Cape Cutter 19 Association Forum

Hi folk,
I had my second sail yesterday after launching Tiptoe, this time in maybe 18 to 20 knts of wind with a steep little sea. My mainsail has just two reefs - so both fairly deep reefs and the fist reef and staysail is what we went for. Still a little bit ovecanvassed, but the boat sails remarkably dry and crack the sheets and she takes off.
Three main thoughts came to mind that I wanted to put to you experianced CC19 sailors:

1: Do you find that you can comfortably get enough tension on the down/outhaul reefing line on the mainsail leech cringle without any snubbing winch or tackle? I had a little bit of bagging in my reefed main and thought that everything needed to be tightened up a wee bit to flatten it for the conditions.

2: I felt I could have done with the inner forestay for the staysail being e little tighter than it was. Do you find that you need to tighten the inner forestay each time you rig and then loosen it off again to free it from the stemhead fitting when de-rigging? I am using hanks presently but already have seen the desirability of a second furler.

3: I have been somewhat disconcerted by the amount of water that flows into the cockpit via the engine well when motoring or sailing to windward in a choppy little sea. I built the little wooden cofferdam around the well open at the aft ends to allow for self-draing of the cockpit, though I have a feeling that the production boats might not do that. I wondered whether this was usual and wet feet in the cockpit in those conditions was the norm?

Thanks for any comments. These first few shake-down sails are all abouth getting things tweaked and tuned.

Cheers,
Ian

Hi Ian

Regarding point 3, my boat Zephyr has a 'hand crafted foam plug' which fits into the well and surrounds the motor shaft. It's retained by a 6" diameter perspex washer and a threaded eye bolt which is riveted(?) through the hull. I would say that this would do a reasonable job of preventing large quantities of water ingress. I have no idea if this came from South Africa with her when new or if added later.

When I collect Zephyr from Honnor Marine I'll happily take some pics for you.

Rgds
Russell

hanks for the reply, Russell. Thank you, the photographs would be very welcome as I want to do something to remedy the outboard well ingress and that sounds like a good suggestion.
Cheers,
Ian:)

Hi Ian

Re 1.

I would slacken my main halyard further to allow comfortable reefing and then readjust the halyard tension. You could also mark your halyard for your preferred adjustment points.

I will admit to having Harken track on my boom for both my mainsail clew outhaul and reefing system. I have added a futher Spinlock clutch to allow for the cleating of my reefing lines. Definitely makes for ease of operation and adjustment.

I digress but I have seen so many mainsail clew outhauls tied up and unajustable. The Cutter mainsail is beautiful and reacts well to both gaff halyard and clew outhaul adjustment. Why tie up a loose footed sail?

Regards
David
Tokoloshe111

Thanks David. Regarding the outhaul, I went according to the plan in the interest of finishing the build and getting on the water, but in view of what you and others have said, I'll certainly be making that mainsail clew adjustable.
I'm still wondering how much of a problem other CC19 owners have found with water ingress into the cockpit via the engine well when sailing or motoring to weather in a steepish chop and stout breeze and how they might have remedied this. Cold and wet feet in winter don't appeal! I think the after end of the motor well acts as a scoop so maybe some sort of filling or covering in this region might help?
Cheers,
Ian

Hello Ian

I have had no problem with water inn the cockpit. I have a grating on the cockpit floor
which might help but I'm quite hyper about things like that.

Is Tiptoe correctly trimmed?


Regards
"Virgo" Hudson

Yes, David, she floats very nicely on her lines. Dudley thought it might have been because Nick had lowered the cockpit to gain more backrest comfort on the coaming. But that would have been at the plug stage, so should have affected all the boats similarly. I posted on the Cape Henry 21 site and one of the blokes who has been sailing his boat for awhile now reports the same problem of wet feet in rougher conditions to windward. Off the wind there is no problem and since I have only sailed and motored the boat twice now, but both with short chop and a good breeze, I can't truly judge what it might be like in flat conditions. I am wondering whether the GRP boats have a somewhat different structure to the outboard well perhaps?
Cheers,
Ian

About
3: I have been somewhat disconcerted by the amount of water that flows into the cockpit via the engine well when motoring or sailing to windward in a choppy little sea. I built the little wooden cofferdam around the well open at the aft ends to allow for self-draing of the cockpit, though I have a feeling that the production boats might not do that. I wondered whether this was usual and wet feet in the cockpit in those conditions was the norm?

On my CC19 I do have water in the cockpit while sailing windward with an heel angle of 20 to 30 degs. I do not have water in the cockpit while motoring.
So I think it's an usual phenomena for this design. Installing some kind of “plug” around the engine is not a solution because in some situations you are happier with water leaving the cockpit instead of staying inside.
Normally I will keep my feet dry because I have a grating installed. (And I am always wearing my crocs )

Bert
Zimp #04

Good afternoon everyone

Going upwind in a breeze I hike out level with my bilge pump housing and sail as flat as possible with a max heal of 15 to 20 degrees. I haven't noticed quantities of water as described. By the way, I sheet my genoa inboard of my shrouds. The tension I exert on my genoa halyard lifts the clew and I get a super slot with the mainsail.

Moving to Ian's question number 2. Having beefed up the bobstay to hold my bowsprit in place, I take up the tension on my genoa halyard using a winch. All cordage is dyneema. I then balance the tension on my staysail with that of my genoa. Both halyards are held by clutches. I work on the basis that the sailmaker will not have built in allowance for leeward fall off of the luff.

Again digressing: I have noted deflection on my bowsprit when powering upwind under genoa. Next season I am going to introduce shroud tensioners on the port and starboard strops in an attempt to solve the problem. If you hear of a Cutter sailor speared by his bowsprit, you know who in is!

325 mm's of snow and counting.

Regards
David

Hello all

I have been following this thread, so I thought I might as well stick my oar in as well.

Ian, how many bodies did you have in the cockpit, when you had all of this water sloshing around?

I only notice water around my ankles when I have three+ in the cockpit, and then only when the heel is in excess of 10°. Sailing solo,I can get some water in when heel is 15°+ but my teak grating copes with that, and my feet stay dry.

Motoring is not a problem, cockpit usually stays dry.

David, it is good to hear someone using the correct names for the various supports for the bowsprit, ie bobstay from end of bowsprit to stem (near the waterline), and I think bowsprit shrouds for the port and starboard supports.

350mm of snow here as well, thank goodness for 4x4s.


Cheers

Dennis

CC19 #100 Mary Ann