he, he, he said Rector! Rector? Nearly killed her!
Uh, perhaps when the angle of the boat/sails are optimal for righting in the wind?
I mean, what if the wind is pushing on to the bottom of the tramp?
...
WHAT IF :
if i made a Sea-anchor from 5ft diameter canvas & a cord
to center so retracting it is Easy ?
Place it where i can get at it to Reef the sails while in
irons with rudders up ; & toss it after flipping to
get that Optimum angle on the tramp . Maybe place it in a
bag on the base of the Mast ?
There's NO real current, (to speak of) on lake Mohave
Bille
The sea anchor is a good idea for reefing, as well as keeping the bows into the wind when righting. I have a drift sock from Cabella's that works well. The line has a carabiner that clips to a jib bridle wire, and the line is tied off at the main beam. When the boat is ready, you can sail fwd over the anchor and pull it aboard, release the line from the beam, and it will run thru the 'biner as you retrieve it.
Dave
You won't have much luck reefing that main. Because these mains hook at the top you can't really reef the main. The problem is the main will pull out of the comptip track when it's reefed. Only thing you could try would be to install a second hook but I doubt that will work.
If you just tie a line to the top of the main that will hook on the top of the mast, the main will pull right out of the mast track.
Also releasing a main and getting it to rehook in big seas and big wind is a recipe for problems. Only way I would do it is if I pulled up on land to make the change.
I owned an H20 for a number of years.
As for righting, get Rick's book on cat sailing, the yellow one in his store on this site, has very good directions of exactly what to do to right your boat. You don't need a sea anchor, you have a mast and main to create drag and the tramp becomes your sail(pushes your hulls down wind). Biggest problem you will have is either an un sealed mast , or the wind pushing the hulls and tramp (your new sail) over the main and mast(your sea anchor). A good move is, upon capsize WITH THE MAST DIRECTLY DOWN WIND, to have your crew swim IMMEDIATELY to the tip o the mast and keep it from going down. The main and mast act like a scoop when directly down wind and the hulls can get blown over the top of them pretty quickly. You need to release the main sheet AND THE DOWNHAUL! FAST!! He swims the tip of the mast to the side. Which ever side it
wants
to go to. Which ever side he goes to, you are on the lower hull with the righting line in hand , and you move your weight to the opposite end of the boat to create drag to help the mast come around to downwind. Then right according to Ricks book. Get Ricks book!
wants
to go to. Which ever side he goes to, you are on the lower hull with the righting line in hand , and you move your weight to the opposite end of the boat to create drag to help the mast come around to downwind. Then right according to Ricks book. Get Ricks book!
Actually, a sea anchor is a great thing to have. The formula boats have a tendency to want to turn downwind after righting even if you have properly eased everything. At least hypothetically, the sea anchor will help park the boat so it doesn't take off while your crew (who fractured a rib in the capsize) drifts in the water while you use every drop of remaining energy to hang on to the rudder in Charleston Harbor while careening toward an anchored race committee boat, then an active dredge, and then a sea wall before it luckily comes upon a sand bar where you can dig in your heals and drag the boat into the wind and get it to stop while you catch your breath and sigh with relief. Not that that ever happened or anything.
Mast floats are the mark of a flunkie, if you want to sail and everyone stays away from you- put a mast float up there
my new starting strategy for a clean lane... put a mast float on the boat... <img src="<>/smile.gif" alt="smile" title="smile" height="15" width="15" />
...
I owned an H20 for a number of years.
A second hook should work ; so should an Extension from
the existing hook to the top of the sail. I like the
second hook Better ! If the sail pulls out i will
make a carbon section on that track spot.
What diameter and weight cloth do they use on those Sea-Anchors ?
Bille
I have the large, 38
dia, folds up very small, surprizingly lightweight rip stop nylon with 1
webbing. I have a pocket sewn to the underside of the tramp with a velcro closure facing aft.
Dave