The continuing adventures of Koinonia

[Billy]

This has to be the Com-Pac record for longest thread! How fitting the the 2nd word in the title is "continuing"!!!

May it never end!

[Bob23]

   Koinonia news: Nothing. She just sits under her canvas cover enduring snowstorm after snowstorm. First was the blizzard of 12/26. Being a frustrated storm chaser at heart, I was tracking it on the NOAA site and it looked more like a hurricane to me. After that, we had 2 little mini-storms of 5 inches each.
   I can finally get to the boat, open the cover flap, go down below and start dreaming. As soon as we get some warmer weather, I'll start my teak refinishing work. I'm ashamed to say, I've let her teak go a bit so it's on top of the list.
   I'm thinking of relocated my battery more amidships. That would help balance the boat a bit and give more storage room in the starboard locker.
   Last year I removed the sink, which was too small to be of any use and built a slide out chart table in it's place. It's about 40 inches long, white formica on top and trimmed in mahogeny. The body is just 1/2" AC plywood and has held up well. This year, I'll build a matching one for the stove which will enable me to pull it out further and provide some countertop space. I have some scrap 1/4" white Corian for that project.
   All it takes is time!
Bob23

[Bob23]

  tomorrow is a trip up to John Eggers Sailmakers in Perth Amboy, NJ to discuss a new suit for "Koinonia". The over the phone quote was comparable to North sails Direct and these are custom made sails made on site. We'll see how it goes. More tomorrow night.
Bob

[Billy]

can't wait to hear about it. You going loose footed? Full Battons? Reef points in the jib?

[Bob23]

   Had a great meeting with Dave Eggers today. I learned more about sails in one hour than I knew before I walked in his door.  He was familiar with my boat-he'd done sail repairs for the PO.
As they layed my sails out on the loft floor, his assistant ( I didn't get her name) politely remarked that "These sails haven't looked good for a long time". Kinda like me!
   I had a number of questions for Dave and it was obvious that this guy knows his craft through and through. And he's honest to a fault. Bottom line is that he uses a 6.62 oz cloth with a very tight weave, I'll probably order a main with 2 reef points and a 130 genoa without sailcover material- I'll go with a sock instead to improve sail shape and minimize weight. He did not recomend a loose footed main or full battens because of the inherent problems with each.
   But the best is yet to come: Dave told me he would not make my sails until he checked out the boat they'd be made for. That means a 3 hour round trip drive for him. This is standard procedure. He really desires to please the customer and build the best sail he can. And, yes, the sails are made right there in his loft not from some overseas loft (not that there's anything wrong with that.)
    I'll probably call him MOnday and giuve him the go ahead. Am I spending mre? Yeah, but not a whole lot more. And I'll be getting more for my dollar because this guy stnad behind his work. It was very refreshing to meet him- he has the same business philosophy that I have: Serving the customer is first and foremost. See Proverbs 22:1 "A  good name is to be more dresired than great riches." (Please note: This is not religion but rather my business plan from the beginning- 1984.)
Bob23   
Here's the address:
  http://www.johneggers.com/

[Billy]

what did he say the problems w/ the loose foot full battons? ALso,
6.2 oz huh?
My main and 110 jib are 5oz and my 150 genny is 4 ozs.

I have a bolt rope at the foot and reinforced tack & clew and in lighter days I pull the rope out and heavyer days I but the rope in the slot on the boom.

[peterg]

Hey Bob- glad to hear you are going with Eggers. I had a full suit of offshore sails made by them and was extremely pleased with the quality, performance, customer service, and durability. Have also taken my repair work to them and was again pleased. If you are planning on keeping the boat, Eggers sails are a sure bet. I've had the foreign built sails made for some boats, and they looked good and performed well for a very reasonable price, but I would not have had the comfort level with them in an offshore or big weather situation as with the Eggers products. Good choice.

[Shawn]

Good luck with the new sails!

I'd be interested in his take on loose footed and full battens as that is the opposite of what I have heard from several sail makers.

Thanks,

Shawn

[bmiller]

The comments on loose footed main caught my eye also. What is his reasoning?

[Bob23]

   6.62 oz. because Dave is familiar with Barnegat Bay where we have consistent high winds. He doesn't like full battens on this boat because, in his words, it puts a lot of pressure on the forward part of the sail. He didn't mind a loose-footed main although it would be built different than a standard mainsail- it would have a loose-footed shelf cut in. Also, I'd need to upgrade my outhaul and be prepared to adjkust it when needed.
   After reading the Pardey's book "The Capable Cruiser", I was interested in thier take on a battenless mainsail but again, I'm relying on Dave's experience here. In the end, the basic layout of the original sail is ok, it's just a lighter weight material and it's old and blown out-like me!
   Billy, I guess on our small, non-racer boats, using a regular main as a loose footed main would be ok. Unless it would place any undo strain on the sail. I have learned to treat a sail properly or you can ruin it rather quickly.
   Like I said, I'm gonna trust his integrity and experience. After looking at my bed sheets, he did not, repeat did not pressure me to buy his sails. In his words, "Your old ones will move the boat."
   I'll keep you all posted when he comes down to do the measuring. I may talk to him about a traveller and track for mid-boom sheeting for the main. Hey, why  not just spend all the money!!!
Bob23
 

[Bob23]

   Well, I done gone and did it. I met with Dave today from John Eggers Sailmakers and wrote out the deposit check. It is his policy to measure every boat he builds sails for so he drove down the 1 hour from his loft to my house to measure the boom and roller furler. Then it was off to Surf City to climb aboard and measure the genoa track location, length of the mast, distance from the mast step to the bow and a few more that escape me right now.
   Dave has noted that the performance gain in a loose footed main would be minimal so I'm leaning toward a regular footed. I know that's not the proper term but you guys know what I mean. I think if I ran the original sail loose footed it would make a big difference because it's so mishapen.
   My current (original 1985) jib is a 110 and we're going with a 130. Dave knows the Compac 23 well so I'm relying on his expertise and reputation for building excellent sails. They should be ready by mid April but I  won't be ready by then. Koinonia is gonna get a Pettit Protect epoxy barrier coat job this spring. That, and the few minor projects I have in mind will take me into late May or so to complete. So I'll be hitch hiking a ride with PeterG and Dennis.
   more later,
Bob23

[jthatcher]

Hi Bob,
   we are in the process of buying the compac 23 that is for sale at shore point.. not too far from you.   We are new to the area ( we live in pa)  but we were down this past weekend and did some exploring.   I have enjoyed reading your posts - we have a lot to learn about the boat and about sailing in the area.   we will keep the boat in jersey and get down as often as we possibly can.   I look forward to reading more good information on your thread, and it would be fun to touch base at some point to check out your boat..  jason

[Bob23]

I'd be happy to meet with you and show you around. Any photos of the ship? Best,
bob23

[jthatcher]

you would think that we would have taken a picture - the camera was in the car.  I think that we were just a little too excited about getting on the water to remember it.    Of course, there were lots of questions, and now that I am at home, there are lots more questions.  The former owner still has a boat at the marina, so it is good to know that a resource is close by.   But, it would be fun to meet with you at some point and to hear about some of your experiences..  I will be in touch..

[Bob23]

Jason:
   What marina are you at? Maybe you can plan on attending the famous Tice's Shoals Ron-Day-Voo 2011. International dignitaries, famous celebrities and criminals out on parole may be attending...there is a thread started on this somewhere...maybe the lounge...I'll update it and narrow the dates down soon.
  Bob23