Reader Mail


ABOUT THAT LADDER I see there was a letter in the July/August issue from Steve Sirch asking about the “Mystery Ladder.” He thought he saw something on the cover. Here is my response:


Te cover picture was taken aſter a very light-wind long sail from St Michaels to the Cox Creek winery. Te smile on my face was because it was over, and the “mystery ladder” is my life jacket. I’d just unfastened as we were approaching the dock in shallow water. Skeena, my B & B Core Sound 20 Mark III does have a ladder that may work for you. Here’s a picture of it deployed and un-de- ployed. You can extend it easily from the water and it locks at an angle that makes boarding very easy. It’s a Garelick EEZ-in II. It takes a bit of interior room for the housing tube, but if you have space it’s fantastic.


Steve Warfle Honeoye, NY


HITCH THE BOAT No. 137—got my copy last night—an- other million dollar issue. Graciously sent to us small boat cruise aficionados for much less, thank you. Reading Steve Early’s narrative of his trip down the ICW, with my heart in my mouth. Truly captures the essence of what SCA is all about. Makes you want to pack the car, hitch the boat, and head down there to Charleston, today, to where he started, before it’s too late!


Brad Kurlancheek Bear Creek, PA


DINGHY FOR ESCAPE Several years ago I read a book— in the classic small boat voyage genre—about a woman who crossed the Channel in a small boat / dinghy to escape from France. I cannot remember if this was placed in WW1 or WW2, but I think she was an amateur spy, in the manner of Riddle of the Sands.


Does this ring any bells?


Peter Ward South Carolina Sure does. But we can’t quite place the


6


Garelick EEZ-in II title. Readers? —Eds


MORE FAVORITE MODS I have a couple of ideas that may be use- ful to others like me who just have to try new things. I got fed up with untangling mizzen sheet lines from the outboard, and with having to fit or dismantle a 4-foot boomkin every time I leſt or re- turned to the fairly crowded marina. So I rigged a light 2'6" cross-spar hanging from a thumbcleat on the mizzenmast, just above the tack of the sail, and led the sheets straight from the clew-end of the sprit to hitch through and around a 3/8" hole in the spar ends and on to cleats on the side decks either side of the helm position.


It works fine, setting the sail firmly over about a 130-degree range, which cannot be done with direct leads from the clew to the cleats—after about a 20 degree angle the sheet comes close to the mast and is ineffective. I cannot claim to have invented it although I have never seen the rig anywhere else. It is dead simple to set up; the only improvement may be a continuous sheet line brought around from port to starboard behind the helmsman, to a small drum with a lock, which would save attending to two cleats for each adjustment. But this would hinder access to the outboard, often needed in a hurry. A trial is in- dicated.


The other useful rig is what I call the Jib-on-a-Stick. I was frustrated one day when trying to lower a jib on a forestay,


the sail billowing and thrashing about in gusty conditions before falling into the water, a bit too close to another boat for comfort. So at home I hitched the luff to an 11-foot pole, about 1" to 1 ¼" thick, tying the tack end to the end of a 5-foot boom with a crisscross lashing so it could fold up, and hoisted the stick from a point at about half-height to a forward-raking 10' light mast mounted only about 2'6"aſt of the stem. Tis odd rig sets very well, the boom downhaul being right beside the mast, port side, while the halyard turning block is just clear to starboard.


About 1/3rd of the sail is forward of the mast, the sheet hitch is normal at the clew end of the boom, and the sail sets perfectly even when fully squared off downwind, needing no lashed-on stay or other contrivance. Again, I cannot claim to have invented this rig, but I haven’t seen another one like it. Boat balance on the dory is actually better now, as the large junk mainsail would often bring the bow up to windward if my attention was distracted, as it sure was that day.


Also, standard jibs work fine to wind- ward, but not too well downwind; not anymore—the new jib sets and pulls well fully squared-off. Like the junk main, it looks a bit odd but has the same hassle-free management, folds down easily and under control alongside the mainmast, and does not involve the ex- pense of roller systems and wire shrouds.


It occurs to me that the sympathy to- SMALL CRAFT ADVISOR


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84