it out, and bringing it in just till it stops luffing. Then the same with the main, only very close to the point of luffing, and feel now the helm balance and if the boat is still tryng to point up, then tighten the jib sheet slightly and maybe even slack the main a bit until the balance is one finger touch perfect! It really is a blast, and though the cp16 is such a breeze to sail, it still responds very well to appropriate trimming. Sorry to be so wordy, but I hope this helps with your decision for your new rigging!
bro t from Upwest Maine
Yo Bro T -
Your input is greatly appreciated.
Couple of questions for you.....
Where did you find a furling boom, how much, and what is involved with modifications? I too thought a roller furling genoa would be the way to go until I got some input that furling the genoa more than 15 - 20 % affect the shape of the sail adversely. What are your thoughts about this?
Looking forward to your input again.
Mike.
Hi Mike,
there's an interesting note about foresail furling in the cp-19 forum, with a web link to some interesting looking reviews. I glanced but didn't get too far.... Anyway, to answer, my cp16 came with a roller boom, but I think it is a simple retrofit if you already are using a slotted mast with a gooseneck on your boom. I haven't looked for one on the web yet, but any marine supply should be able to give leads, or try the net. All that should be involved is getting a new boom with the spring-loaded roller, then put your current gooseneck and sheetblock onto the new boom. I've given more thought to the furling foresail, too, but I think unless you're going to be moored somewhere and just get on and go, the furling headstay almost seems like a lot of extra trouble for those who are trailering to their voyages. I can envision a furled jib trying to open while trailering or setting up, and then if you drop the jib/genoa to avoid this (or potential sail damage) you're spending a lot of money and not saving any time. If I get a chance, I'll see what's online for booms. Also, I was going to mention, but the hank-on jib actually fits nicely into a bag and we tie that to the forestay for storage sometimes while moored, or while overnighting. we even leave the sheets in the fairleads, so it's a simple untie the bag and hoist the halyard to get underway. Improving the boat is really fun, good luck finding what you want....
bro t from the soon-to-be-frozen north
Mike,
Check out this web site:
http://www.dwyermast.com/items.asp?cat1ID=30&cat1Name=Booms&familyID=5&familyName=DM%2D275+Boom
Scroll down to item DH 355 1L, and you'll see the roller reefing gooseneck. I believe Com-Pac uses Dwyer products but I don't know whether or not this is the right size.
I have the roller reefing boom on mine. I agree with bro T that the sail shape ain't great, but you do get the ability to adjust the amount of sail reefed, rather than preset amounts like slab reefing. To get better sail shape, and when I am feeling truly obsessive compulsive, I will roll up the main so that the wind is always coming against the roll. That means unrolling and re-rolling the main every time I tack. Too much, I know, but I was curious how much of a difference it made.
Craig
Hi Mike,
I sailed a 16 last summer and moved up to the 19 this summer. The 16/II had a hank on jib, a hank on genoa and I had an asymetrical spinnaker. I felt pretty cool deciding which one to use and seeing that luff tight. I rigged a downhaul line and that worked very well. When the winds would be strong and I came back to port I would haul it down.
This summer I have a furling genoa. I miss the bright white and tight jib. A partially furled genoa is no match for a jib. It just doesn't power the boat right. It is easy though and less stressful when I have guests aboard that are uneasy when things get exciting. I just pull on the furling line and the boat is de-powered.
I didn't buy the furler - it came with. It is nothing fancy. My suggestion is to skip it on the 16 and enjoy well set sails and install a simple downhaul line. Tie one end to the head and run the loose end through a block tied off to the tack and then to the latch loop on the main hatch and tie it off. Many times when I needed to pull the jib down the line had blown out of reach. Single handing is a bit scary in strong winds when you really need the jib brought down.
Marcus
Hi Marcus,
I'm interested in perhaps getting a cruising asymmetric spinnaker or gennaker (sp?) for my 16. On the one you used, did you have an extra (higher) pulley for the halyard. I'm thinking it would be above the forestay and therefore fly in front of it as opposed to being hanked onto it.
Bwana Bob... have you done this with yours... in your book you write about it, but it's not clear if you used it on the 16 or the 19 (which has a headstay)
THanks ALL
Dale
Hi Dale,
You will want to fly a spinnaker from the top of the mast, but I never checked to see if the shrouds on the 16 can handle a lot of load pulling forward. I did it. You could get a smaller spinnaker and fly it from the top of the jib halyard. It is nice to have a separate system I think.
I use a very simple system on both the 16 and the 19. At the top of the mast I have a stainless steel U bolt projecting towards the bow. It is mounted on the aluminum thingy at the top of the anodized spar. Through this I have a 1/4" halyard running in a loop to the bottom of the mast. On this loop I have a bronze shackle.
To deploy the spinnaker I first have my 1/4" sheets set and running port and starboard outside the shrouds and forestay terminating in a shackle on the side of the foredeck where I will deploy the spinnaker. The sheets are plenty strong and light to let the spinnaker fly like a kite. The sheets are cleated at the stern port and starboard cleats. I have a 1/4" tack line already on the spinnaker. I attach this at the furthest point out on the bow which is a stainless ring on the sprit, (the thing that keeps the anchor from coming on board). Depending on the point of sail this tack may be in tight or out three feet and on the same side of the forestay you want to deploy. You'll adjust this in - the closer you are to the wind.
Then I attach the sheet shackle and the head shackle. Pardon my novice sailing lexicon. I try not to say "rope".
Deploy the spinnaker by hoisting the halyard loop. I have extra line in this loop so I can fly the spinnaker way out or in tight. You don't have to use a loop but these lines have never gotten away from me and it is easy to bring the spinnaker down.
On my 19 I have a ring on a track at the front of the mast. I run the halyard loop through this ring. I use this ring to tie a slip knot in the halyard.
The only problem I have is when tacking the sheets usually get tangled on the bowsprit. Helps to have help.
Its easier to jibe and let the spinnaker billow out in front and pull it around with the other sheet as you change over to the other tack. There is almost no load on the spinnaker when jibing this way. make sure your sheets are long enough to allow the spinnker to fly all the way out and still make it back to the stern. This may be 35'.
I don't like using the spinnaker unless I am going to stay on a tack for at least 10 minutes. But it is really fun to fly it and it is very pretty.
I also concocted a chute system for the 16 using a sewn bag about 5 feet long and tied to the deck house cleat. I could douse the spinnker by pulling on a dousing line which collapsed the spinnaker into the bag. It could only be doused if it was flying on the starboard side. The dousing line ran through the chute and was the halyard. Pulling on the halyard would hoist and pulling on the douser would allow the halyard to fall.
I bought used spinnakers that were resewn to be asymetric. About $300. Masthead Enterprises.
Have fun.
Thanks for getting back Markus,
Sounds like something I could do... I don't suppose you have any pics of the thing in action?
I agree with you that a furler on the 16 is overkill... I use a jib downhaul and in really strong winds the 110 has never been too much (so far).
Do you have the measurements (rough) for the drifter/spinnaker?
Thanks again
Dale
Hi Marcus,
I found your remarks on the spinnaker real helpful.
My 16 came with a spinnaker, which I have not used yet, but plan to this season. I want to know more about the boat's charactoristics before sailing with it. I was concerned in one respect. The chainplates for my shrouds on my 79 CP16 are not set very far aft of the mast. I can see that the angle is sufficient to offset any pull from the jib, particularly with the main sail. Although, without a back stay, and the mail sail down, a large symetrical spinnaker like mine could put some real force on the mast. I'm not worried about the chainplate or the 5/32" dia. shroud, but the mast may bend. I wouldn't sail with a spinnaker in strong winds anyway, but on the lakes around here, you could get caught. With your experience, in your opinion, how strong is the 16's rigging?
Hi Guys,
I am not an expert. This was my thinking while flying the spinnaker from the 16. The genoa was big and heavy and strained in big winds. The largest forces and strain seemed to come from a reach to close hauled. On a broad reach and a run the apparent wind is much less because the boat speed negates some of the winds power.
The 16's rig is quite strong on a reach and close hauled. The mast isn't very long and the shrouds are well placed for those forces.
If you fly a spinnaker on a moderate day on a run you wont notice much force at all. You will have to play with the sheets to keep the spinnaker flying. On a broad reach you'll notice a nice even pull. Remember you are holding the sheet in your hand.
On a reach you are treating the spinnaker much more like a big jib on a tack. You certainly wouldn't be doing this if it is too windy. It wont work in too much wind because the shape of the sail is so full you will be blown downwind. In soft breezes it is fun to reach with a spinnaker.
So, in situations where the forces are greatest you have the full strength of your shrouds. Where the forces are weakest you have the lightest loads on the mast where it is least supported. Remember your hand is going to let go of a 1/4" line before the forces ever get too large. Now if you cleat off the sheet and start reading your book, you really should monitor things.
A genoa cleated off on a broad reach on a blustery day will put more strain on a rig.
As for size of the spinnakers. It isn't that critical believe it or not. A sail maker can cut you one from a used spinnaker which I did. You can pick from all sorts of colors. The sail maker wanted to know the length of the boat and heigth of the mast.
You will do more to change the dimension of the sail to suit the wind and point of sail.
The funnest is a big billowy shape off the bow. The spinnaker will be let well out at the tack and the sheet. You will be able to see under its shape. The main will be full out on the same side. While your speed will nearly match the wind speed to your maximum hull speed things will be quiet and sedate. The pull in your hand will not be too great.
I run the sheets through the eye of the aft cleats so some of the pull is taken there. There is some risk that if you had to let go a tangled line could get stuck in the eye. I run it through so I wont lose the sheets in the water.
You can certainly rig up something to suit you.
Don't hesitate to try your spinnaker. You will know when forces mount. Pressures mount much quicker on storm rigs. A reefed main and jib exert much more force in 20 knot winds than a spinnaker in a 6 knot wind. I read somewhere how the wind force is logrithmic with greater winds.
Bye
Hi Marcus,
Though we should change the subject line.
Nice explanation... makes me want to go out and get one.
A question... With the assymetrical spinnaker or gennaker (sp?), don't you have to keep the short side to the front? How do you change the sheet from one side to the other on a jibe? Do you take it down to change over or do you use a symmetrical? That would seem the easiest, I guess. Finally, what process to you use to deploy and strike it?
We have some pretty light conditions here at Lake Ponchartrain... especially in the afternoons.
Thanks a lot.
Dale
Hi Dale,
Yes you are right. It is cut like a huge jib short at the luff and longer on the leech. It is made of very light nylon. To jibe, I head straight downwind and let out on the sheet. The leech blows downwind and in front of the boat. At the same time I pull in on the other sheet and if all goes well the spinnaker starts filling on the other side. I am moving so slow at this point I can usually single handedly go forward and help it around if I have to. When my seven year old deck hand gets a little older this will be his job.
Maybe 25% of the time I can coax it around with the sheets.
The spinnaker does two things. It folds around itself and makes pulling on the sheet a futile endeavor or the sheet gets caught around the bowsprit.
Would it be easier to fly a spinnaker. I don't think so because you would have to go forward to change the spinnaker pole over, and set it for height.
How do I deploy it? I think I wrote about this previously. Once all is rigged just hoist it and throw it out. One of my spinnkers is called a whomper. It makes a "whomp" sound when it fills. To douse it - undo the halyard and as you hoist down just twist the sail on itself and stuff it in its bag. I keep the bag tied at the mast. (Makes a nice back rest for tourists). Leave the tack, clew and head protruding at the top and all lines coiled as you like. This will be a smaller bag than any of your other sails.
For fun I flew my jib between mast top and forward cleat using the spinnker halyard. I hanked it on as I hoisted it. You have to cleat this halyard off very tight or the jib sets in an arc. Its a staysail in this position. Then I unfurl the genoa. I can pull the jib across using the sheets through the fairlead eyes. I have to furl the genoa to tack and then unfurl onto the other side. On a reach both fore sails fly out and look pretty. On a run it isn't too hard to fly them wing and wing. i use a pole to hold the genoa out and let the jib pick up any spill from the main.
Do I go faster or point higher, surely not, but it is fun to complicate the Com-Pac 19 this much. It looks very salty, Argh!
Bye,
Hi Marcus,
I've already made up my pulleys and shackles for the mast top and anchor/sprit retaining band. The next thing is to find or have recut a piece of parachute or used spinnaker... I think if I stay within the range of 16' for the luff length I should be OK...
Does anyone have measurements for a 16 spinnaker?? The foot could go as long as... what? 10'? again, anyone have dimensions on one they've tried. How about crBak, hull no. 886 - "my girl" cp 16 - Atlanta... what's the size of the one that came on your 16? Bwanna Bob Burgess mentions one in his book... would you like to chime in... or do you even follow this forum?
Thanks guys...
Spring is here and then the dread of summer in New Orleans...
got to get out.
Dale
Quote from: multimedia_smithDoes anyone have measurements for a 16 spinnaker?? The foot could go as long as... what? 10'? again, anyone have dimensions on one they've tried. How about crBak, hull no. 886 - "my girl" cp 16 - Atlanta... what's the size of the one that came on your 16? Bwanna Bob Burgess mentions one in his book... would you like to chime in... or do you even follow this forum?
Thanks guys...
Spring is here and then the dread of summer in New Orleans...
got to get out.
Dale
Well we had one heck of a hail storm Monday and then Tuesday it was in the 70's. I made sure the boat was in the garage and the car in the drive. :wink: Spring isn't here yet, but we're going through the pre-Spring ups and downs apparently. I'll check tonight and measure my Spinnaker and get back to you. I've no idea if it's right for a 16 but it seems to fit well, flying from the top of the mast. My goal is to finish my project list by mid-March and have a proper launching with much fanfare. We're also having a contest to come up with a real name for her. My latest addition is a folding boom gallows that doubles as a stern rail. Having a folding boom gallow allow me to continue to rig the mains'le sheet from the transom which I prefer. I have a slightly smaller 20 ft. spare mast I've had for years. I removed 15 inches from the base and use it as a stub mast to retain the boom while trailoring or motoring. Pictures soon as it's all mounted.
Clemens
This is how it looked when I bought it. Seems nearly new and came with the boat.
My spinnaker is 13 1/2 ft at the luff with a 13 1/2 ft foot. Which gives me just a little room to see under the foot.
(http://www.com-pacowners.com/4images/data/media/31/spinnaker.jpg)
No idea who made it.
Clemens
Nice looking sail... and THANKS for taking the trouble to measure it.
Did you have someone stretch the sail & measuring tape... 13.5' seems short... the main luff is 15.3' and it is several feet off the deck. 13.5' is just about right if you're running it from the jib halyard, but from the mast top... the mast is 17' long plus the cabin height. Do you know if it was made specifically for your boat or merely adapted?
We are having a week of spring followed by a week of winter here in the New Orleans area. But if you watch it closely you can sneak a sail in about every week and a half. We DREAD the summer and make our annual escape north for a month... I fantasize about taking my boat this time.
Best of luck
Dale
Nice looking spinnaker. Looks like it would fly from the jib halyard. That will look very sporty. Also looks symetrical so you will need a pole.
Spring? Here in Michigan my Com-Pac 19 sits on its trailer covered in hard crusty snow and ice. Yesterday the hull was gleaming with the afternoon sun setting across it. The trailer is one with the tundra. The axle is covered in ice from a flood we had in January. The sails are still at North sails shop. The outboard is in the garage, the tiller is wrapped up in the shed.
Our thaw doesn't come until the first of april.
You know I have to admit that the only time I raised the spinnaker last fall, I had it flying in my carport, with a wind backing it into the mast. It was attached to a halyard laced through a block at the top of the mast The dimensions I gave above are correct. You are right though, the sail fits fine just above the jib halyard. I am looking forward to trying it this Spring.
By the way. We had snow in Atlanta today - at least until the sun came out. I spent years up north so it was a little reminder, which we don't get often.
Clemens
I just ordered a (new to me/secondhand) sail from Masthead
http://www.mastheadsailinggear.com/
it has a 16'luff and 13'foot, is red and blue and cost $100.
For an additional $65 they are recutting it to be an assymetrical gennaker which I can use on more points of wind than a straight run. It is .75lb weight, so it should really come in nice on those "breathless" afternoons when everything calms down.
The size should still fit on my regular jib halyard... but I'm rigging a block on a triangle line from the masthead to the spreaders to get it higher but not to put all the strain on the unsupported top of the mast. The guy who is recutting it had some concerns about that. The tack will be attached to a line through a block (so I can let it out farther) attached to a shackle on the stainless band that keeps the anchor line in place at the front of the bowsprit. Masthead has some pretty good deals, they are in St. Petersburg, Fl (where I was born) and right next to Com Pac, so they are quite familiar with the boat.
Looking forward to trying it out. :D
Thanks for the inspiration.
Dale
Hi Dale,
Very cool news. Try it on the jib halyard first. Size sounds exactly like mine. At Masthead they told me that boat length and luff length tend to correspond. Let me know if you find a good way to keep the sheets from getting stuck on the bow sprit.
The guys at masthead are great! :D Glad to see other people are as happy with them as I am, and a spinaker is next on my list for this light summer air in florida.
The guys at masthead are great! :D Glad to see other people are as happy with them as I am, and a spinaker is next on my list for this light summer air in florida.
I don't know how many of you follow the "other" brother site... but here's a copy of a recent thread on the sail with Bob Burgess, author of "The Trailer Sailer Handbook" and many other volumes on sailing and adventure.
:D
Bob writes:
I sure love that drifter when you can fly it and just lay back enjoying the fun on a balmy summer afternoon.You can understand why some folks in large yachts send up their crewmate in a bosom chair and fly him off the spinnaker at anchor.
Bob
In the Eye of the Beholder
http://www.geocities.com/rfbphotoart/
----- Original Message -----
From: Dale Smith
To: com-pac@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 7:53 AM
Subject: Re: [com-pac] Re: Flying Free
Bob,
I have to say it was your book that inspired me to get "the drifter"... that coupled with recollections of the breathless summer afternoons here on Lake Ponchartrain...
It has created a whole new dimension to the experience.
Many Thanks
Dale
hunterb4 <hunterb4@gtcom.net> wrote:
Sounds like a winner, Dale. I love mine on WindShadow my CP19. Used to balloon all the way in from the outer reef diving at Pennekamp. Left the main furled. Great fun, like flying a giant colorful kite.
-Bob
In the Eye of the Beholder
http://www.geocities.com/rfbphotoart/
----- Original Message -----
From: Dale Smith
To: com-pac@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 5:30 AM
Subject: Re: [com-pac] Trailer Care
We got to try it out Sunday... GREAT!!!...
Light wind and we had my Wife and I ... our 7yr old daughter and three of her friends... a pretty good load. We were heading back in and were passed by a twenty something footer... I had been wanting fly it and we put it up... really beautiful... red and blue and light as a feather. It has a great baloon shape... we wound up passing everyone up on the way in.
I'm really glad I had it cut to assymetrical... it is like a HUGE genoa.... I am flying it from the masthead, the anchor retainer band and the rear cleat and can let out any (or all) of the three lines... the further you let it out... the higher it flies. Really fun. and it really really moves in "no" air. The folks at Masthead had a good selection and when I called them four of the eight I had narrowed it down to were already gone, so they must do a pretty good turnover. I did have to soak the sail bag in JoMax to kill the "musty smell" but the sail is in really good condition... so their "rating" system is accurate. After I dropped the crew off, I took it out and practiced jibing to change sides. I also tried it from the regular jib halyard. It is easier to jibe when flown from the jib halyard because the sheets can go between the headstay and the mast. But, it seems to work better flown in front of the headstay and the masthead although the sheets have to go all the way in front of everything to cross without tangling. On the first attempt, I let the "lazy" sheet line slack and it got "keel hauled" so I didn't do that on the repeat tries. It blows out front and the change over is not too difficult by yourself. One thing I really appreciate is the foredeck hatch on the '88 model... both the genoa and the gennaker stuff right down there and out of the wind. Oh... are we having fun yet??
Best regards
Dale
Hi Dale,
Wow, great read. I don't know if Bob might see this but if he does - I have read and enjoyed the heck out of the first paper back. I must have much of that book memorized. Thank you Bob!
I am so glad you went through and got the spinnaker bought rigged and flown. It is the ultimate accessory!
There is still a foot of ice on our lake and 2 inches of snow on our boat. It is hard to imagine somewhere someone is sailing. In a couple of weeks i will be detailing "Windy" for the season. New rigging, new sails, restoring the gelcoat, and refinishing the teak. Yippee.
Bye
Hey Marcus,
Here's a shot of the "new" rig. I made a fitting for the masthead (photo soon to come)
http://www.com-pacowners.com/4images/details.php?image_id=347
It would be nice to get a pic that isn't taken from on board... maybe someday.
Dale 8)
Dale,
That is awesome. I would love to see the picture of the head, and yes, I agree a picture from a close by boat is a must. When I tried that last summer I kept getting too far away. My wife couldn't keep up while watching the kids so the pictures were too distant.
I am just getting my boat out and washed and ready for spring.