Wayfarer - great little boat

[Seajet]

Dan,

I'm sure a few people must have tried trapezes on Wayfarers - I tried a home made one on my Scorpion when I was a slim 19 and my crew a featherweight 15, of course it was out of class and just an experiment but we did get her planing to windward.

A few minutes later my swaging on the wire parted and chum disappeared with a mighty splash, towed by the elastic; he wasn't very impressed - must have been a bit of a shock - but I was laughing so much I did capsize unintenionally.

 

[lw395]

Lots of sailing schools have fitted trapezes to Wayfarers, as a first introduction to trapezing, it has its uses.

Maybe you need to think about what you are trying to achieve. A heavy boat needs more power to drive it to windward through choppy water. A light boat needs less power.
But coping with a bit more breeze is as much about proper control of the sails as it's about righting power.
A modern singlehander like the Dzero, you have 9sqm of sail on a narrow hull and one bloke sitting out, it works because the sail is controllable, even a bit automatic due to the flexible rig. Even the bad old Laser can flatten its sail and go upwind in half a gale.

 

[Seajet]

In our case with a trapeze and relatively light crew on a medium / light Scorpion, it was about righting power while keeping light = a lot more speed.

On a Wayfarer, yes it will just be trapezing practice, I suppose it might help a light but experienced crew for progress ( and trapezing is a lot comfier and easier on the back than hiking out ) but not in class for racing.

 

[Greenheart]

More thoughts, not strictly relevant to Wayfarers......but I'll welcome responses...

I've realised lately that the awkwardness of climbing backwards up a steeply sloping floor, on to a side-deck which is 18 inches higher, while holding the tiller and at least one sheet, has made stepping into the trapeze position, much harder for me...

...less of a problem for Osprey crews, who aren't steering (and who aren't singlehandedly keeping the boat upright). They may also be significantly taller than me.

So...if I put together a couple of diagonal wood steps (port and starboard) on which I can place my forward foot to press myself up and backwards, it will make it much easier to quickly and smoothly move my weight out. Something like this...

...it may look odd, but it's not a problem which most trapezing helms encounter, because skiffs and catamarans are flat-decked.

Maybe you need to think about what you are trying to achieve. A heavy boat needs more power to drive it to windward through choppy water.

That is spot-on. Both the Wayfarer and Osprey are heavy boats with only modest sail areas; so they need hard-driving through chop, to sail their best. That must be partly why it doesn't work for me, singlehanding in a breeze.

But I do blame my baggy old mainsail; tell me if I'm kidding myself. I often watch lighter, newer dinghies with bigger rigs, looking docile in gusty F4 conditions, with their sails neither flapping nor drawing enough to heel the boat...

...their relaxed crews just holding their position before a race-start, the boat seemingly inert, sails tame and silent until the crew are good and ready, then, bang...they pull in the sheets harder and the boat start shifting.

My old mainsail doesn't allow that neutral point...there's no calm spot between noisy flapping and full-thrust. As soon as the sail stops flapping, it's powering harder than is manageable. Is it meant to be that frantic? Would a flat new sail make the power less on/off?

I'm not convinced that being overpowered so easily in 10/12 knots of wind, is inevitable. If the sail was flatter, wouldn't it allow that mid-way point where the sheet can be slackened without simply flapping, and without the boat losing all drive and steering?

 

[Seajet]

Dan,

I'm guessing you've got the wire length, foot grips ( NOT ankle breaker loops ) on the side deck and elastic retainers on the trapeze rings / hooks right.

So that leaves the vertical trapeze adjuster setup., should be adjustable as you go along so as to be skimming not dunking into waves - low or high and a good mecanicanical 4:1 purchase to allow inbetween ( I found 4:1 fine with a bit of body tweaking from the sidedeck ).

 

[oldharry]

Proctor was asked by Bell Woodworking to design an 18 and 22 foot home build cruiser. The result was the 18ft Seagull and 22ft Seamew. He used the Wayfarer hull and simply drew it out. I had a Seamew for a number of years, and found she had the same seaworthiness and good handling of her dinghy predecessor. Laid up in the yard with a Wayfarer alongside we measured off, and apart from an angled straight stem on the bigger boat to simplify construction, found the proportions and angles almost identical. Haven't seen one for many years now, but a lovely boat to handle, and with respectable turn of speed. Fitted with a ballasted centreplate to prevent capsize!

 

[lw395]

..
That is spot-on. Both the Wayfarer and Osprey are heavy boats with only modest sail areas; so they need hard-driving through chop, to sail their best. That must be partly why it doesn't work for me, singlehanding in a breeze.

But I do blame my baggy old mainsail; tell me if I'm kidding myself. I often watch lighter, newer dinghies with bigger rigs, looking docile in gusty F4 conditions, with their sails neither flapping nor drawing enough to heel the boat...

...their relaxed crews just holding their position before a race-start, the boat seemingly inert, sails tame and silent until the crew are good and ready, then, bang...they pull in the sheets harder and the boat start shifting.

My old mainsail doesn't allow that neutral point...there's no calm spot between noisy flapping and full-thrust. As soon as the sail stops flapping, it's powering harder than is manageable. Is it meant to be that frantic? Would a flat new sail make the power less on/off?

I'm not convinced that being overpowered so easily in 10/12 knots of wind, is inevitable. If the sail was flatter, wouldn't it allow that mid-way point where the sheet can be slackened without simply flapping, and without the boat losing all drive and steering?

That sail does look full in the picture, but you may not be giving it a fair chance.
Is your mast set up as per the class tuning guides?
On my last dinghy with similar rig, to get a flat sail in a breeze we had to have the mast bend right.
That meant correct settings for:
Mast heel position
Deck level pusher
Spreader length and angle
Rig tension
Rake

Then you have a pre-bend curve in the mast which is hopefully what the sailmaker was working with.
In an osprey you may have the issue that not all masts are the same section.

Once you have the mast basically right, then you use plenty of kicker to bend the top back and flatten the sail, plus some cunningham to match. Outhaul on maximum too.

Our mainsail would go from about 13% camber powered up for a reach, down to maybe 3% for survival conditions upwind. Being an older couple, our idea of 'survival' was somewhat less wind than the top sailors!

Obviously this won't substitute for weight on the rail, but setting the rig right moves the wind range up substantially.

 

[Seajet]

You missed the primary and easiest one - clew outhaul tension, Dan it would be worth you having as much pull on this as possible to flatten the main.

If the sail is old and baggy and a newer main is not available, it may well be worth having a ' flattening reef ' added, this is a cringle just a few inches above the normal clew one but gets rid of the belly ' shelf ' of the sail - or for more money just have it recut and make this the standard clew.

In the 70's some sailmakers mains came with flattening reefs.

Even on my A22 I have a powerful adjustable clew outhaul led aft working through ball bearing blocks and sheaves, every part of the running rigging is ball bearing as I learned what a fantastic bonus it is from my dinghy days.

 

[Greenheart]

Proctor was asked by Bell Woodworking to design an 18 and 22 foot home build cruiser. The result was the 18ft Seagull and 22ft Seamew. He used the Wayfarer hull and simply drew it out.

...have the mast bend right....correct settings for: Mast heel position, Deck level pusher, Spreader length and angle, Rig tension, Rake.

Once you have the mast basically right, plenty of kicker to bend the top back and flatten the sail, plus some cunningham to match. Outhaul on maximum too...this won't substitute for weight on the rail, but setting the rig right moves the wind range up substantially.

A good list, thanks. I have no deck-mounted mast-ram to press back on the gooseneck; and I've several demons in the tension/rake department, each being tackled tentatively. Although, somebody lately said that the whole ability of the mast to flex spilling wind, first assumes that there's enough ballast aboard to prevent the boat heeling sooner than the mast can bend...

...and in the moderate conditions which are mostly too much, the mast may not be very flexible. I must just live with that.

The range of camber that you mention, encourages me to really pull on the sail controls. Strangely though, when I reef the sail, the remaining very small (upper) area looks extremely flat, and I always expect it will be effortless to control. She still heels a lot!

If the sail is old and baggy and a newer main is not available, it may well be worth having a 'flattening reef' added, this is a cringle just a few inches above the normal clew one but gets rid of the belly ' shelf ' of the sail - or for more money just have it recut and make this the standard clew.

You mean...like this?

This was something I was coming to, ahead of your mentioning it. The foot of my mainsail is decidedly full and flabby, and tying that clew hard down to the boom definitely reduces fullness. I had assumed it was for tightening up the leech, but I didn't know why.

I'll employ it every time, in future. :encouragement:

Here's my trapeze-line hook...it really isn't a sex-toy...

The black line visible running athwartship behind, is shockcord running through gunwale-mounted mini-blocks which keeps the unused trapeze hooks ready for use, but allows the one in use to go several feet outside the boat. It works, so I've stuck to it.

It's an Allen keyball system. The ball fits easily but securely into the smooth moulding on the harness, which hopefully eliminates ever getting hooked by stray lines, or punching a hole in the capsized hull with the conventional harness-hook. I had to use the drill and grinder to adapt my old Musto harness so it works with the Allen spreader-bar and mounting plate...but it seems to work...

As to whether the harness height-adjuster is up to the job, I think only practice will tell.

 

[Seajet]

Jeez, I've never heard of a harness hook puncturing a hull, but anything is possible.

For a brief while in the late 70's there was a ' Continuous ' sytsem for trapezing where one didn't have to hook on and off side to side; I tried it, but it seemed simpler just to stick with the standard system - when the crew may be more available to tweak things mid-way.

I last used my old harness with the end wirelocked closed - very carefully, by moi - before going half out of a DH Dove for air-air photography - when I left Dunsfold they gave me a lovely painting of an idiot sticking out of our Dove with a sailing boat heading for the sun - I must re-learn how to put pictures on here now the quickie option isn't available.

 

[Greenheart]

I'd like to see the Dove pic.

I think the continuous trapeze idea was a Flying Dutchman system.

The keyball alternative was suggested here, years ago when I first said I planned to trapeze the Osprey singlehanded, and folk mentioned that I'd be opening the door for the trap-hook to tangle in the lazyjacks and other lines as the boat inverts. I took that seriously, and I reckon the keyball is a good solution. I've never seen a hook break a hull either, but it isn't inconceivable.

 

[lw395]

...


A good list, thanks. I have no deck-mounted mast-ram to press back on the gooseneck; and I've several demons in the tension/rake department, each being tackled tentatively. Although, somebody lately said that the whole ability of the mast to flex spilling wind, first assumes that there's enough ballast aboard to prevent the boat heeling sooner than the mast can bend...

...and in the moderate conditions which are mostly too much, the mast may not be very flexible. I must just live with that.

The range of camber that you mention, encourages me to really pull on the sail controls. Strangely though, when I reef the sail, the remaining very small (upper) area looks extremely flat, and I always expect it will be effortless to control. She still heels a lot!



You mean...like this?

This was something I was coming to, ahead of your mentioning it. The foot of my mainsail is decidedly full and flabby, and tying that clew hard down to the boom definitely reduces fullness. I had assumed it was for tightening up the leech, but I didn't know why...
...

There might be chocks instead of a ram, but you'll be leaving them out to encourage a bit of bend.
That 'flattening reef' or flattener in a dinghy leech is there for two reasons.
1) It lifts the boom when sailing with a lot of mast rake, keeps the clew out of the waves.
(also means you can use a serious lot of rake before the boom hits the hoop, the tiller or hopefully, the helmsman.)
2) It flattens the lower part of the sail, without pulling the clew beyond the black band. So the foot can be cut bigger and fuller, within the class rules.
The clew slider really needs to be in the track, or at least lash the clew around the boom to send the leech tension where the sailmaker intended.

Generally, when overpowered, use more rake, but get the sail shape as best you can first.

 

[Greenheart]

There might be chocks instead of a ram, but you'll be leaving them out to encourage a bit of bend.
That 'flattening reef' lifts the boom when sailing with a lot of mast rake, keeps the clew out of the waves...

This is SO helpful. I'm very grateful.

I've always fitted as many chocks in front of the mast as there was room for, given the rake - so I've actually been over-chocking the gap and preventing the mast bending at deck level. Never occurred to me...I thought they needed stuffing in there.

And I've often looked at the end of the boom while sailing and been conscious that if I heel a few more degrees, the end will hit the water and it'll be all over. That flattener has been staring me in the face every time I've gone out, but I've always set the sail with the foot too full and bloated. Not any more. :encouragement:

 

[Daydream believer]

Dan
Out of interest, Have you ever tried sailing a proper single handed performance dinghy ie a Blaze or a Phantom etc?

 

[Greenheart]

Not recently enough to recall what I might have learned. Laser/Europe in recent years, not what I'd call high performance...

...think I tried a Contender, 25 years ago at East Head, but it's a hazy memory.

The Phantom appeals to me as a really good-looking, simple powerful machine, but I believe I'm hopelessly underweight for it.

My knowledge of the Blaze is limited to unhappy memories of watching our generally very able club commodore capsize repeatedly until he lowered the sail and we towed him in, with the RIB.

I can see that a big efficient sail driving a minimum-weight hull (assuming it is all competently set up) more easily converts a breeze into forward thrust, than a heavy hull like the Wayfarer or Osprey, under a compromised sail-plan, struggling to reduce heeling...

...and it's logical that the wind's force is more easily directed into forward motion than heeling, aboard a light, efficient design.

I watch A-class cats and Musto skiffs setting off from the beach with the sail neither flapping nor pulling...the singlehanded helm isn't even hiking - just securing his water-bottle or bending over the stern to lower his rudder, finishing his sandwich...

...and the sail seems to be in neutral, until the helm is ready to turn up the heat. No stress or noise, no hint of uncontrolled power hustling the helm into activity. I don't know if that shows the subtle brilliance of those boats' designs, or the newness of their sails, or just their users' abilities, but I blame myself more than the Osprey, for the fact I haven't managed the same relaxed control, yet.

 

[Daydream believer]

The thing is Dan that you are playing with something that really is never ever going to sail well single handed. It is OK saying that you like fiddling about with string etc but do you want to go sailing or just stand on the shore fiddling & loosing out. Talk of playing about with trapezes, baggy mains etc is just b......x you will never sail it well.

I have a Phantom for when I am not cruiser sailing - I have to as my son is the class chairman- & the difference when you get into a boat that is properly designed for the job is like chalk & cheese. It is just so good to get into a properly set up boat that simply works- It is his old one so mine is rigged right. One just sheets in & goes. Reaching is just so exhilarating. it is like sailboarding in a way.
My son is Ok weight for his Phantom & deliberately lost 4 stone to become more competitive. So weight does not have to be excessive.
He tells me that Ovington has just built 8 more hulls so there is demand for new ones so the class is active. This means that replacement boats will move down the line & older ones will drop out the bottom of the chain soon at lower prices

But you can always try a Blaze. Some of our club sailors dislike them as they are said to be really hard on the knees, but they are OK for lighter sailors. Forget Musto skiffs they will be too difficult for a starter as will Contenders & some of the RS versions with outriggers.
Be careful of boats that need too much time on the knees. The Phantom can be a bit hard, but not so bad as someSH dinghies.
But just park the Osprey up for a while & have a go at a decent boat - not some old dog---- You may not want to go back

 

[lw395]

Or find a crew?

There are loads of singlehanders to choose from.
Mate of mine has just bought an old Laser for a few hundred quid, spent a few evenings with a pot of gelcoat and it looks sorted now.

 

[Seajet]

I had an Osprey and found her fine to handle solo in light winds inc spinnaker, and with a novice crew sailed her from Chichester to Cowes and back, using our buoyancy aids as fenders, staying at a friends' place overnight and sitting the next morning in our jockey shorts at the launderette while the tumble dryer warmed our wetsuits.

In heavy going it would definitley require modifications including a reefing system - a novice chum fell in love with an Osprey just by her looks - who wouldn't - and by pure luck we managed to find an Osprey main with three reefs built in, so someone had the idea before.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks for that, Daydream, and all you gents. :encouragement: Interesting reading about the Phantom...I rather admire the muscular simplicity of the boat, although I think I will enjoy trapezing more than hiking, once I've got the hang of it.

The Osprey's hull form stability seems greater than something like a Contender...and the Osp's mainsail is smaller than the Contender's, so I'm reasoning that trapezing the bigger, wider, heavier Osprey will be easier to learn, than on a Cont.

I think the 'which dinghy' question pulls at very different desires and requirements. I'm an unusual dinghy sailor because I've never raced, nor do I expect to begin racing; yet I'm having fun (and quite often frustrating myself) in a design which was singlemindedly intended to satisfy top racers. But I really doubt I'd want to own whichever dinghy would give me the fullest sailing experience...

...there are lots of modern, lightweight, angular plastic designs which certainly look slick, and which interest me about as much as a sack of golf-clubs. Probably a joy to sail, but mostly designed to race energetically for short periods with maximum efficiency, then be easily hauled out and stored ready for the next race. They're the pure, carefully-specified solutions to a question I didn't ask.

I still want a cruising yacht. That part of me might have bought a Wayfarer if I'd seen one cheap, back when I bought the Osprey...and a Wayfarer's mass, space and famed stability might have served my idle cruising plans better than the oversized ex-racing Osp...

...and I could easily pick up a good Laser, with all four different rig sizes for different wind strengths. I admit, that's almost tempting, because there is absolutely no pretence of the Laser being any use for anything except drip-dry fun.

But the great benefit in the Osprey (as I see it) is her scale and complexity and the opportunities for learning and mastering yachty stuff without having a yacht. Her age makes me fearless about drilling holes or attaching items that Mr Proctor never specified, yet I still have a boat that can sail beautifully on days when I can manage her, and whose looks make me happy even when I can't.

As you say, the Osp was never designed to sail properly with so little weight aboard. I'm not in denial about that, but I reckon I can do much more and better than I've managed so far. That's the target, not beyond reason I hope, especially with hints from you guys.

 

[Seajet]

Well Said ! :encouragement: