New Member/Owner, and question

[Will H]

Hello. I am a somewhat new owner of a DS1, although I've been around the boat since I was born. I've been reading the posts here for a few days and thought I would join up.

My dad purchased it in 1982, shortly after I was born. We've known it as a 1968, but in reading here I don't think thats the case. Hull number is 6686, class number 1091. "Built by O'day Manufacturing Corporation, Fall River Massachusetts for The O'day Corporation, Boston Massachusetts" The hull ID tag, sails, sail bag, etc all say O'day everywhere. No mention of any of the 3rd party manufacturers. Not sure if that is a clue as to vintage or not...?

My dad hadn't used the boat in several years and wants to upgrade to a larger weekend boat. It was garage kept before they moved to NC, and he recognized it was deteriorating quickly being kept outside. He offered it to me, and having grown up on the boat, I couldn't pass it up. I always enjoyed the trips to the lake, although I must admit I always wished we had a powerboat instead. As I've grown older (all of 24 years, haha) I've come to apprecaite both forms of boating and any additional reasons to go to the lake.

He was the third owner and bought it from a co-worker. I dont' know much about the first owner, other than he made some nice accessories for the boat, such as the boom crutch that bolts to the gudgeons for trailering. I do know that he raced the boat, usually solo, and I believe up here in Michigan.

This leads me to my question. There is a curved round bar that bolts to the deck just ahead of the cabin. My dad seems to think it was for racing...perhaps to tend the jib? As a kid, I thought it was a handle while riding on the bow of the boat. Does anyone know what this is?

I just finished replacing the transom and a few other odds-n-ends repairs. Looking forward to the upcoming season, if it ever stops snowing up here in Michigan.

I'm not sure how to post pictures, so here is a link to a photo album.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/willheckm ... GBtlo4LR0a


Will

[Imgaryo1]

I checked out the pictures of your boat and saw the bar in front of the cuddy. I have been racing now for about 8 years at many different venues and have never seen anything like that on ony of the racing boats. I cannot guess what it may have been used for but personally, I would remove it. Its one more thing to get a spinnaker sheet, jib sheet etc caught up on and you don't want that. I would also remove the bow cleat for the same reasons.

Hope this helps,
Regards,
Gary Ogden
Fleet 122

[Imgaryo1]

One more comment. The Daysailer North American Championship is being held in LaCrosse, WI this year and if you really want to get great ideas for how the boat should be rigged, get there. If you want to race, you must be a member of the daysailer association. The top sailers in the country will be there and are very helpful with questions/suggestions. I can think of no better venue to learn your boat and find many improvements. You may also look into crewing for someone.

Gary Ogden

[pnichols]

When ever I have seen a bar like this on sail boats it is usually for self-tacking jibs. I have never seen one of these on a Day Sailor.

[Roger]

Let us know if there are other oddities that would support the concept of a self tending jib on this boat. If a previous owner did set it up this way, there should also be a central block or place to attach one as far back as possible on centerline ahead of the mast. I do see something on the mast step above the cuddy but cannot make out what it is. If there is an eyelet there to support a single block, then it would support the concept of a self tending jib on this boat. You would also need a two part articulated boom but it may have gone missing some time ago. A single line would have run from the clew through the block back to the cockpit and a cleat somewhere. Once cleated the boat would have been able to change from one tack to the next without the line being uncleated. Because the articulated boom is just as long as the foot, it may have clipped the mast on each tack. Check for marks on the mast front to support your theory and get back to us. Inquiring minds want to know.

[Will H]

Thanks for the info everyone. I checked out Lacrosse, WI. Looks like it would be a solid day's drive, especially with the Chicago crossing, but I'll keep it in mind.

The bar is not currenty installed. I put it in place for the pictures, but it sits in the garage for now. Not only for the very reason you mentioned, but also to keep my foot from getting tangled up in it as well.

I took some more pictures of the mast and mast base/step. They're at the same link, at the top of the page. There is an eye below the step that you could attach something. I'm not the most proficient in sailboats and their terminology, so I'm not sure what an articulated boom is or would do. Could you explain that a bit more?

I searched online given the ideas mentioned, and have a guess as to how to rig it. A block would slide on the bar, in addition to one fixed somewhere. It seems like the fixed one could be either at the very front of the boat, or on the mast as mentioned? The line would go from the clew to the traveling block, then to the fixed block, and finally to a cleat in the cockpit?

With a bit more info, I might have to give this a try this summer. I'm a novice at best, so sailing the boat and instructing a crew is a bit much sometimes, espcially since my "crew" is typically composed of sailing rookies. If I can 'auto-tack' the jib, I can at least make the turn and worry about fine tuning it once the cockpit chaos has subsided.

[Donal]

I was trying to link to a page from "The Complete Sailor" on Amazon.com. It looks like they will not let you even link to the page, much less copy & paste. If you have an Amazon account, you can search for "The Complete Sailor" book, then do a Search Inside This Book for "Self-tending jib." Page 78 has a good illustration of it.

[jpclowes]

Will
Welcome to the class. We are probably the closest fleet to you, here in Columbus, Ohio. We are having a regatta the weekend after Memorial Day, June 2. I think we are about 3 hours away, give or take. If you are interested, we'd love to have you. Your boat looks a lot like mine. But then again, it has a motor mount similar to another DS in our fleet, that I thought was pretty much unique. His number is 1128, so it is close. If there is anything we can do for you down here let me know.

[Roger]

Actually that picture is on page 87 not 78 of the Complete Sailor. Given that you have an eyelet on the mast base, I would say the only difference fro this picture is that on your setup the original would have likely run as you accurately speculate, from the clew to the traveller block to a block at the mast base then back to the cuddy and a cleat.

Articulated means that the boom moves and is separate from the sail, only attached at the clew; not the tack nor the foot.

As long as your new tack is the same but opposite angle to the wind, you will have simplified tacking immensley. The item that does suffer with a self tending jib however is sail shape. You cannot move the jib lead back or forward as the wind conditions change. Small price to pay for the convenience.

[MarcCram]

Greetings from the still cold and rainy north east!
I tried to link the image here in the post. If it doesn't work, I uploaded to my personal gallery.

[thumb=409]

Cheers!

Marc
Cherry Hill, NJ
71' DS1

[Will H]

Good picture, I get it now. I'll have to double check, but I don't remember seeing any signs of a boom mounting point. My best guess is that maybe it attached where the bow cleat is now, or maybe it attached to the front (chainplate?) where the forestay and jib attach?

If I ever run out of projects, maybe I'll try to build a boom for it and try it out.

Thanks for the info and help everyone. If I ever get it working I'll be sure to take some pictures and report back.

[djd]

I once watched a guy sail a small dinghy with a small self tending jib. The head and tack were made as always, but instead of jib sheets, the clew was loosly tied off somehow to the deck. (Can't remember - maybe to a bar like yours?)
When he tacked, the jib just flopped from side to side. The clew would slide from one end of the bar to the other. The trim wasn't the greatest, but he was in no hurry and it sure was easy!
Dennis

[vbutera]

Will,
I have 6606 class 1086.

I have been told it is a 1964.

Can't help with the other questions, but hope this helps in the dating.