To Furl or Not to Furl

[multimedia_smith]

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.

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

[mgoller]

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

[multimedia_smith]

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

[mgoller]

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.