No Number has New Number Now -- May 23, 2013 – As of today the No Number C-Lark has a number, 1219, selected from family suggestions. My son thought it would be nice to use Grandma’s birthday. But of course it is still the orphan boat that doesn’t know its birth number. Naturally I screwed up and put the port number higher than the starboard number—maybe I planned it that way to recognize the loss of the original designation—sure that’s it!
While working on the sail I remembered what I had noticed and then forgotten. Whoever ordered this sail had included reef points and a leech line adjustment. I have never seen reef points on a dinghy before--have no idea if it is common. Given these alterations and the retro-fit traveler, and the extra leads for jibs and spinnakers, I think some previous owner must have been into speed. The other interesting thing is the way the main and jib are rolled up (instead of folded) and pushed into an 18-foot long sail bag. Never saw that before either--but it does mean that there are no creases on the fold lines. After we spend a year getting to know the boat, maybe we'll install some kind of a spinnaker launching system and get a real purdy blue and white spinnaker.
OK, the bottom turned out OK, at least from what I can see, but the choice of shots could have affected that. Good job with a tough job.
ReplyDeleteNow the points you made about the reef points and traveler and jib leads: these are really good things that some previous owner, maybe a big boat owner, wanted to have to make this little boat into a proper sailboat. If you are never more than 500 yards from the launching ramp where the trailer is, then you don't need such things, but what of you want to sail a few miles, with a pup tent and sleeping bag stowed inside, and camp out on some island. The reef points might come in handy. And jib leads...never know when you have to go onto a reach. Roll up the sails? Yeah, that shows that someone knew what they were doing. Don't buy new sails and fold them (although I do). So, start from the level that they left you with and go from there. You will be a purist before you know it.
Spinnaker? The most fun I ever had not in bed was with a spinnaker up. Get one, if not now, someday. The first day you have it up in 2o knots of wind...you'll talk about that day for a few years. Trust me.
Oh, the trailer looks gorgeous.
Fred