Tuesday 23 May 2017

Katie, Sails At Last.

I've finally got round to sailing Katie.
A weekend meeting at Barton Turf was the impetus to get cracking and build the rig.
Encouraged by Rob Blackburn's success with the roller reefing system borrowed from Matt Leyden's Paradox, I cobbled together one of my own from bits I had accumulated
in the garage and some fancy new PolyTarp, which I think looks rather fetching.

Photo John Lockwood


Photo John Lockwood




By the time I got there I had the system working maybe three times out of four which isn't really a high enough success rate, but a group discussion and a bit of fettling ironed out the wrinkles.

I rather tentatively took her out on Saturday and had a very gentle sail round Barton Broad. She behaved herself impeccably, seemed to tack well and could get to windward.  She got some queer looks at times but also some admiring comments.
Builder and Designer were both very pleased.
There is some video footage which might emerge soon, in the meantime here's a short clip of the beautiful countryside and a couple of the other boats.





3 comments:

doryman said...

Oh aye, post a vid of 'er goin' downwind and down creek. How do she handle a blow, me hearty?

Rob Blackburn said...

Graham, well done.. kept it quiet though..? loved the Harry Potter scene of the magic sculling boat going past. Off for xray of wrist this am... Stairs... No canoe or bike for a while
Rob

Graham Neil said...

Dangerous things these stairs, have you thought about a stairlift?

Hope you make a swift recovery.
Graham.