Having spent 4 days sailing Sneaky around
Chichester Harbour I was able to play with my new reefing arrangement, downhaul
position and the boom retainer (not sure what else to call it but the rope that
holds the boom loosely against the mast). I was mostly sailing with the kids but
got some time on my own in winds that ranged from nothing to F4 or
so.
The new reefing
arrangement – This worked really well and it is much easier to get a reef in
than it was before although I would still drop the sail to do it. The stainless
carbine/snap hook for the tack (http://www.wichard.com/fiche-A%7CWICHARD%7C2315-0202040500000000-IM.html) made it really easy to attach the reef tacks
alongside the standard tack. There is also a Wichard Delta hook that may be even
easier to use but it wasn’t available in the shop local to me. The reefing lines
at the back end of the boom also worked really well, pull on the rope and jam in
the valley cleat – dead easy. The only downside was the rope dangling down
because I was too lazy to coil it also I only added a single valley cleat for
both reefing lines so I need to add another.
I changed the “boom retainer” to the arrangement
suggested by another member on the Storer forum, the rope goes from the front of
the boom, around the starboard side of the mast and then tied to the boom that
is on the port side of the mast. I found this worked best with a thicker rope as
thin stuff would bind, I ended up using the outer polyester layer of a 12mm
braid on braid rope I had laying around. This allowed the sail to hoisted
easily, and stopped my normal problem of the boom sliding forward and getting
caught under the breasthook.
In combination with the new boom retainer I tried moving the
downhaul aft and initially had it about 8” behind the mast, this worked ok but I
found that it really added little to the sail shape but did cause the boom
retainer to bind when sailing downwind. I ended up having the downhaul about 3”
aft of the mast and that worked well.
This would probably mean more if I had pics but I forgot to take
some. I’ll try to take some pics next time I rig it up, maybe this weekend
coming if the strong winds blow though in time.
Lots of comments and interest from the folks I was
sailing with (it was a Dinghy Cruising Association (Home - Dinghy
Cruising Association) and UK Home Build Boat Rally (UK HBBR)
event) about the GIS as they had never seen one in the flesh although one member
of the group admitted having a GIS as the background image on her computer
“because it is such a beautiful lug rig”. If that’s not praise for Mik’s hand
then I don’t know what it. I also managed to collect a few scratches but it’s
there to be used so I can live with that as we were having such a good
time.
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
The English Raid 2012
The original plan was that I would get some time on Sneaky Shark
with Annie before the Raid but the British weather, work and family commitments
made that impossible. We trailed the
boat to the east coast having only sailed it once myself and Annie met Sneaky (as
she has been shortened to) for the first time the previous evening.
Wednesday was really the set up day, after four hours in the car we launched at Woolverstone and had a very pleasant sail down the river Orwell to Shotley, this is approximately 6nm. There were plenty of other raiders also launching and it was great to see such a mix of boats on the water. The wind was around a Force 2-3 and the water flat so we used full sail and enjoyed the sun. Having always sailed Bermudian rigged keel-boats this was a very different way to sail and we got used to the boat, how she handles in gusts and on various points of sail . Once through the lock and in Shotley marina we had little spare time as the car needed to be collected so we can pitch our tent and join the rest of the raiders for a welcome dinner in the Shipwreck pub.
After breakfast on Thursday we had a briefing for the day’s activities and a little time to sort the boats before locking out of the marina, fortunately the lock would take 8 or more raid boats at a time so there wasn’t too much delay in getting out on to the river. We sailed with a reef as the wind was forecast to be low teens but gusting up more later in the day, in retrospect this was the correct decision as we were on a steep learning curve. We spent the morning beating to windward up the Stour to Manningtree, it’s about 9 miles as the crow flies and while we made good progress I was struggling at times to get Sneaky going to windward, it was very gusty and I was constantly trying to point too high. It was about half way up the river I realised that I needed to bear-away and ease the sail in gusts rather than feather up to windward (as I do in my sailing cruiser). We very nearly capsized on a few occasions and managed to half fill the boat with water once. When we arrived lunch was enjoyed on the beach with the raiders that made it, some didn’t.
It was a race back from Maningtree to the Ganges Buoy near Shotley in the afternoon and the breeze was picking up to the late teens and gusting more I would guess. We had a very fast and exhilarating sail with the wind either on the beam or the starboard quarter and sailed the course (around 9nm) in 63minutes – it felt very fast and we were very pleased to be first to the finishing mark although were 12th on handicap. Dinner was in Harwich so we all rafted up inside the harbourmasters pontoon and had a wander around an old lightship before finding Harwich and Dovercourt SC for fish and chips. For the short sail home we put the second reef in and was pleasantly surprised at the speed of Sneaky as we overtook boats under engine on their way back to Shotley. In total I estimate we sailed around 20nm but I imagine in terms of water under the boat it was a lot more with all the tacking in the morning.
The forecast for Friday was more wind so the plan to leave the harbour and head for the Walton Backwaters was abandoned in favour of an easy sail to Suffolk Yacht Harbour for lunch and then a race in the afternoon. We had a good practice sail in the morning with one reef in and seemed to have Sneaky going better to windward with more downhaul on and I was sailing slightly more off the wind than the previous day. The wind picked up a little over lunch and I thought we could stay with one reef but once out on the water we were struggling to control the boat and keep ourselves upright but also enjoyed the acceleration and speed that Sneaky would provide when powered up. We picked up a mooring buoy and put the second reef in for self-preservation but this did mean we missed the start of the race by about 8 minutes so were well behind. We started chasing the back markers but ended up just enjoying the sail and improving our skills in the strong winds that some estimated as F4-5. With the wind over tide and it being a spring-tide the water became quite rough where the two rivers meet and we did our best to stay in the shallower water that seemed smoother although the sharp bow would cut through the waves and I got better quickly at “cork-screwing” over the waves which seemed faster and more comfortable. Safely back in the lock it seemed that everyone was having a fun but hard day on the water. Dinner was in the Shipwreck again and we all tucked into a really good curry. Total miles sailed on Friday would be around 18miles.
Saturday was the last day of the raid and a course was set to race us up the Orwell with a leg back on ourselves for some variety before finishing south of the huge road bridge. This time we would be ready for the race and while we sailed out with a reef this was shaken out by the start so we could race under full sail. We had a pretty good start with a Force 2-3 south-westerly and some stronger gusts and found ourselves third on the water with larger (and I thought faster) boats behind us. Annie and I worked hard to put into practice all we had learnt about sailing Sneaky the previous days and managed to keep a gap between us and the pack of boats behind but were unable to catch Kite and Molly but they were both much larger and faster boats. Lunch was at the Orwell YC and Annie sailed us a quite a way back down the river to Woolverstone where Sneaky was put back on the trailer and towed back to the camp site. Total miles sailed for Saturday would be around 14nm. The evening dinner and prize giving was at Pin Mill, a club that must have one of the best views in the area and we watch the tide retreat and the sun go down while enjoying the company of the raiders.
All in all it was a fantastic few days of sailing in an area I have never visited before but one I would like to explore again another time. Sneaky was everything I could have wished for on the water and more, east to handle, rewarding to sail and quick as hell when you get her going. I came off the water each day with a smile of my face and looking forward to taking her out again the next morning. Many people were impressed with the GIS design, one chap in particular was very impressed and as an ex-racing yacht designer he knows a thing or two I guess. There were rumours that next year there may be a raid in the south-west and if we can Sneaky will be there to enjoy it.
Next up for Sneaky Shark will be a few days camping and sailing around Chichester harbour with the Dinghy Cruising Association. But first I need to fix the top aft corner of the daggerboard that I have split from putting it in the car carelessly – really annoyed with myself for not being more careful but some epoxy in the crack and glass over will patch it up. In terms of mods I really need to fit some hiking/toe straps, a single one in the middle will be more than enough I think, also there is some play between the rudder and it’s housing so I will glue some thin rubber to the top of the rudder blade to pack this out.
Wednesday was really the set up day, after four hours in the car we launched at Woolverstone and had a very pleasant sail down the river Orwell to Shotley, this is approximately 6nm. There were plenty of other raiders also launching and it was great to see such a mix of boats on the water. The wind was around a Force 2-3 and the water flat so we used full sail and enjoyed the sun. Having always sailed Bermudian rigged keel-boats this was a very different way to sail and we got used to the boat, how she handles in gusts and on various points of sail . Once through the lock and in Shotley marina we had little spare time as the car needed to be collected so we can pitch our tent and join the rest of the raiders for a welcome dinner in the Shipwreck pub.
 |
| View from Shipwreck bar |
 |
| Relaxed skipper leaving Woolverstone |
After breakfast on Thursday we had a briefing for the day’s activities and a little time to sort the boats before locking out of the marina, fortunately the lock would take 8 or more raid boats at a time so there wasn’t too much delay in getting out on to the river. We sailed with a reef as the wind was forecast to be low teens but gusting up more later in the day, in retrospect this was the correct decision as we were on a steep learning curve. We spent the morning beating to windward up the Stour to Manningtree, it’s about 9 miles as the crow flies and while we made good progress I was struggling at times to get Sneaky going to windward, it was very gusty and I was constantly trying to point too high. It was about half way up the river I realised that I needed to bear-away and ease the sail in gusts rather than feather up to windward (as I do in my sailing cruiser). We very nearly capsized on a few occasions and managed to half fill the boat with water once. When we arrived lunch was enjoyed on the beach with the raiders that made it, some didn’t.
 |
| Sneaky on the beach at Manningtree |
 |
| Sneaky at rest waiting for the next day |
It was a race back from Maningtree to the Ganges Buoy near Shotley in the afternoon and the breeze was picking up to the late teens and gusting more I would guess. We had a very fast and exhilarating sail with the wind either on the beam or the starboard quarter and sailed the course (around 9nm) in 63minutes – it felt very fast and we were very pleased to be first to the finishing mark although were 12th on handicap. Dinner was in Harwich so we all rafted up inside the harbourmasters pontoon and had a wander around an old lightship before finding Harwich and Dovercourt SC for fish and chips. For the short sail home we put the second reef in and was pleasantly surprised at the speed of Sneaky as we overtook boats under engine on their way back to Shotley. In total I estimate we sailed around 20nm but I imagine in terms of water under the boat it was a lot more with all the tacking in the morning.
 |
| Raid boats rafted at Harwich |
 |
| Raid boats rafted at Harwich |
The forecast for Friday was more wind so the plan to leave the harbour and head for the Walton Backwaters was abandoned in favour of an easy sail to Suffolk Yacht Harbour for lunch and then a race in the afternoon. We had a good practice sail in the morning with one reef in and seemed to have Sneaky going better to windward with more downhaul on and I was sailing slightly more off the wind than the previous day. The wind picked up a little over lunch and I thought we could stay with one reef but once out on the water we were struggling to control the boat and keep ourselves upright but also enjoyed the acceleration and speed that Sneaky would provide when powered up. We picked up a mooring buoy and put the second reef in for self-preservation but this did mean we missed the start of the race by about 8 minutes so were well behind. We started chasing the back markers but ended up just enjoying the sail and improving our skills in the strong winds that some estimated as F4-5. With the wind over tide and it being a spring-tide the water became quite rough where the two rivers meet and we did our best to stay in the shallower water that seemed smoother although the sharp bow would cut through the waves and I got better quickly at “cork-screwing” over the waves which seemed faster and more comfortable. Safely back in the lock it seemed that everyone was having a fun but hard day on the water. Dinner was in the Shipwreck again and we all tucked into a really good curry. Total miles sailed on Friday would be around 18miles.
 |
| View from Harwich up the Stour at low tide |
Saturday was the last day of the raid and a course was set to race us up the Orwell with a leg back on ourselves for some variety before finishing south of the huge road bridge. This time we would be ready for the race and while we sailed out with a reef this was shaken out by the start so we could race under full sail. We had a pretty good start with a Force 2-3 south-westerly and some stronger gusts and found ourselves third on the water with larger (and I thought faster) boats behind us. Annie and I worked hard to put into practice all we had learnt about sailing Sneaky the previous days and managed to keep a gap between us and the pack of boats behind but were unable to catch Kite and Molly but they were both much larger and faster boats. Lunch was at the Orwell YC and Annie sailed us a quite a way back down the river to Woolverstone where Sneaky was put back on the trailer and towed back to the camp site. Total miles sailed for Saturday would be around 14nm. The evening dinner and prize giving was at Pin Mill, a club that must have one of the best views in the area and we watch the tide retreat and the sun go down while enjoying the company of the raiders.
 |
| Start of the Saturday race |
 |
| Just after the start about to overtake the boat to leeward. |
All in all it was a fantastic few days of sailing in an area I have never visited before but one I would like to explore again another time. Sneaky was everything I could have wished for on the water and more, east to handle, rewarding to sail and quick as hell when you get her going. I came off the water each day with a smile of my face and looking forward to taking her out again the next morning. Many people were impressed with the GIS design, one chap in particular was very impressed and as an ex-racing yacht designer he knows a thing or two I guess. There were rumours that next year there may be a raid in the south-west and if we can Sneaky will be there to enjoy it.
 |
| Team Sneaky shirts at Pin Mill |
 |
| Team Sneaky at Orwell SC |
Next up for Sneaky Shark will be a few days camping and sailing around Chichester harbour with the Dinghy Cruising Association. But first I need to fix the top aft corner of the daggerboard that I have split from putting it in the car carelessly – really annoyed with myself for not being more careful but some epoxy in the crack and glass over will patch it up. In terms of mods I really need to fit some hiking/toe straps, a single one in the middle will be more than enough I think, also there is some play between the rudder and it’s housing so I will glue some thin rubber to the top of the rudder blade to pack this out.
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