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PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:04 pm 
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Location: Benicia, CA
Tom Kirkman wrote:
Bottom-up furling won't work with headsails featuring a full cut. For those type sails you have to go with a top-down furling arrangement, or use a snuffer.


The windseeker is far from a full cut! It actually has both a luff and leach hollow instead of round. The issue was the furler design and how I had it supported; but it was much easier to set it up for snuffing than it was to troubleshoot the furler.

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SeaRail 19
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Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:53 am 
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Used the windseeker downwind yesterday in 8-10 kt breeze. Was a good experience. I watched closely to ensure mast wasn't bending wrong (windseeker is masthead). Had some problems with gybes and launch/snuffing but some of that is practice and some is the position of the snuffer. In any case, though, I was surprised and pleased about the speeds I saw in that breeze.

https://youtu.be/Deim8li4Vxg


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SeaRail 19
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Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2017 11:42 am 
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Probably the final sail with the seeker until November. It works well downwind and a close reach. I'm not sure it will go to weather very well...oh, well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdRTFdt ... e=youtu.be

BTW, the "normal" method I've been using to embed video doesn't seem to work anymore. I've been putting the code above between the youtube2 brackets seen above and eliminate everything before and including the = and everything after and including the & I'll do it again below, but I bet you see a blank.


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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
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Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 10:23 am 
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I got out yesterday before (well, and a little during) the rain... it sure was nice to knock the winter dust off.
I've been thinking off and on about drifters, windseekers, or other masthead light-wind headsails (it ain't entirely clearly to me what the difference is between them) for still days in the Central Valley. On Sunday, after the lazy south breeze dropped off and before the weather-driven west wind coasted in, I had more opportunity to lay back, look up, and watch the sails move so very little.

With only enough tension to keep the wrinkles out of the sails, the boom and jib held out, and weight pretty far forward, I had *just* enough breeze to maintain steerage... and most of that seemed to be driving (barely) the top third of the sail. The dodgy wind direction didn't help -- I'll try some ribbon tell-tales at the masthead in the future. While watching the sails *hang* there, I was wishing for a lighter-weight sail and more area up top. If I threw my wallet at an asymmetric spinny, that gets me similar light-air function with a whole lot more complexity, rigging, and expense. I guess I'm wondering why more cats don't use a masthead super-light slip of a headsail for light whisps -- I get that heavier air is way more fun for catamarans, but I can't be the only guy wanting to ghost along rather than sit onshore.

Another option is to drive an hour each way to the delta where the wind blows MUCH better more often, or the foothills where winds are like clockwork. I'll be doing more of that on weekends, but dashing out for a quick sail often means lighter winds much closer to home.

Randii
Hobie 18


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 12:28 pm 
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drifters and windseekers are pretty much two different names for the same sort of sail--fabrics on drifters tend to be lightweight dacron while windseekers are usually nylon. They differ from asymspins in that the cut is a lot flatter (basically cut like a genoa). Like you said, I don't think many cat sailors want/need a sail for drifting along...I wouldn't have made one except our winters are pretty much always light air; so 3 months of sail use is enough for me to bother making one. But the Getaway has a front spreader and tramp in front and a giant ball on the masthead-so fitting a bracket at the masthead was a piece of cake and tacking to the front spreader, likewise easy-peasy. Even if it didn't snuff, I could take it down by hand since I can go forward and get it on the tramp.

Since you don't have the spin (spin pole, hound, snuffer, yadda yadda) and the 18 doesn't have a front spreader (it doesn't, right?) and therefore no front tramp, I don't see how you could reliably/safely launch or retrieve a seeker. You could tack it to the jib bridle (like big boats tack their cruising asymspins), and you could rig a block at the mast head for a halyard; but you'd be stuck with it up the whole time and if the wind picks up you'd be in a world of hurt. Even 8 kts of wind is a lot for a windseeker and a light boat.

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SeaRail 19
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Formerly raced F24 Mk II


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:42 pm 
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OK, After thinking about it a while, I think I could do it. First, you have to rig a block either at the mast head or pop rivet a hound up there somewhere so you have a halyard. Then you have to get some high tech line-enough to go between the bows plus enough for a couple eye splices. You will have to add some bow eyes or use the ones that bridle the jib. If it isn't hard (ie, you already have access), I'd put in a backing plate and put some eyes further forward--after all, you might get an asymspin to fit in the same spot for bigger wind. You'll need the seeker and a launch /retrieve bag. You'll need ratchet blocks to attach to the rear spreader or to the wing posts for the sheets. You'll need a stainless ring for the middle of the line between the bows (or a block, but since it won't stand up reliably a ring will probably do better). To launch, you hoist from the tramp, then pull another line to bring the tack out to the block (guy). To retrieve, you grab the lazy sheet and release the guy, then gather the foot; then slowly release the halyard so you can snake it into the launch bag. I'd also get some spinlock clutches to clutch the halyard and the guy. I'd hand hold the sheets or rig a couple horn cleats under the wings. It sounds complicated, but it isn't really.

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SeaRail 19
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Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II


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