In the water at last!

Have just spent 3 days (Tues - Thurs) sailing about the northern broads - Horsey, Hickling and around, having launched "Puffin" P113 S/N 396 from Martham Boatyard. 6 aboard and a dog as well at times. Not much wind this week, but what a great little ship! I managed to sort her Barton Roller reefing out, which works a treat - I have found a way to roller reef without the alloy tube, yet still maintain a reasonable tension on the wire luff. I'll post some pictures after I go back tomorrow for a bit more sailing - it's quite addictive isn't it! Not fitted a high tabernacle yet, but I'm convinced the system I have worked out will work with it once fitted. Forgot the suntan lotion, so I'm red raw! One thing I've got to sort out is the outboard - my 5hp Evinrude is definitely too heavy and affects the attitude of the boat in the water, even with just 2 sailing. Maybe it needs tilting a bit - I'll see. However, wet feet was the result, so I made two cork bungs to keep the water out, then went home (30 miles away) forgetting to take them out, so I had to go back in case it rained and sank the boat! But what a great few days.    

Greywing wrote

Have just spent 3 days (Tues - Thurs) sailing about the northern broads - Horsey, Hickling and around, having launched "Puffin" P113 S/N 396 from Martham Boatyard.

It's exactly where I first launched my SeaHawk.

Not much wind this week

Really? You must expect constant hurricane force for sailing! I'm only fifteen minutes drive from all those places and there's been plenty of wind in East Ruston (The bold have been known to canoe up the East Ruston Branch of the North Walsham and Dilham Canal to within 50 yards of my home.)!

but what a great little ship!

But there I will agree with you!

I'll post some pictures after I go back tomorrow for a bit more sailing - it's quite addictive isn't it!

Agreed, again!

One thing I've got to sort out is the outboard - my 5hp Evinrude is definitely too heavy and affects the attitude of the boat in the water, even with just 2 sailing. Maybe it needs tilting a bit - I'll see. However, wet feet was the result, so I made two cork bungs to keep the water out

As I explain elsewhere You need bungs whatever the weight of your engine - even a little electric with the battery kept in the cabin below the waterline.

then went home (30 miles away) forgetting to take them out, so I had to go back in case it rained and sank the boat! But what a great few days.

Been there! Done that! I think that is the entry qualification for the Honourable Company of True SeaHawk Sailors!

I said I'd put up some pictures of my "alloy-tube-less" Furler/Forestay solution. I doubt I am the sole user of this design, but I am very satisfied with the result:

The Fore-stay is roped to enable tensioning and the furler "chassis" is attached to a stainless steel drilled bar. The jib is tensioned with the halyard and then further tensioned by pulling on the rope attached to the top of the bar. This in turn pulls the jib wire luff away from the fore-stay giving plenty of room for the sail to furl. The stainless bar is attached to the deck hardware with a shackle, which prevents the turning motion of the furler "chassis" yet the shackle allow a certain amount of sideways movement so as not to put any strain on the deck fitting when the sail is under stress.
When the mast is dropped, all one needs to do is let off the jib halyard and the fore-stay rope and the whole lot comes down (all from the cockpit). pushing up the mast then pulling the fore-stay rope and re-setting the Jib halyard is all one needs to do, apart from maybe a bit of mast-pushing and tension adjustment.

I made a disk using fibreglass matt and resin in a mold (the bottom of a plastic bottle), drilled a hole in it and passed it over the swivel spindle before attaching the halyard. It keeps the sail away from the fore-stay, especially with the taller sail.
All I have to do now is find a suitable path for the lines, fit the bulls-eyes and cleats etc to enable the lines to lead back to the cockpit!
Any further ideas to improve the system would be welcome.
     

Sorry, picture was too large. Here it is again: