To feather or fold...that's the question

In the world of larger sailboats, a prop is as common as a main sail. While a prop is indispensable for moving the boat safely when sails would be too dangerous it quickly becomes a liability once the sails are raised. It not only creates drag but also makes the boat more difficult to sail. There are two solutions to eliminate, or at the very least, significantly reducing the negatives a prop brings to a sailboat. One is a feathering prop and the other a folding prop. The obvious question is which does a better job and retaining the benefits of a prop while reducing the negatives.

Here's a great article that helps to answer this question. Click Here

The folding props are considerably less expensive than the feathering props. This is primarily due to the folding props being less complex and hence requiring less machining. The price difference can be as much a $1,000 to $1,500.

Folding props developed a bad reputation for not being very effective in reverse. This reputation was earned in large part to the early non-gear folding props that when in reverse failed to open completely. New folding gear-driven props, such as the Flex-O-Fold, have reverse performance equaling many fixed props however still not as much as a feathering prop. In this regard the feathering prop outperforms the folding prop. Even still, if you are please with the reverse performance of your fixed prop you wouldn't be disappointed with that of a gear-driven folding prop.

Man it's a drag to have a prop once under sail. This is the primary reason for a feathering or folding prop - to reduce drag. Comparatively the folding prop really shines in this regard. Both will significantly reduce drag over a fixed prop however the folding prop can reduce drag up to 3:1 over the feathering prop. It might be noted that at this level of reduced drag one could argue that this difference is not significant and I would tend to agree. Both perform well in reducing drag over fixed props.

It's not all about just drag and the resulting loss of speed, but what drag will do to your sailing experience. Since the prop is in front of the rudder this "prop drag" creates turbulent water which reduces the efficiency and consistency of rudder control. Owners of these props indicate they are able to sail closer to the wind and at greater speeds.

So it's not just about increased speed but how much increase in speed can you expect from a feathering or folding prop? It's a good question with no real way to answer it with any level of accuracy. Those who have swapped out their fixed props to one of these report anywhere from .25 to 1.25 knots of increased speed. Of course, the adage "your mileage will vary" applies here as there are many factors that are in play besides prop drag.

Lastly, installation and maintenance should always be a consideration. From the reading I've been able to do installation of a folding prop is much easier than that of a feathering prop. From a maintenance standpoint one could argue that the folding prop may require more attention since it's gears are exposed whereas the feathering prop gears are encased. I wasn't able to find any real-world experience that indicated that either would be a maintenance issue.

My conclusion is based on expense, drag reduction and ease of installation. From all that I've been able to research the gear-driven folding prop is the better choice. If money was not an issue and installation was going to hired out the feathering prop would be the better choice only if maximum drag reduction wasn't the primary goal. This would especially true if reverse pull power was very important.

With either prop you'll have to make the decision of which prop manufacturer is producing the best of the field. Then you'll have to decide 2 blade or 3 blade prop.

Mainsail Trimming

Bella Mainsail Controls:

• Mainsheet
• Mainsheet Traveler
• Boom Vang

Control Definitions:

• Mainsheet - Controls leech tension
• Mainsheet Traveler - Controls the location of the boom without changing leech tension
• Boom Vang - Controls leech tension and mast shape

Anchor Research

What's the best anchor for a cruising boat like Bella to sport? Here's some research that might help answer that question:

Ancho Reset Tests - Practical Sailor - 2001

For more information about the "Bulwagga" in the article above click here.

Another study illustrated in this graphic:












Here's a couple of videos that will show how the Bulwagga works:

Setting Video
Resetting Video

Here's another article that specifically addresses the Cruiser's anchoring needs. Click Here.

Here's a study that showed the Danforth (Bella's current ground tackle) failed their 400lb. test. Click Here.

In the reading I've done the best anchor for set, strength, reset, and stowage is the Spade. Click here for details. Also, at this link are videos of it in action. Here's a place we can purchase this anchor online click here. I think the steel version would be best for our purposes. The 44lb. S100 model would like be the best fit for our needs. Cost is $578.

One additional benefit to purchasing this anchor would be the ability to move the current Danforth anchor to stern anchor duties should the need for a larger stern anchor be prudent. As well it would be available as a backup primary anchor should the need to slip the spade anchor in an emergency.

More to follow....

Whisker Pole - Downwind Saling

I've been researching spinnakers and gennakers mostly just to educate myself on their purpose, setup, and trimming. While doing this research I came across the Whisker Pole. I had never heard of one before and it intrigued me as a less expensive way to increase speed and head sail control while running with the wind.

Here's a sailboat with a whisker pole deployed:



Here's a video of a whisker pole being used:

Click Here to see the video

Basically, a whisker pole allows you to sail wing-on-wing more effectively. Here's some links that provide useful information:

Forespar Website
JSI Website 1
JSI Website 2
Mauri Website:

The whisker pole interests me because of it's a relatively low cost solution for increasing down wind performance and control which isn't a strength of the Hunter 430 with its standard rigging.

Any experience or thoughts about the whisker pole?

Ken

Preparations Continue

New paddle, wetsuits and helmets on the way. New waterproof helmet lights and snorkel kit arrived. New tender is prepped and ready to go. Real world testing occurs this we

ek at Emerald Bay, Catalina. Sean and Stacey coming down from Idaho to help with the testing. Going to be great fun!

7/8/09 - Paddle is great...much lighter and more powerful than the others we have. Helmets arrived and have headlights mounted. Snorkel kits look great. New tender throughly tested at Catalina. Trailer bunks fixed and keel roller installed. New wetsuits for Lisa and Natalie fit great. The new one for me was too small. Seriously? A XXL was too small? What? Watch out, big boy comin' through! REI sending a 3XL as an exchange for the 2XL. Aquired a new mask today. Wow! What a difference in visability, comfort and water-tight seal. My other leaks horribly. So, I'm very excited about this purchase.

On the down side, Bella's main halyard, line that pulls up the main sail, broke on the return. So, that needs to be replaced.

All in all, preparations are moving ahead nicely. Emerald Bay was a great warm up. We had all seven of us aboard and had plenty of space, water and electrical power. I did bring our Honda 2000i generator and this worked out great. Very quiet and easily recharged the battery bank.

Tender Has A New Home!

After looking into every available option for dry docking a tender I finally installed the EZ Port IV this week. While I still have to "dial it in" I am pleased with the results.

While I'm excited to have the tender at the slip, it did feel a bit odd leaving her there. In fact, I've been wondering all day how she's doing and if everything is okay. Why is it that we, men in particular, get attached to such things as boats, cars and motorcycles?

Anyway, I am thrilled she will always be at the slip for use without having to trailer her down, not to mention the excitement I have in gaining back 1/3 of my garage!

Now, I'm looking to rename her. Any suggestions? Here's one entry: Sea Pup

Winch Work

Bella's starboard jib sheet winch has been screaming for some maintenance....literally. Having never serviced a winch before I did some internet research and fortunately there was lots of information available.

Bella is equipped with Lewmar two-speed self-tailing winches. Fortunately, taking these apart is a snap. Simply unscrew the top cap and the winch barrel lifts right off. Removing two pins allows you to remove the winches gears. Removing two slot keys allows you to remove the primary drive gear. Removing the two bearings on the barrel housing and the spacer sleeve. At this point the winch is completely disassembled.

I cleaned all the gears and bearings with mineral spirits. Once cleaned and dry I applied Lewmar Gear Grease with a nylon brush to the gears, bearings and races. I applied Lewmar oil to the pawls and springs. Reassembled and tested.

Simple maintenance that should be done at least annually. The most difficult part of this service is cleaning the old grease from the winch components. This shouldn't be an issue in the future as brushing the grease on keeps the amount of grease applied to a minimum.

Preparations Plenty...

Preparations are underway for our 2nd Annual vacation to Santa Cruz Island. With a new crew member, Natalie, joining us we've been busy juggling kayaking equipment to determine what fits who and what else is needed. So far the needs list is:

• 2 Wetsuits
• 2 Helmets
• 2 Sets of Gloves
• 1 Helmet Light

Two wetsuits have been ordered from REI's outlet (www.rei.com). They have a great sale on Stohlquist Farmer John and Farmer Jane 2mm Wetsuits. Normally $119 now $59. I prefer the farmer john style wetsuits for summer cave kayaking.

Two helmets also ordered from REI. No deal on the Pro-Tec Ace Water helmet but still reasonable at $45 and free shipping. Free shipping is available if you ship to a REI store.

Working on acquiring the gloves and helmet light. Speaking of helmet lights. Last year I had them zip tied on the nylon webing which worked but not well. This year I decided to change this so they would be rock solid (pun intended). Here's what I did:

Marked the location of the two holes to be drilled. Made sure the end result would be a light pointed in the same direction as it's wearer.

Drilled each hole in the helmet.

The rear hole required me to pull back the helmet foam to thread the zip tie through.

Threaded the zip ties through the holes and around the light. Since the helmet is not flat I had to make sure I didn't over tighten the rear zip tie which would cause the light to angle away from the line of sight. Cutting the excess zip tie finished the job.


The result is a great kayaking helmet equiped for night or cave use. Before and after shots show the difference in each mounting method.
I then had to repeat the process five times. Where are my helpers? I'm sure they'll show up when it's time to kayak!

Speaking of kayaks, we still need to buy or rent a tandem. We have three, two tandems and a single, which provides seating for five. Since we'll have seven with our group this year we need one more tandem and we'll be set.

Capt. Ken Gets Tender

For those who had the great pleasure of being scared...errrg of being a passenger on R2D2 (ouR Rinky Dinky Dinghy) you'll appreciate the size and stability of this new tender. Just under 14 feet in length, the Avon SeaSport DL400 boasts a super quiet Johnson 50HP EFI motor and a large bemini. Comfortable seating for six and the Johnson 50HP motor has more than enough power for a different type of exciting ride. No more sinking concerns with four adults aboard...not even with six adults aboard! Electric start, power tilt, electronic instruments, large capacity fuel tank and more make this tender lightyears above R2D2. We'll miss you R2D2. You served us well.

First Video from Bella..

This is the first Kite Aerial Video (KAV) of Bella under sail. The wind was blowing 28-32 knots which overpowered the kite. As a result the kite was unstable which makes for a "lumpy" video. Doing more kite research.



Here's a couple of frames from the video. The quality is pretty good considering they were taken with a video camera.


- 6/11/09 I believe I have found a better kite and have made that purchase. In addition, I found a better camera rig design that will eliminate the fore and aft rocking that is most annoying in the video. There will still be a role issue but that's much less distracting to watch. Also, it will stay nearly perfectly focused on then center of where the kite is being flown from. I'm working understanding this new design so I can fabricate one in time for my new kite arrival. The next test should be MUCH better...at least that's my hope.

6-14-09 - I have purchased the FlowForm 8 (FF8) kite and it should be here on Tuesday. More testing will ensue. I also have new design plans for a better camera platform. I need to find a local source for the parts but hope to get it built this week. More to follow.

Let's Go Fly A Kite....

I've got to make me one of these video kites. I'd love to get these kinds of shots of Bella under sail. The challenges are many. 1. You run the risk of losing the video camera which can be expensive. Fortunately, video cameras cost must less today. 2. Stability of the kite to provide this stable of a picture. Sure image stabilization will help but if the kite is swaying, turning and dipping significantly it will create an unpleasant picture. 3. Weight of the camera and rigging has to be light and not interfere with the kite and its operation. 4. Maintaining the boat in the frame. Obviously, this sailor solved these problems with excellent results. Unfortunately, he has not posted his solution nor has he returned any of my emails. So, Google has been employed. There is information out there but nothing that seems perfect for this application. It looks like a trial and error exercise that should be great fun searching for the optimum solution. More to follow.

5/21/09 - Found and ordered the kite! Super stable I'm told and very compact. I'll be testing it next week....on land of course. It's the Parafoil 5, patriotic theme and single line kite. It's said to be able to be stable in flight as little as 6 mph. Yet, strong enough to fly in 25 mph winds. Once I do some testing I'll post some pictures.

5/26/09 - Found what I think will be the video camera. It's the Pure Digital Flip Video Ultra. It's small, 4.17" x 2.16" x 1.25" and is lightweight. Best of all it has a small LCD screen for playback which will be an asset during testing and normal use. In addition, there are aftermarket waterproof cases available should the kite go down. I'm looking to score a good deal on both on eBay. The kite should arrive tomorrow so I'll be able to begin testing the basic mechanics of setup and flight.

5/27/09 - Found another possible video camera that is built very well and is possibly weather/water-resistant. It is 3.8oz. and 2.5" x 4.5" x .9" in size. It has a larger LCD display as well. So, a definite finalist candidate.

- I also found a device to stabilize the mounting platform relative to the motion of the kite. It's a Picavet suspension system.

- My kite did not arrive today, unfortunately. Tracking has it arriving tomorrow. So, kite testing will be begin tomorrow. I'm hoping that it's as stable as reported and able to fly well in 8 knots of wind and carry a payload of 6-10 oz.

5/28/09 - Kite arrived! I'm excited that it arrived but very excited that included was string and a hand string winder! Testing begins as today! Is it windy?

- The testing went well in one respect and poorly in another. It went well in terms of the kit's stability and low wind flying characteristics. Poorly in terms of it's ability to carry a payload the weight of the camera and rig. I think this kite is too small for my needs. So, I'll search for a similar design that is larger.

5/29/09 - Scored the Kodak Zi6 Pocket Video Camera today on ebay for half the MSRP. This should be a great choice but only testing will tell the real story.

6/01/09 - Kite update. What I'm learning is I'll likely have to have at least two kites and possibly three. One for high wind conditions and one for low wind conditions. I may have the correct kite for high wind conditions. So, still searching for the best low wind conditions.

- Video Camera update. Surprisingly the Kodak Zi6 showed up today. It's a bit larger than I had hoped but it does weigh less than anticipated. At $80 it is reasonably "disposable" should it become lost or damaged during testing.

- Platform build. The next step is to build the mounting platform. The Picavet will be the primary platform which keeps the camera stable as the kite sways and moves with the wind. I'm gathering sources for the parts now.

6/02/09 - Ordered the parts needed to build the picavet. Hopefully, they'll arrive tomorrow and I can get this built by the weekend. I'm anxious to test it. I still need to design a mounting platform for the video camera itself. Once I get the picavet built it will make it much easier to design the mounting platform.

- Kodak Zi6 flight test - Even though I don't have the picavet platform I wanted to test fly the Kodak Zi6 to see how well the Parafoil 5 handled the weight. Tests were perfect especially since I am now lofting it mid-string length. Looking forward to putting together the picavet and mount platform and getting some stable video.

6/03/09 - No testing today as there were massive lightening and thunder storms. Ben Franklin alreay demonstrated that kites are excellent electrical conductors. No experimentation necessary.

6/04/09 - Received the picavet parts today. Platform, pulleys, line holders and line. Then off to Home Depot to get the items needed to fabricate the camera platform. A bit of designing, cutting, drilling and building resulted in a very stable and usable picavet based video camera platform. So, off to the park for testing. The testing went great! I'm editing the video now and will be posting some soon. Stay tuned!

- Here's my first kite aerial video. The winds were light and variable so the camera wasn't as steady as it can be. Still a lot of fun and the video quality produced by the Kodak Zi6 was excellent.

6-07-09 - Here's some pictures of my picavet platform and camera mount with camera mounted. Notice the use of the model ship blocks (pulleys). These are actual ball bearing blocks that work great and keeping the platform level. Also, notice that I've used wing nuts at pivot points to allow for rotation and angle adjustments. I'll be doing more testing this week and hopefully out at sea. More video to follow!

Arrr, a blind pirate me won't be any longer!

For those who know me personally you've seen first hand that I've been stricken with presbyopia. It's a horrible horrible condition which I wouldn't wish on anyone; and yet most of you reading this either already have it or will as some point in your life.

Presbyopia is the technical name for age-related long-sightedness. Basically, it means you've lived long enough to adorn yourself with the most noticeable age-related accessory - reading glasses! These are the same glasses that would hang off the nose of your 2nd grade teacher as she scanned across room. Was it just me or was it hard to tell if she was pleased or upset with that head tilted down, eyebrows raised and eyes glaring over those unattractive thin glasses?

When the first symptoms of presbyopia appear we all deny them and are confident things will improve or our arm will be long enough to keep all in focus. Time will prove neither to be true. Eventually, we all see the blurred writing on the wall and will casually stroll by the rotating rack of reading glasses doing our best to seem uninterested. We'll stop and try on some until we find one that reminds of us how sight use to be. Then we look into the mirror to the unsightly vision of that second grade school teacher glaring back at us. We quickly take them off and walk away believing we can go another week or perhaps even a month before it gets too bad; all the while knowing it was too bad months ago.

Finally, we get our first pair, or if you're a Costco shopper, your first three pack. You need three or more because advanced age has also brought with it forgetfulness. So you'll need a pair at home, work and in your car. You don't dare buy and expensive pair which may actually look good, well as good as these can look, because you are absolutely sure you'll lose them. I believe I've lost the equivalent of the gross national product of a small third-world country in Costco three pack reading glasses.

I've been told by many that lasers or a single contact can fix this condition. Sounds promising until you hear from just as many with tells of someone they know who tried these and they did nothing to roll back the hands of seeing time. So having accepted my fate I kept buying more and more of the three packs. I've become something equivalent to a visually-challenged crack addict; I can't live without these glasses!

Well, I finally had enough. I hit rock bottom and sought professional help to avoid the embarrassment of a surprise intervention. So, off I went to, where else, the Costco Optometry Center.

Within a half hour I was fitted with one contact lens and was reading small print from a magazine article on fertility treatments. I was elated, ecstatic, euphoric...to see without glasses that is...not about the fertility treatment possibilities. I can now read just about anything without glasses!

Ahoy, so, if ye be an agin' pirate like me, do yerself a fa'or and see yer optometrist.

So...you think your sailboat is fast?

Vestas SailRocket

Recently the British speed "sailboat", Vestas SailRocket, recorded a new speed record of 47.5 knots. No, that's not a typo.

This is what a sailboat looks like going 47 knots

For the knot challenged that works out to 54.66 miles per hour! Not only did Vestas set a new speed record but she may have also set a new sailboat altitude record. On the following run Vestas SailRocket literally took off and reached an altitude estimated at over 30 feet. This is what a sailboat looks like flying

This was only an estimate as the boat's designers didn't have the foresight to equip the boat with an altimeter. Here's some pictures of this extreme speed sailboat. Anyone up for a relaxing sail during the Santa Ana's?

Bella's Replacement?

As a new sailor I'm unfamiliar with the many superstitions which likely exist among mariners. So, what I'm about to suggest might be a serious violation of several significant superstitions. However, I can't help but wonder what sailboat lies beyond the breakwaters waiting to replace Bella. The mere suggestion, especially posted on Bella Blog, feels kind of wrong.

Really, I have to blame this on a recent visit to the Long Beach Boat Show. If you've never been to a boat show take my advice and keep it that way. There's really very little good that can come from going and seeing all those beautiful big boats with there fancy new designs.

However, since I did go I might as well report on the boat that could be Bella's replacement somday. We saw all the latest sailboat designs from the mainstream manufacturers. While every boat had something to offer there was one that was clearly the best value while also the most intelligent design, the Hunter 49. Sure I sound like a Hunter "homer" but let me explain. Better yet, let Hunter explain:

Click Here to take a virtual tour

Ok, I'll do the talking. Here's what captured my eye when touring this beautiful boat.

The cockpit...is huge! I do mean huge, the silent 'h' kind of huge. With dual helm stations aft it leaves the main cockpit area uncrowded and spacious. Long straight benches on both sides of the cockpit provide tons of seating or great places for napping. A center-located Corian table for outdoor dining. Lazaret storage that is unbelievable. The two stern lazarets are huge. If you are a SCUBA diver these would be great storage spots for tanks and other gear.

The sail plan...is simple and sophisticated. Simple in the sense that it's design allows for single-handed or short-handed sailing. For a 49 foot sailboat this also makes the sail plan sophisticated. For example, self-tacking jib and dual-ended mainsheet allowing sail trimming from the companionway or cockpit. Not to mention the in-mast furling main.

The floor plan...is perfect. Seriously. I say that with all seriousness. It is smart, stylish, roomy, comfortable, sensible and yes perfect. One of the features I really enjoy is the long couch on the port side and the booth-style table and seating on the starboard side. In my mind, the best of both without sacrificing either. The master stateroom is incredible for a 49 foot boat. It boasts separate head and shower rooms. Definitely comfortable for long or short stays aboard. The kitchen is roomy and has every thing any sailing cook could hope for. The two aft staterooms offer bed space for two and headroom to dress. Both offer seating, storage and a closet. I could go on and on but you get the picture. If not, click them and see for yourself.

If Bella is to be replaced some day this is her replacement.


Additional pictures

Snaps, Latches & Lazy Jacks

I love having an interesting project to research, plan and complete. Sailboats are deep reservoirs of projects . So much so that one of the ongoing projects is to identify, categorize and plan the vast number of potential projects. Sailboat projects, like sailboats themselves, come in all shapes and sizes. The most challenging projects are often the smallest ones.

The small projects, deceptively so, should be the easiest to complete. After all they are by definition, small. Being small however means they are the easiest to postpone, procrastinate and put off for another day. Okay that was redundant but it does drive home the reason small projects are the most challenging.

Today I finally finished some of these types of projects.

Snaps: replaced all the bad snaps on Bella's canvas.
Latches: replaced all the bad latches on cabinet and refrigerator doors.
Lazy Jacks: finished adjusting and taping off lazy lines. Now Bella's Morelli Pack sits and looks proud and works flawlessly.

Now, when will there be time for all those big projects? By the way, for those who do not live in Southern California today was an unbelievably beautiful day for small or big project completing.

Ahoy! Bow Cleats...

I found this picture of a 1995 Hunter 430 and noticed something very interesting...cleats on the bow. The only bow cleats our Hunter 430 has are tucked away in the windlass lazaret well protected from being useful 90% of the time. I'd like to retrofit our Hunter with these external cleats for several reasons:

• Ease of use for general docking
• Reduce sailing at anchor
• Reduce chafing of dock lines (currently routed through bowsprit causing significant chafing)

I have no idea how difficult it would be to accomplish this so if anyone can shed some light please do.

Smoke On The Water....

Granted I'm dating myself with this title, however, it's the most accurate way to describe what we experienced this weekend sailing. We planned to head down the coast and spend a couple of days in Newport Harbor. The weather through the week was perfect, sunny with clear skies. We were all anxious to get away on a mini-vacation and enjoy Newport's harbor, beach, and restaurants. We headed out early Friday afternoon and made great time down the coast. The wind blowing at 20 knots on a fast broad reach. All was well until we approached Huntington Beach pier.

We noticed on our approach what we hoped was low hanging clouds. As we got closer and look further it appeared to be this sailor's, and many others, worst fear...fog. It laid on the water like smoke; thick, dark and eerie!

While we still had good visibility we verified our GPS and radar were functioning and accurate. Both were. I set them to be viewed in 'Overlay mode' so I could see both chart and radar objects overlayed in the same view. I also verified that our radar reflector was deployed. Being seen by other boats is just as important as seeing other boats.

I checked that our radar's MARPA system was functional. MARPA provides the ability to acquire and track a radar target. Once acquired the system will provide display a directional vector as well as speed and heading information. If the object is on course for a close encounter the system will sound a warning alarm. With GPS, radar and MARPA all functional I felt confident we could navigate safely, albeit cautiously, through this fog bank.


Fog is just eerie. I don't care if you are on land or water, fog is just eerie. However, on the water fog takes on a whole new level of eeriness.


Pictures don't do fog justice. Seriously. I look at these pictures and they just don't convey the feeling that at any moment a large freighter could come out of nowhere and turn you into chum.

With our trusty electronics, spotters and reduced speed to stay within our visibility range we safely made it to Newport Harbor. We had a great time and returned to Long Beach safely through the same fog bank that apparently knew we'd be back the next day.

Ground Tackle

Bella is equipped with the following ground tackle

Bow Anchor and Rode

• USAnchor 40 - Danforth Type
• 210 Ft. of chain rode
• 202 Ft. of rope rode
• Total 412 Ft. of rode combined
• Chain has .33 in. diameter chain links (5/16" chain)
• Chain has G3 or G5 on the side of the link (hard to discern)
  
• Rope rode is .69in 3 strand nylon

Stern Anchor and Rode

• Fortress FX-23
• 45 Ft. of chain
• 200 Ft. of 3 strand nylon rope
• Total 245 Ft. total combined rode
• Rope rode is .69in 3 strand nylon rope

Bow Anchor - Depth Markers

1. 30' - Green
2. 60' - Green
3. 90' - Green
4. 120' - Red
5. 150' - Red
6. 180' - Red
7. 210' - Yellow
8. 240' - Yellow
9. 270' - Yellow
10. 300' - Green
11. 330' - Green
12. 360' - Green
13. 390' - Green

9 Reasons to Have a Solid Boom Vang

1. It is much easier to hoist and drop the sail, one step being removed from the process.
2. The skipper doesn’t have to worry whether a crew member is going to drop the topper instead of the main halyard.
3. Reefing is easier, as the boom goes up to meet the leech reef point.
4. There is less chafe on the leech.
5. Peace of mind that the boom will stay up if the halyard breaks.
6. But best of all, shape is maintained in light weather, as the weight of the boom does not drag the leech down.
7. For short handed sailing, greater control of every aspect of main handling results, especially when reefing with in-mast, in-boom systems or a traditional slab. This applies whether or not the sail is fitted with lazy jacks.
8. When reefing single handed, time at the mast is considerably reduced.
9. As there is no topping lift, the spare masthead sheave can be used for a spare main halyard, or a light mouse line for future halyard installation.

Apart from the peace of mind and greater freedom of sailing, a solid vang, which is more expensive than the old fashioned block and tackle style, will actually pay for itself over time. This is because the need to repair the main due to chafing from the topper has been eliminated and reefing damage is also kept to a minimum.

Click here for the entire article

Gennakers

I've continued researching and learning about downwind sailing. No study would be complete without including an asymmetrical spinnaker (aka a Gennaker). Affectionately called a Gennaker because it's a cross between a genoa headsail and spinnaker. A gennaker attaches to the mast, bow and sheet like a headsail. The sail shape is distinctly spinnaker. Absent is a spinnaker pole. Unlike a genoa, a gennaker is not not attached to the forestay along its luff.

A "cruising" gennaker is an asymmetric spinnaker with a closer head-angle and a flatter profile compared to a racing version. Because their's not spinnaker pole a gennaker is much easier to hoist and douse than traditional spinnaker. The lack of a spinnaker pole also makes a gennaker much safer as well.

One of the innovations used with a gennaker to make quick work of hoisting and dousing is a gennaker sock. Here's a video demonstrating its use:

VIDEO: Gennaker being hoised and doused with a sock

Here's a video of a singlehanded sailor hoisting a gennaker:



Any comments about the use and value of a Gennaker?

Ken