sailing

Pass it on

/ Bill

In book-sailor mode, I found the following – the first paragraph of the preface to Deep Sea Sailing, by Erroll Bruce:

In 1950 I enjoyed an exciting sailing race across the North Atlantic and was soon afterwards sent for by Lord Fraser of North Cape, then First Sea Lord at the Admiralty. He asked many questions about the handling of the yacht, and finished by saying, “What you have learnt of the sea in small craft is not your private property, so I trust you will pass it on to others.”

I warm to the phrase ‘pass it on to others.’

It stands back from ‘teach’ or ‘tell’ or ‘inform’. It somehow has less of the tinge of intention created by a modern trend that seeks to ‘improve’ everyone.

It says: “I have done such and such. This is what happened and this is what I learnt. You can pick it up and use it or you can leave it alone. Either way, our ideas meet for a short while and then move on.”

The importance is in the communication. The effect is up to the recipient.


Book sailing

/ Bill

We have been watching the rugby this afternoon – England losing to Wales, and the conversation got round to sporting academies and how young people seem to be protected these days and, as a consequence, are expected to survive major tests before they have built the practical experience they need to cope with them – before they know what it’s like in real life. At least the old-fashioned apprenticeship pitted the apprentice against the real world almost from the start.

My mother-in-law who comes from a farming family said that, when she was young,  they used to describe people like that as “book-farmers”. They know everything on paper . . . but not much in reality.

I, like many other people who sail, devour books on sailing and the sea and could be described as a book-sailor by anyone with more experience than me. (I have just added yet another of my many books to the boatblog book shelf).

It has got me thinking: I wonder if people could be described as “blog-sailors” or “DVD-sailors”. I believe there are thousands of “virtual-sailors” currently ‘racing’ in the Vendee Globe. Perhaps they are “laptop-sailors”. or ‘pc-sailors’

Whatever . . . it is good to be interested – but the only real way to learn  is  to be out there on the water.

So, I wish you a favourable tide and a fair wind

Squall over Eddystone 2007

but not too favourable or too fair . . .

because how else will you learn?

On sailing a Folksong – rudder 4

/ Bill / 1 Comment

Further to my previous posts, here, here and here, the following is taken from “Singlehanded Sailing”, by Richard Henderson.

He is talking about the Folkboat – (the Folksong is a Folkboat derivative):

“She (the Folkboat) has considerable aft rake to her rudder, which results in less lateral plane and less wetted surface. There was a time when some sailors thought this feature was detrimental to self-steering, but this thinking is not so much in evidence today.

. . . a considerable rake aft often causes the rudder to operate more efficiently when the boat is heeled or rolling, at which time the resultant of force components working on the rudder is acting in a more lateral and thus more effective direction. It is also true that gravity tends to keep such a rudder amidships when the boat is unheeled*. The really important concern with regard to self-steering is the directional stability of the hull, which is generally achieved through a reasonably symmetrical shape with somewhat balanced ends and an ample, but not necessarily extreme, length of keel.”

* And presumably the heavier rudder will be more effective in maintaining this.

On Blue Mistress, I am able to leave the tiller and go forward to adjust lines at the mast – (usually to loosen the lazy jacks which interfere with the mainsail shape if left too tight). She holds her course for the time it takes.

On sailing a Folksong – rudders 3

/ Bill / 1 Comment

I have been gathering information on rudders – see my posts here and here.

The following by J.D.Sleightholme in his ABC for Yachtsmen, is useful.

Published in 1965, original price 21 shillings, and bought in one of my favourite secondhand bookshops –  Books by the Sea, Bude, Cornwall.

The question is what effect Blue Mistress’ rather heavily-built rudder have on her performance?

It’s one of those subjects that has several different answers depending on who you talk to. At the moment I’m gathering information and listening.

Blue Mistress’ heavily-built rudder.

Mr Sleightholme writes:

“A yacht should handle with the minimum use of the rudder (which slows her).

Deep narrow rudders are more effective than wide ones and have less slowing effect. As a rule, deep rudders are broader at the top due to difference in water density.

A steeply raked rudder exerts additional force in pulling the stern down when hard over.

In tacking with good way on, very little rudder is used at first, but more is applied as the speed drops – (never more than 30 degrees). Jamming it hard over may mean missing stays.

Power craft have proportionately smaller rudders because they work in the slipstream of the propeller. May be “balanced” with a small area forward of the rudder post.

Sailing craft may have 12 – 15 per cent of immersed lateral hull area in the rudder, power craft about 5 per cent.” (p.100)

This says more about shape and angles and less about weight, but it takes us in the right direction.

On sailing a Folksong – Speed formula

/ Bill / 1 Comment

A calculation I have never made before:

The speed that a yacht’s hull can be made to travel through water is related to waterline length.

The formula for an average sea-going yacht of conventional shape is:

Speed in knots = 1.4 x Square root of the L.W.L. in feet

The multiplier is altered according to the type of hull. It may range from 1.25 for a tubby hull to 1.5 for a large racing yacht.

Therefore Blue Mistress’ theoretical maximum speed at L.W.L of 19′ 8″:

= 1.4 x Square root of 19.66 ft

= 1.4 x 4.434

= 6.2 knots (Always remembering that speed through water is not the same as speed over the ground).

We were doing a little less in the clip below

On sailing a Folksong – thoughts on expenses

/ Bill

Most posts get written and published relatively swiftly. Some get started then abandoned. This one has hung around for several days and now I realise why: I go sailing to get away from this sort of discussion! The irony is that I can’t go sailing unless I discuss it (Catch 22). So I will finish and publish, and think of  it as a rite of passage.

~~~

This New Year especially some serious financial planning is needed if we are going to enjoy another year’s sailing.

Here are some thoughts on the expenses involved.

~~~

Last spring, I watched Super Yachts in the Adriatic and the Open 60 fleet out of Plymouth. During the summer Blue Mistress wallowed in the wash of luxury Princess yachts. I have just been watching clips of the Sydney-Hobart Race and I am bombarded monthly by journals full of expensive yachts and luxury accessories. As far as sailing is concerned, I know my place when it comes to what I can afford – and it isn’t at that end of the market.

~~~

“Whatever you want, oh discontented man. Step up! Pay the price. and take it.” James Allen

Exciting thought? I am sure you read the first part and the last part. Did you see the bit in the middle about ‘pay the price’?

“If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.”

Right? Wrong!

I used to think this was fair comment. It made me reconsider whether I really did need this or that piece of kit!

Now I think differently. At its best, not asking the price is a sign of no-management. More likely it’s a sign of bad-management. And we are all now living with the results of both.

So here is a quote from me: “Good financial management is a basic ingredient of good boat management”.

~~~

In the preface to “Shipmasters Business Companion, including Hints to Young Shipmasters” by J.W Anderson, price 5/6 net, printed in 1920, Captain Anderson writes:

“It is of the greatest importance that a young shipmaster should study his business well and thoroughly, and should endeavour at all times to be prepared for any emergency; the man who is well prepared generally comes out on top.” (For ‘any emergency’ include financial ones, for ‘young shipmaster’ include older boat owners).

It doesn’t matter whether it’s 1920 or 2020, this will always hold true.

That the boat creates no direct financial income is irrelevant. The income in terms of recreational value and spillover benefits is priceless.

Nevertheless, expenses are very real and must be balanced in some way if they are not going to sink the whole project.

~~~

So where does the money come from? ‘Credit’ doesn’t work any more; living ‘hand-to-mouth’ on the water might be great if you had the time and the freedom; and, yes, there are people who will always afford it, directly or through sponsorship. The rest of us have to get out there and earn it – and then spend it wisely (more or less).

Blue Mistress’ expenses break down like this:

  • Initial cost of boat
  • Marine survey
  • Documents/Subscriptions
  • Marine Insurance
  • Mooring/Berth
  • Boatyard Costs
  • Electronics/Software
  • Sails/Rigging
  • Engine/Fuel
  • Safety
  • R&R
  • Courses/Books/DVDs
  • Chandlery
  • Provisions
  • Sundry

To make the dull process of recording the figures easier, I’ve come to thinking of the categories as instruments in a jazz band – some provide the basic rhythm (moorings, subscriptions etc) and the rest get brought in at the right moment to create great music – louder, softer or not at all depending on what I can afford at the time.

For example, I will hang fire on a new rudder this year, but there is some work that needs doing down below that will get done in February and March, and the paintwork, and . . .

Here’s another quote – “it’s not what you say, it’s the music you play”

Maybe there are ways of making the world work without having to be so darned serious all the time – but you’ve got to be serious occasionally and get the basics right.

~~~

And, besides money, the other two major expenses are:

A great deal of Time

and

A whole lot of Energy

Which brings us on to income – more of which later.

On sailing a Folksong – rudder 2

/ Bill / 1 Comment

Blue Mistress has a very heavy rudder – “overworked”, the marine surveyor called it.

It might have graced the stern of an early twentieth century vessel.

Compared to similar sized craft, it is also slightly short of the keel . . .

For example, another Folksong 26 . . .

a Folkboat . . .

a Contessa 26**  . . .

This may mean that Blue Mistress’ rudder has been repaired sometime in the past, but it may not . . .

So, I’m looking for the answers to three questions:

What is the effect of a heavy rudder on the sailing performance of a long-keeled boat?

What is the effect of a shorter rudder on the sailing performance of a long-keeled boat?

What is the effect of rudder shape on the sailing performance of a long-keeled boat?

===

A younger me would have searched for a definitive answer.

Now I don’t think there is one answer – but a series of ideas about rudders that, put together, mean we can learn more about small, long-keeled boats.

===

For example, a Google search showed the Swedish Folkboat Association having a useful note on this – here.

In their submission to the Nordic International Folkboat Association, they state: “We have consulted Lars Larsson, professor in hydrodynamics on Chalmers (Gothenburg’s technical university), folkboat sailor, and earlier three times Swedish Champion in Folkboats. He thinks that the lifting power 10 kg has a moderate effect – the same as if the whole crew (250 kg) moves 0.1 m forwards in the boat. Hydrodynamically it can be a favour to make the rudder a little thicker, so that the water follows a harmonic bend along the keel and rudder on the boats windward side when it tacks with a rudder angel of about 5 degrees ( to prevent the boat from turning up against the wind). The shape of the leeward side is of less importance. To make an even thicker rudder is a disadvantage hydrodynamically.”

The Association then dealt with it in a formal fashion, i.e. there is a revised class rule to be adhered to – here.

===

Fair enough. But here are no class rules with a Folksong 26, so we have some leeway, which means we can work it out for ourselves . . . with a little help from friends.

If you have answers, part answers – or even more questions, please feel free to comment..

**(I am very grateful to Nick for allowing me to use this picture of Constellation. I enjoy his blog and highly recommend following and supporting his venture back to Australia on Big Oceans/Tiny Boat)

On sailing a Folksong – rudder 1

/ Bill / 2 Comments

Getting to know a boat . . .

How long does it take to get to know a boat?

Longer than most people think.

===

When I first sailed Blue Mistress, she had a lot of weather helm.

I thought it might be something to do with the rudder.

It became a feature of our sailing – slowed us a little but it didn’t stop us. I got used to it.

Then I discovered it wasn’t necessarily the rudder.

I learnt to trim the sails more carefully, and got used to selecting the ‘right’ foresail for the particular weather. I reduced it – significantly.

That was a pretty obvious, you say.

Perhaps, but, problems often work that way – they crop up and are set aside to be solved later. We get used to them and move on because there are plenty of other problems to deal with.

The bigger, more pressing problems draw our attention and the lesser ones are tolerated and fade into the background.

As a result many of us live our lives at less than our full potential – mildly (or heavily) inhibited by a pot full of unfinished business.

“All problems carry their own solutions” (anon), but it takes some event to stir us into revisiting a tolerated problem and looking for the solution.

===

So with the weather helm.

A calm day, force 1, following two slightly bigger yachts with different keels, wondering whether I could keep up – (it was already apparent that my leeway was less).

I was sailing with the No 1 foresail. The lighter, larger genoa would have made a lot of difference.

On Blue Mistress, the No 1 foresail works best in a blow with one reef in the main. It was good practice to be working with it in light airs.

Easing the foresheet to give the foresail more power, and bringing the main sheet up the traveller and the boom midships, took some weigh off the tiller and gave us an extra half knot in the light wind.

They always had the edge on me in this light air, but we sailed all the way to Cawsand whereas they tacked back as they approached Picklecombe Point.

Straightfoward stuff.

I didn’t solve the weather helm problem, but I did consider it more closely and began to tackle it.

===

And I enjoyed the sense of a race.

Sailing is always a race – sometimes against other boats but mostly against the tide, the weather, time – and our own need to keep up.