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Hi, I can offer a P'n'B jib (2002 vintage so made for previous rule)  in reasonably crisp nick.  Unfortunately the matching mainsail came apart right along one seam last year, so not really worth messing with!  Dave

Hi Dave,
I'm sure there will be more and much better informed advice on here, but I'd be a bit wary of adding a load more buoyancy in the bottom of the boat in case it makes the boat more prone to a quick inversion and more difficult to right from a capsize.
I'm another newb in N12s (but a lifelong capsize addict  ) and it certainly is tough to get the boat drained out if there isn't enough wind!  Given a good planing breeze, though, it squirts out of the back in seconds, so I suggest you just have to restrict your capsizing to windier days!   Sailing two up may help - I've only single-handed my boat (final chapter) a couple of times - it's fun and fast, but there's a real lot for one person to do.  Before I bought the boat I was a bit trepidatious - who would I sail with? - but my experience is that if you ask around there are actually plenty of people weird enough to enjoy sailing an N12!
Dave Cooper

Well, I'm now the very surprised custodian of N1509!   The reason I'm surprised is that the last owner told me that she'd been sitting in his back garden under a tarp for 15 years, and I concluded that I'd be looking at a very sad bonfire awaiting a source of ignition.  I mean, 15 years?  What plywood boat is going to survive that long?   Well, the answer to that is a Proctor Mk4A built by  Chippendale, apparently.  The varnish is a bit distressed in places, the coat of white gloss (mistake!) on the inside is only hanging on by force of habit, but the woodwork is pretty darned sound.  The wooden mast and boom are good to go (diamond wires!, galvanised halyards!) and the original sails are certainly good enough to take for a drive.   Attached pics show the boat under the tarp, and as revealed!

This boat was re-named 'Gonzales' in 1990-something, apparently after the cartoon mouse 'Speedy Gonzales'.  I'm not wedded to Tam'O'Shanter, so I guess it stays as Gonzales. 

Ents are ok: not many thrills, but not many spills.  Obviously nothing like as much raw fun as an N12!  The real difference is that Ents (and most dinghy classes) have been designed to appeal to a broad range of sailors and abilities and Nationals have been designed to win the Burton Cup.  Not too surprising there are more Enterprises!   Dave

Messy!   Yup, in about 1970-something I crewed on a quarter-tonner that had shrouds that worked like that:  there were soft eyes in the shrouds and that thing that looks like a giant rivet in your pic goes through the eyes.  The giant rivet thingy must come out:  your pic isn't very clear but it looks as if it has internal splines.  I suspect it is in two halves threaded together and you can unscrew it using either allan keys or torx drivers.  But I may be totally wrong about all that, of course!
Dave

PS the quarter tonner's mast was made by Kemp (dunno what became of them!).  I remember it had another weird feature: on either side of the mast there was a textured strip (ran all the way from the gooseneck to the top) which was supposed to be a turbulence-generator which (the skipper said confidently) improved laminar flow across the mainsail.  I've never seen that anywhere else, either!

Yup, I just bought some HDs as well.  A bit of a distress purchase because 3405's 2002-vintage P'n'Bs are falling apart (can't claim that we haven't had our money's worth!).  At that rate I'll need another set in 2034.   Dave Cooper

DIY version of a tactic.   This is the proof of concept version, not the seagoing version (you might guess!).  Cost of bits so far, about £25, so should save a few bob on a commercial one!
Dave

Would it have lowers AND a mast ram?  I thought they did pretty well the same thing.  Dave
PS Looks like a super boat!  I bet it'll be a ton of fun to sail!

Mmmm, good tip on the halyard adjust.  Definitely one to bear in mind, that. 
As regards the mast inverting, whenever I see it on 3405 it always means we've dumped the shrouds and I've forgotten that the mast ram's still pulled.     There's just so much string!   We haven't wrecked our ancient ally mast yet, but it doesn't look good!  Dave

Thanks Andy.  Sounds as if I should stay with the current setup then.  I don't think I'll go for a halyard lock - it's nice to be able to get the main down before lee shore landings.  It  means the crash happens at manageable speeds!   Dave

PS The old halyard is 5mm, braid cover and dyneema core, and the core has broken up where it goes through the headboard.  Your advice to clip the end of the halyard once a year is obviously excellent.  100mm should do it nicely!  Dave

We had our main halyard break this morning.  Halfway up the first beat !   It's got (or rather, had!) a ball on the business end and it's the sort where you tuck a loop through the hole in the headboard and then put the ball through the loop.  It looks like it broke where it goes through the headboard.  Question 1 is:  Is this the best way to make the halyard fast to the sail or is there a better way?
While I'm re-rigging the halyard, I'm wondering if I should also change the cleat.  It's just got a clam cleat with a block below it, so it's pretty convenient to haul the halyard right up to the top and then nudge the rope into the cleat before letting the tension go.   The main has dropped down a couple of times while we've been racing though so it obviously isn't foolproof.   Would I be better with the sort of cleat you figure-8 the halyard round or is there any other kind people would recommend?  I did think about having a soft eye in the end of the halyard and using a rack, dunno if anyone thinks that's a good idea?
Any suggestions gratefully received!
Dave 
N3405

Did you buy her?  (Somebody did).   Dave

Right here: https://www.sweeney-kincaid.com/Sales/Live/LiveBid2.aspx?SaleID=3112&LotNumber=676&CatMode=1&PageNo=1&strBidStatus=A&DisplayModal=True&index=544&manual=1&auto=0 (but you need to bid fast!)
Dave

The current RYA PY number is 1064!   That's quite tough for my Final Chapter.  Currently I'm sailing off 1064 at Ouse Amateur and 1104 at Overy Staithe.  I'm not winning races at either (too incompetent  ) but I don't care because just sailing the boat is such a total blast!
Dave Cooper

Hi,
Last time I went to an event at Weymouth (OKs, 2 years ago) I camped at Eweleaze Farm, straight across the bay from Weymouth SC.  It's fairly primitive, but cheap.  It's bikeable distance to the sailing club, so I could avoid paying car parking charges in Weymouth  .  I really wish I was going to Burton Week:  Weymouth is a good venue - breeze, waves, short sail to the race area, nice club, well organised racing. 
Dave Cooper
3405