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I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
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Author:  BrianCT [ Mon May 16, 2011 4:00 pm ]
Post subject:  I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
I'm using 1 1/2" (outer diameter) square aluminum tubing sourced from Seitech, the company that makes beach dollies and racks for Lasers, etc.. I'm not sure of the exact gauge but the walls on this aluminum is fairly thick. The small 8 inch "T" section will rest on the hull right above the daggerboard well. I'm still mulling over the dagger board well insert but I'm leaning towards simply screwing on a shortened stainless steel hinge and covering it with Plastidip to help reduce the possibility of scratches. Thoughts?

The length of the pole is 7 feet plus 1 1/2" for the "T". As you can see in the pics, I cut the "T" end at roughly a 20 degree angle so it will rest fairly flat against the hull when the pole is angled up and secured in its righting position.

I'm getting the "T" welded on tomorrow. Once that is finished I'll fill the inside of the pole with expanding foam for flotation and glue 3M anti-slip tape on the "climbing" side of the pole. I'm going to lace a lacrosse head mesh underneath the front of the tramp to make a storage pocket and bungie the "T" end underneath the rear cross bar/dead eye. When its all said and done the pole will weigh about 10 pounds. I just hope it floats! More pics to come.....

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Here's the angled hacksaw cut for the "T"....

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You get the general idea.....

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Angled "T" should help reduce side-to-side sway when I'm out on the pole (I think??)....

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Author:  Sailinagin [ Tue May 17, 2011 5:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
That looks great! Very nice design - I like the "T" idea seems like it will spread the load better. Let us know if she floats.
Author:  BrianCT [ Tue May 17, 2011 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Thanks. Yeah, that's what I was thinking, it should help reduce the load and side-to-side sway. As I said, I still need to figure out what I'm going to use as a dagger well insert. I know others have used a lexan plate but that sounds like extra work. I'm thinking a shortened SS hinge screwed into the "T" might be a simpler, stronger design, and it would allow for more flexibility with the angle. We'll see. From what I have read about the original "Solo Right" design, there really isn't much of a load placed on the plate/insert.

The other thing I need to figure out is how far from the end of the pole to put the righting line. And if the expanding foam doesn't make it float I could always cut up a swim noodle and glue it on. But I sure would like to avoid having to do that.
Author:  RobPatt [ Tue May 17, 2011 7:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
That looks great.

I delay to build another soloright because while the concept is great and works... I haven't worked out the actual "on the water" use. ( I built one w/an oar and it worked for me @ 160lbs w/a H18.)

For the hinge concept... maybe you could take scrap alu, flatten, shape into a "D" shape, and weld or rivet it to the bottom of the "T", plasticote it... and that's what slides into the dagger trunk? Make the "D" deeper than you need, so you can trim it smaller if needed as you test (2d vote for riveting vice weld... while testing..)

What do you envision for the righting line?

Will you run the pole's support line(s) through the pole, or put a padeye?

Where will you affix the poles support line to the boat?

I'd think flotation foam would hold keep the pole afloat.

KEEP US POSTED! How much was the alu ?
Author:  BrianCT [ Tue May 17, 2011 8:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Hi Rob, thanks for the advise/ideas. I hadn't even considered riveting the insert but that is the way to go! To answer your questions....

I plan on running the support line through the pole. My plan is to drill two 7/16" holes and epoxy in two Hobie rudder bushings to help eliminate the possibility of the aluminum cutting the line. How far from the outer end of your oar is your line attached?

I was planning on clipping the righting line to loops I'll have preaffixed to each cross beam corner. I was thinking I'd then just use two alu caribiners to clip the rope in place.

As for the cost of the aluminum pole and (3 rubber end caps), it ran me $78 including shipping. I ordered the 105" pole linked below and cut it down to size. It's a nice square tube with rounded edges. (Note: The pole came with two predrilled holes on each end which I cut off. You can see the scraps in one of the pictures.) Out of the box at 105" the pole was somewhat flexible (I weigh 225) but at 7 feet it's really quite strong. One thing I should mention is it took a while to hacksaw through the sucker. I had a new blade but it still each cut took me about 20 minutes. By the time I finished making four cuts I thought my arms were going to fall off. :shock:

http://shopna.laserperformance.com/templates/prd2.aspx?ProductGuid=75004&GroupGuid=2871
Author:  RobPatt [ Tue May 17, 2011 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Great, thanks for the link.
I think the rudder bushings are a great idea too.

My soloright was just a 6' oar that began cracking as I walked out on it... but I only had 1 support line on it, which was 1/3d from the "high" end (2/3d out from the daggerboard end)... so maybe I needed 2 support lines.

The clip/carabiner thing would work too... and is what I did also. Some of those little bronze snap clips are only rated to 70 pounds or something, so maybe the alu carabiners are stronger.

Because this thing is so narrow, and somewhat prone to side-to-side motion while on it... your righting line really needs to be wide, so your arms are out to both sides, to help you balance on the pole. BUT, to do this you either have to put the righting line under the boat, OR something else... haven't put much more thought into it 'cause I'm always sailing! Ha ha.

Really, I'm trying to get better as the H18 nationals are on my local beach this year, and I've only had the boat 3 summers... so pet projects are on a back burner while I try to learn the rules of racing, rights, etc, etc..!
Author:  BrianCT [ Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
A few more pictures. Welding complete, I'm on the home stretch......

(The anodizing needed to be ground off first)
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I guesstimated on the pole angle - let's hope it works as planned....

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Author:  RobPatt [ Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
DROOL ! Keep 'em coming.

I can now attest that with a sealed mast, 250 human pounds plus some water in a bag will right the H-18. Much relief! :D
Author:  vronp [ Fri Jun 03, 2011 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Noob question. How does this work?

I found this site with some pictures. Does it work in a similar fashion?

I am NOT associated with that web site in any way, just found it after googling "righting pole".

thanks,
Dave
Author:  BrianCT [ Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Hi Dave. The concept is similar to what you see the picture below. Basically, by walking out on the pole you create significant leverage to help right your capsized cat. You can't see it yet in my pictures above because I haven't installed it, but there will be a 3" piece of lexan plastic plate attached to the bottom of the "T" section that will slip into the dagger board well. This plate helps hold the system in place on your keel as you climb out on the pole. Does that help?

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Author:  NAHCA555 [ Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
I seem to recall a self-stowable hinged pole that was attached to the dolphin striker. It was bungied is such a fashion you could pull it out perpendicular to the boat, use as a lever, then it would swing back in place and be held there by the bungie.

I think it was carbon... and european (of course)... I'll see if I can find out more...

EDIT: I guess it's NOT european! I found it:

http://www.catsailor.com/power_righter.html
Author:  BrianCT [ Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
NAHCA555, I almost went in that direction but some here have opined that pole doesn't stow well on a H18 or H17 as designed due to the sloped shape of the tramp. Our trampolines slope upward in the front so the pole doesn't lay flat underneath front to back like it would on, say, a H16 i.e., the back end will drag in (or near) the water when secured to the underside of the front cross bar.

Here's three "almost finished" pictures of my setup.....

First, a view of the "T" end with the lexan plate installed

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And the bottom. The eye straps you see will be used to secure bungies so I can stow it underneath the rear cross bar. (Rob, I will eventually use rivets, but not until I'm sure it works as designed)

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Final view before I deliver it to its new owner, my H18 :)

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Author:  customcraftsman [ Sun Jun 05, 2011 4:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
very nice job great craftsmanship hope it works well for you.
Ted
Author:  RobPatt [ Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Brian, looking good man!

Any thoughts about how you'll rig and run the righting line you need to hold on to for pulling the boat up?

I'm really interested to see what you come up with.
Along w/flotation foam inside!

I'd used that 3M grip tape on mine and found it VERY abrasive. Will scrape your arm or leg good, as well as the bottoms of your shorts or wetsuit. I switched out to the grippy foam/neoprene stuff.
Author:  BrianCT [ Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I started making a righting pole over the weekend (Pics)
Rob, I haven't tackled the righting line question just yet, although the Solo Right designer's looks pretty simple. For the support line, I bought two fairleads similar to the ones we have for our trapeze bungies, only the cores on mine are made of metal. Very slick - I'll run the support line through those instead of the aforementioned rudder bushings.....

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Yesterday I battled with the expanding foam with limited success. Man, what a mess! Since the pole is 7 feet, I first stuffed a cut up pool noodle and packed it all the way in to the "T" and out about half way. I thought the expanding foam would take care of the rest but not even close. When I drilled the holes for the fairleads there was no foam in the middle! I've got about 4 feet of pool noodle up to the "T" side and maybe a foot of expanding foam in the other end. Now I need to slowly inject more foam into the fairlead holes, let it cure and then drill out the dried foam. Final step: smear silicon into the fairlead holes to waterproof the foam and then install the fairleads.

I've already laced the lacrosse mesh storage pocket underneath the front of the tramp. Perfect fit! My pole sits very nicely underneath the tramp and the only thing extending beyond the rear cross bar is part of the 3" lexan plate. Once bungied in place I don't anticipate any rattling around (which would drive me crazy!).

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I'll try and get some more pictures up next weekend. Take care!
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