Recent posts

#21

TSBB General Talk / Re: Second sail on the Navigat...

Last post by Krusen - Dec 08, 2025, 04:51 PM

Nice sailing day, and proper garments make any weather enjoyable.  I did not realize that loons were found that far south.  Camped beside a Canadian lake with a full moon, we heard them all night.



I completely agree on the downhaul quick release.

How does the main outhaul function when reefed?  It is not obvious how that is tensioned with the regular rigging.

#22

TSBB General Talk / Re: Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Re...

Last post by Krusen - Dec 08, 2025, 11:56 AM

About night time rethinking problems, but starting with a day time one.

Another Norman where I worked was cutting the grass on Saturday afternoon, stopped in the middle of the front yard, went in the house, and told his wife that he had figured out what was wrong on a complex pre solid state computer at work.  Finish cutting the grass, I left the mower running.  I should have it fixed in about 3 hours, I will call when I leave, so you can have supper on the table when I get home.

Management never questioned if he worked overtime without asking, nor the number of hours he reported.

In the middle of the night, my wife often woke me for squirming and flopping in bed, and I explained that I was trying to analyze the test results to determine just which component had failed in similar equipment.  200 to 300 electric relays, each with 3 to 24 contacts, some slow pickup, others slow drop out, and some dirt on the pole faces could change the timing on any of them.

Sometimes, those nighttime efforts did indeed provide the insight, and next day, an easy repair.

Other times I recognized circular logic patterns taking place, got up and walked a bit, and returned to decent sleep.

#23

TSBB General Talk / Re: Second sail on the Navigat...

Last post by Doug SC - Dec 07, 2025, 12:41 PM

Great advice! In fact, we try to keep the Scot flat and sail flat in high winds. No vang on the Navigator but the down haul has to be extra tight which translates to the main halyard being tight. The snoder line on the sprit boom acts as an outhaul. I have controls for those coming back to the center of the cockpit. I can reef but wasn't familiar with doing so with these sails. Back at the dock I did a practice reef. I should have had the passenger on the same side of the boat as me. Yes, I could, probably should have, powered down the main for the gust. Thanks for the tips and reminders. It was fun sailing that day and the boat stayed mostly dry into the wind and white caps.

#24

TSBB General Talk / Re: Second sail on the Navigat...

Last post by rfrance0718 - Dec 07, 2025, 11:43 AM

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#25

TSBB General Talk / Re: Second sail on the Navigat...

Last post by rfrance0718 - Dec 07, 2025, 11:40 AM

This is a favorite topic for me. Sounds like your rudder is coming out of the water in the gusts, when you heal. I often race overpowered dinghies in gusty conditions. It is a true joy to not only handle this condition, but to actually get good at it, and to be one of the faster boats when it's honkin.  On the Thistle, and on the Laser, heal is mostly controlled by flattening the sails, hiking,  and playing the mainsheet. On gusty days, in both of these boats, we set up the rig to be balanced for the gusts. In other words, we set up the boat as if it's blwowing steadily at that max velocity.  This means lots of Cunningham, outhaul, hiking, and vang. Vang  won't be an option for you, but you can make sure that your main halyard is really tight and you can pull the outhaul(s) really tight. You can also feather a bit, if it's flat water, but not much in waves. The most important thing is how you handle the gusts. You should never be surprised by one, you can see it coming. When a gust comes on, the main goes out right when it hits, and as far as it takes to keep the boat flat. It's important not to wait until the boat heals. Ease the main right as it hits, then hike, then trim. This sounds like a lot of work, but it's easier if the rig is right. On cruising boats, we depower the rig by shortening sail. It's the same principle if it's gusty. Set it up to be balanced in the gusts.  We don't play the main of course, but we want the boat to be happy in a gust. We want it to heal, but not so much that the helm loads up so much that the drag stops the boat, instead of shouldering comfortably into the wind. It sounds like your boat falls in between a dinghy and a cruiser. Can you reef? Ketches are cool in a breeze sunce you have options. You can sail with just main and jib, just mizzen and jib, just main, and perhaps jib alone. So I'm suggesting that you set up the rig to be as balanced as possible for the gusts,  and to play the main in the gusts, and hike if possible. (I'm thinking that you sail a Scot as well? Scot's are a lot like Thistles. Ease, hike, trim.)

In the 1st picture we are just getting into a gust. The boat is flat, and you can tell that I have the vang on hard. The wrinkles in the luff (speed wrinkles) of the main indicate that the mast is bending a lot and that the sail is flattened, allowing us to be flat. 2nd pic shows how tight the outhaul and vang are. 3rd picture is my son motoring upwind in a breeze.


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#26

TSBB General Talk / Re: Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Re...

Last post by Captain Kidd - Dec 07, 2025, 07:46 AM

I used what I had for my rub rails - and that was some free cedar that I came into. It's soft and already has one pretty good "dent" in it, but that's ok by me. A little spray urethane touch-up and most will never see it.

#27

TSBB General Talk / Re: Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Re...

Last post by Charles Brennan - Dec 06, 2025, 09:40 PM

Riley, I intend to use oiled Mahogany on the rub rails. I recognize that it is softer than Oak, but figure it won't splinter as easily as Oak, either.
I've SEEN how I dock!! 

Charles Brennan

#28

TSBB General Talk / Re: Almost-A-SCAMP Progress Re...

Last post by Riley Smith - Dec 06, 2025, 08:59 PM

CB, one thing I wish I had done differently is to use oak for the rub rail. I used fir and my Spidey sense tells me all the time oak would have been better.

#29

TSBB General Talk / Re: Second sail on the Navigat...

Last post by Riley Smith - Dec 06, 2025, 08:35 PM

Yay! I particularly like the smiles! Oh, and the loons! Oh, heck the boat too!!! I'd love to dance with that one!

#30

Seaward / Re: Seaward Gel Coat Color

Last post by JasonNC - Dec 06, 2025, 08:05 PM

I am planning to order a pint of that color for several repairs, so I would appreciate an update on your experience if you went in that direction.

I have used Spectrum patch paste kits on multiple boats with 90% success, but it's hard to tell if our Seaward is the Seaward make that it means to indicate.