hello
as i set to work with winter maintanence - i just wondered can anyone summarise how to best empty a crusader when it is heavily water logged . some of the old threads i dont seem able to read. i know u bear off on a reach - but any other advise ? it seems very tricky
also - any tips for where to buy dingy paint? Rascal is a lovelly light blue and trying to colour match it
i do worry taking racal to far out of sight of shore when at sea - due to issue with gettting back sailing again after capsize - mostly stick to roadford reservior (devon)
thanks for any help
James
Sit well back bare off onto a broad reach and keep the boat flat. When you get it right the water will go in seconds but it takes a bit of practice, I've had tons!
James - agree with Angus as a fellow "scooper" and regularly seen with less rather than more freeboard. Reality is that the boat is pretty stable when full and once heading in the right direction most of it empties pretty quickly.
Neal.
James,
Getting the boat up you will have pulled centerboard right down, once upright with all the sails flapping and chaos going on its easy to forget to pull it up before you try and sail off - the boat won't want to bare away with the centerboard right down. As you do bear away and pick up speed move right back, the crew too but not too soon.
International marine paints from any of the big chandlers, I have had success with paint from the DIY shops but make sure you buy oil-based not water based paint.
Dave
As an ex-N12 sailor I use International Toplac "Squall Blue" on the tender to my retirement yot. Look up details, colour charts, stockists at www.yachtpaint.com . About 1980 I used to use Crown Plus Two on my wooden N12. It gave a better finish than I managed with the yacht paints of that era but tended to build up too thick after 3-4 years and if it did lift, whole sheets used to peel off. Better keep to marine paints even if much more expensive, if International is too much the Hempel range may be slightly cheaper. If no stockists near you, I have had good mail-order service from www.force4.co.uk.
I would be inclined to start with weight right back, the transom will be underwater but that doesn't matter, much worse is to be too far forward. Once the bow dips with a couple of tons of water rushing forward there is only one possible out come and its not a good one. My crew and I once ended up standing waste deep in water, it seemed to take an age for the boat to bob back up. Admitedly that was in a Freak out which was a bit more inclined (no pun intended) to nose dive.
Check database N3331 Sunderland open meeting we've got quite good at it in our crusader. We tend to back the jib to help it bear away half ish plate sit well back but most importantly explain to the crew what's going get the jib pullingand tell them where you want them to be ie behind the thwart and keep it level. Tom enjoys it now.