First year in a DaySailer

[Baysailer]

Its 1 January and the temp outside is about 1degree. While the daysailer is in the garage for the winter it is a good time to reflect on my freshman year with the daysailer. While looking for a replacement centerboard dinghy I had a few things I was looking for a reasonably simple rigging that was easy to own, easy to rig, easy to trailer, a valid class association (even if not local), decent for solo sailing (most of what I do), stable (sail mostly on ontario bays) and handle a mooring well. Of course I have to like the looks of it too. My short list included Albacore, Daysailer, Flying Scot, Interlake, Rebel, and Wayfarer. I originally went to check out the daysailer for someone else but ended up buying it myself instead.

I sailed it about 30 times or so, some trailering to other bays and the seaway and some time on the mooring. I don't have a cover so I tried to keep that more fairweather. I was towed once to get out of the harbor, my first time out actually. Centerboard down some and holding the tiller it was towed fine.

All trailer sails start and end with the setup and teardown. Even though I have the long stick (keel mount mast) and still have the uppers I didn't think it was hard or dangerous to setup alone. The hardest part is feeling around for the mast jack post. My daysailer is pretty simply set up right now so the outhaul and downhaul are set it and forget it controls. The vang isn't far behind being the original 2:1 and the jib is routed through a hole in the coaming. I figure all these can and will changed next year I really wanted to see what worked and what didn't before I started changes. The biggest change for next year will be a new set of sails. While sailing I did take on some water through the centerboard hole but didn't seem to while on the mooring. When it got to the floorboards I'd remove a front floor panel and hand bail.

Overall the boat sailed quite well and was confortable but I may replace the coamings next year so they don't sit up so high. Even with the old sail I was OK with the sail shape I was getting from the main. The jibs another story I never saw a good flow form on that especially the foot. I'll try different locations and setups next year. The centerboard obviously needs to be looked at as well. Not the shape although that may be bad too but I couldn't get it to stay in position. Seemed OK when all the way down but couldn't hold the raised positions well. Because of the original sails most of the sailing was in light and medium winds but I did take it out a few times in heavier winds when they came from the north or south so the water was flatter in my bay. I tried sailing on the main alone but never got a balanced feel even when I held the board handle with my toe. I did get good balance by sailing on the jib and letting the main run more open.

So far I'm pretty impressed with the daysailer, it fit my requirements and sails as well as I expected. It wouldn't have lasted 50 years in production if it wasn't a good boat.

Fred B DS#1351

[Roger]

It sounds like one of the pawls is worn or out of place, which is not uncommon. send me an e-mail at roger02 att mts dott net asking for the pawl pic and I'll send it to you.