Two-piece mast?

[jonnycat]

Hi all, I am new to sailing and considering getting a DS1 for learning. The seller describes the mast as a "two piece, non-racing mast." What are the implications of a two piece mast? I know it would be easier to store, but is it less sturdy than a one-piece? What came stock with these boats?

On another issue, I read that these boats are limited to winds under 15kts; if the winds get stronger, is there any mechanism to furling or reefing the sail(s) to allow safe sailing at higher winds?

Finally, I like the cuddy cabin that these boats have. Is this space just for storage, or do people convert them into a habitable area (is it even big enough for that)?

Thanks!

[tomodda]

Hi Jonnycat!

Welcome to the forum. Answering your question in pieces (ha!):

-Two piece mast means that it has a tabernacle. It hinges and comes apart right above the cuddy roof. This makes it a lot easier to raise and lower the mast for trailing, I do it by myself, no problem. Doesn't really change storage size, the part below the cuddy is only 3 feet or so long. This configuration (tabernacle) is very normal, I think originally you could buy the DS either with tabernacle or without. Anyway, very normal, very sturdy, almost all DS's are set up with a tabernacle. Dirty little secret about the DS1 mast (actually most masts) is that it's held up by the stays (wires from mast to the boat). The bottom of the mast, tabernacle or no, is almost there "just" to make sure the mast points in the right direction (up!). Technically speaking, the mast is in compression, so the forces in the bottom of the mast are up and down, not side to side, so tabernacle vs one piece makes no difference. Do make sure you have good stays -ideally the 1/8" stays, they're beefier - watch out for any broken strands (spikes coming out of the stays) and make sure the end fittings look solid. Not a dealbreaker if you're buying a used boat - a complete new set of stays is $200-$250ish, so just price that in.

-As for it being "non-racing", you can race just fine with this mast. The real difference between one-piece vs tabernacle is in how the mast bends. You WANT the mast to bend in the fore-and-aft direction, it helps control the sails. But you can do 95% of the same thing with a good boom vang (look it up on this forum). You'll have years of fun sailing (and maybe one day racing) before you ever have to worry about the other 5% of mast bendability. Or to be more exact, once you get to the point that you feel you need a custom $2000+ sail designed for YOUR mast and YOUR racing style, then maybe you'll also want to spend a grand on a "racing" mast too. If you ever get into racing THAT much, then it's worth it. But in the meantime, go have fun!

-Not limited to under 15kts. The only real limit is you! That being said, yeah a sailboat is easier to control in high winds if you can "shorten" sail - diminish the amount of sail exposed to the wind. But you don't really NEED reefing or furling. How much wind do you have in your parts? Do you regularly get 15+ knots? If not, then just sail on lighter-wind days or times of day. Learn to read the weather, both forecasts and then what you see out on the water.. you'll learn to "see" the wind. Take a buddy along, the extra weight helps hold down the boat. If you have too much wind, you take down the jib (although sailing without a jib is NOT easy either..all part of skills to learn). Learn how to "depower" the sail, including by flattening it (which brings us back to mast bend!). Learning these skills is the fun part of sailing, IMHO. Myself, I sail in up to 20kts, then I start really wishing I had reef points.

However, quick explanation: These boats were originally set up for roller furling - rolling the mainsail around the boom - which is a royal, impractical pain in the a--. You'll know if your boat is set up for furling cuz it will have a claw-like attachment to the boom, holding the mainsheet. In all probability yours doesn't have this, most ppl threw away the furling system (cuz it sucks). Reefing set up is better, you'll know if your boat has it because there will be reef points and maybe even reefing lines on your mainsail (google, look up some images). Anyway, skill is the most important tool, and you get that with experience, so go sailing!

-The cuddy is for storage (and kids and dogs). It's about the size of under your dining room table, 3.5 feet high, 5 feet long, 6ish feet across. Not much. You can sleep in there if you are small and don't mind a sloping floor. Otherwise, you can shimmy under to sit out a rainstorm, as I wrote, it's like sitting under your table. Not comfy, but dry. I keep a cooler, a bucket, an anchor, spare sail, and spare life jackets down there, plus a small roll of indoor/outdoor rug for the "sitting out rainstorms" part. If you want to sleep on the DS, you're better off lying on the side benches and throwing a tarp over the mainsail. But, with some ingenuity, folks have figured out ways to "camp" in the cuddy. SMALLER folks.....

All the best,

Tom

P.S. GreenLake has a great thread going here with tips for beginner sailors, he explains everything - reefing, flattening the sail, etc. Enjoy!

[jonnycat]

Hi Tom, thank you for the info, it is very much appreciated. I have seen some pics with the hinge system, and I did hear back from the seller today with an image that shows just that. My goal is not to race but just to enjoy learning how to sail, so I won't need to be concerned about the mast being a racing mast.

The seller also recommended upgrading the rigging to 1/8" gear; where can this be ordered from?

As for wind, I'm in North Texas (US), and we normally have fairly calm days (with some crazy windy days too), but today for instance was forecast to be 10kt winds, but for a few hours this afternoon it was 15kts with some 26kt gusts! It looks like the boat I am looking at does have one reef point on the sail; my concern is that I will be mostly going out solo, and wanted to make sure that I don't overpower the boat and go too far over sideways (thanks for the tip about stashing the jib). Obviously I have a lot to learn before I get out on the water, but I just wanted to make sure that have ways to deal with unexpected high wind situations.

[tomodda]

You're welcome! 1/8 inch stays from D&R Marine (dnrmarine.com). Contact owner Rudy of any questions, he's great! And read this:

https://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=6280

Don't worry about "sudden wind situations" aka gusts. GreenLake's guide (follow the link) tells you exactly how to handle those. And remember! Sailing is the Art of going Nowhere, as Fast as you can, in the Slowest Boat on the water. So, just have fun...

[GreenLake]

As Tom mentioned, the goto source for any parts that are specific to the Daysailer, such as wire stays, is DR Marine. If unsure about anything you are thinking of ordering, do call them.

That said, the running rigging (lines and blocks) is widely customized by various DS owners, and therefore not that specific to the DS. You can find replacement at any good marine store.

Any sailmaker can add additional reef points for little money. Some will politely demur if the sail is too old - sails are consumables, like brakes or tires on a car, except proportionally more expensive. After you've gained some experience, you'll know when it's time to replace sails (and at that point, have them put 3 reef points in it). As you live in Texas, you may be tempted to attend the Texas 200 event some year, and for that, you'll need all the reef points . Why not plan ahead!

(It's not a race, but also not for absolute beginners, unless teamed up with someone experienced).

Anyway, you have to get the boat first.

[jonnycat]

Thanks Tom, I appreciate it.

Hi Greenlake, thanks for the info on the reef points. I also "discovered" that I can add a boom vang to de-power the sail a little bit should I feel the need to (it's actually a recommended feature in the Oday manual).

And yes, I do still have to get the boat; will have to see if the seller and I can agree on a price (it's got new sails and gel coat, but a dodgy trailer and none of the other accessories (motor, anchor) that I would like to have). If not this one though, one in the future; the DS seems to be the biggest little sailboat out there; any bigger and storage and trailer rigging start to become an issue, and any smaller and it just feels like a rowboat with a sail.

[tomodda]

Jonny:

Bingo, you've hit on exactly why I love the DS - smallest sailboat I could find that I can sit "in" instead of "on." Biggest boat I felt like dealing with. An unfortunate truth about boating (sail or power) is that complexity/aggravation/cost increases by the CUBE of the length. 17' is just right!

Some unsolicited advice: I've been very happy with etrailer.com - good prices/shipping and great customer service (very responsive). Dunno how bad this trailer you're looking at is, but whatever you do, you'll want to repack the hubs (lube 'em). Trailers are not hard or expensive to fix, as long as no welding needed, but you're comfort level may vary. Look at any of the "search all craigslist" search engines to find out what other DS's exist out there, and also for spare parts like anchors (warning ahead on that, give me a sec). You'll see there are a lot of DS's in New England, notsomuch in Texas at the moment. Need to factor in your willingness to drive. It took me 6 months of patientily waiting and scanning craigslist to find a nearby DS here in North Carolina, during those 6 months I saw ads pop up for TX and North LA, so who knows? Right now there's a $400 "project boat", early DS1 up in NH that's SOOOO tempting, even to lazy ol' me.

About that anchor, you CAN get spare parts on Ebay/Craigslist, but once you factor in shipping you may as well buy new. Personally, I like atlanticrigging.com, rwrope.com, fisheriessupply.com for all my rope and rigging needs (you need a "picnic anchor" or a small "danforth" for the DS). For blocks and such, I use racelitehardware.com. For sails, up to you, it varies a lot once you factor in shipping and how much service you are getting (American made vs Hong Kong, Off-the-rack vs any customization). Work with a local sail loft if you can. Anyway, take a look at those site to help you think about pricing, if nothing else.

Motors... aye, there's the rub. Personally I HATE outboards, is why I have an overpriced but very reliable electric motor (electricpaddle.com), we've discussed it on this forum. For a gas outboard, a 2.5hp will do fine, and only you can decide how much money you want to spend. Some folk have been happy with the $400 chinese 2-bangers you can find all over the 'internet (or amazon). A new outboard from a "reputable" company will run you $1000ish. I've always been tempted by the thought of fixing up an old Seagull, which you can get for a song, but I'm just crazy that way. Honestly, a canoe paddle will do, you can even row the DS. It all depends on exactly what you are trying to do, and realize that your needs/desires will change. We're getting way off topic here. BUT... if I were you, don't worry at all about an O.B. right now, get a paddle. Paddle away from/to the dock, and otherwise learn to sail. Go out only on lighter wind days, stay near the dock (1 mile). Where exactly are you sailing? Ray Hubbard? Pick your spot carefully, somewhere that you can't get blown away from the dock further than you feel like paddling back. The misery of paddling will help you better appreciate the joy of sailing! Anyway, bottom line is start small, start easy, work your way up. Good luck!

Best,

Tom

[GreenLake]

Jonny:

Tom and I see eye to eye on motors, but there are situations where I would opt for a different solution. One is if I were doing expedition style sailing with my boat (I've done some, but as crew). Another would be if getting out to a sailing area would require covering some distance coming and going, perhaps taking a windless canal out to a lake for a mile. Or if I was river sailing with constant strong currents. All those might be scenarios where I would go for a different solution than the minimalist electric system (which works well in sheltered waters where I can normally sail everywhere). If you can sail away from the dock/launch, just get a paddle to start you off.

I would decouple motor and trailer from the purchase. Those are items that can be sourced independently. And probably should. I was "lucky" with the trailer that came with my boat - it did need extensive refurbishing but that was within my skill bracket. I helped a friend locate a used trailer, and from that experience conclude that this is a good route to go. The kinds of modifications that you would do to fit another trailer (creating bunks customized to your DS) are similar to what you might do as an upgrade to any trailer that you got with a boat.

Why do you need an anchor? I have one, but found a use for it perhaps 3-4 times and certainly don't pack one "just in case", because in most cases, I can be sure I won't run into any situation where I might suddenly use one. (Expedition style cruising is something else, but you'll need to grow into that and then you'll want all sorts of other gear).

PS: "new sails", if true, would be a reason to get that boat. In my experience replacing a set of sails cost more than replacing a trailer

[tomodda]

Anchor is "nice to have." I also mostly lake-sail, and it's great fun to "throw the hook" and take a swim.

[jonnycat]

Tom and Greenlake: thanks a ton for the comments and advice; I will address both of you at the same time since the topics are overlapping.

I put up some pictures of the boat I am considering here: https://imgur.com/a/3NQRLdH

I shared the images with a metalworking acquaintence, and he said that while he has seen worse, I would still need to give it a good inspection before taking it on the road (which is a 300 mile trip). It is made from C-channel, so I don't need to worry about rust trapped inside of a tube. The trailer will need a new set of tires (I would probably just get two tires on rims to make the journey a little easier). The boat comes complete (the wood was removed because the seller didn't want them sitting in the sun).

Tom, you brought up a good point about finding these; I found previously sold boats on sailingtexas, and found a number of boats in decent shape, with trailers (and usually an old motor), seemed to sell for about $1200 in this area. Of course there are the occasional steals, but that seems to be typical for the market. Like you said, not a lot in this part of the world, but they do increase as you head NE.

Here are some local prices from the past few years I have found for these (listed prices do not necessarily reflect sold prices):

https://sailingtexas.com/201701/soday17174.html
https://www.sailingtexas.com/soday17t.html (sold for $1000)
https://sailingtexas.com/201901/soday17184.html (DS2, really complete package on this one)
https://sailingtexas.com/201901/soday17185.html (DS2)
https://sailingtexas.com/201901/soday17182.html (DS2 w/ newish motor)


Greenlake, you bring up a good point about the new sail, (maybe you can tell the maker of the sale in the images I posted?) and along with Tom, not to consider the trailer as being completely tied to the boat. As for my skillset, while I don't have a mill or a lathe, I can do a certain amount of metalworking (grinding/cutting/drilling/sanding/priming/painting), so my hope would be that the trailer just needs to go down to bare metal and then get painted up. Of course I will have to see what I am working with first...

So, given all of the above, I am thinking that the $1900 the seller is asking is too high, but I would appreciate your input on this. I'm not in a big hurry to acquire a boat, and would be happy finding a better deal in the off season.

As for the motor, that's probably a personal issue with me, but given my lack of experience sailing (and enough experiences in life having to dig myself out of holes), I wouldn't feel comfortable going out without one. I'm not tied to outboard vs. electric, just would like something to push the boat around when it was needed. As for an anchor, I think it would increase my time on the water to be able to relax for an hour or two in the middle of the day, and I like the idea of maybe even spending the night somewhere after putting together an awning (we have West Nile here, so I would need some mesh at a minimum).

Tom, I have a little lake not too far from me that I would go out to learn on (saw a couple of fellows with a Ghost 13 out on the lake yesterday), but once I get my seamanship I would be looking to venture to one of the bigger lakes (preferably one that had some shorline that wasn't littered with houses). Joe Pool Lake caught my eye, as much of it butts up against a State Park, and would provide me with a sense of solitude.

[GreenLake]

I shared the images with a metalworking acquaintance, and he said that while he has seen worse, I would still need to give it a good inspection before taking it on the road (which is a 300 mile trip). It is made from C-channel, so I don't need to worry about rust trapped inside of a tube. The trailer will need a new set of tires (I would probably just get two tires on rims to make the journey a little easier).

Definitely. The C-channel can be cleaned and repainted. Mine wasn't that far gone, but I've done that exercise twice now, and it's really manageable. If planning on bringing rims, be really sure you know the hub size.

The boat comes complete (the wood was removed because the seller didn't want them sitting in the sun).

Tom, you brought up a good point about finding these; I found previously sold boats on sailingtexas, and found a number of boats in decent shape, with trailers (and usually an old motor), seemed to sell for about $1200 in this area. Of course there are the occasional steals, but that seems to be typical for the market. Like you said, not a lot in this part of the world, but they do increase as you head NE.

Make sure this one doesn't get away, then!

I would not worry about fine tuning the pricing all that much. Anything in the $1,500 to $2,000 range is in the ballpark for a "good condition" bare boat + trailer, modulo the exact definition of "good". In this case, the sails look very nice, the trailer less, and the boat appears well kept up. An asking price near the upper end of the range does not seem unreasonable, but I'm not the one buying In the end, it's what he's willing to sell it for and what you are willing to pay. For my boat, I could have paid twice as much as I did and it would make less than $3 difference per time on the water by now.

Greenlake, you bring up a good point about the new sail, (maybe you can tell the maker of the sale in the images I posted?) and along with Tom, not to consider the trailer as being completely tied to the boat. As for my skillset, while I don't have a mill or a lathe, I can do a certain amount of metalworking (grinding/cutting/drilling/sanding/priming/painting), so my hope would be that the trailer just needs to go down to bare metal and then get painted up. Of course I will have to see what I am working with first...

Your skills sound fine - trailers are simple. If the trailer is fundamentally sound, repainting it, changing the hubs and perhaps improving the bunks would be all that's required (and updating the lighting to LED for more trouble-free operation - that's something you'd be doing on almost any trailer you buy, either right away or eventually).

The sail looks nice, you'll appreciate the windows. Can't see a sailmaker's logo on it.

As for the motor, that's probably a personal issue with me, but given my lack of experience sailing (and enough experiences in life having to dig myself out of holes), I wouldn't feel comfortable going out without one. I'm not tied to outboard vs. electric, just would like something to push the boat around when it was needed. As for an anchor, I think it would increase my time on the water to be able to relax for an hour or two in the middle of the day, and I like the idea of maybe even spending the night somewhere after putting together an awning (we have West Nile here, so I would need some mesh at a minimum).

Tom and I would probably argue that this is precisely the wrong reason to get a motor. Go sail on your small lake, in conditions where the wind is manageable (gusts well below 15 knots while a beginner) and have the knowledge that it is up to you and your sailing skills to get you home again act as an inducement to really learn how to handle your boat. Be sure to take a helper (crew) - these boats can be single handed, but why make the learning curve steeper than you have to?

And make your focus to get on the water soonest.

Dreams of all-day outings and overnights can be satisfied once you know you have a feel for the boat -- and the confidence that you can "dig yourself out" by your sailing, and not with a "beam me up" contraption.

The time I use a motor is when the wind has died (esp. to get out of shipping lanes where waiting for wind to return isn't a great option). The DS can be paddled, but over any distance it will feel like a workout, so I tend to use paddles only to help out near the dock. On a small lake, if you don't expect an extended calm (like, for example, not around sunset when the wind dies in many places), you should be fine without a motor. One less thing to manage.

There's also the effect of thinking of a motor as a magic bullet that can lead you to get yourself into situations (e.g. days with iffy forecast or actual conditions) you're not really prepared to handle. I sailed about a dozen times without any motor and then got a trolling motor for an all-day outing across a larger lake where getting becalmed on return was a reasonable probability.

[jonnycat]

Thanks again Greenlake, I really do appreciate it. The seller is going to get back to me after he packs the bearings, so I will know more then. I'll have to figure out how to support the vessel so I can remove the trailer, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

As for sailing, I will be rigging this up and learning as a one-man operation. I have a lot to learn before I get in the water, and a lot to learn once I get in the water; it will be a good journey. Maybe once I figure things out and take my GF out for a spin I can give her a job or two if she wants to be handy.

Thank you for your insight into the pricing, it was not what I wanted to hear, but it is a valid perspective that is worth the consideration. If this one doesn't work out I can still spend the time in ground school (which I would have to do anyway), and be smarter (and hungrier) when the next one comes along.

BTW, as far as electric motors go, what size (thrust) do you use when you use one?

[GreenLake]

As far as electric motors are concerned, Tom and I have come down to about the smallest (in power) that will drive the boat. The Electric Paddle ("EP Carry") is really nicely engineered to squeeze the last little bit of performance out of a battery so small and light you can carry it in the same bag with your sailing clothes and other gear. Before that, I used a 40# trolling motor. That one was twice as heavy, and took two hefty 12V lead acid battery to push the boat not quite as fast but for 80 instead of 60 minutes. Trolling motors are dirt cheap propulsion, but older technology and not well optimized, whether in weight or efficiency. Mine used about 3x as much electrical energy per knot of speed than the EP Carry. There are other electric options that give you more power and or range at different price points. (I think something like a 55# trolling motor is the upper end as far as that design, they can't keep up once the boat gets moving, but the extra power may help with waves, wakes etc.; there are other types, like the Torqeedos or Spirit 1.0 that are more similar to real outboards).

I actually like having a motor that is slower than sailing speed at moderate winds (and above). Because as long as there is wind, I'd rather be sailing. That way, I'll really only use it if the wind has died or is so weak that I would be drifting more than sailing. (Although it can be fun to "ghost" in nearly imperceptible winds - something of a meditative experience).

If there are fellow sailors (of any small boat) on the lake when you go out, try to hook up with them and invite someone to come along initially (and to share whatever they have mastered in the art of sailing). Other than that, think of any friends even inexperienced that might like to come along as "active passengers". Even if you direct them and supply the understanding what has to happen next. Also, teaching somebody something you've just learned is one of the best ways to be sure you actually understand it.

But, first you'll need your boat!

PS: in the meantime, check out the collection of "Basic concepts and techniques" I put together for people just starting out.

[jonnycat]

Thanks Greenlake. I did check out the EP Carry when Tom mentioned it, but that price tag! Was able to find some used trolling motors on the local Craigslist though, which is what I will most likely go with (along with a paddle). I do have your Basic Concepts page bookmarked, lots of good stuff in there!

[tomodda]

HI Jonny!

Nice looking boat, if it's in as good a shape as it looks, then definitely worth the $1900(ish). I'm assuming you have physical access to the boat, you'll want to check for soft spots on the hull, any bubbling (osmosis), horrendous cracks, etc. The trailer is a "freebie", it's just about worthless, so I'd be ecstatic that the owner is repacking the hubs for me (it's an easy, but nasty job). As usual, I'll give you my thoughts in no particular order:

-Most of your questions and concerns have been discussed already on this forum. Unfortunately, the forum search function is not as robust as it could be . No problem, use google. Search for: site:http://forum.daysailer.org +"SEARCH TERM 1" +"SEARCH TERM 2"..... etc. For instance, try that for "asking price" and you'll find a few discussions about what to pay on a boat.

-Speaking of price, in my "life experience," you can usually haggle 5% off a private asking price with no problem, and 10% with some work. More than 10% off is rare. At the end of the day, price negotiations are about EGO - you have a price in mind where you'd feel like a fool if you pay more than that, the seller has a price in mind where they'd feel like a fool if they accept less. You have to set your own ego aside and then gently deflate their ego. It works a lot better if you approach the negotiation as a partnership - "You want to sell a boat without a lot of aggravation, I want to buy a boat without a lot of aggravation, let's work together." I usually just say "I really like this boat/car/thing I don't really need, but the price is a bit of a stretch for me, what's the lowest your willing to go?" And they knock off 5%. If I'm willing to walk away, I counter with 10% off, otherwise I just take it. Of course, the first step is KNOW YOUR BUDGET. Good Luck!

-I think those are Intensity Sails: https://www.intensitysails.com/gesaforda.html Same windows, and they come stock with one row of reef points. If they are in fact new (they'll be stiff/make a crinkly sound), then they're worth $500. So you're buyer is really asking $1400 for the boat, which is reasonable. On most used boats, the sails also are a "freebie" as you'll have to replace them soon enough.

-Make sure the boat and the trailer are titled and licensed! Getting new papers for an old boat and trailer is a major pain in the can. It's doable, but will eat up your time, patience, and faith in humanity.

-Trailer fixup - buy/borrow/steal yourself an angle grinder (and good gloves!) and get a wire brush attachment, clean off the rust, then spray on a few coats of rustoleum. Good as new! Check and/or replace the wiring and lights. Get new rims+tires, and get a spare tire while you're at it (this goes for about $100/wheel with shipping). Done. We've discussed the finer points of trailer repair before, but you just want to make sure the lights light up correctly, there are no obvious weaknesses in the frame, and that the wheels turn without "catching" or making any horrendous noises. Oh, and if the trailer has leaf springs, they shouldn't be broken/look like they're about to break.

-Trailer bunkers are a whole other story. From what I can see in the photos, those are terrible - they concentrate stresses on single points. You want long, wide boards going fore and aft, covered with some indoor/outdoor carpet. We can discuss in more detail some other time, but when you are checking out the boat, make sure to inspect the hull closely around the contact points between boat and trailer. Are there any cracks? do they look deep? How badly does the hull flex? It's all repairable (even cracks that go deep), but it's a negotiating point for price.

-EP Carry - yeah, they're expensive, mine was twice what I paid for the boat itself. Worth it for ME because of the convenience. As GreenLake points out, trolling motor is fine, paddle is fine, used outboard is fine. Look at https://www.searchallcraigslist.org/. It's all about tradeoffs, and again, we've discussed it quite a bit on this forum. Whatever you do, you can always upgrade later. Don't overthink it, you're buying a sailboat, not a motorboat.

-Learning to sail - the essential skill is knowing from which direction the wind is coming, the trimming (setting) your sails accordingly. When I was learning, I used to "sail" myself as I was walking - I'd pay attention to the wind, then imagine how I'd be setting my sails. If there was no-one around, I'd even "tack" upwind! Sailing is 90% mental (and you have to be crazy). Bottom line, just get out there and sail.

-That being said, on the DS an extra person really DOES help. If nothing else, as added weight to make the boat more manageable. Anyone who will listen when you say "please sit there,now please move over there" is perfect. Basically, you want them to sit on either side of the thwart (plank going across the middle), facing inwards towards the centerline. Have them sit on teh upwind (high) side and move over to the other side when you tack. That's it!

-Again, search this forum for more solo sailing tips. Holding both sheets in hand (or at least them main) and not cleating them down is crucial. That allows you to "ease-hike-trim" as Gl explains in his guide.

Man, I love that yellow hull!

Best,

Tom