Rappahannock Rhapsody

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Moderator: GreenLake

Re: Rappahannock Rhapsody

Postby GreenLake » Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:05 pm

Weight in the boat. I've sailed a fully loaded DS (one with a tabernacle) in winds that might have approached what you had. With none to light weight crew plus full set of expedition gear, supplies and water for a week. We had mostly downwind conditions, but one day we sailed close hauled, on the same tack, for a few hours. I'm thinking we hadn't reefed, because I remember I had to really work to keep her upright in the gusts despite all the ballast. Other than that, the boat felt more like a keelboat than a dinghy, but in a good, steady way.

The main difference is that we didn't have the waves to fight against (when we had waves, we were surfing them on the downwind parts).

I'm sure you had conditions that put more stress on your tabernacle than your other trips. And tabernacles are more sensitive to flexing/wave loads. That's the reason people advise against using them on moorings. But, with stainless steel screws, it's always possible you had stress corrosion or cracks.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
GreenLake
 
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Re: Rappahannock Rhapsody

Postby GreenLake » Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:14 pm

Motor clamps. Now there's a design I hate with a passion.(*) Why hasn't anyone managed to design a secure quick-connect bracket? I find it hard to be sure that the clamps are tight enough. Sometimes, they feel tight, but somehow come loose on the water. Easy to lose a motor overboard, if you don't have a lanyard.

Haven't however, experienced that they lead to a loss of power. Although, obviously, it wastes power to set something vibrating. And it definitely will make you cautious to apply full throttle.

Honestly, I would have suspected the prop first, like you did. I've had trolling motor props that deformed from storing them motor incorrectly and while reversible after I got back on land, the effect on the water was ugly (and not super noticeable on visual inspection).

(*) I mean the general design of these being based on a dual clamp. Other aspects of the our motors' design are pretty nice, like the fact that you don't need to mess with a fiddly catch before raising the motor (and that that makes it a true kick-up, which is essential for a boat that has kick-up CB and rudder and which you therefore might take into the shallows.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Rappahannock Rhapsody

Postby tomodda » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:59 pm

GL: Thank you for the detailed answer. Need some time to read thoroughly and digest!

Tom
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Re: Rappahannock Rhapsody

Postby GreenLake » Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:54 am

Tom, I'm really enjoying the depth of discussion we can have here. Just be sure to reread my replies, I've already spotted one typo I'll edit in my replies and taking a page out of your book, I may do more edit than that. :)
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Rappahannock Rhapsody

Postby tomodda » Sun Oct 24, 2021 11:15 pm

Hi GL: Just a quick posting to say that my lack of response to your detailed observations has not been due to lack of interest! Just lack of time and energy, too many other things tugging at me. Good things, mostly! We were up in the mountains, hiking and biking for the week. And now back home catching up with everything.

Good news is that I managed to drill out the one rivet that holds the "shoe" to the bottom of my mast, so I can get started on my tabernacle repair. Was easier to drill out than I had thought, I used as small a bit as possible so as not to enlarge the hole in my mast. All good, but I may just wind up replacing it with a screw instead of rivet. Anyway, I have a tap set (to make a nice screwhole), but don't have a rivet tool. Makes this decision easy :)

Tom
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Re: Rappahannock Rhapsody

Postby GreenLake » Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:08 am

Tom, take your time. A bit of distance won't hurt in this phase of the discussion. Now, about the rivet tool: there are some things for which rivets are just better. The mast shoe is something that can take threads, it's thick enough, but tapping into mast or boom for screws is probably not the best...
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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