Long-term planning. Getting there slowly.
Hi all.
Wishing you many smiles looking at dials over countless miles.
We were cruisers a long time ago, pre
introduction of policed 'safety'
equipment. We halted courses upon change of legislation creating excessive requirements for personal vessels.
Now close to finding a suitable vessel after 30 years.
And pretty happy.
Found and bought a freehold berth last year, I'm allowed 13.5 metres. Lee of dominant
wind with a 200+ft fairway that is permanently open space thanks to some
commercial berths. Hence a strong established bow keelson vessel with or without cut out aft of main rocker will be easy going.
I met some of my neighbours. Excellent. Yachting people.
Next couple of years is finding a suitable
hull and
deck. Complete hopefully. I've looked at a
ketch and a cruising rig
sloop,
sloop was about 20 cm to wide,
ketch could be perfect, new rig etc but will probably sell before I'm ready.
Ukraine next month then towards serious with myself and future Mobile home.
I like forced tack sailing systems. Triangles that spear point but cruising I'd rather a flexible luff.
Plan is to use what used market brings and upgrade (or downgrade depending upon view) to a low
maintenance flexible luff rig.
Low
maintenance? Less hands.. ain't looking at square or
spinnaker.
Low maintenance? Less fatigue on sail system. Flexible luff does that but costs point towards true
wind during light conditions.
1 option I really liked entertaining thoughts with is finding vessel such as Roberts that would support burying 3 unstayed masts in ship rig configuration.
Junk
sails.
Cockpit routed lines . Raise, reef, sheet. All done with ease and control by an aging me.
Flexible luff system. Full battened lug sail basically. Sail able if ripped, easy to
repair,
cheap on $ costs after initial principal of
refit. Low cost of weight on lines too for lazy sailing.
An ever higher point of sail with an ever higher growth of wind strength.
Off point on light wind tacking and simple fear of
lightning strike can be rerouted to a higher point in light winds (self tacking ain't a problem) and an easy
electrical path to ocean via a
lightning wore
mast tip connectors and a second forward fore
halyard with a
deck eye near bow.
Point like a
Bermuda if needed, ease luff of triangle and point with strength along loose luff if required or simply pilot strength of wind via simple
junk rig thus developing torque,
rpm,
power system that's alot stronger than a pointing
Bermuda or ketch or similar when times get rough yet reef able on instant via 1 hand tension line cleat per
mast sail.
I hope that helps some dreamers..
Because simple physics. Hedsail on sloop, Bermuda, etc is designed to spear wind. Great advantages, yes.
Disadvantages include sail wear and simply a fixed luff as wide as the forestay and skin of sail covering such contributing to a large percentage of why the vessel heels; Rotation.
Flexible luffs sail flatter when wind grows strength. Simply weird truth seeking true wind yet being tack full.
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