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I got swamped in twenty plus knots, when I tacked and the sheet got looped over the end of the boom so I could not let the sail out. Then the bow was pushed off the wind after the tack and no amount...

Well said there

Good stuff here. The 1988 America's Cup was sweet payback for the 1983 winged keel Australia 2 drumming. At least for us in the US who consider Australia and NZ as one country down there a ways. ...

I got my shoes wet last Sunday, had to jump out at a ramp to prevent a submerged rock mangling after a long up channel tacking duel with a pocket cruiser out of the Coronado Yacht Club. At first I...

Sorry, just got back on the forums! I also have three batten pockets.

Here's a better video of the new sail ... at least the new sail making the boat go in the intended direction at a good rate.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8-Z6EtIYQA

If it's any encouragement, I love my solid ovoid DF boom except for the weight. It's plenty stiff enough, but it is reminiscent of a baseball bat when it hits your head, and in very light wind...

I started this thread awhile ago, so I had to go back and re-read the PFD part. Yeah, I wear one all the time now ... except sometimes if I get hot after the wind dies and I'm back in the harbor. ...

I finally got around to repairing this. As I did not have the original paint, or know the brand, I repainted the the whole hull while I was at it. I removed the vinyl waterline tape and sanded the...

Yep, that's me sailing the new sail! I have my wife's PFD on, so it was after I lost mine last month. I think it was the same day I shot the last yard head cam video, so about ten knots gusting to...

I can't fully visualize how and when limiting the traveller is beneficial. All I've got so far is restricted traveller = more twist, unrestricted traveller = less twist and flatter leech on heavy...

As it's a yard shot, it doesn't show the sail much, other than that there is no flutter! I really like the new sail. Depowers nicely under increased outhaul.

Brian, I checked, and yes it breaks...

I'll put these here too, as not everyone is on Facebook. Sunset after sailing, couldn't have been prettier!
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A bit off topic, but the other day sailing I had a funny thing happen. We were tacking up a narrow area of the bay against the tide in about 4 knots of wind. I'm on starboard and about to cross in...

Thanks Bruce and Brian!
Yes, the sail is bigger. Not just the extra foot rounding, but taller in that the boom is noticeably lower even with the sail hauled up all the way. If I'm sitting on the...

Speaking of visibility, I'm going to add a window to my sail. Sailrite has a video, and Jeff recommended plastipane 20 gauge. Next time out I'm going to mark the exact position I need, but here is...

Yeah, that's the camera idea. Toss it in, hope it doesn't sink, and sail around it. Some close passes, like when they film surfers from in the water. It would be fun to deploy out in the ocean. ...

Will do! I have an idea for mounting the camera on top of a homemade PVC spar buoy. Testing the buoyancy in a pool first!

First new sail test. Not even a fair test, and it did great!

Forecast was for 8 knots, but by the time I got to the harbor it was a steady 15, with whitecaps in the ocean, and the flags flying...

All lashed and ready for sailing. If the weather permits - that will be tomorrow!

Here are a few more pictures - mostly more of the same from the last batch. The fun picture will be tomorrow.
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Got it. Sailrite was nice enough to toss in a set of telltales with the sticky circles. I'll use them as leechtales. Sound better than sewing in place for when they need replacing.

Well, I can tell by reading your blog that you were MUCH more patient than I about rolling the sail while putting stuff together! Your sail looks great! Nice that you had a sewing machine that did...

Hey Mik,
I think I'll finally take your advice and put leech telltales on my new sail. I can sew them on if you think thats best. Where on the leech should I put them again?
Thanks,
Andy

Yeah! Just finished the taped edge stitching, so technically I'm done sewing, and on to the grommets. I put down a triple row of tricot zigzag stitching on the double taped head and luff. I liked it...

That I have. Does the tip clean up easily afterwards?

They are spur grommets in brass. Haven't placed them yet, but I picked up a set of hole punches and fancy no-recoil hammer for cheap at Harbor Freight. The Sailrite video for grommet setting shows...

Hey Dave (or other sail making veterans),
I'll be setting the grommets soon, and am curious what the best way is for placing them. I have #4 and #0 brass grommets (partial to brass), and die sets...

I think that's a smart idea, having a different thread. Heading there now!

Here are a bunch of pictures
At this point, I have 12 of fifteen internal seams sewn with two rows of tricot stitches, and 5 of eight patches sewn in place. The sail is in four sections, to be...

... sewing, sewing, sewing ....

what I've noticed so far
(1) my machine works best when I make sure the thread is channeled the way it's supposed to be. Duh.
(2) to bast seams that are 3D, I...

Hey Mik,
I have been adding foot depth for my boom-on-the-lee tack, by loosing my outhaul a bit, over my boom-to-windward tack. I swear you're right, the sail performs better this way. Imagine...

I found a great video of a guy "roll and tip" painting the bottom of a melonseed using Interlux Brightsides:

Rolling and Tipping - First Coat - YouTube
You can really see the how the process...

Thanks for the recommendations. Sounds like I can't go wrong with either one. My plan was to sand down what I have now to a pretty smooth finish, but not remove all the old paint, then coat over it...

Hey Mik,
I'm going with the biradial design in dacron. I was tempted to try a laminate, but like durablility. It's in the mail, and my sewing machine is waiting! I will be glad to document the...

missed the pram. most recent ramming was broadside on a kayak that came from underneath me, before that a fuel dock (that must have been under power).

I'm having him add a bit more yard edge rounding for my whippy yard, and more foot rounding (loose footed) for more power. Probably should have snuck a window into the design, but then I would have...

Boring story actually. Jeff said that a cross cut would work really well, but I want to try something a bit different just for the fun of it, knowing full well that it may not have any performance...

Christmas present, I'll be sewing soon!
https://www.woodworkforums.com/members/66576-warm-beer/albums/gis-san-diego/241585-modfied-reef-points.jpg

Aren't you supposed to assemble in a dusty stinky garage, not some incredible view balcony with swaying palms and the lake in the background?

Is it too late to nominate this picture for the...

Hey Dave,
So how hard is it to make a sail? I've been in touch with Jeff at Sailrite, going over some fun stuff on layout. He said that he did seven GIS sails this year!
I have a home sewing...

That is amazing. Give him a chunk of ice and he could make decent change carving to-scale Taj Mahal's on a cruise ship.
This guy is sooo good, he checks out the girl walking by while he's still...

I like that picture.

It does appear to point well. What I don't understand is how you generate any lift with the centerboard and the rudder. Are they foil shaped at all? Another thing to notice is how much weight they...

I sent a link to your blog on facebook. Please don't sue - I gave you credit! The places that you sail are so pretty, I wish it was my blog. :U

Awesome sail today! Checked out a lot of stuff in 12 knots of wind. Went out in the ocean for a couple miles, but it was a bit crazy, so I ran away back to the turning basin! Got in some nice...

Thanks for the thread reference. A good read! Processing ....

Nice! I've been reading up on Dacron sailcloth and sail layout - warp, fill, thread count, panel orientation, that sort of stuff. Standard dacron sailcloth has more fill fibers than warp. The fill...

That is a nice looking sail! You're tempting me! :U

That is a beautiful shot with the trees changing color in the background.

That would be a fun project. I watched all their "how-to" videos for the fully battened main. I can't see where they generate depth to the sail. Is there any broadseaming?

It did occur to me! Do you sew the panels from the inside out so you don't have too much to roll up under the sewing machine arm?

Belay that question - I'm thinking it doesn't matter as long as...