Hey-Brandy New DS-I ('68)

[KaiB]

Howdy to All,

Wonderful site here; have been lurking for a while now. We are the proud new owners of a '68 DS-I (I'll get the nbrs as soon as I crawl back into her). She had been stored in a barn for quite some time, dusty original cover (original almost everything actually). Sails (to windward) like a pig however, as the wife luff on the jib has taken a curly set which cannot be straightened - the wire section of the halyard is too long which means that the eye on the rope section stops at the mast-head sheave before the jib is set.

Oh well...great little boat tho. I've stripped and varnished the coamings, buffed out the hull and deck and will get to work on the floorboards soon enough. I do have a few questions, if ya'll would.

Rig tension? I've read suggestions ranging from hand tight all the way up to cranking the mast forward with the trailer winch. Help??? btw this is a cuddy top set up.

The standard aft traveler is a nice set-up, but seems a bit "soft" to me. I really like Phil R's rig and will probably do the switch - has anyone else done so? Can you share your impressions and comparisons?

Would 1/4" StaSet do the job for both halyards?

I'd like a rig a down haul for the jib. Does anyone have a tasty arrangement to share? Ditto for a main out haul.

Thanks to all for the great reading. The boat must yet go through a re-naming ritual so I don't yet dare write the new name out. Are pink lipstick, nakedness and alcohol still involved in the ritual?

Can you say Oklahoma winds?

Kai

[dsheer]

Not the guy to ask about tension, but you should have a mast jack at the bottom of the mast - it's a brass collar on a screw. The collar has holes in it. A 3" 5/16 bolt will serve for a handle, just stick it in one of the holes and turn. You may have the original handle. I didn't, and I'm pretty sure that the previous owner had no idea what a mast jack was.

The mast will raise or lower depending on which way you turn. To raise the mast, set the jack low, attach the rear bolt on the tabernacle, attach the shrouds, stand the mast up, attach the forward bolt in the tabernacle, attach the forestay, and set the tension in the shrouds and the forestay with the mast jack. Seems obvious, but it took me a while before it made sense.

Note there is a long exchange between Capt Seasick and the rest of us on the subject of mast jacks. The conclusion was that the good Capt. didn't know jack about jacks. Had me goin' though.

If the jack's stuck, take it off (just lift the lower section of the mast off and unbolt it), and free it. Lube the screw and the bottom of the mast well with grease (dielectric grease is good). After attaching the shrouds and forestay, I turn it up till it's hard to turn. My boat then sails well. The lee stay is slack when tacking or reaching in good wind.

There are posts about tensioning and positioning the mast (and bending and other fancy stuff) on the site. Assuming you have tunbuckles, that's what they are for. Some original boats had no tunbuckles, it seems. There are also recommendations to upgrade the stay and shrouds on this site. Mine were upgraded long before I got the boat.

As to the halyard, the wires on both my main and jib halyard both go through the cheek blocks at the cuddy when the sails are tensioned. The eye splices fit through, no problem. Can't help you there. Rope halyards should work fine as well, I suspect even if you are racing. I don't (not yet anyway).

Phill's traveler rig works well for me too, but I just use a regular cleat mounted amidships, long axis across the boat. I replaced the block on the traveler and on the boom end with fiddle blocks (Ronstan, $25 apiece) to get a 4 to 1 advantage. I am using 5/16 line. Also, my triangle is considerable shorter than Phill's. Remember to ensure that your tiller goes through the triangle when you mount the rudder, or you may have to remount it when underway. Do not repeat my stupid mistakes.

I attached a cleat to my mast to tie off the downhaul. Simple and effective. There is a hole in the fitting on the front of my boom that seems to be designed to take the line.

The ritual you mentioned is not for renaming. It is to ensure good weather. Please re-read my post. There is a different ritual involved in renaming. It does involve alcohol and a particular use and then destruction of a bottle. Unfortunately I am too tired to post it now, having just climbed an Alp. Ask again later.

Good sailing.

Dan

[KaiB]

I certainly hope the bottle would be empty before destruction.

Nope, no mast jack. My stubby fits directly onto the keel. No need for a jack that I see, I am questioning regarding rig tension.

I'll set mast rake once I get decent shape out of the jib - but the shroud tension question remains; perhaps I'll just see how she goes in good winds.

The downhaul I asked about would be one to douse the jib - just wanted to see if anyone had a good idea for that as well as a main outhaul. I may set up a cunningham on the jib, but will again wait to she how she goes.

Just love this little boat.

[calden]

Jib douser:

I made up something after out one day in a huge blow and I couldn't get the jib down.

1/4" line with a bowline loop at the end. That goes into the jib halyard shackle when you raise the jib.

Other end goes through a small block which is attached to the bow stemhead in some fashion - I have it on a shackle. This line then goes from that block, led back to the aft cuddy edge where the halyards' cleats live. Just today I put in a couple of more smaller cleats on either side of the original bronze cleats - one for the jib douser. This line doesn't really need to be cleated, but it helps to keep it out of the way until it's needed. I loosely cleat it then coil it and hang it on the cleat. Keeps things ship-shape.

As for rig tensioning - that seems to be a whole science in and of itself. Try this link:

http://members.tripod.com/~daysailers_c ... guide.html

Carlos

[KaiB]

Yep,

I just saw a tasty arrangement in the photos section; altho it was a lead for a furling jib, the idea is there. From a small block on the bow seat through three small fairleads aft to a cleat. The little fairleads can be bought in a number of colors (this is important!).

Tension questions remain. I just can't see too much tension on the mast, as I doubt that the keel would want to see that much pressure. At the moment, with the sidestays set, its all I can do to push the mast forward enough so the Captain can pin the forestay. The lee stay has yet to relax much, altho I have not yet sailed in winds greater than say 10 to 12 mph. Seems this may be right. Jib luff problem remains however, and I won't know anything till I get that sorted out.

I've got my floorboards out; original varnish on them still (jeez, is that not tough stuff?). I may be forced to use some small brass screws to replace the brads in them now (once they're stripped and varnished) - any ideas?

Fair winds...

[jpclowes]

North Sails has a great tuning guide which shows you a good way to see if you have your rig set in the right place. It has been a while since I have been there, but I think if you go to www.northsails.com, and then go to their North American, and One Design sections, you should be able to find it pretty easily.

[KaiB]

Yep,

I think I'm as close as I can get at the moment. New standing rigging and sails will be on order this winter; till then, most of the finer tuning is moot. We've found that balance in the boat plays a big role; much more so at the moment than an inch or two aloft.

My work this summer will be the cosmetic stuff, working on the trailer, halyards and just sailing as often as possible.

Its going to be over 100 today and not much breeze - we were set to go out, but...I think I'll start to learn to splice instead. I remember my father doing it all of the time and like an idiot, never got him to teach me. Such is life, huh?

Love this site, Fair (cool) Winds to all. K

[Mike M.]

do you sail around Enid? Gary Britton on this site (Dancing Girl II) in Yukon, sails at Hefner and I'm (Patty K) in Tecumseh and sail at Thunderbird.

Sounds like you found a great deal on an older DS. Weren't you lucky? Maybe we can all meet somewhere in the middle and have a grand sail together some day.

[KaiB]

Hey Mike,

I've followed the adventures of "Mike and Gary" in the OK breezes.

We currently sail Carl Blackwell, and are thinking about hauling down to Hefner next time out. How is Tenkiller?

It would be a rip to get all of us together at some point. Three little DS-1s together in Oklahoma, neat!! We were very lucky to get a boat in such good shape. A few issues exist, but none which prevent decent sailing at this point. I need a jib halyard now, but will do with rope from Atwoods if need be, and must get a few more coats of varnish on the brightwork before she goes back out.

I think Gary is out of town this week, he sent a short e-mail Sat.

Kai and Audri
"Sadie B"
Enid, OK

[Mike M.]

was the first place I ever sailed. 1969. A friend had won a Snark (styrofoam) boat at TG&Y and we took it out there. Didn't know c'mere from sic'em about sailing. Still don't but at least we haven't had to swim behind the stern pushing the boat like we did that day. Others were sailing around us asking if we needed help. Of course, we said no and just kept kicking.

Sadie was my father's nickname.