Old Salt 15 Update

A second sail....

Brandon and Scott got the Old Salt prototype out for a second test sail yesterday, and the report is a glowing one. After various tweaks were made following our light-air test launch a few weeks ago, the Old Salt performed beautifully yesterday in mostly light air with some 8-10-knot periods.

Brandon reports the Old Salt was exceptionally stable and predictable even without water ballast

Brandon confirms the boat was balanced with a perfect touch of weather helm and she hit 5.3 mph in the best sustained breeze.

If you want complicated—this ain’t it. No centerboard trunk to step over. No shrouds or stays. No extra lines. Back support everywhere. Just a big spacious sailing machine. Note the “thigh hook” cutaway feature in stowage cabintop to assist a sailor balancing when standing at the mast.

Maybe even more indicative of the Old Salt 15’s atypical advantages, Brandon says the mast was raised easily in the water at the dock. But after motoring out of the marina he realized the halyard had been run to up the mast, so without a thought he and Scott dropped the mast on the water, lifted the lightweight carbon mast out of her “toaster slot", grabbed the halyard and raised the mast again. Not something you’d try on most boats.

Stay tuned for additional updates. —Eds •SCA•