Message 5 of 5
Posted by member John on Sunday 15 April 2007

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Message 3 of 5
Posted by member Angus Geddes on Tuesday 30 August 2005

This could start an interesting debate. The sail area will need to be quite small to avoid nasty suprises..like capsizing. Also you will need to work out where the centre of effort is, I think this has to be over the centre of gravity on the hull. The mast would best be mounted in a tabernacle and this could go on the forard part of the cabin roof. but you would then need to reinforce the structure underneath with a timber strut to avoid the roof collapsing under pressure. that will invade the cabin space. I would suggest a gaff or gunter rig which would work fairly well with wind on the beam or aft. The hull would not support a bermudan rig so the boat would be rubbish at going to windward any way. The other advantage of having a gaff is that the spars are shorter therefore easier to manage. It might be interesting to consider a spritsail rig? Pretending to be a Thames Barge could turn a few heads. Having worked out where you are actually going to put the mast you need to work out the sail plan so that the centre of effort in the sail is over the CG of the hull. Working on the principle that simple is best why not consider a small single sail on a mast placed well forard, this would aid running with the wind. The other possibility may be to do a cat ketch rig? thereby putting in a small mizzen mast as well just behind the cabin roof/helm position. It could go off centre to avoid cluttering the cockpit. The mizzen should work well helping point to wind and would act as a stabilizing influence at anchor. The question is how big too make the sail area? You are making a motor sailer to run off wind or reach. I would draw the boat and look at it with a sketch showing a 100 Sq foot or 125 SqFoot to start with. Small is beautifull! would you require lee boards? My pilot hass a small keel I think the later ones/Bosuns dont have that. The keel could be quite helpfull you might even be able to fill it with lead? Who is going to try it? I am facinated to see the responses.

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Message 1 of 5
Posted by member Jon Welch on Tuesday 15 February 2005

I've recently bought a Hardy 18 Motor Sailor and I am finding it difficult to maintain course, particularly off the wind. Could anyone help, or point me towards advice....The problem is that she seems to want to luff up all the time, in fact, I can hardly bear away. Both sail luffs are tight and the foresail fills well, yet I have to spill wind from the main to hold a course. The next thing will be to reef the main, but that seems a bit agricultural. Any advice please?........Jon Welch....... jonwelch@iname.com

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