cox's bay skimmer

[Guest]

Some recent information on the Cox's Bay Skimmer. The unstayed wing masts were fine until I sailed into some 20 knot wind against tide seas - and the forward cantilevered section popped its carbon and bent the section just below the spanner. So the cantilevered sections were cut off, the deck entry holes filled in and reinforced and new, conventional ball and socket bearings attached ... and conventional rigging attached to new hounds fittings. The after (main) mast has four stays - so the forward boom can operate. The water ballast venturi was another mistake because it always leaked; that has been sealed shut and faired into the hull bottom.

The boat carries a lot of sail and if its blowing 18-20, two reefs have to be put into both sails. Offwind, setup like this, the boat is a planing fool, tremendous fun with a bow wave over your shoulders. Upwind (because of the wingmasts) the boat points far higher than I originally thought possible for a double rig. It is interesting to watch the differing angles in the masthead wind indicators; forward one much higher than the main.

The dreadnought bow tends to pound beating into decent waves but probably no more than other wide, flat monohulls. Jim Young says you have to live with this. I've been spoiled on skinny multihulls.

In light airs the performance is also very good, especially sitting to leeward and heeling the boat. Here are a couple of recent shots in drifting conditions.

[w44vi 17]

must be a lot of fun on a tight reach

[Guest]

pretty impresive bit of kit though have to admit first glance and I was thinking of that guy yossarian from hellers book "catch 22".............."I see everthing twice"

[Guest]

I love it.

[Guest]

That DOES look like a whole lotta fun

[Guest]

Looks like a ton of fun. Where Can I get more info on the Cox Bay Skimmer? And plans?

 

Ciao

 

Smilicus

 

http://sailingcatch22.blodspot.com

[Guest]

How do you manage sail shape with the (apparently) massively stiff mast sections?

Been thinking about wing masts but got stuck on this point.

[Guest]

There's a whole lot of stuff on the skimmer here at crew.org - check out the archives of a couple of years ago.

The wing mast sails are cut very flat because you get sail fullness by rotating the mast; offwind you can crank them round to near 90 degrees, also with wide overall beam, you can run the travellers well out on the semi circular tracks - and if the wind is moderate to fresh, you can run very fast and deep. Upwind, you set the wings so there is a sweet curve from mast to sail, that is looking up the rigs from leeward - and if you're overpowered, you can flatten mast rotation; if you don't want to reef.