Danielle, I have tried and currently use a series of knots to attach my halyards to the sails. Pass the end of the halyard thru the sails head board or thimble, tie a stopper knot (figure eight knot) as close to the end of the halyard as possible then take the knot end and tie an overhand knot around the headboard or the thimble. This looks like a disaster waiting to happen - or you would think you will need your knife to cut the halyard free from the sail - but it works, The halyard does not get bent, lost, clang on the spar, or get hung up in the rigging as a shackle may. It also reduces weight aloft and my bill at the chandlery. I will take pictures if you would like and post them - It is easy and strong. If you desire -a stopper ball can be put on the halyard above the knot to prevent the haly. from running into the sheaves. Take Care, Have Fun GO. LB/GF! M-17 # 316a 'that ain't bad gelcoat -it's "patina"! Team Geezer Racing.....Old and in the Way Arizona Sailing Squadron
In a message dated 7/3/2008 9:11:52 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I took my mom and stepdad sailing for the first time the other evening. My mom is very experienced at sailing, and her husband somewhat, and it turns out that I was really grateful for that crew that day! The sail started with me whining, because we were nearly becalmed. Sails flopping - *boring*. I'd wanted to delight them with the frisky, speedy sailing that my M17 "Ceto" can do. It was strange weather that evening though - warm but with an odd fog bank out in the open water that was shifting and blowing around. Where we were, it was sunny. As we were just talking, wishing for wind, all of a sudden came a perfect 12 or 15 k breeze, and we were happily whooshing along on a beam reach. The breeze was all over the place though, and we chased it around, as it veered wildly. Then we were becalmed again. Then we were zooming on a broad reach for awhile. Then wing-and-wing. It was just weird. Then we turned around to get back to the harbor, and it was the same thing - switching, unstable breezes, but we were able to stay mostly close hauled, pointing up well. It was fun and kept us on our toes. We got close to the harbor, and I was just about to start up the outboard and get the sails dropped when we felt this odd, sudden push of mist-filled wind. Then, BAM, we were hit *hard* by a wall of wind about 30 k - working jib up, main full up, both in tight because we'd been close hauled. My oh-so-helpful mom called out "We're at 40 degrees!" Okay, yes we were laughing and screeching like kids on a rollercoaster, but her husband George, at about 200 pounds, was on the lee side, and his rear was probably 3 inches from the water. He climbed back to the windward side, as I rounded up to lessen the heel a little, we eased the sheets and then we got pushed down to 40 degrees again (thanks Mom, for calling it out! ha ha) I gave in and popped the main, letting it swing out, as the wind was intensifying, and we were closer to shore than I liked. We swung around and went into irons, which was a welcome respite. We sat that way, for a few minutes, way too much wind blasting my poor old sails, while I had George take the helm and I got that outboard (Suzuki 4 hp) down and started faster than I ever have. (It's a little hard for me to get that bracket up and down) I powered us into the wind and my mom and George got the sails down. I've done a lot of thinking since, working out how I would have handled that if I'd been alone. Unfortunately, when my mom lowered the jib, there was NO halyard. At some point, the wimpy little U-shaped shackle had just let go, and I guess the wind pressure had been keeping the sail up. When we were getting the main up to start this sail, I'd been dismayed to see that the same style shackle on the main halyard was all bent and weakened. I'd had to bend it around to get it to work. We hadn't noticed anything wrong with the jib shackle. Now we have to learn how to get the mast down to replace it. Are those thin U-shaped shackles the original hardware for the boat? I have a hard time believing that they were - how would they have held up for 25 years, then break in less than ten outings with us? I'm sure the previous owners encountered odd powerful gusts here and there too. Danelle M17 #378 Ketchikan, AK http://web.mac.com/anniesark9/Site/Sailing_Ceto.html _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats **************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007) _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
