Another sunny but cool weekend, so down for another outing after work on Friday. I was brave and sailed off from my mooring under sail, although the engine was on in neutral just in case. I only bumped one other boat, very lightly... The trick was to pull the mizzen right up on one side so that it is nearly at right angles to the centre line of the boat. It then pulls the boat backwards from the mooring. My mistake was to break out the jib too soon, which swung the bow round for that slight bump. But it was quite rewarding to then sail off down the lines of moored boats. I shall try it again next time the wind is in the right direction, and leave the jib to much later.
Sailed around the harbour and anchored off Brownsea Island for the night. Still, quiet and very cold. Several other boats there, I think everyone is starting the season early, to get over the long dark winter. In the morning my daughter came down to join me for a day just sailing round the islands in the harbour.
I have rigged 2:1 tackles on the rudder and centre board and they really work well. I wondered how they would work as and when I hit the bottom. Things were fine. The automatic releasing cleats worked even through the tackle. I need to cut the lines to length once I am happy with the setup. Quite a number of cheek blocks are needed to guide all the control lines under the spray hood, but now they all seem to work. Every line now comes back into the cockpit. I can't get the rudder blade down without the tackle, and I can't get it down at all if the boat is moving forward. The leverage on the long blade is just too great.
That's a well loaded tiller... :o)
ReplyDeleteSo the straight red and white is to the rudder? Knotted red and white is "tiller tamer".. what's the blue and white for, and how do you secure the tiller tamer - is that a cleat I see? What are the outer connections on the tiller tamer - bungee or tied off tight?
Sorry for all the questions - always looking to learn from others experience...! :o))
The red and white pulls teh rudder blade down. It is overcoming the bouyancy which is hard. The Blue and white pulls the rudder blade right up out of the water. A 2:1 purchase isn't really necessary here, but makes life easier. Yes the knotted red and white is a "tiller tamer" and jsut pulls over a cleat underneath. It is hooked to bungees at each end, so It can be got rid of when lifting the engine in and out. It works extremely well. On a close reach I can hook it on and leave the tiller alone for minutes at a time.
ReplyDeleteThanks... really useful.
ReplyDeleteHi Julian,you seem to have moved the jibsheet tracks,comment please?/Johan Ellingsen
ReplyDeleteI, and everyone who saw me sailing, thought the jib sheets tracks were too far inboard and caused the clew of the jib to "hook" inwards. Matt moved them outboard in October. I don't think the cabin roof is reinforced to take extra tracks, so he moved them onto the grab rails, which looks odd, but works very well. The only problem is that the sheets now don't lead back straight under the gaps in the spray hood, so I have had to fit turning block there. If the outboard position is adopted, it will be easy to modify the gap under the sprayhood to accommodate them.
ReplyDelete