[Where do I get kevlar tow?]

I can find carbon tow but not kevlar tow. Anyone know where to get it?

[gennaker retrevial chute diameter]

Thanks heaps for the offer. I have a couple of things to work through to check how much work everything is going to be and what is actually going to work at all.

 

So the gennaker seems pretty hard to pull through the existing chute so a new chute seems in order. With that in mind I figure I might as well do all the bits I want to do but figure I should at least check with someone with some experience in these things first.

 

One thing to keep in mind with all of this is my wife, while enjoying sailing the Jav with me, hates any faffing involved with setting up beforehand. On top of this I'm keen to be able to sail with the kids without the prod on ideally as we'll typically be looking for small steep beaches, estuaries, islands and the like to sail to to camp or explore so don't want the boat to be that long. Happy to be told not to worry about it of course. This means removing and installing the prod needs to be super easy and quick. Your description of rigging the stayed prod gives me hope that we could go with this option but before I do the diagram below shows what I was originally hoping to do.

 

 

The idea is that I can just slide the prod into the receival tube and then attach the bob-stay which wouldn't need to be super tight as it is just there to take a bit of load when the prod bends up.

 

I realise that this layout means extra weight but it does give me the flexibility to do a retractable one later on in say 5-7 years time if the kids are wanting to get a bit more adventurous. It would also be super simple and quick to rig.

 

I am a bit worried that the bow stem and the front of the hull won't be up to handling the loads even with liberal application of some carbon fibre scraps a mate has offered me for the job. I'm not sure about the off-set retrieval chute either but it seems to be needed otherwise the point where the prod exits the bow stem is too low and will scoop water into the cockpit with every wave.

 

I have all the materials for the above set-up as a result of Killwell having a cosmetic second 49er mast.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[gennaker retrevial chute diameter]

I suspect even for me freighting would be easier than suggesting to my wife she was wrong about something and I know nothing about freighting anything. One of those universal things I imagine.

 

I put a stayed prod on my last Jav and used Dynex Dux but found that the creep was too much and we were forever having to retension it.

 

I'll take your advice and if the gennaker drags through the shute OK I'll do a fixed prod with stainless stays this time. One thing I struggled with last time was find a way of getting clearance between the hull and the tang to fit a shackle. Did you guys use one of these instead http://www.ronstan.com/marine/product.asp?ProdNo=RF43A

 

If the gennaker doesn't drag through shute easily I'll have to make a new one so might as well go the whole hog. The idea is to have a receival tube running from the stem to the bulkhead with a stop in the tube at the bulkhead end. The prod will then just slide in and a bob stay be shackled to the bottom of the stem. I have all of the carbon tube to do this courtesy of Killwell. To do this I need to move the shute out to the side as I need the centreline for the prod. If I try to position the prod under the existing shute it exits the bow stem too low and will be under the water every time we go through a wave.

[gennaker retrevial chute diameter]

Thanks heaps for the offer but the Auckland to Nelson transport thing is a problem unfortunately.

 

The current shute tapers from 140mm diameter at the bulkhead to 170mm near the bow before widening out when it rises up to the foredeck. I haven't tried to drag the gennaker through it yet but figure its a fair bit too small. If I have to make a new one I was just going to make the mold out of cardboard and foam as I'll only have to use it once.

 

The other issue I have come up against is that if I want to put a prod through the front tank (bow stem to bulkhead) where it will exit the stem is really low and likely to be under water when sailing in any swell or chop. This is to avoid the current shute so maybe making a new one offset would be the way to go.

 

A stayed prod is looking like the simplest option at this point. I hate the tensioning issues with the side stays so was hoping to avoid it if possible.

[gennaker retrevial chute diameter]

There seems to be more Javelin sailors here than on the Javelin site so here goes.

 

What diameter should a gennaker retrevial chute be for a Javelin gennaker with two retrevial patches?

 

To go with that question, has anyone used bags instead and are there any plus sides?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[It lives and thanks]

Yes, the term "character building" did come to mind more than once.

 

I just had a mate check in on me tonight to make sure I wasn't curled up in the corner crying.

 

I've had a better look at it and I think I'm going to have to strip all the paint (nice fresh new paint) off the side decks and tanks and sheath the whole lot in 100gm fibreglass.

 

Fun times.

[It lives and thanks]

Sooooo, the whole lot got blown over in the storm we had last Wednesday. It looks like the wind got under the hull and lifted the whole lot up before dumping it back on the concrete. Lots of stress cracks all over the show. The front aluminium frame has punched through the side decks. The hull has a small split at the front of the centreboard case.

 

So back in the garage it goes for the winter.

 

I'm a bit gutted as you'd imagine.

[It lives and thanks]

We went sailing on Sunday afternoon.

 

The wee boy thought it was great which was the main thing I was after.

 

A bit much lee helm at this stage so will try and move the rig back in the boat.

 

The furler was the star of the show. Made it super easy to depower the whole thing.

 

The centreboard split a little though so back to the garage I think.

 

Anyone know where to get cheap laminated pine shelving for a core?

[It lives and thanks]

As it turns out I have three proper Javelin mainsails for it. My 6 year old is pretty keen to get out sailing so with the Junior Cherub main and furling jib I get to combine sailing with hanging out with him. Best of both worlds. I figure by the middle of next summer he might be up to trapezing with this main.

 

Of course I'll put one of the big mains on for sailing with other adults.

 

For now the boat is for going places like the lighthouse, camping at Oyster Island, Rabbit Island and the like. The sailing for sailing sake will come later I'm sure.

 

I'm more interested in trying to get an old shorter footed main that I can furl as I think in anything over 10 knots it might get a bit interesting.

[It lives and thanks]

Sunday is launch date. That's when I find out how poorly balanced it all is and where I need to put reinforcements.

 

There is plenty I would like to have spent more time on but I had to stop somewhere if I want to sail this summer.

 

So winter is going to be busy with a prod, reinforcing the cockpit so I can be a bit more confident about removing the traveler bar etc.

[It lives and thanks]

I finally have my new Javelin (new to me that is) ready to go in the water.

 

Thanks to everyone who helped with advice over the last few months.

 

[Swage hook/t-hook fitting - Do I need the backing plate]

Bugger. Thanks for the info. Saved me from my own stupidity.

[Swage hook/t-hook fitting - Do I need the backing plate]

Is it necessary to have the backing plate for trapeze lines?

 

I found a reference to the 505 guys not bothering.

 

I have a small hole already in the right place where the old line used to feed through and connect to a through bolt higher up the mast. I happen to have a couple of old short sections of wire with a hook swaged on the end so figured I could make the hole a little larger and hook directly into them. I would use dyneema for the rest of the length.

[Dinghy furler (DIY or Buy)]

Hi Drbob,

Thanks for the offer. I was given one very similar over the weekend so looks like Howdie is in. The standard currancy amongst sailors does seem to be rum it seems.

Cheers,

Chris

[rivet gun advice needed]

So I just broke my third rivet gun in five years. This time I was just putting the normal Burnsco monel rivets in the mast and just like before the jaws broke.

 

The latest gun was a $60 Stanley one so I thought it would do the trick. The last one was a concertina style one.

 

Can anyone direct me to a decent one that won't break the bank?

[Dinghy furler (DIY or Buy)]

Hi Dr Bob,

 

Sorry for not getting back earlier.

 

I'm figuring it might be a bit big for a Javelin if it was almost big enough for a R930? Any idea what it weighs and roughly how big is it?

 

Also, how much would you be after for it if it would work?

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[Dinghy furler (DIY or Buy)]

So I'm setting up the Javelin to be easy to sail with the kids (3 and 6) while still being able to go for a blat with the full sails.

 

One of the things stressing me out is our oldest is not going to be strong enough or have the know-how to tack the jib for me or uncleat it when we come back to the slip. I have tried to find a jib with a shorter foot but had no luck. This has led me to consider a furler of some sort.

 

The problem is the cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So my idea is to make one of these http://navigatorjoel.blogspot.co.nz/2010/12/how-to-build-roller-furler-for-under-40.html

 

I figure I'll need one of these swivels https://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/item/315/barton-single-line-furling-gear to hoist every time we go sailing.

 

Is it that simple? What stops the top swivel from binding twisting the wire forestay halyard instead?

[How to tell if amine blush is gone]

Awesome. Thanks.

 

Time to get intimately familiar with sandpaper.

[How to tell if amine blush is gone]

How do I tell when it is gone? I have washed the surface with a rag and soapy hot water then a scotchbrite with soapy hot water then rinsed with clean hot water. Each time I used enough water that it was pouring everywhere.

 

Before I washed it my finger would slide over the surface without making any noise, now it makes a squeeking sound like it is on a window.

 

Does this sound clean enough?

[Fitting for trapeze to mast]

Thanks. Looks like I'll just take the kids sailing for a month or two with a sunburst sail on it then sort the trapeze later in the summer. I figure I'll be able to afford to sort something then.

[Fitting for trapeze to mast]

No, the trapeze lines are above the stays as it allows us to trapeze forward and behind the side stays to trim the boat in all conditions.

 

Was more thinking of this http://www.ronstan.com/marine/product.asp?ProdNo=RF348

 

Part of the problem with it is how huge it is. The $30 per side is a bit much for the bank balance at this time of year unfortunately.

 

The other option I thought of was to get some stainless plate and get it bent a few degrees and drilled.

[Fitting for trapeze to mast]

I need to attach trapeze new trapeze lines to my javelin mast. They used to be threaded through a small hole in the mast and looped round the same through bolt as the side stays. I'm keen to move to dyneema so don't want to feed it through the mast as I figure it will wear in the hole in the side of the mast. At the same time I don't want to drill any more holes in the mast so was wanting to do something like in the diagram I have attached.

 

The trouble has been finding a tang or something similar that has a 10mm hole for mounting to the mast. I know Ronstan do a really bulky one at about $30 a piece but I am hoping to spend a whole lot less than that.

 

Any idea where I could find something like this?

 

Alternatively, if I smooth out the holes through the mast will the dyneema wear OK.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Recomendations for rigger in Nelson]

I need new stays and Trapeze lines on my Javelin mast. Can anyone recommend one of the rigging places in Nelson to me before I head to the wrong one?

 

Yes I know I should do it myself but I don't have access to a swaging tool.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Structural mods to dinghy]

So test number one took place last night. With the hull on the beach trolley I hung off one side (120kg) and a 70kg body bounced up and down on the other side. Without the traveller bar in the width of the boat changed by around halfa milimetre. To measure it I laid a aluminium box section accross the decks and taped one side down. When we leant on the boat, one side of the bar stayed attached and the other moved to show the deflection. I marked up mm measurements on the side that moved and then videoed the movement.

 

The question now is whether the beach trolley provides more support than the water that will be under the hull. The beach trolley supports the hull out to around 200mm short of the chine.

 

I think given the result that the side tanks can be considered to be pretty stiff and strong so I'm going to sail it for a while without the traveller bar. If any cracks open up I'll look at solutions then.

[Structural mods to dinghy]

Thanks for the drawing ScottiE. The side stays attach about 100mm back from the forward alloy frame so I'm pretty confident the compression loads of the rig are handled OK.

 

I have just finished sanding the side decks and haven't found any fibreglass or carbon tape although it it all holding together well with the traveller in. The budget won't stretch to carbon tape of any sort unfortunately. Do you think some 400gm fibreglass double bias would be worth a try?

 

Alternatively I have some spare carbon tube so could put two lengths from the side deck down to the middle of the cockpit. This way there would be a couple of large rigid triangles stopping the side tanks from sagging outwards.