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Hi
To save on another rope up the mast on Ereina’s 3/4 rig we reverse the topping lift for our light weight genika (unlikely to need topping lift for reefing).
Having raced in a mixed fleet local races a few years ago with Ereina: The technique for the first couple of years seamed to be – establish position at the back of the fleet and make sure nobody gets behind you. However, thinks did start to improve with the experience of racing most weekends through the summers and we even won a few.
I would not recommend an outboard (we did this for a year): you want to keep the weight out of the end of the boat. Also you will worry all through the race if there is any amount of wind on how you are going to manage coming into harbour and picking up your mooring: Ereina would not turn to port with the power so any sharp turns had to be to starboard. We had the new inboard fitted with a high pitch twin blade prop. which we alined with the steg and rudder while racing, although now I would go for a folding one like Trevor’s Calista (the faster you go the more the drag increases at a greater factor).
To further keep the weight out of the ends the ceramic and brass heads has been replaced with a portapotty (with pump out). During races we would store the anchour and chain between the front end of the keels. Also the inflatable, unless left on the mooring.
Keels – experiment – I would normally have the leeward one slightly kicked further back to lessen weather helm as the boat heels.
Mast rake – when you are hanging a weight from the top of the mast to calculate this it will be different if the keels are fully up or down. Any amount of rake appeared to increase weather helm (3/4 rig).
I wouldn’t change to full rig having sailed on both. The full rig is faster in light to moderate winds, but in higher winds we could claw away further to windward. We do have a light weight jib that we can fly from the masthead in light winds when just off the wind. I would like to try a masthead spinnaker at some point.
Keel box rubbers – these must be in good condition, turbulence in the keel boxes really slows you down.
I wouldn’t mess with the keels – you end up with a boat that is not an Atalanta. However, saying that I am going to try winching them with an 18v rechargeable drill, it would certainly be quicker at lowering.
There are lots of small tweaks that all add up, but in light winds they do not perform as fast as a lot of the plastic boats. In very light winds try joss sticks as a wind indicator (makes the boat smell nice and causes amusement as you drift past).
Would love to do the Round the Island Race in a year or two.
Hi Simon
I more or less did what Trevor has suggested. I reused the pin of the pintle, which is stainless, cutting off the aluminum housing. Stainless bar was then bent round, welded and then drilled, then countersunk or tapped to take SS countersunk headed bolts. On the original set up one of the aluminum rivets/bolts had failed due to corrosion in the wood and the others were in very poor condition.
No problems with lining up the bolt holes as I re-built the skeg. Note that the stainless long bolt that went through my skeg was still in near perfect condition (over 50 years old) and has been re-used. Also stainless steal bolts on the P bracket were also in fine condition. These bolts were re-bedded in sikaflex over 20 years ago and re-done 2 years ago when I replaced the P bracket.
I would go for a stainless steel.
Pete
Simon Garratt said:
Many thanks for the replies.
I have already come to the conclusion that I will look into getting a new one made in Aluminium – Trevor my cheque for the drawing is already on it’s way.
The only problem still is which grade to use. If I have this right the original made from Hiduminium? had an ultimate tensile strength of 61k to 72.5k psi. 5086 or 6061 marine grades are around 45k psi. How much of the original specification was down to the material being available and was it over engineered? I really don’t want to find out the hard way.
7075 (used in aircraft industry) has the strength but, from what I can find out, is not so happy in a marine environment. Though as Trevor says, the key is to prevent salt water reaching the aluminium in the first place and the original has managed 50 years with inferior sealants to those available now.
I will go and see what the engineering firm, I used to have the prop shaft reworked, in the New Year have to say – though Crewe engineering firms are more used to working with bits for trains than boats.
Simon
Eriena has always leaked in rough weather. Hopefully the leaks have now been traced to around the cockpit forward bulkhead over the keel boxes. We put small holes through the bottom of internal divisions, with small bungs nearby, so the water can make its way to the lowest point and leave an automatic pump on when on the mooring, but after the first week It doesn’t have to do anything. While sailing we use a dinghy pump with a long outlet pipe that can reach into the cockpit. We also carry a gusher pump with a long inlet that could reach any part of the boat in an emergency, plus a couple of buckets.
Did have an offer from a crew to pump out the rear of the keel boxes: I said it wasn’t necessary, but it would have been great to watch for hours and hours.
Pete
