Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

[tdsail]

Hi i own a 24' bilge keel tornado 720 (most ppl including myself never heard of this design but that's what she apparently is) and i'd like to prepare her for the Jester Challenge 2010...at the moment shes completely unprepared for single hand sailing so i need to start the mods and so i'd appreciate any suggestions in modding her up to withstand an extended passage...i know all lines need to lead aft etc but would also like to find out about making here more buoyant, tips on downhaul arrangements etc etc
anyhow, i thank in advance for any tips/suggestions/photos....i'm parked in the swale by the way so also keen to catchup/sail in company with anyone in that area....

 

[Sailthedream]

Hi TdSail

I didn't modify my boat too much for the sail this summer but I think lots of other people do lots of things to keep the water out for longer passages. Reinforced hatches and ports or Ive seen some boats cover them with stormboards. With the bouyancy, Jonny Moore with his Corribee covered this on his website, heres the page: http://www.jonnymooresailing.com/buoyancy

Where abouts are you on the Swale, might see you out sometime?

Sorry I cant be of more help

Jack

 

[tdsail]

Hi,

Thats great info thanks...i'm parked in Conyer marina although right now she's out of the water for a clean up etc...she's red hull with white topsides and named Twister so see you around sometime /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Noddy]

Are you aware of the Jester Forum on this site? Scroll down in the list of forums.

Paul

 

[William_H]

My theory is that smaller boats have a relatively much stronger hull and also much less inertia so are much less of a concern when hitting submerged objects.
Certainly over the years I have punished my 21fter hitting a reef at full speed or once having it drop off the trailer onto concrete. each time with surprising little damage.

I also reckon that the built in areas under bunks of the average small boat is the very best place to seal off for buoyancy. I reckon most small boats have a bunks running from the bow to well aft making a quarter berth. Often the bow areas is filled in to make a mattress right across. This whole storage space is in the best place for stability when flooded. ie water entering the cabin is restrained on the centre line of the boat. The buoyancy at the chines (side down low) will keep it upright.
Further any hole made in the hull is very likely into this sealed area so in effect you will get a double skin. ie in the bow low down or along the chines.

If you want a lot of buoyancy then modern versions of my boat have a bulkhead across the quarter berths about feet level sealing off the entire stern area.

i don't think you have to fill the buoyancy areas with foam just have a water tight lid perhaps spring loaded for under bunk stowage so that it is always reasonably sealed. That way you can still use the areas for stowage.

I note the calculations on the link site but reckon you don't need that much buoyancy. In fact enough to counter the ballast would probably be more than enough. Considering that you will probably be bailing/pumping.

Re the big voyage. Things you should reinforce or check are keel attachments, rudder attachments and chain plate attachments. Have an emergency rudder available. Plus obviously all the safety gear including emergency VHF antenna, harness and attachments.

go for alcahol (meth spirits) cooking for safety.

The most likely failures you have will be electrical. Keep all the wiring simple and robust and above all else understand it yourself.

good luck olewill

 

[tdsail]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

well she may be small but when i was drilling a hole for the speed transducer she was just under an inch thick...so completely agree i think she's built like a brick sh*t house unlike many of the new age plastic boats....in terms of the keel and rudder attachments..they are all glassed in so cant really check bolts etc...so far here is a list of things that i think i will need to do...:
- install jib furling system (i'm considering the plastimo ones fro ebay)
- install 2 new winches for the cockpit (the existing winches are atop cabin deck in a really aweful location)
- figure out mainsail reefing ability (either boom as that's what i think it has at the moment or slab but for that i need to mod the mainsl)
- lead some lines aft
- improve on window safety...thats a bit of a concern as she's got large windows...which are suspectible to pounding no doubt but need to think about reinforcements for them...was thinking of a film of sorts
- improve buoyancy...at least some foam fwd, aft and either side to improve overall floatation..without being excessive
- wind vane !!! most expensive me thinks...i did see projects to build your own a while ago...need to investigate...
- possibly tiller pilot....but thats not a must at the moment
- electrical charging...i'm thinking of a combo solar and generator since i have an outboard...petrol gennie should do the trick....
i think thats the major bits for now....probably more will crawl out as i go along /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[William_H]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

Hi Tom I reckon the window safety could be improved by bolting a support beam across the windows vertical in middle with a rubber pad or similar to support the middle of the glass. I don't know that film would help very much unless it is specifically designed to increse strength of glass. (perspex).

Yes i reckon you will need a tiller pilot for single handed sailing.

Reefing is vital and I would suggest that you get it done soon so that you get lots of practice to iron out difficulties.
I use a bolt rope in the track (no slugs) and a bolt rope guide. This means that sail can bhe reefed or unreefed from the cockpit.
I use a separate line for the tack angled forward to provide forward pull. It means all reefing actions are done from the cockpit except tieing up the loose sail which is optional to a degree.

Yes if you need charging and can't fit in or rely on solar then a petrol gen driving a battery charger is your best quickest charging method. Try the o/b but this is unlikely to be very good.

Above all get ready early and get out there practicing nothing beats sailing to iron out the bugs. olewill

 

[meldrum]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

A small mod, that is usful when raising the sails. Is to put a small cam cleat at chest height, either side of the mast, below where the halyards emerge and just offset . This means you can pull the sail up at the mast, clip the haliard into the cleat and then go back to the cockpit to pull in the slack and tension the sail luff without the sail sliding back down. Because the cleat is also offset the haliard will pop out of the cleat when you tension it.

 

[WoodyP]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

If a wind vane is too expensive how will you manage without a tiller pilot when single handing. Its a long way to the Azores not to have a break.

 

[TonyMills]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

Hi, I'm preparing my boat to cross the Indian Ocean next year. At the minute I'm fitting storm boards to the windows. They are fixed perspex type windows quite long along the cabin sides and do not open.

Instead of carrying storm boards and fitting them when necessary I am fitting a perspex style product called Lexan or Macrolan over the top to remain there for the entire journey. The idea came from John Vigors book about preparing a yacht for blue water cruising (search the web for John Vigor).

Macrolan or Lexan comes in sheet form 10mm thick and is easily cut and shaped in my shed. The virtue of it is that it is virtually indistructable and will take the weight of the boat slipping sideways off waves without breaking (havent tried that yet!).

My view is that I can fit and forget them, still have good light coming in reasonable vision without having to worry about them when the weather turns bad.

Regards
TonyM

 

[alexrunic]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

I would agree with the sugestion of using Lexan for the windows. it the same stuff they make police riot shields out of 10 mm would be very strong indeed!!

 

[2nd_apprentice]

Re: Jester challenge 2010 & Singlehanding

Unprotected Lexan does have the disadvantage of being uv sensitive though. Mine went almost completely blind in less than three years!