Introductions

[Dudley Dix]

I will kick off the introductions.

I am Dudley Dix. I designed the Cape Henry 21 as a bigger sister to the Cape Cutter 19, built in UK by Cape Cutter Marine Ltd. I am also owner of this group, set up to be a long-term resource for current owners and builders, as well as those of the future.

Feel free to ask me design-related questions. I will also advise sometimes about building issues but sometimes the answers may come from other members who have practical experience of that part of the build.

Dudley Dix

[Dudley Dix]

Thank you to everyone for introducing yourselves and the photos.

I have noticed that many of you are shown on the posts only by your email addresses. This is because you have not used an identifying name in your registration. It will be better for the group and also for your personal online security if you use an identifying name, whether it be your true name, a handle or your boat name rather than to carry on using your email address as an identity. Please log into the group, then go to "mysettings" then "Membership and email settings" and add your chosen identity to your account.

DD

[Dudley Dix]

It looks like we are all now finding out how this group works, including successfully posting photos.

I have made a change and hope that it works OK. I have turned off the option to post by email. Thus far all posts have gone into the Introductions category and I don't see a way for them to be moved to another category. Maybe between me and the moderators we will figure that out. We have a category for Voyages and Adventures, which would be a good place to post personal cruises, both photos and text. Posting by email by-passes the facility to select a posting category, hence the decision to switch that off. We may still be able to reply to a post by email, in which case it should automatically go into the same correct category. If starting a new topic you will need to be online and will have to select the category for the post to appear. You can easily get to the online forum by clicking the correct link at the bottom of the received email. Please don't use the email reply button as an easy way to post something that isn't really a reply.

DD

[Capt Tony]

Hello Dudley

This is not really a "reply", but just to let you know that I have posted in "PHOTOS" a link to Flickr, where I have just made an album of building pictures from the past 18 months, with my comments on progress as appropriate.

Rgds

Tony

[Dudley Dix]

Thanks Tony. You have a great selection of photos in your Flickr album, which will help other builders.

DD

[Daniel]

Hi Dudley

I have been building my CH21 in Perth Western Australia for 6 years now. Slow progress as I work full time. I have also been learning as I go and have greatly appreciated your prompt responses on the many of occasions that I have had questions. I hope to be finished in 12 months and have just asked Ron Jesche of Stainlessboatworks in Adelaide for a quote on the stainless steel components. I would like to add that building this boat is the best fun I have ever had so thanks Dudley for designing her.

Daniel 

[Bama5150]

Daniel,

    I am just beginning my build. Did you chronicle your build in any online way? Them ore resources I have the better I feel about it :)

[AlanR]

Hi Dudley

I see on the CC19 Manual reference to reefing horns on the boom,but do not find them on my CH21 plans.

Can you please advise whether these are necessary?

Also,I would like to post pics of the progress of my boat ,but do not know how to do so - Could you please help.

Regards

Alan R

[Ron Jesche CH21' Sealion']

Hi Alan,

I use the desktop version of this site to post photos even when using my phone. In this configuration you will see  "attach a file" just above the message box. Easy to then follow the prompts. 

Will be good for everyone to see your photos. The boat looks great in the photos you sent me.

I will take some photos of my reefing system over the next few days and post the pictures here.

I have only ever used one reef in the mainsail. For the tack I run a line from the loop on the bolt at the gooseneck through the reefing eye then back down through a fairlead on the front of the boom  to a jam cleat at roughly the middle of the boom.

The outhaul line starts with a loop around the boom up to the reefing eye in the sail back down to a turning block and to another jam cleat on the boom. Just remember to put the turning block slightly aft of where the new clew will be so the foot of the sail is being pulled back as well as down .I have some shock cord around the boom and tuck the loose ends of the reefing lines into this to tidy them up. Horn cleats could also be used on the sides of the boom instead of jam cleats. The pictures will most likely show this better than my explanation.

I find with the  lines all going to the middle of the boom I am in the safest place of the boat to do the reefing ,while also being able to reach the halyards easily, especially when single handing.

Being able to reef easily out on the water will help your confidence in your boat. It only takes me about 30 seconds. Practicing in light airs will allow you to perfect the system so you are ready when the wind picks up. Better to put a reef in early than wait too long.

Cheers Ron

[AlanR]

Hi all

I see in the CC19 Manual under sailing tips:'Do not sail under Genoa alone,it needs support from the peak halyard"

Is the reverse true i.e. Can you sail with the Main up ,but no Genoa ( i.e. the Genoa is completely removed)and only the Jib is rigged?

Regards

Alan

See some pics of my build attached

[Ron Jesche CH21' Sealion']

Hi Alan,

I can't see any reason not to sail with the Genoa alone if that is what you want to do. The stays support the mast, not the Gaff halyard. The problem with sailing with the Genoa alone is that it will nearly be impossible to tack. I have tried sailing with the jib alone in strong winds but tacking can still be an issue. With the skeg on these boats they do not tack like dinghy's and need to be sailed through tacks.The boat sails quite well with the main alone, which I sometimes do when coming into the Marina. I almost always raise my main in the marina berth before heading out and unfurl the jib or genoa when I have a little more sea room.

You see a lot of bigger boats sailing with only a genoa in lighter winds usually because they can't be bothered raising the main.The Cape Henry loves these kind of conditions and still sails well and is very maneuverable even in really light airs.

Cheers Ron

[Tim]

Good Morning Alan,

Which manual are you referring?  I haven't seen anything yet with sailing tips, I would be very interested to have a read.

Regards

Tim

[Dudley Dix]

The manual to which Alan refers is likely the owners' manual from the manufacturers of the GRP boats. It is written to CE Certification regs and will be worded to guide the owners on safe operation of their boats. That would make it a fairly conservative document, to protect the builder from owner stupidity.

That said, it is correct. The shrouds are attached at the hounds, where the inner forestay is also attached, so the shrouds pull directly against the inner forestay. That is a stable configuration. The inner forestay is also the main structural forestay of both the CC19 and CH21. The headstay to the tip of the bowsprit is there to support the Genoa, not the mast. If you sail with the Genoa only, no mainsail, the headstay will pull the top of the mast forward. As is normal with gaff rigs, there are no spreaders nor lower shrouds to hold the mast straight. The mast will be held in place at the hounds by the triangulated rigging and the top is pulled forward by the headstay, so the mast will bow aft between the hounds and the deck. That is an unstable condition, with the mast out-of-column and less able to carry the compression loads applied by the rigging. Taken to extremes it can break the mast. Another result of the bending is that the bent mast is shorter than the straight mast, so there will be more headstay sag and the Genoa will bag out badly, reducing efficiency. 

Overall, it is a very inefficient way to sail, while endangering the rig. Yes, the peak halliard does add support to the top of the mast, pulling it aft to keep the mast straight.

As Ron said, this boat is so easy to sail with the mainsail, why sail on Genoa alone? If you are sailing with Genoa and mainsail and the wind freshens, don't drop the main and continue under Genoa. Instead, keep the main, roll away the Genoa and set the jib. She will sail with good manners instead of becoming unmanageable.

DD

[Ron Jesche CH21' Sealion']

Here is a nice picture of the genoa on Sealion. A great sail for light airs, I furl it when the wind speed gets up around 15 knots and then set the jib. I forgot that it attaches to the masthead and not to the hounds, so definitely no sailing with genoa alone.
Ron

[Cyrus Jordan]

Ron - I've just started talking to a firm here in the US which is willing to make both a boom and a gaff of carbon fiber for me. I'd like your input knowing that you had carbon spars made for your boat. Is there anything that you'd do differently? In a note you posted in June 2020, you described your reefing system. I can't find the photos of it that you mentioned.  Would you be willing to repost your photos? and any other photos that you have of your boom and gaff and how you've rigged them. Thanks, Cy   

[Ron Jesche CH21' Sealion']

Cy, I have a carbon gaff and a timber boom. The gaff is 50mm id tube with a 2.5mm wall thickness.I have painted it the same colour as the decks as I did not want the natural carbon look. It has worked out well and helps save a bit of weight where it matters.

I will take some pictures sometime this week showing the gaff and my reefing system. I had to put in a reef over the weekend and it took less than a minute .Reefing out on the water seems to be something that many smaller boat owners are frightened of, but with a simple system and practice on calm days will give you much more confidence in your boat.

[Cyrus Jordan]

Ron - Thank you. Could you include a picture of the fore end of your gaff showing how it sits in the jaws and how the throat halyard tang sits in the slot in the end of the gaff? Thanks again, Cy

[Ron Jesche CH21' Sealion']

Cy,these two pictures show the gaff. I have not used the tang but have a dyneema loop through a hole in the gaff. It has worked well for me. The other picture shows the span, this is piece of dyneema again ,with a knot at one end through a hole at the end of the gaff and back through another part way along the gaff [See drawings for placement] tied off inside the gaff to the bolts holding the stainless steel fitting on.Stainless steel and carbon fibre do not go together well so i have eliminated fittings this way.

I can only post two pics at a time so will do the boom next.

[Ron Jesche CH21' Sealion']

These photos show my reefing lines. Pretty standard set up here.

The line for the tack is attached to the eye on top of the gooseneck fitting up through the reefing eye, back down through a friction ring [could be a be a small block] along the boom to a jam cleat. The jam cleats have small sheaves built in to hold the line in place. If you zoom in you should see better.

The out haul line is tied around the boom up through the reefing eye back through a turning block and to the jam cleat. The turning block needs to be aft of the new clew so the sail is pulled back as well as down. I tuck the ends of the reefing lines through the shock cord under the boom to keep them tidy and out of the way.

I considered single line reefing for a while but I find this system works well for this size boat. I only have the first reef set up and have sailed with gusts of up to 30 knots. Time to head home after that! If I am going to do longer trips in more open water I will set up the second reef.

I hope this helps.

Ron