Riding sail for 18'-2 Herreshoff Pilot Harbour Launch

[ragnhild]

This 1977 motorboat almost sails circles around her mooring and at anchor.
Her boom (5'-6 off the deck, a head-basher) has been removed (and stored) and a much higher bimini installed i its place.A second (roller-furling) stay could be added to the existing fitting on the mast (serves the forestay attached at the bow) and fastened atop of front of the cabin roof, with control sheets for the sail led to cleats on the aft face of the cabin.
I am wondering what you all think of this idea. Would it work to steady this small but adventurous vessel ???

[Don C L]

Have you tried rolling up the Bimini first?

[ragnhild]

Thanks for your reply.

Because the bimini is solidly attached to a very heavily built stainless steel framework, it is only taken down during the season in pre-storm situations. FYI, the fabricator proved stability by hanging a 250# guy from it...

Were you able to see the photos I attached to my post ? If not, if you supply your email address, I'll send them to you.

[Don C L]

The thing is I am pretty sure that Bimini is sailing your boat around. I don't think even a riding sail would stabilize the boat while the Bimini is up. I believe when the wind gets under the Bimini it lifts the boat to the side and then the Bimini acts as a sail bringing the boat around until it loses the angle it needs and then it does the same thing to the opposite side. Is that what you are seeing?

[Apollo366]

Try using a bridle to the mooring or anchor, worded for me to stop sailing around.

I found cleating the bridle about 6 ft aft of bow where deck is 5' wide worked best.

Enjoy the cutest little boat I've ever seen!

[deblen]

Here is how to rig a riding sail.
I have also tied my rudder hard over at same time if current is involved.
I tend to agree with other posters re bimini & you don't have a backstay to rig sail per video.
You may be able to cobble up some combo that works in your situation.
Cheers/Len

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gFPltYrCrs&t=179s

[jooa]

Just read an article the other day saying that sailing back and forth at anchor is caused by too much windage at the forward part of the boat, for example stowing a dinghy on the forward deck. In this case I think the forward cabin design of your boat is causing much of the sailing as it is adding too much energy forward of the natural pivot point of the boat. I think Appollo366's idea about using an offset bridle is worth experimenting with.

[rhubstuff]

As has been noted, too much windage in the bow is causing your problem. Rigging a bridle worked great on my Grand Banks with the same problem, and I agree that placing the bridle leads farther aft would help. You could also try hanging two small mushroom anchors (made for small fishing boats) off the stern cleats on both sides, providing enough drag to keep the stern from swinging side to side, and to settle the boat down in shifting winds.

[psk125]

Our J/36 used to sail around at anchor quite a bit. Similar to Hubstuff's idea, we calmed it down some by dragging a big bucket in the water off the transom.

[ragnhild]

Thank you all for your suggestions !
Don CL: yes, the bimini is the problem, but I do not want to give it up....!
Apollo366 and rhubstuff: since the photos were taken, PANACHE has been attached to thru mooring with a bridle thru both bow chocks but this has not alleviated "sailabout". Shall try to figure out whether extending the bridle aft would help.
psk125 : do you mean hanging a bucket from an aft cleat ?
jooa: yes the forwdr cabin doesn't help...
deblen: am intrigued by the idea of running a backstay, possibly thru the bimini. The sail (red, of course !) can be very small, of course.
Rest assured, Apollo, nothing will be done to detract from her being "the cutest little boat" !

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by ragnhild

Thank you all for your suggestions !
Don CL: yes, the bimini is the problem, but I do not want to give it up....!
Apollo366 and rhubstuff: since the photos were taken, PANACHE has been attached to thru mooring with a bridle thru both bow chocks but this has not alleviated "sailabout". Shall try to figure out whether extending the bridle aft would help.
psk125 : do you mean hanging a bucket from an aft cleat ?
jooa: yes the forwdr cabin doesn't help...
deblen: am intrigued by the idea of running a backstay, possibly thru the bimini. The sail (red, of course !) can be very small, of course.
Rest assured, Apollo, nothing will be done to detract from her being "the cutest little boat" !

I am not saying give up the Bimini, but is it sewn on to the frame? Can it not be removed from the frame, does the whole frame have to be removed? Does it fold down?

[ragnhild]

Thanks for your response -
The bimini canvas is attached to the 7'-wide frame by full-width heavy-duty zippers at each bow. The canvas can be unzipped to be removed from the frame. If the canvas is removed from the frame, the frame itself can be folded and stacked aft, as can the entire bimini+frame combo.
As I wrote earlier,
"Because the bimini is solidly attached to a very heavily built stainless steel framework, it is only taken down during the season in pre-storm situations. FYI, the fabricator proved stability by hanging a 250# guy from it..."
Because it is so heavy, the whole structure requires more than one person to assemble/disassemble.
I am looking for a solution to "sailabout" which avoids removing all or part of the bimini.

[psk125]

Originally Posted by ragnhild

Thank you all for your suggestions !
psk125 : do you mean hanging a bucket from an aft cleat ?

That's what we did. It worked pretty well, but not totally effective. We also had a sailmaker make a triangle 6' on a side for us to rig up as a riding sail and MOB parbuckle. It could be shackled to the deck aft and hoisted with the main halyard, and the "clew" tied off to try to steady the boat. (With hefty webbing along the edges, no stay required.) We sold the boat before we had a chance to use it, however.