Leif 8' rigging (New to Sailing)

[colocass]

Hello,
I have recently acquired a vessel (Leif 8') made by Shell Boats LLC, made in 1987.

I am pretty new to sailing (few classes as a kid) and completely clueless on how to properly rig an old sailboat like this.
I've searched the internet for days trying to find out the best setup/rig for this boat, but with no luck.

All I have to go off of is the knots left by the previous owner & the pictures given to me.

I gave it a test run recently and found that:
1. The tiller/rudder keeps popping out of the gudgeon sockets while in the water & floats up.
2. The daggerboard only goes halfway down/pops out very easily.
3. The figure 8 knot I used to tie the top of the sail to the mast prevented the sail from moving freely with the wind. (i think)
4. Floats well, but worried I may capsize it and not sure how well it would handle a full turtle.
5. The boom is held up by the mainsheet knot and a knot tied around the mast from the sail, is not secure (hangs by a knot on the mainsheet and a knot tied to the mast and can be knocked off the knots easily)
6. The previous owner had the sail tied with loops so it can be easily slipped on to the mast, but the very top knot (where the uppermost loop of the sail is tied through the hole at the top of the mast) was untied and I am not sure what the best knot is to use.

I understand I may be in the wrong place as it looks like this forum is experienced sailors only, but there are little to no sailors in the region i'm in, and the clubs that are around are gatekept by a closed circle of wealthy older fellas. I have always wanted to learn how to sail but never had the opportunity til' now, and i'm really trying to teach myself as much as possible as lessons are pricey where I'm at.

Thanks for any help you can give me!
-F


(This boat will only be used on freshwater lakes. Pardon the mess!)

 

[Davidasailor26]

Sorry I don’t know the answers to your questions. But that sure is a pretty little boat so I hope someone can provide some insight and get you able to enjoy sailing it.

 

[rgranger]

I’m sure the folks here can help you sort this out.

but we need better pics. Take single shots of reach attachment point and add a few closeups

 

[stickinthemud57]

I'll try a few...

1. Look for a hole in the upper gudgeon through which a cotter pin or the like might fit. There's got to be some manner of hold-down.
2. Sounds like the daggerboard has swollen and will need to be sanded down and recoated. Because it is wood it will float, so there will need to be some sort of hold-down (small rope over the top of the daggerboard and cleated off, for instance)
4. As much wood as the boat has, it might not sink even if it's full of water. You will definitely want to carry something to bail with, though. Test this in shallow water as part of getting to know your boat.

Hopefully if you ask enough questions to enough people locally you will find your way to someone who can either point you to a good teacher for pay or will be willing to teach you for the fun of it. This is a situation that has developed between me and a member of my racing crew, and I have been enjoying helping him learn his new boat. Look hard enough and you might find a similar helper.

 

[JohnShannon]

See if you can find a Laser to look at, those hold the rudder down with a metal tang, wooden dagger boards will float maybe a bit of bungee cord in a U that applies pressure to the board in the fully down position.

If it swamps it won't float very well at all, chuck a plank in the water and see where the waterline is. The wooden boats of my youth had buoyancy bags ( tough plastic bags that held air) to prevent swamping. Like perhaps under the seats and the foredeck.

Cute boat.

It looks to me like you rigged it OK

 

[danooxnard]

One of these may help hold the rudder on. I found a similar on at West Marine. I would also secure the rudder with a piece of paracord or small line incase it gets away! Best of luck nice boat! Dano

 

[shemandr]

Nice little boat.
It lacks volume in the bow so sit in the back when sailing - that's where the buoyancy is. The rigging details are less important than getting it in the water and sailing it. If you provide us with pics of the situation at the top of the mast, the boom and the mast loop someone here can suggest a knot that will work.
It's not a matter of if you capsize but when. Take the boat in shallow water and capsize it. Practice righting it, bailing it and re-entering it. Get comfortable with it. The kid's boat Optimist has flotation bags as an option. They are widely available. They will keep the boat afloat and reduce the volume of bailing necessary.
In a small boat the mainsheet should always be in hand so that it can be released instantly. You will learn how to keep the boat upright.
If the mast gets stuck in the bottom you have to turn the boat around so that it can unstick. Usually it's the wind pushing the the boat and mast into the bottom. You'd likely have to swim the hull around so that the wind is helping rather than hurting. It good exercise (Your wearing a life jacket -right?) and the experience will make you diligent to keep that mainsheet in hand. I only needed once to learn.

 

[stickinthemud57]

...keep that mainsheet in hand. I only needed once to learn.

Good advice. Of the three times I have capsized a boat, two were when I had the mainsheet cleated.