Excellent interview, Bob and Josh. Thank you for confirming that unless we're racing, a good sail is good enough..."when you are off the wind at all (70% of cruising) just about any sail will get you to hull speed!" And I really like your history lesson about the quiver of headsails on fast clippers...everything new is old!
Thanks for this great article. For me, it was worth it for the nostalgia alone. My first professional woodworking job was as a joiner back in the ‘70’s at Westsail, working on the exterior crew, fabricating and installing the hatches, bowsprit platforms, teak cap rails, laid teak decks, etc. In the 80’s and 90’s, I was a windsurfer, using mostly Neil Pryde sails, going from fully battened RAF’s to camber-induced speed slalom designs and back again. And for a year, I owned a Prindle 19, with a beautiful suit of Randy Smyth sails. Nice to know that one of the men responsible for so many of my fondest memories is still actively engaged in the sport.
Peter, those were great times in Costa Mesa / Newport Beach... I was always amazed at how many people were building boats in various yards scattered all around the city....lot's of dreams spurred on by Westsail. Lot's of sailing.
I remember a Canadian couple arriving at the yard to take delivery of a new 28...their car loaded with gear, ready to take off. They signed over the car one of us on the last day and took off to sail around the world. And it all seemed perfectly normal and we went back to work the next day making the next boat and sails.
What is the pros & cons between selecting if the sail slides are sewn on or using shackles. I thought is that racers use sewn on slugs to have the sail luff as close as possible to the mast and cruisers use shackles for improved flaking of the sail with less friction between the slides and track channel.
Cost and maybe durability (webbed on slides more long lasting than plastic shackles). The friction depends on the mast section and the slide type....some slides depending on shape or material have more or less friction than others. The real reason for slides is ease in hoisting (a one person job and not two) and lowering as the sail stays contained and is easier to flake and to reef.
Excellent interview. Thanks. Quick question about a catketch rig. I’ve had two boats with it and I’ve never understood why they’re not more prolific. So simple and efficient and effective to weather or downwind. Am I missing something?
Like a lot of niche things in sailing the cat-ketch has yet to take hold or at least gain traction for a lot of sailors or designers... though one can find some advocates out there.
You're right in your assessment of the rig though, there is a lot to like about it. I might guess that in bigger boats to go free standing would mean carbon freestanding masts now days and that would add a lot of cost to a 30footer for instance.
The most visible iterations of this were the Herreshoff 31 and the Freedom boats by Gary Hoyt of which they had 2 or 3 in the cat-ketch family. We've done a lot of them over the years...they are big sails typically and a lot of work when handling off the boat. Once up though sail handling is simple of course.
First a real specific question: is it possible to put a second reef into the Scout sail? (Required for event like the Everglades Challenge). I hasten to add that the Scout sail as-is is a real pleasure.
Then: very nice article, insights. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent interview, Bob and Josh. Thank you for confirming that unless we're racing, a good sail is good enough..."when you are off the wind at all (70% of cruising) just about any sail will get you to hull speed!" And I really like your history lesson about the quiver of headsails on fast clippers...everything new is old!
Thanks for sharing the wisdom!
Thanks for this great article. For me, it was worth it for the nostalgia alone. My first professional woodworking job was as a joiner back in the ‘70’s at Westsail, working on the exterior crew, fabricating and installing the hatches, bowsprit platforms, teak cap rails, laid teak decks, etc. In the 80’s and 90’s, I was a windsurfer, using mostly Neil Pryde sails, going from fully battened RAF’s to camber-induced speed slalom designs and back again. And for a year, I owned a Prindle 19, with a beautiful suit of Randy Smyth sails. Nice to know that one of the men responsible for so many of my fondest memories is still actively engaged in the sport.
Peter, those were great times in Costa Mesa / Newport Beach... I was always amazed at how many people were building boats in various yards scattered all around the city....lot's of dreams spurred on by Westsail. Lot's of sailing.
I remember a Canadian couple arriving at the yard to take delivery of a new 28...their car loaded with gear, ready to take off. They signed over the car one of us on the last day and took off to sail around the world. And it all seemed perfectly normal and we went back to work the next day making the next boat and sails.
What is the pros & cons between selecting if the sail slides are sewn on or using shackles. I thought is that racers use sewn on slugs to have the sail luff as close as possible to the mast and cruisers use shackles for improved flaking of the sail with less friction between the slides and track channel.
Cost and maybe durability (webbed on slides more long lasting than plastic shackles). The friction depends on the mast section and the slide type....some slides depending on shape or material have more or less friction than others. The real reason for slides is ease in hoisting (a one person job and not two) and lowering as the sail stays contained and is easier to flake and to reef.
Excellent interview. Thanks. Quick question about a catketch rig. I’ve had two boats with it and I’ve never understood why they’re not more prolific. So simple and efficient and effective to weather or downwind. Am I missing something?
Jonathan,
Like a lot of niche things in sailing the cat-ketch has yet to take hold or at least gain traction for a lot of sailors or designers... though one can find some advocates out there.
You're right in your assessment of the rig though, there is a lot to like about it. I might guess that in bigger boats to go free standing would mean carbon freestanding masts now days and that would add a lot of cost to a 30footer for instance.
The most visible iterations of this were the Herreshoff 31 and the Freedom boats by Gary Hoyt of which they had 2 or 3 in the cat-ketch family. We've done a lot of them over the years...they are big sails typically and a lot of work when handling off the boat. Once up though sail handling is simple of course.
bob
Very nice interview
MIK
First a real specific question: is it possible to put a second reef into the Scout sail? (Required for event like the Everglades Challenge). I hasten to add that the Scout sail as-is is a real pleasure.
Then: very nice article, insights. Thanks for sharing.
Paul,
Yes, with some mods. We are building some for the R2AK for another like minded adventurer as you are clearly. <grin>
B