Sailing tomorrow

A

alan_critchlow

.
Nov 2, 2003
198
We have finally rigged the mast yesterday (a few days after breaking
the spreader end).We installed the furling gear, put on the boom
etc... I decided to change the standing rigging. It had down a
circumnavigation. It was 20 years old. At least 5 on the ocean, 6 on
fresh water, and the balance in storage. There may be some service
life in the old rigging but I dislike ss turnbuckle bodies. They gall
easily. Much better in bronze.

Today I raised the new genoa. I am very pleased. It is made of MAXX
Voyager cloth from Contender. It is a bit heavy but I like that is no
stretch (pentax). It is a bit expensive choice but it allows for a
smaller inventory of sails. The main is quite ugly. Badly water
stained from 8 years of storage. It was only used for a month in '96.
I will build a new main in MAXX as well. I just want to get a feel
for the boat with the old sail. I think I will put in 2 deep reefs, 4
full length battens. I may pin the boom in place. Having the boom
sliding up and down is annoying.

The new Beta engine is great. It easily pushes the boat 6 knots.
Today I changed the engine oil and transmission fluid for the fist
time. Twenty two hours. Mostly from the trip from Longueuil to St
Paul. Down the St Lawrence and up the Richilieu and through the
Chambly canal I am still getting used to going in reverse.

I cruised (in my car) around the boat yards at St Paul, Quebec. A lot
of people are going south this year. There must be 10 of us just in
these 2 yards. Just have to dodge the hurricanes. The next couple of
weeks will involve a shake down, installation of a dodger, putting in
more electrical circuits, and arranging for jerry can storage.

Alan & Felicity
 
A

alan_critchlow

.
Nov 2, 2003
198
Hello Colin

I do have plans for the frame. I drew them up in a drawing program. I
can plot out the frames using our plotter. The main design
consideration is that the legs of the dodger continue the angle of
the cabin side. It is important that there is some crown to shed
water. However, I think building a dodger is a most challenging
canvas project. I still have to do the canvas work. I have made a
pattern for the canvas. It is stuck onto the frame. I will cut it off
and start it soon. I designed it so the highest point is 60 inches
from the cockpit floor.

My friend Wolfgang has been asking me to go sailing with him at St
Margarets Bay. It has been 14 years since he left Quebec. It is hard
to get away in the summer as I am a sailmaker.

We have decided to sail our Vega "Voila" to Florida and onto the
Bahamas this fall. We are closing for three months. We will work hard
in the spring and summer and then sail our Vega in the Carribean in
the winter.

Alan & Felicity

Voila V1639
 
P

pelagicasd

.
Jan 28, 2001
694
Hi Alan and others, Just a few thoughts on dodgers for you to consider. A
friend made ours as a departure gift for our cruise and it worked well.
Bring the aft end of it far enough back so that blue water crashing on the
to the boat and hitting the dodger doesn't drain onto you when youre sitting
under it. (Doesn't happen often but nice to not get drenched.) Make it so
that you can open the window forward. Make removable covers for the forward
window and side windows. Sew a couple of pockets on the inside for a
flashlight and a rigging knife. We really like the chart kits and have a
large pocket under the top that we can keep ours in. Make the pocket big
enough to allow for the plastic pouches that they sell for the chart kit.
Figure a way to attach some kind of cockpit awning or bimini to the aft end
of the dodger. Shade is valuable! Have fun. Walt, S/V Lyric #120
 
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