I tell you, being as OCD as I am is not easy. When I get something stuck in my head it is there until I’m done processing, re-processing, and then beating it to death with a stick before I do it all over again, and again, again, and again. How many nights have I spent awake thinking of sails? I like how some people call this a disability, I think they do this so we don’t think too much and should seek medical attention and take a pill to relieve the over processing of our synapses. I like my brain functioning just as it does thank you! I was also dyslectic as a child and suffer from ADD (Alex Dorsey Disease). I’m all kinds of dysfunctional, but what ever, it works for me : )
Down wind sailing has been on my brain, Brain, BRAIN! After crossing the Pacific I realized a few things besides wanting a bigger boat for stores, and now a family. I’ll never put to an ocean crossing again without a wind vane and a good down wind sail package. As you guys know I have an old aries windvane, and trust me I hate it every time I have to haul my dinghy on deck, but a proper ocean going sailboat uses it’s stern for a wind vane. A dinghy should be secured to the foredeck where it will not get swamped by a following sea and tear up the after deck. I’m also attaching a small tiller pilot to the wind vane. I’ll be able to use it in light air conditions and not have to burn the amperage of my below deck pilot.
Symmetrical, A- Symmetrical, and code zeros are all the rage. These are all good options for speed but require more work and trim then I’m willing to do. I don’t have a race crew and I want simple! I’ve decided to build another 1.5 oz drifter. It is such an easy to handle, light-air sail. I always enjoyed the one I had on Namaste. It’s the favorite sail I’ve ever owned. They are not very popular because they have less horse power then more conventional options. In fact, a drifter for Splendid would have roughly 300 square feet less of sail area then an A-Sym. After talking to a few sail makers though they all agree a drifter is much more robust of a sail. Most importantly you can use it upwind. It’s also much more forgiving and easy to inflate then more traditional options. I’m not so into speed and could use it in fresher winds, I like it!
As you guys know I love my sailrite sewing machine. It’s one of the most important tools I have onboard. We use it to mend shorts & dresses, make jack lines, canvas projects, and sail repair. I called sailrite today and had a chat with Jeff (Sail dept). My quote on a drifter kit is $719.00. I’ll have to put about 30 hours of work into the project but I’ll have exactly what I need and want. All the panels come pre cut and with all the supplies I’ll need (minus the machine) for the project. I’m going to build a black drifter. The only difference in this sail and my last one will be size, and the addition of a sock. Dousing the sail can be tricky when the wind reaches 12+ knots. A sock makes the whole thing a breeze I’m told. A sock is an additional $420.00. I have to make the money first but I’m finally happy to have come to a conclusion. Perhaps I’ll sleep tonight?
Sam, Guin and I had a nice day yesterday. Sam sez “Thanks for all the birthday wishes”. She didn’t ride the jet ski yet as it was a rainy day and they were closed. We’ll get to it in the next week. Believe it or not I actually baked her a cake. It was from a box, but my first, and according to the girls a success.
Peace everyone.
Sail far, live slowly, and go down wind on a drifter.
– Alex