A real pleasure to sail...

[Joseph]

Weather has been erratic up here... but in spite of that I managed a few short outings on the lake. The boat behaves as good as she looks (and she is already being referred to as "the Sweetheart of the Marina...").  The weight of the gaff even while held at an angle was not enough to bring the sail down (at least not with the speed that I require), so, I rigged a small line as a gaff-downhaul (bowline at the gaff, down between the legs attaching each slug to the luff, and through a small block at the foot of the mast attached to the padeye for the boom-vang. From there to the fairlead and horn cleat on deck for the gooseneck downhaul (both downhauls share the same cleat). It works better than I describe it... I also added telltales both on the shrouds and the luff of the sail which, for me, made for a big improvement for fine tuning the sail. With full sail, at 10 knots with gusts to 20, I was very pleased with the boat. Fast she ain't, but she beated upwind better than I expected, never missed a tack, gybed like a dream, remained dry, and at all times felt like a much bigger boat. I am also pleased for having requested a boom-vang (it makes a great difference when running) and a topping lift (it permits the sail to luff freely all the way up and down while hoisting or dousing). Another thing that I am adding is a tiller extension (a removable one). The stern design limits the possibility of the tiller to move upwards, and at times I have difficulty in reaching it from forward in the cockpit while hoisting or dousing sails. Overall: a real pleasure to sail.

J.

[Bob23]

Joseph:
   Sounds great! I have seen the Suncats at shows but never seen one under sail up here in NJ.
   I added a tiller extension to my 23 some time ago and love it. I think it's a Ronstan and it's removable- fits in a socket that get bored into the tiller and screwed in place. I probably got it from Defender. Maybe it's in my mind, but because I can move my weight forward a bit, it seems to help upwind performance...a little.
   Any photos?
Bob23

[gray]

I've had my Suncat for three years and sail the lower reaches of Lake Champlain. Went for a sail in a brisk wind last week and decided I needed a boom vang to make running with the wind easier. I've also considered that a topping lift would help and make raising  the sails easier. I am also thinking that lazy jacks would help with getting the sail down safely when single handling. My hesitation to all these ideas is that it makes for more complications - especially when trailering and it was the simplicity that first drew me to love the Suncat setup. I'd love to hear back from some of you who have added ( and then taken off?) any of the above and get advice on the best approach. What kind of boom vang did you use for instance and how does it mount?

[Joseph]

Gray and Bob23,

OK sure. The first picture is pretty straightforward. It shows the block of the four-purchase vang as it attaches to the boom:



The black and the red thin lines hanging loose are the reefing lines for the tack and the white line also hanging loose is one of the reefing ties at the sail.

The second picture is a bit more complicated because it shows everything that attaches to the base of the mast:



The green line at the top starboard is the gaff halyard, the orange next to it is the mainsail halyard, the big block with the white line is the boomvang, the thin red line next to it and going through a small block is the gaff downhaul and the white line to port of everything else is the gooseneck downhaul. The flat blue line at both sides of the mast are the jack lines.

From the mast the boomvang then comes to the starboard side of the roof of the cabin where it has its own cleat beside those of the two halyards. The other end, as seen in the 2nd picture attaches to the small eye of the block at the mast. It does not add any extra difficulty to trailering as it just stays under the boom.

The topping lift is just a line going from the top of the mast to a cheek block on the port side at the end of the boom and from there to a horn cleat 1/3 from the end of the boom (so it can be reached from the cockpit even when the end of the boom is outside the boat).  It does not affect trailering as I just bend it and hang it from the gallows.

I have hesitated about the lazy jacks. When they work they are great but they could also spell disaster particularly when hoisting or dousing the gaff.  In a blow I'd much rather deal with a readily doused sail lying on deck than a gaff tangled aloft preventing the sail from coming down fast...

Today I got the tiller extension but have not installed it yet. I opted for a quick-release FORESPAR Extensible Tiller Extension.

Hope this helps.

J.

[Bob23]

Thanks for the great photos.
   I have a Forespar extendable tiller extension, not Ronstan- might be just like yours. Works great. I bought a set of lazy jacks on sale at West Marina a few years ago but opted not to install them. I'd have to alter my sail cover (not a big deal) and it would hinder the use of a boom tent. Plus, just less lines coming off the mast. It's not a big deal to lower my main without the lazy jacks so lazy jackless I shall go.
   I'd like to run more lines aft but right now it's just the main halyard and topping lift that run to the cockpit. The boom vang isn't a big deal... it's right over the hatch anyway and doesn't need a whole lot of adjustment.
Bob23

[ontarioSuncat]

What is the collar around the base of the mast for. It looks like the mast comes apart just abouce the deck? It to added a downhaul but do use a lazy jack that acts like a topping lft too. Never thought I would need a vang. Will have to get the boats together to compare rigging and performance!!!

[Joseph]

Hey OntarioSuncat!

The collar at the base of the mast is exactly what you describe. It is part of the "garage package" offered by the Hutchins. The other part are the legs of the gallows that also come apart by removing a safety pin half way up each leg. The idea is to be able to bring the entire rig and the gallows down on deck so that the boat, at the end of the season, could fit inside my garage... The other part that completes the package is the swinging tongue in the trailer. I have not tried bringing the rigging to deck yet but will let you know when the season is over. As for getting the boats together... name the place and time!

PS.- What is missing in Gaffer is a nice and cosy cockpit tent...

J.

[gray]

It sounds like my concerns about lazy jacks are echoed here, but that means I'm still lacking a topping lift. Has anyone got a simple way of adding just that. Also, for those with boom vangs , do you notice a big difference when running with the wind? Lastly, I'm also intrigued by the idea of a nice tent for the cockpit - any suggestions?

[ontarioSuncat]

I have made my own tent and sold one to a fellow in NY. If you send me you email I will send pictures. I can't seem to load them in this forum.
My topping lift/ Lazy jacks are easy to make too. I can send pics of that too.
John

[ontarioSuncat]

email is john.manson-at-sympatico-dot-ca

[CaptRon28]

I've sailed my new (to me) 2007 Horizon 4 times so far, all down on the SW coast of Florida.  Haven't launched it yet on the NJ coast. Should have stayed in Florida. First 2 times were without lazy-jacks and it was a night-mare trying to lower the sail in an orderly fashion. The sail is bigger than a Suncat's and I was single-handed for 3 of the sails, so that could have presented additional problems. 3rd time was with lazy-jacks and a lot better. Last time was with the lazy-jacks adjusted a drop and it was a breeze. I would not think about doing it any other way now. Get it right and you will not have any problems in any sort of wind. You might have to head into the wind, but that is advisable on any boat with a main sail, especially when the wind picks up.

[jamato323]

I outfitted my SunCat with several ideas I picked up from this board:
1) made my own lazyjacks for about $80
2) put in a single reef line at the mast to reef the tack.
3) changed the cunningham to a downhaul.
Together they make sail handling a breeze in a breeze. Lazyjacks are adjustable and act like a topping lift.

[Joseph]

Grey,

The boomvang makes a big difference when running, particularly, if your mainsheet - as mine - is rigged at the stern. My guess is that those that have a traveller for the mainsheet forward in the cockpit will probably not need a boomvang as much. The problem is that with the sail wide open, the mainsheet attaching to the end of the boom has no angle to bring the boom down and the boom tends to shift upwards causing the sail to bulge (no good in strong winds!). The boomvang solves this by pulling the boom down and flattening the sail while not affecting its angle of attack to the wind.

J.

[gray]

I have the 2004 version with main sheet and traveller towards the front of cockpit. However it still feels like a boomvang would assist with running on windy days. I've also considered a jibe preventer so I would not feel as vunerable. I tend to opt for broad reaches when it starts bowing over 12 knots! Still undecided about lazy jacks! I do need a depth gauge though- any recommendations on thru hull models that work well on Suncats?

[ontarioSuncat]

Depth... Many use the shoot through the hull rather than drill a hole. The going position is in the cockpit locker near the rear as close to centre line as possible.