Constance

C

Constance

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 Jun 2006
Messages
77
Location
London SE23
www.albertstrange.org
For Dan Tribe in Tiller thread, and others interested:

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Constance is a 25ft canoe yawl to design Wenda of 1899 by Albert Strange, built 2004-2006 by Fabian Bush of Rowhedge and launched there this July. Clinker larch on oak & elm, copper fastened, sheathed ply deck, spruce spars, sails in Clipper synthetic canvas by Steve Hall, North Sea Sails. Lug main, gunter mizzen. No inboard but small outboard on ambidextrous quarter bracket stows in stern. Also a 12ft sweep. She lives on the Walton Channel, not sure where right now as Halls keep moving her!

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More pictures here
 
that is fantastic. Love the way you can walk straight on off grass onto the boat. The areas I boat in you'd never see that.
Does the rear mast and sail produce much additional help in speed wise, or is it more a stabiliser? Total novice at these type of rigs.
 
Yes she is gorgeous I have to admit, not that I claim any credit other than for good taste, the praise belongs to the designer & builder. The mud berth isn't mine, I just borrowed it for a few days. Don't get me started on the yawl rig, we could be here all night. But yes, the sizeable mizzen provides drive on all points of sailing, the split rig makes for easier sail handling, and better helm balance when the main is reefed than a sloop, and most cutters I suspect, and the combination of jib & mizzen alone is unparallelled for civilised progress with good helm balance in high winds, and good control at slow speeds, eg when picking up a mooring. The mizzen alone is effective for holding the boat head-to-wind when required, and can be used as an 'air rudder' to direct the boat even when she has no steerage way, useful when getting under way in a crowded spot. The rig ideally belongs on a slim, easily-driven hull like this one; it doesn't have the sheer power or close-windedness of sloop or cutter for a given sail area, but it arguably provides the best all-round properties for the single- or short-handed sailor. All of this and probably more is well-known to yawl owners, and I can confirm it from experience with Constance's predecessor, a 3/4 decked David Moss canoe yawl. But I've only been sailing 5 years, others with more experience may dispute some of the above or think of something I missed.

Then there's the stern - strictly the canoe counter. But it's late; on this, I simply refer you to 'Albert Strange on Yacht Design, Construction and Cruising' by Jamie Clay and Mark Miller, published by and available from The Albert Strange Association, whose website is here -- or your local library.
 
I saw you in the Walton Backwaters last month, of course, but would just like to compliment you on how well she sails.
 
Superb.
You are performing a public service just letting us see her.
Thanks.
I owned a Rowhedge built Stella for many years, glad to see the skills are still available.
Dan
 
A lovely little yacht and interesting info on the yawl rig.
Thanks.

Quote:-built 2004-2006 by Fabian Bush of Rowhedge and launched there this July.
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It just go's to show it can still be done the proper way in this day of plastic tupper wear.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I saw you in the Walton Backwaters last month, of course, but would just like to compliment you on how well she sails.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, I'm not an experienced sailor but have been delighted with her. So much could have needed tweaking with that main, but it just went up right first time and sets beautifully. There are one or two wrinkles: On a run I probably need to tug the foot of the yard round behind the mast, otherwise the leverage of the yard between mast and shroud could break something. Maybe that's normal for a lugger. The mizzen sheet of course wraps around the bumkin if left to tack/gybe unattended through anything but a small angle, need to remember to keep tension on it as she goes about. Ditto with jib sheets snagging on end of lowered yard when under J&M only.

A very interesting development this week in my quest for more info on the origins of the design - see my WoodenBoat Forum post
 
I'm always interested to hear about yawl rig, as I have yet to make it work properly for me other than the jib + mizzen effect - sailing onto a mooring it is spectacularl. In a stiff breeze, Crystal can race into the moorings, drop her sizeable main and lose speed within a couple of hundred metres, and then furl her jib slowly to be almost at a standstill by the time we pick up the rope. If the wind is strong enough to make sail stowing a problem, a hard-sheeted mizzen will keep her head-to-wind and make things an awful lot easier.

I'm not a very good at sailing, but this manouvre was delightfully simple when we first tried it, and has been ever since. My next task is to figure out balancing the helm.

Constance is a lovely looking boat, and the set of her sails is exemplary. From someone who is ashore until next season, I am exceedingly jealous!!

/<
 
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