On board details

Rigging up the mast

So, here is a question that everyone has: How do you rig up a 30ft mast onto a 18ft boat.
It took me a while before having a good answer.
I made a smaller mast with a jib. The mast and the gib are each 2" aluminum pipe, 4 m long. The mast rests on the centerboard trunk, where I have attached a round piece of wood that fits inside the mast pipe end. There are 3 stays to hold the mast in position.

The jib is attached to the mast, about mid height with a pivot.

The hook is made of a longer rope around the main mast and that can slide long it up to the spreader bars.

Once all is in place, one just need to lift and another one old the main mast step, since this one is ligther than the main mast head.

First video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIUCKCIIJ1g
More to come!

Sea trials #2

Today was sea trial #2. Launched from Seabrook near the Marina under the Kemah bridge.

Under the Kemah bridge, there is some shadow and plenty place to rig up the mast.

Here is Lady C., ready to go... It takes about an hour to rig up the mast and get everything ready...

Went out in Galveston bay, to continue to understand Lady C.. Shortly after reaching the bay, the wind was getting to 15 + knots, so we had to take the first reef. Wind was not very stable and blowing continue to go up, probably 20 knots, as the bay surface was getting choppy and white. To come back, we had to try the spinnaker.

The lessons learned today:

- I need to install some nets in the cockpit and in the cabin to store things handy, such as food and water.

- The centerboard trunk is now covered with a plank and somme seals. All is held in place with bungy cord. It is so efficient that when I lifted the centerboard this evening, I could here a pshiittt like air leak. I slightly lifted the trunk cover to ear pffffiiiittt and all air trapped in the trunk under pressure due to the centerboard raised, just vented.

- Though the sea was not calm, I have not seen much water ingress from the spin pole hole in the hull. As it is, I did not instal a seal, might leave it like that...!

- The little 3.5HP outboard drinks more gas than I thought, its gas tank was empty when we needed it on our way back!

- I need to paint the deck with anti-skid paint. Today, we put some soap on the main sail mast rope to help the slidding and after the deck was extremely slippery.

Looking for a place for the boat

I was looking for a place to store Lady C. this week-end and found frinedly people at the Seabrook Marina. It is just nearby the seabrook bridge and gives access to Clear Lake and Galvestone bay. I got an expensive spot on a slip and a place for the trailer. There is a small crane to launch the boat, so I will need to work the details... I also need to put some antifooling paint on the bottom, if she is going to stay afloat.


The black arrow point at Lady C. future place...