ianat182
Well-Known Member
Just a follow-up on your comment re the odd cleats etc.
I had a small musclebox fitted to the side of my centreboard casing on the starboard side and a clamcleat to take the tail end . This unit tensioned the jib halyard to develop mast bend and was adjustable during sailing.
An alternative would be a Highfield lever fitted to the lower mast but then not easily adjustable, shroud adjusters port and starboard were other tweaking tools.
The spinnaker halyard was rigged on the port side of the centreboard casing as a continuous halyard with a pulley set aft on some shock cord to keep the halyard under tension when raising and lowering by the helm if necessary ( we had a bow chute aperture for the spinney). Possibly a similar arrangement may have been fitted to your boat at some time.
I've not sailed the Osprey but have sailed a Flying Dutchman; loved the trapeze but preferred helming. I never actually raced though as the owner was a novice and I was along for some minor help to get him sailing and a learning experience for me, but a great ride.
Singlehanding an Osprey will not give much satisfaction as to performance I feel, like having a Bugatti with brakes on; I'd look for a regular crew, SWMBO if at all possible, once you've got the feel of the boat.
If cash is tight an extendable tiller can be made up from one of the alloy extending paint roller handles from B&Q already fitted with a comfortable foam grip, and connected to a Seasure tiller extension pivot(made of a flexible plastic, no metal). Spinlock make an almost identical extension for £27 ,about 900mm .
I use the former one on my cruiser and cost about £12 , two aluminium rivets and 2 screws.
ianat182
I had a small musclebox fitted to the side of my centreboard casing on the starboard side and a clamcleat to take the tail end . This unit tensioned the jib halyard to develop mast bend and was adjustable during sailing.
An alternative would be a Highfield lever fitted to the lower mast but then not easily adjustable, shroud adjusters port and starboard were other tweaking tools.
The spinnaker halyard was rigged on the port side of the centreboard casing as a continuous halyard with a pulley set aft on some shock cord to keep the halyard under tension when raising and lowering by the helm if necessary ( we had a bow chute aperture for the spinney). Possibly a similar arrangement may have been fitted to your boat at some time.
I've not sailed the Osprey but have sailed a Flying Dutchman; loved the trapeze but preferred helming. I never actually raced though as the owner was a novice and I was along for some minor help to get him sailing and a learning experience for me, but a great ride.
Singlehanding an Osprey will not give much satisfaction as to performance I feel, like having a Bugatti with brakes on; I'd look for a regular crew, SWMBO if at all possible, once you've got the feel of the boat.
If cash is tight an extendable tiller can be made up from one of the alloy extending paint roller handles from B&Q already fitted with a comfortable foam grip, and connected to a Seasure tiller extension pivot(made of a flexible plastic, no metal). Spinlock make an almost identical extension for £27 ,about 900mm .
I use the former one on my cruiser and cost about £12 , two aluminium rivets and 2 screws.
ianat182
Last edited:
