by TIM WEBB » Mon Sep 26, 2016 12:25 am
Glad you had a great first (with this boat) sail! Definitely boosts the confidence ...
In addition to GL's comments:
1. Not sure what you mean by this, but I can only assume you mean center boom sheeting with a traveler arrangement at the stern? Many other sailboats have the mainsheet controls at the stern, but only to accommodate biminis, etc. Apparently Uffa Fox believed in the best of both worlds ... ;-P
2. Rig tension will always be a subject of "voodoo science". Most DS rigging guides prescribe shroud tension that allows for the leeward shroud to be slack at 8 - 10 kts of wind, but your mileage may vary.
3. Later DS models incorporated a jib fairlead/cleat on a track, adjustable fore and aft. You might be able to incorporate something similar on yours?
4. Lubing the boltrope slot is a great trick, but I'd use a dry (non-silicone) lube such as Elmer's Slide All. One neat trick is to take a short length of line of the same diameter as the boltrope, wrap a rag around it, soak same in the dry lube, and run that up and down the slot. If the mast is up, just fashion some way to connect your main halyard to one end and another line to the bottom end, and run it up and down that way. Will greatly improve the ability to raise and lower the main whether you use the boltrope or slugs ...
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)