Recent content by Moody Buccaneer

Befana is #10 (9175) ... one of the very early boats with an external riveted on sail track. The OEM gooseneck was the normal for the time set up where the goosneck fitting was on a reinforced bit of sail track, the whole thing moves. When I refit the boat I stripped the mast, filled all the...

Running lines aft seems to be a common and reoccurring thread ... :) My opinion is that until someone comes up with a way to stow the sail cover and attach the halyard, I'm taking a 3 step walk anyway. I'll just raise the main while I'm at the mast anyway. Reefing from the cockpit on a...

The rudder has positive buoyancy (it wants to float) so first check that when you hold it up that there is clearance between the rudder and hull/skeg. Some boats have a spacer or two between the rudder and the hull. There can also be spacers under the tiller head, these are not critical as...

Both Furlex and Harken are a pain to repair. If you have ever had to replace a damaged foil you will probably curse both equally. The Furlex has bearings that need to be cleaned and repacked with grease. The Harken just needs to be flushed. The Furlex comes with a headstay. It is metric...

If you cannot control the boat to "make it do what you want" what is wrong? winches too small? Sail handling systems not well thought out? It has been my experience that sailors don't change sails until long after the shape is gone ... used sails? Spending money for less blown out sails than...

Auto Pilot :D Randy

A qualified yes to the halyard. I normally use a mooring cleat rather that the pulpit. If, after putting tension on the halyard the forestay is slack, loosey goosey slack, then you should have no problems. If you cannot get the forestay to go slack, first ease the mainsheet to unload the...

They are calculated. The Velocity Prediction Program that is used for ocean racing handicaps (used by US Sailing) includes calculated sea state for each true wind speed. The model gets better all the time and the results are a better reflection of true performance than they used to be...

Yep. I was lucky and never had a close encounter. There is a very valid argument that it is not possible to keep a proper lookout while sleeping. :) Once the choice is made to go racing single-handed you can only do as much as you can to do so as safely as possible. I think the logical...

LOL! For "naps" a simple wind-up kitchen timer works great ... if the ticking does not keep you from nodding off ... the bell will wake you for sure. The digital ones are not obnoxious enough. For the 2 hour reminder the countdown function of my trusty Timex does a pretty good job for...

1) Why not change down to a #3 100% jib when it pipes up to 15+ that is not "heavy seas" usually. With a #3 up at 15 or so, two reefs in the main will take you up to 30+. Most of us day sail. If it is going to be blowing and you know small craft warnings are likely (almost every summer day in...

Because it is a single-handed race? ;) I usually wait until after the first 4 hours, then force myself to take a 15 minute timed break every 2 hours. It is not deep sleep by any means, but I can do it for 3-4 days no worries. No way if you wait until you are exhausted to get into the...

This is a very tough question to answer. I've worked as a rigger and had this conversation with labs that to testing. The service life remaining in the wire cannot be tested with certainty without destroying the wire. That's fine if you have 50-100 cables on a bridge. Test one to failure...

Not really an either or kind of question. AIS receivers are $200 +/- if you shop around. Radar is significantly more expensive. An AIS unit is very little power drain ... Radar is significantly more. 3 Days 72 hours of 5A or more draw is something to thing about. 360ah ... that will run a...

Maybe ... great circle information is part of the NMEA output on some units. What the software does with also varies by manufacturer.