Wooden Wayfarers in Scotland

 

While researching roller furling for the Lightning, I came across some nice footage of wooden Wayfarers sailing in Scotland. Lovely stuff. (You’ll notice roller reefing and roller furling on these two boats.)

I’ve almost bought a Wayfarer several times, but they’re hard to find on this side of the pond. They’re like slightly smaller double-chined versions of the Lightning, but typically fitted out for cruising rather than racing.

There a small fleet of them that sail in the Chesapeake and Carolina Sounds, many of the same places I frequent. I’ve learned a lot from reading their logs and message boards, found here:

http://www.wayfarer-international.org/WIC/Cruise.Logs/Cruise.Logs.index.html

 

 

 

 

 

Retro Repost #9 ~ A Row of Boats

Bunked Boats, Morning in Fogg’s Cove
St. Michaels, Maryland 

The light was so beautiful at sunrise on this Saturday morning. So much eye candy for boat lovers.

 

 

 

 

Retro Repost #8 ~ Melonseed “Caesura”

The Melonseed Caesura in Fogg’s Cove
St. Michaels, Maryland 

That is indeed one of my Melonseeds in the foreground of the previous post (thanks Steve!)

Both photos, and several to come, are from back in 2013 at the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival – MASCF to friends and family.

 

Retro Repost #7 ~ Fogg’s Cove

Melonseed and Navigator in Fogg’s Cove
St. Michaels, Maryland

 

It’s been hovering around 100 degrees here for weeks. Thunderstorms roll through several times a day. Not so great for boating this time of year here in the South. Going through some old photos helps. More coming in the days ahead.

 

 

 

Soft Shackles

Soft Shackle made, ready to attach.

 

Earlier, I replaced the old Main and Jib Halyards with new ones made of Dyneema. Very nice. They’re slippery through the blocks and feel good in the hand. The first time I raised the Main, though, it was obvious the eye and carabiner arrangement, thrown together so quickly, was sub-optimal. Their combined length made the sail stop several inches short of fully raised. This left the sail hanging too long down at the deck – there was not enough sail track on the mast to pull the luff nice and tight. It worked, but not right.

Fixing it creates an opportunity to try something new – a Soft Shackle.

Continue reading “Soft Shackles”