Thread: Texas GIS

Great video and commentary, John.

See you at Sail Oklahoma 2012... I'll have more cold beer... and a BIG bucket.

I was editing my last video and I spotting something that was contributing to the amount of water that would get into my Goat. My training wheels, also known as fenders, are laced on thru some holes I drilled right under the inwales. Well, as you can see in this picture there is a slight flaw in the design. When the boat is hard pressed and surfing waves the holes will let water squirt into the boat. I will assume that this happens when going to windward too, but I have never actually seen this until now.

Maybe it’s time to take my training wheels off and fill the holes?

Off with them!!! Less squirt AND less drag!

Originally Posted by davlafont

Off with them!!! Less squirt AND less drag!

My training wheels are now offically off the boat and the holes have been filled! Now my GIS will look more normal?

So the water is coming in the boat through the through-hull holes? So if there were no holes, no water? Or does that reduce the lashing potential, the fenders will just float up and not keep the gunwale up?

This is fortuitous timing, I was just looking at your "training wheels" this morning and thinking about installing a similar idea in IAZP (I think that's pronounced "izap"? Dave, what do you think?) for some MIT sailing this upcoming summer. I'm possibly thinking of some more ambitious solo cruising up unprotected Maine coasts, and wondered about your opinion if they are worth it in terms of reducing capsize potential. That's my goal-- reduce capsizing. What do you think?

I hope this all makes sense my brain is not connecting

I had considered mounting fenders like John's but was going to secure them to very small SS saddles mounted to the underside of the rub rail. I finally decided I didn't need them since I sail very little and only in moderate conditions.

I can see how they might come in handy for the sort of sailing you've done Mr. Callsign. Just use saddles instead of holes.

Originally Posted by callsign222

So the water is coming in the boat through the through-hull holes? So if there were no holes, no water? Or does that reduce the lashing potential, the fenders will just float up and not keep the gunwale up?

This is fortuitous timing, I was just looking at your "training wheels" this morning and thinking about installing a similar idea in IAZP (I think that's pronounced "izap"? Dave, what do you think?) for some MIT sailing this upcoming summer. I'm possibly thinking of some more ambitious solo cruising up unprotected Maine coasts, and wondered about your opinion if they are worth it in terms of reducing capsize potential. That's my goal-- reduce capsizing. What do you think?

I hope this all makes sense my brain is not connecting

I drilled holes thru the side of the boat just under the wale. The 3 fenders are hooked together with plastic wire ties. Then they are laced thru the holes in the side of the boat at the end of each fender. The hole was about 1/4" diameter. They will not move when laced tightly, so they contour to the shape of the hull and will stay in place.

They DO NOT prevent capsize! They are intended to help stabilize the boat AFTER a capsize when the boat is fully loaded with camping gear and supplies. They will drag in the water when healed over too far.

The only thing that can prevent a capsize is a careful skipper. Sometimes I push myself beyond my comfort zone and the results are I roll the boat over.

Originally Posted by callsign222

...wondered about your opinion if they are worth it in terms of reducing capsize potential.

Originally Posted by john goodman

The only thing that can prevent a capsize is a careful skipper.

Looks like there's no easy way out for you Christophe! You'll either have to be more careful or more waterproof.

Originally Posted by callsign222

(I think that's pronounced "izap"? Dave, what do you think?)

It's either that, or: "Ai-E-E-E-E-ah-h-h-h....(zip)." Better save that as more of a war cry used during ramming maneuvers.

I thought the iZap was Apple's taser product. You don't want to holding one of those when you capsize.

Oh c'mon guys, I haven't capsized in over a year!

There's some capes I need to swing around with no seaward protection, and I figured if there were some big rollers and unexpected high winds I would take advantage of a system that helps hold a rail up, but it doesn't sound like this is the case, and that definitely makes sense. The drag while heeled seems like it would hold more negatives than benefits, and the way I configure my interior for cruising helps with buoyancy and stability anyway. I'll leave well enough alone.

Speaking of AHIIIIIIIzp does anyone have a vinyl lettering outfit they can recommend? I need to get the name on this boat, and my attempt last year to paint it on ended in disaster and lots of paint thinner.

And nothing too $$$$ I need 42 letters.

I had a stencil made at stencilsonline.com. Total, including shipping, was something like $22. Full disclosure: I haven't actually used it yet, so I can't claim "worked great!" But I am totally happy with the quality of the stencil itself. If I fail when using it, it will be my fault, not the company's.

I totally understand about being out without protection. This is where I live and sail: Map, GPS & Directions. It doesn't show scale, unfortunately, but trust me that I have to sail out almost a mile before I can stop worrying about running up on rocks. By that time, I am well out into Long Island Sound with no protection from wind or waves. I, too, have both dumped my Goat over and scratched up the bottom.

I'm going for the no-work apply the sticker and walk away solution. Stencils are nice, but they are not going to work. Not to mention my brightsides paint is too slippery and it will have to roughed up to make additional paint stick to it-- I don't have the patience.

Originally Posted by callsign222

I'm going for the no-work apply the sticker and walk away solution. Stencils are nice, but they are not going to work. Not to mention my brightsides paint is too slippery and it will have to roughed up to make additional paint stick to it-- I don't have the patience.

Check my post #394 for the product I used on GIR. After 2 years of being on the boat my stickers still look good, including the letters on the bottom of the boat. I applied the vinyl directly to the paint after cleaning the area with denatured alcohol to remove dust, dirt and any paint residue. I did not use acetone because it messed up the porch paint i used on the boat.


Maybe you can get the vinyl material from a local sign shop and cut the letter yourself? 42 letters is a lot of cutting......

Originally Posted by john goodman

Maybe you can get the vinyl material from a local sign shop and cut the letter yourself? 42 letters is a lot of cutting......

42 letter is a lot of cutting. A sign shop might be able to cut them for you. Years ago, in a past life, a sign shop cut vinyl letters for me using some sort of computer controlled cutting machine. I could use any font their computer had; color was dependent on what they had (more than enough choices for me) and the letters were sized to look good on the boat's (a 24' keel boat) quarter. Seems it was under $30 at the time. The guy sent me on my way with the letters and instructions. I installed them myself and was very happy with the result.

Could be worth looking into.