This month's focus will be on finishing up the sail rig and doing some sailing.
Our last boat was a twenty foot, 1600 lb Chebacco and its primary anchor was an eleven pound Bruce copy with eight feet of 1/4" chain and 150 feet of 3/8" rode. I liked that anchor it did the job well for our sailing conditions. For our SCAMP I purchased a 4.4 pound version of this type at Steveston Marine for $25. Added to this is eight feet of 3/16" chain and 100 feet of 3/8" rode. This will be the primary anchor system - compact, strong and tested.
The secondary anchor will be my old Chebacco backup anchor which is a six pound Danforth copy with five feet of 1/4" chain and 100 feet of rode. This is a popular design with small boaters but I have found it a little awkward to store and deploy compared with the Bruce. It is the bomb for holding on sand or mud bottoms.
Together these should cover our anchoring requirements. Will be picking up an 'Anchor Buddy' system as well for anchoring close ashore.
It being a dampish couple of days at the cottage I took this as an opportunity to rearrange the furniture so I could lay out the boom, yard and sail a get lashing things together.
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Laying out the sail. This Neil Pryde sail is a thing of beauty. |
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Lashing and lacing on the yard |
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Use 'OB pull starter cord' for lashings - cheap and available by the foot |
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Outhaul setup on the boom - Thanks Curtis for the salvaged 18" of sail track!
Cleat will be added after rig is on the boat so I can determine optimal position. |
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Done - boom is easy as it is loose footed |
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Loosely furled - Bristol fashion! |
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Rig storage |
Next will be to be to set up sail/boom on boat to determine block locations.
Through interweb searching I found a pretty little solution for holding the anchor rode on the centre line of the pram bow. This is a Davey & Co. 4" bronze, straight, lipped, deck fairlead. Purchased from Green Boat Stuff and at $37 US a bit of an indulgence. Perfect for the job I think.
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Simulated mounting on my kitchen counter - so shiny and not green (yet) |
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Installed with three bronze screws |
Well due to some rather nasty weather towards the end of the month and our preparing for our long walk next month (Via Francigena from Lucca to Rome) no sailing happened. June for sure!
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Spring has sprung! |