mrming
Well-Known Member
+1 Great to see you on the water Dan!
Dinghy roller-headsail
- Thread starter Greenheart
- Start date
+1 Great to see you on the water Dan!
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Thank you gentlemen, for your support and valuable advice.
By an odd coincidence, after a year trying to save enough for a P&B made-to-measure trapeze harness, I was sold an old Musto harness for next to nothing, this weekend. Many thanks anyway, Euan. So, entertaining scenes of me trying to master trapezing whilst singlehanding, are yet to come...and this end of the season, I'm hoping the sea is at its warmest.
I tried the boat briefly last month on my own when there was simply no wind at all, and was extremely discouraged to find that the transom-flaps, which I had connected to the cockpit via square-section drain-pipe, let several gallons of water into the cockpit even while I was launching, and much more later, while I was seated in the boat. Here's the area, dry:
...it was maddening because I believed I'd done a pretty good job of repairing the hideous gaping void which had previously existed below the rear deck...
...but I think my weight in the rear of the cockpit, without SWMBO's additional ballast at the front, meant that the drains were often at (or below) the waterline...so I stuffed them with closed-cell foam, and they haven't leaked a drop since.
I can always pull the foam out so the cockpit can drain when I'm hosing down with fresh water, bows up, after sailing.
Ultimately I must replace the two big old Elvstrom bailers, both of which leak badly despite being jammed up with mastic and their undersides being covered with tough duct-tape.
I'm proud of my work with the 5mm ply rear bulkhead, but you gents will know if I've messed something up in my design; I bolted-in a couple of tough plastic boxes as lockers...
...mainly to keep small items dry and easily-located while sailing. Trouble is, I also attached my toe-straps to the vertical iroko batten behind the ply bulkhead, vital to support the rear deck. It all felt very sturdy - wedged in, bolted substantially and epoxied thoroughly - but I worry that the toe-strap connection may fail one day at the worst possible moment!
I actually believe I may sail more easily without SWMBO's assistance. I'm thinking my old 2kg danforth on the end of a length of 3-ply, can be dropped in a few feet of water to keep the Osp safe while I secure the trolley above the high water mark, or as I collect it when coming ashore. An anchor's easier to stow on board than a furious, filthy-footed female!
By an odd coincidence, after a year trying to save enough for a P&B made-to-measure trapeze harness, I was sold an old Musto harness for next to nothing, this weekend. Many thanks anyway, Euan. So, entertaining scenes of me trying to master trapezing whilst singlehanding, are yet to come...and this end of the season, I'm hoping the sea is at its warmest.
I tried the boat briefly last month on my own when there was simply no wind at all, and was extremely discouraged to find that the transom-flaps, which I had connected to the cockpit via square-section drain-pipe, let several gallons of water into the cockpit even while I was launching, and much more later, while I was seated in the boat. Here's the area, dry:
...it was maddening because I believed I'd done a pretty good job of repairing the hideous gaping void which had previously existed below the rear deck...
...but I think my weight in the rear of the cockpit, without SWMBO's additional ballast at the front, meant that the drains were often at (or below) the waterline...so I stuffed them with closed-cell foam, and they haven't leaked a drop since.
I can always pull the foam out so the cockpit can drain when I'm hosing down with fresh water, bows up, after sailing.Ultimately I must replace the two big old Elvstrom bailers, both of which leak badly despite being jammed up with mastic and their undersides being covered with tough duct-tape.
I'm proud of my work with the 5mm ply rear bulkhead, but you gents will know if I've messed something up in my design; I bolted-in a couple of tough plastic boxes as lockers...
...mainly to keep small items dry and easily-located while sailing. Trouble is, I also attached my toe-straps to the vertical iroko batten behind the ply bulkhead, vital to support the rear deck. It all felt very sturdy - wedged in, bolted substantially and epoxied thoroughly - but I worry that the toe-strap connection may fail one day at the worst possible moment!
I actually believe I may sail more easily without SWMBO's assistance. I'm thinking my old 2kg danforth on the end of a length of 3-ply, can be dropped in a few feet of water to keep the Osp safe while I secure the trolley above the high water mark, or as I collect it when coming ashore. An anchor's easier to stow on board than a furious, filthy-footed female!
Last edited:
prv
Well-Known Member
Iain C
Well-Known Member
Re transom drains, do you have the little Mylar flaps over them, held on with double sided tape at the top? Fireball flaps work in a similar way, however if your flaps aren't a good fit, or are absent, you are knackered!
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Close-ups views of my transom aren't pictures I'm keen to exhibit here. Using epoxied ply, I reinforced the surrounds of the butchered holes that a previous owner had cut in the transom (the standard Mk2 Osprey had no transom drains) and I led my square-section drain-pipes out through the holes in the ply. It isn't smooth enough for any flaps to form a seal.
In due course I'll sand the ply to a totally flat surface which Mylar flaps will cover nicely. Given that most of these Mk2s will go their whole lives without rear drains, I'm in no hurry.
Cheers Pete. The Sikaflex line an inch above the bottom, is because I picked up a decent marine ply off-cut which turned out to be an inch too narrow to cover the odd-shaped cavity...
...so I cut off the corners that were proud of the curved top at rear-deck-level, and pushed them into the Sika that was oozing out at the bottom. It's a bit scruffy in that photo, but bears reasonably close inspection. And of course, there are at least 50 x 2litre empty lemonade bottles wedged into the cavity behind...so even if it does leak, she won't sink!
In due course I'll sand the ply to a totally flat surface which Mylar flaps will cover nicely. Given that most of these Mk2s will go their whole lives without rear drains, I'm in no hurry.
I'll be honest, that's a far better job than I was expecting :encouragement:
Cheers Pete. The Sikaflex line an inch above the bottom, is because I picked up a decent marine ply off-cut which turned out to be an inch too narrow to cover the odd-shaped cavity...
...so I cut off the corners that were proud of the curved top at rear-deck-level, and pushed them into the Sika that was oozing out at the bottom. It's a bit scruffy in that photo, but bears reasonably close inspection. And of course, there are at least 50 x 2litre empty lemonade bottles wedged into the cavity behind...so even if it does leak, she won't sink!
Iain C
Well-Known Member
Dan
Those flaps really are essential. It might seem ok for now, however if you did mess up a tack and end up with a slow boat full of water, you are going to be in real trouble. Open transom flaps and self bailers sealed shut really isn't clever.
It doesn't have to be race spec Mylar, you can even use a piece of Chinese takeaway plastic box, with the hinge made out of gaffer tape. If the seal is poor, a hole in the flap, with a piece of 2mm bungee led up the drain and into the cockpit with a a way of tensioning it (and releasing) to keep the flap in place will be fine.
But you really, really, really do need those for safety's sake.
Those flaps really are essential. It might seem ok for now, however if you did mess up a tack and end up with a slow boat full of water, you are going to be in real trouble. Open transom flaps and self bailers sealed shut really isn't clever.
It doesn't have to be race spec Mylar, you can even use a piece of Chinese takeaway plastic box, with the hinge made out of gaffer tape. If the seal is poor, a hole in the flap, with a piece of 2mm bungee led up the drain and into the cockpit with a a way of tensioning it (and releasing) to keep the flap in place will be fine.
But you really, really, really do need those for safety's sake.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Thanks Iain. At this end of the season, I'm thinking I'll avoid catastrophes by avoiding challenging breezes.
I'm not sure I can sand or plane the exit-area of the drains smooth enough for flaps to form a seal. It'd be easier to glue/screw a smooth new plastic outer, and put seals on that.
Meanwhile, if the cockpit flooded, I'd use the tiller extension to shove the foam out of the drains, then sit well back & head downwind to encourage the inundation out of the rear...
...over the winter, it's my priority to replace the old self-bailers. Their location at the lowest point in the floor can't be a matter of chance.
The trouble is, the pronounced longitudinal curve of the hull & floor means a considerable weight of water accumulates, long before it's deep enough to pour down the rear drains...
...which I suppose is why the Mk2 boats weren't equipped with them. Here's some footage of an almost identical boat...no transom drains, although I can't see self-bailers either!
I know a boat like the Osprey will plane bows-up, far enough for most water to flow aft, but in winds lighter than planing conditions, leaky drains & bailers are worse than none.
I'm not sure I can sand or plane the exit-area of the drains smooth enough for flaps to form a seal. It'd be easier to glue/screw a smooth new plastic outer, and put seals on that.
Meanwhile, if the cockpit flooded, I'd use the tiller extension to shove the foam out of the drains, then sit well back & head downwind to encourage the inundation out of the rear...
...over the winter, it's my priority to replace the old self-bailers. Their location at the lowest point in the floor can't be a matter of chance.
The trouble is, the pronounced longitudinal curve of the hull & floor means a considerable weight of water accumulates, long before it's deep enough to pour down the rear drains...
...which I suppose is why the Mk2 boats weren't equipped with them. Here's some footage of an almost identical boat...no transom drains, although I can't see self-bailers either!
I know a boat like the Osprey will plane bows-up, far enough for most water to flow aft, but in winds lighter than planing conditions, leaky drains & bailers are worse than none.