knobblyoldjimbo

Here's an example, or three!

There are a lot of wrinkles in the luff so I'd pull the mainsheet in hard then pull the downhaul hard too. The main isn't right up to the top which either means it's shrunk or that someone has cut it down.

Comments 1. Toss the vang, the only thing it does is prevent you righting after a capsize. 2. The tack of the sail (bottom) shackles onto the boom. The downhaul then attached to the boom. You therefore pull the boom down to tension the luff of the sail. 3. The clew shackles to the slider on the boom.

The long ones go on the bow, the short ones on the side. The large D shackle on the mast should have the long forestays in the middle then the shrouds on the outside. Rig the mast shackle then put the forestays on. Lift the mast so it's standing upright on the ground just in front of the mast step on the front beam. Once you have it steady lift and slot the base into the mast step. You should be able to do this in one smooth motion and just let the mast fall back with the forestays stopping it falling on the ground. Once it's like this you should be able to then attach the shrouds. What I've done in the past (and still do when it's windy) is to attach a rope (eg the mainsheet) to the halyard and then pull it on so that it is tight. The triangulation of the forestays and the haylard will make it safe long enough to attach the shrouds. In the racing world we use forestays at 5.5m and shrouds at 5m. This gives a good mast rake but if you've got an old sail the boom may be too low. When you start sailing and keep nose diving (going down the mine!) then you should consider this extra rake and get a sailmaker to put a D ring on the back of the sail about 150mm up from the old one. Would help you a lot if you could find a local club that has maricats. Good luck.

This is from the Facebook page of Tanilba Bay SC From the commentary there'll be a bunch of different boats - Moth's, H18's F18's plus a gaggle of 14's. Apparently the reservoir is 9m deep so plenty of room for the foilers. 2018 PHILS BENEFIT SAILING DAY 18TH AUGUST 2018 A Benefit Day is being organised to raise funds to help our member Phil Johnston who is dying of brain cancer and has a loving wife and two teenage daughters. We want to support this family going through this rough journey. The venue is Grahamstown Dam Sailing Club (6 Grahamstown Road, Medowie NSW 2318) Entry is open to all off the beach catamarans and mono hulls (including Trailer sailers). Four races are scheduled for the Regatta. Registration 900 to 1100 Competitor Briefing 1130 First Warning Signal not before 1230 DIVISIONS -Catamarans 4.3m and under -Catamarans 4.4m and over -Mono hulls -Trailer Sailors Barbecue lunch will be available and maybe an after sailing BBQ. BYOG We look forward to welcoming you on the day. For further information contact Mick Colecliffe, Racing Secretary, Tanilba Bay Sailing Club 0419 999 785

Sounds par for the course! You could try Rohan of Mid North Sailes (I think) I don't know his number but others might. He's certainly doing mains for a very good price and I'd bet that he's also done the plans for a tramp since he turned up with a very well presented boat the other year.

In superlight weather I pull the main in tight, then to counter the hook in the leech I pull the downhaul. When rigged do this - sheet in tight then downhaul - you'll notice the leech will fall away which in light is good but in medium means you'll not be able to point.

You can do things to old sails to get some life out of them. One is to cut the bolt rope from its anchor at the bottom ( a few stitches). I did this to my Eastwind sail and the rope disappeared about a foot or so up the slot. A tight rope means the luff is crinkled and the body of the sail falls back which isn't fast. +1 on the rudder. Look up Ackerman steering. This is why the tillers are bent inwards. There's a measurement (which I don't understand!) but on cats your hulls go at different speeds and radius when turning. Stays 5.5m front and 5 rear. Remember that the tighter you have the mainsheet the tighter the jib luff will be. I would think you'd be in front of the Getaway and the H14 but behind the 16's. The Sailing Australia yardsticks should be an indication. Just as a guide we did a long race at Speers Point on Anzac Day. The line winner was a Maricat Super Sloop (foam) and was quite a long way ahead of me (2nd over the line). Once they'd unstuffed the handicaps (they did me as a SS foamy!) I won it. My calculation was about a minute ahead, Mark was a good five minutes in front on the line. I also noticed Mark (SS) sailing off the start line with jib literally flapping in order to get height. Once clear of other boats he bore away to use the jib for speed. Sand the hulls - don't need to go too far but maybe 120 then 600 makes them smooth. Same with the rudders they have quite a large whetted area - fill in the chips with Epoxy Filler. They talk about toe-in and I think this refers to hulls as well. I've seen rear beams that have the bolt holes drilled oval so the gap can be adjusted. Not sure what the gap should be though. Tramp should be as tight as possible.

Oh, and thanks for asking, it's always nice to get the brain cells going.

VANG PRO's Dead downwind - it prevents the leech from bowing in gusts giving small increase in speed. In my old Mk 2 I've caught foamies this way. CON's 1. If you capsize you have to take it right off in order to right. 2. if you've got it on tightish it'll prevent the mast from tacking (rotating) when you tack. Going upwind you need speed, speed and more speed. If the jib is in tight and the main is tight (remember that hard in on the mainsheet bends the mast which flattens the sail = good) then you sail for speed. It's quite remarkable when you notice the boat suddenly pointing and then you're back on track. It's very easy to point but the downside is loss of speed and then loss of pointing. In light, traveller should be centred (main tight) and in brisk let the traveller down a handwidth (main tight). If you have a Redhead sail then don't even bother with the downhaul - if the goosneck works it goes up and down for you. Otherwise only enough to get the crinkles out of the luff. What are the Hobies? 16's have to sail quite low to get the speed, they go faster though. I've only sailed against one 14 - it was sloop and I was cat and I overhauled and outpointed it.

I just re did mine. I bought new track and put it in reverse so the round of the track sits in the groove. On mine a good part of the channel was damaged so trying to go back to the flat plate wouldn't have worked. Before I refitted the track I got some scrim tape, 38mm and 25mm and laid it along the length using epoxy as some of the rivet holes were a bit naff. Haven't sailed since but I'm expecting a more comfortable ride without the hard ridge that used to be there. For bolt rope Jimmy Buckland has some which is quite hard and tough. I didn't use it for this purpose, kept the Newcastle YC Chandlery stuff. With the lacing I start in the middle, back to the saddle across then up, around and back through the same saddle. I've seen diagonal lacing but I think that will create more flex. Still an absolute bugger to get the tramp back! I got rivets online: From scaclips.com.au cost more for the postage ($7) but took three days to come. Bunnings don't sell them. Pop Rivets, 6-10, Tonneu Rivets, 4.8mm = 3/16", PR024, (50pk)PR0241$6.05

Very sorry to hear of this David. I don't have injuries to report although I've always had dodgy knees so I'm possibly more aware of them. Although Mari's and Windy's have trapeze classes I would think that it might be better to trap on one of the larger cats, the Taipan comes to mind. Having said that I still read reports of injuries and issues on trap boats too. You could try SailingAnarchy.com as the forums sometimes have people with problems and sometimes solutions. Hope your recovery is quick. James

Watch a youtube on Laser sailing. They are all over the place going downwind. One I watched, I think it was a Worlds Gold Medal race - they never gybed going downwind always twisting and turning to get the most out of waves. I think it was in Perth or Fremantle and Tom Slingsby won. Not disimilar to Maricats - change direction often and whenever you look like you're going to go down a wave into the back of another one - guaranteed sphincter clenchers!

Yes, sail track is the best way, the flat plate has a habit of allowing the bolt rope to pull out unless it's well fastened down. Best with sail track is to put it on upside down - that way you don't hurt so much when you kneel on it by mistake. Use a bit of sandpaper to clear out the slot - it won't fit perfectly but it'll do. Use sikaflex as well to seal the gap. Rivets are big ones, look around in the forum and you'll find out the size - Bunnings don't sell them - I got a bag online. They have to go through to the other side of the metal plate that backs them under the deck. If you're anywhere near Newcastle the chandlery at the yacht club has great bolt rope stuff. It's like a solid rubber with a coating of some sort of woven stuff. It has a tab on it because they use it for bimini's etc. I cut that off and it works a treat. 8mm you need. For the end I use 3mm prestretched marlow rope that Bias used to sell. I notice that Bunnings sell similar although it's probably not prestretched and you might have to repeat it after it's been in the sun a while. I use electrical conduit and a blanket stitch so the line goes from the beam out and around the conduit and then straight back to the same saddle. That way the length that's 'open' or exposed is minimised. I start in the middle and work outwards. Do it tight, then do it tighter. Then use a wrecking bar to lever it tighter still. Your new tramp will be cross cut so the tighter it is the more stable the platform. One last thing - use washing up liquid to get the sides in through the sail track - it's a bugger to get in but the liquid will wash out.