Re: Port Townsend Nymph
Yes, I've considered exactly such a ballast bulb, but after another ten hours of sailing her over the past week, I think I'll leave her alone for now. I might add the bulb for a longer passage up on the Salish Sea. The agility is mostly needed for keeping clear of all the lines in tight spaces rather than stability. My son is particularly enamored with her, and he is a better sailor than I. We had her out in conditions from glassy with just an occasional puff to 16 kts, and she did well on all points of sail, in all those conditions. He sailed her away from shore standing up, sailed her for 20 minutes with the tiller lashed, and dead downwind wing and wing with the daggerboard up. That's the least stable configuration.
That little heavily rockered hull particularly loves to sail in chop.
The next modification will be to get flotation down below the waterline everywhere but in the footwell. She did OK in the full capsize drills and can float upright with crew aboard and the gunnels almost awash, but after a full capsize she would have to be sailed to the nearest shore for bailout. I was very pleased to be able to climb back aboard from deep water after a full capsize. Just a bit more flotation down low will give her the ability to recover at sea with a bailer close to hand.
Incidently, all the capsizes had to be induced. Neither of us have ever spilled her unintentionally.
Best Regards,
Rick
That little heavily rockered hull particularly loves to sail in chop.
The next modification will be to get flotation down below the waterline everywhere but in the footwell. She did OK in the full capsize drills and can float upright with crew aboard and the gunnels almost awash, but after a full capsize she would have to be sailed to the nearest shore for bailout. I was very pleased to be able to climb back aboard from deep water after a full capsize. Just a bit more flotation down low will give her the ability to recover at sea with a bailer close to hand.
Incidently, all the capsizes had to be induced. Neither of us have ever spilled her unintentionally.
Best Regards,
Rick
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "c.ruzer" <c.ruzer@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "KK7B" <kk7b@> wrote:
> > This has been an interesting exercise, and she may have been the most photographed boat last year at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat
> > Festival. Very nice lines.
>
> Having seen the pics I can believe how much she is photographed. Very nice fit-out, finish and lines indeed!
>
> > She is small enough to require considerable agility from the driver, and has never been a beginner sailboat. The goal for the latest modifications is to allow her to slog away from a knockdown with gunnels above the water, bailing as it becomes possible after
> > sailing her out of trouble.
>
> Rick, have you considered something like a ballast bulb in two detacheable parts clamped onto the tip of the daggerboard? A bit of weight there may at times reduce the degree of agility required, the rate and degree of heel too, but reduce little else. At 185cm, over 6ft, and having sailed 8ft Sabots (fore 'n aft bouyancy tanks, daggerboard, centre sheeting from midships thwart - ie a tight space!) I can understand the agility requirement.
>
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "KK7B" <kk7b@...> wrote:
> This has been an interesting exercise, and she may have been the most photographed boat last year at the Port Townsend Wooden BoatHaving seen the pics I can believe how much she is photographed. Very nice fit-out, finish and lines indeed!
> Festival. Very nice lines.
> She is small enough to require considerable agility from the driver, and has never been a beginner sailboat. The goal for the latest modifications is to allow her to slog away from a knockdown with gunnels above the water, bailing as it becomes possible afterRick, have you considered something like a ballast bulb in two detacheable parts clamped onto the tip of the daggerboard? A bit of weight there may at times reduce the degree of agility required, the rate and degree of heel too, but reduce little else. At 185cm, over 6ft, and having sailed 8ft Sabots (fore 'n aft bouyancy tanks, daggerboard, centre sheeting from midships thwart - ie a tight space!) I can understand the agility requirement.
> sailing her out of trouble.
Hi All,
Preparing for sea trials on the latest revisions to the gaff rigged Bolger Nymph. I posted two more photos to the Rick's Nymph page showing the modified transom and stern counter. Positive flotation is now around 300 lbs, and she still sails like a pleasant little dream.
She is now rigged for limited passages. Between now and the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival in September, I'll do some capsize recovery testing, and some more high wind sailing in the Columbia Gorge. Check out the description of the boat "Wee Rose" on the Festival website for a high resolution shot, sitting on the hard in my back yard.
She is small enough to require considerable agility from the driver, and has never been a beginner sailboat. The goal for the latest modifications is to allow her to slog away from a knockdown with gunnels above the water, bailing as it becomes possible after sailing her out of trouble.
This has been an interesting exercise, and she may have been the most photographed boat last year at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Very nice lines.
Best Regards,
Rick
Preparing for sea trials on the latest revisions to the gaff rigged Bolger Nymph. I posted two more photos to the Rick's Nymph page showing the modified transom and stern counter. Positive flotation is now around 300 lbs, and she still sails like a pleasant little dream.
She is now rigged for limited passages. Between now and the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival in September, I'll do some capsize recovery testing, and some more high wind sailing in the Columbia Gorge. Check out the description of the boat "Wee Rose" on the Festival website for a high resolution shot, sitting on the hard in my back yard.
She is small enough to require considerable agility from the driver, and has never been a beginner sailboat. The goal for the latest modifications is to allow her to slog away from a knockdown with gunnels above the water, bailing as it becomes possible after sailing her out of trouble.
This has been an interesting exercise, and she may have been the most photographed boat last year at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Very nice lines.
Best Regards,
Rick