One of those two SunCats...

[Craig Weis]

What a supreme boat. You lucky dog you!

Let us know how all that gaff and folding stick business works...it would take a bit of getting use to, me thinks with a halyard for the gaff and a halyard for the main and a halyard for the peak and a down haul for the boom.

Funny I can smell the inside of that boat now.


skip.

[brackish]

Congratulations!!  Those Hutchins cat boats are simply beautiful.  Full report on the first long sail is expected.

[Joseph]

... and a boomvang, and a topping lift, and two sets of reefing lines both for tacks and clews... not to mention the line for the centerboard and the lanyard for the rudder... that boat has more lines than symmetry lines are in a circle...

I am aiming at a first launch in a couple of weeks. The ice has disappeared from the river but it still cobbles the ramp at the marina... Besides I am still awaiting for the main anchor (being shipped by bus from across the continent) and the motor (coming from Lake Huron)...

The main problem has been choosing a name for her... and after much debate I am "heeling" towards "GAFFER"...

a) it befits her skipper in more ways than one...
b) it refers to one of her most salient features (i.e., the gaff rig)
c) GAFFER was the name of the backstage CAT (!) in the Muppet Show
d) GAFFER had a patch over her left eye (Arrgh!) (as well as a badly bruised left ear...)
e) and GAFFER always kept coming back...! (not a bad feature to have in a boat...). See it for yourselves:

"The Cat Came Back", Episode 523:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltlPINPn8UU

Enjoy!

J.

[kahpho]

Man, just lookin' at 'em is enjoyable. Not so enjoyable as sailin' 'em, but still...

Does that trailer have an extended tongue on it? or is it just the picture foolin' me?

congrats J.
mel

[Joseph]

Mel,

The tongue ended being longer than usual (which I appreciate) but the feature I asked for was a hinged swing tongue (so that trailer and boat would fit inside the garage).



J.

[Joseph]

Well, "Sassy Gaffer" and her trailer are now both duly licensed, but I also had to deal with the first glitches... the trailer, after enduring over 1500 miles in the Interstates 95 and 81 got its first flat tire in the boat yard and the spare had to spring into action, not much problem there, but then I decided to add some grease to the bearings, the tip of the grease pump got stuck real bad on one of the bearing protector and the contraption had to be taken off... I have since been unable to pry free the tip of the grease pump, so I am replacing both the protector and the pump tip...  I also had placed a tarp on the boat, mainly to protect her from nesting birds... but it got windy overnight, one of the bungee chords gave in and the hook rubbed the gelcoat on the side... No structural damage, but boy does it hurt...! Never again...

J.

[ontarioSuncat]

I hate bungy cords. Never use them. I always tie on tarps with lines to the trailer frame.

[frank]

Congrats for making it home OK and your beautiful boat. I guess that makes 3 of us now in Ontario. Missing anyone? Where will home port be?  Have fun

[Craig Weis]

Like flat trailering my 1930 Ford Model 'A' down the road. Never, never, tarp the car.
Flapping is only for girls in flapper dresses.

She's only covered when it sits in the barn for the winter.

skip.

[ontarioSuncat]

Should have added never use bunges and never tarp when trailering. Only cover it for the winter.

[tmorgan]

Love the shade of blue you chose for the stripe and bottom paint!

[Joseph]

Thank you TMorgan, but the credit has to go for Gerry H. He was the one who picked the colours on the hull to match the Pacific Blue Sunbrella in the sail cover and Bimini (which was the only colour I really picked...).

J.