Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Playing with ‘Sandpiper’, my West Wight Potter

Furled jib

Reefed main and jib

Fully reefed main and reefed jib

I’ve nearly finished reshaping and sewing the jib. The tack has to have a cringle or a rope sewn into it for linking it to the base of the furling rod. The mainsail requires a few stitches here and there. The battens are too long, but I could leave them as they are - that's if I sew retaining tapes into the leech.


Today I tested reefing the sails. The furling jib worked well, and I found that I could roll the boom for reefing the mainsail to good effect.


By way of a change from sewing sails I made a start at cleaning two small drains by the aft locker. Because the cockpit seats slope towards the transom, rainwater lodges between the aft rim of the lazarette and the transom. When the drains have been cleared the problem will be eliminated.


There are many improvements I could do to the interior, but for now I’ll keep things simple by storing equipment and provisions in waterproof bags and plastic containers. The boat does not have a depth sounder, a compass, a cooker or a chemical loo. Basically, she’s a dinghy with a lid. The previous owner gave me an old corroded compass, but if I decide to use it I shall have to make a suitable bracket, as there is no means of attaching it to the boat.


Well, I am enjoying playing with ‘Sandpiper'. May the fun continue.

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