Sailing Nomad today

[hoddinr]

Tim Horseman and I took Nomad to Lake Seminole today as a shake down sail.  First thing I did was try to get it off the trailer with the centerboard pennant loosened and the board resting on the trailer roller.   That didn't work, so we pulled her back up and raised the pennant.  After that things went smoother. 

There are a lot of lines involved in sail handling on this boat!  And it also has a Boom Kicker to deal with.  I think I'm getting that sorted out.  Dennis, the PO added a track for the kicker so you can move it farther back on the boom when the boom is lowered, and farther forward when the boom is in sailing position.

The lazy jack line got tangled up in the block for the down haul and couldn't be freed without the lazy jack line being re-rove.  I put some tell tales on the sails port and starboard (red and green) and above the first reef and above the second reef.  They were placed about 2 feet aft of the mast, and seemed to break evenly as we headed up, so they seem to be in the right place.

Everything was squeaking, so some McLube SailLube was sprayed onto every metal to metal surface, like the main sheet traveler, and into the bearings of all the blocks.  This quieted everything down.  We reefed (one) and unreefed without trouble, and managed to almost dip the rail in a gust.  Only thing that happened was that everything on the port settee ended up on the starboard settee or on the floor.

The mysterious "long pin" was used while reefing to keep the gooseneck from dropping too far down when the halyards were eased.  Tim suggested marking the halyards to the correct length for reefing, so it's not a guess.  Sounded good, but didn't have a magic marker on board. 

We got the sail down OK, but a sail slug broke right at the throat.  I think we failed to keep the gaff level as it came down, and it overstressed that slug. 

Then I couldn't remember if Dennis used to wrap up the halyards and lazy jacks before lowering the mast, or afterwards, with the result being sort of a tangle of lines hanging down into the cockpit after everything was lowered onto the boom gallows.  We shoved them all up into the sail cover, but I know there's a neater way to do that!  LOL!

Overall impression is that the boat is very comfortable to be aboard, and does everything well.  Operator needs some practice, however.

Ron

[Craig]

Hi Ron. Actually the Boomkicker track is original equipment. When properly installed/adjusted you should not have to mess with the boomkicker. It becomes a "silent partner". The only time you should have to touch it is when the mast is lowered. Then you simply pull the pin on the boom track and let the fitting slide out of the track so the boom and gaff can slide below the mast hinge. The "mysterious" long pin is then inserted to hold the boom and gaff below the hinge. Suncats are great boats! We loved ours!

[atrometer]

Such fun isn't it?  Sure miss it and am so happy I can read about it and see pictures.  Thanks ALL!

[hoddinr]

Craig,

Dennis added an "extra" section of track so you don't have to remove the boom kicker, just let it slide back farther.  I wasn't clear about that.

Ron

[Craig]

Good idea! If I trailed Kailani more I would would probably do the same thing. What kind of track did Dennis use? Some of the guys  on the Horizon Cat section might want to see what it looks like since a couple of new owners are planning to trail a lot and are getting Boomkickers as well. Re the long pin: if it goes in when both goosenecks are below the hinge and prior to dropping the mast you will never damage the gaff(peak)gooseneck as has happened to several folks. Almost happened to me once when the fitting slid up when I was dropping the mast.

[hoddinr]

Craig,

It's the exact track that comes with the boom kicker, just an added one aft of the position it's in when sailing, so it can be slid back to lower the whole rig.

Ron

[hoddinr]

Went back to the "Yard" today to straighten things out after our rushed outing on Wednesday.  I was thinking that I'd put the cover on after cleaning up the mess of halyards and lazy jacks stuffed into the sail cover.  After removing the shaft from the mast head that supported a wind vane (not needed with tell tales), I took off the sail cover and raised the mast.  It took three tries, as twice some line or other grabbed and had to be sorted out.  Then I repaired the busted sail slug.  Dennis had thoughtfully left a little bag of them in a "Captain Nemo" drawer.  Then I reorganized the lines, bungied  the halyards and lazyjacks to the mast and put the cover back on much more neatly.  Then I lowered the mast.  All of the halyards and lazy jack lines were snapped inside the sail cover.  Things were looking good.

The owner of the "Yard" came over in his golf cart to chat.  He admired the little vessel.  But thought it should be moved farther forward on the trailer.  More tongue weight, he said.  It'll ride better, he said.  Move the axle back a foot, he said.  I told him that it rode fine, had enough tongue weight, and it was that far back because the point was to get it to float off the trailer. 

All in all, a good day, even though she didn't get wet.

Ron

[Tom L.]

I would bet the yard owner was more familiar with motor boats than sail. With there hugh motors weighing hundreds of pounds the axle does need to be further aft. Not so on a sailboat.

Tom L.

[hoddinr]

Exactly right, Tom.  He personally owns a couple of Jet boats, one is a Jet Ski.

Ron