Doug: What permanently mounted ladder do you recommend? --Gary Hyde M15 #235 'Vanilla' On Friday, August 1, 2003, at 02:03 PM, Doug Kelch wrote:
Don,
Congratulations on Sweet Dream! The M15 fits your criteria to a tee. Your criteria are the same reason I am able to subdue the bigger boat fever when it comes.
Three primary things I would recommend.
1. Get a permanently mounted boarding ladder. The high freeboard in the M15 makes it very difficult to get into from the water or the beach. I am sure you will get the urge to walk along those beautiful beaches in your area. Rope ladders do not work. Permanently mounted for that day when a large fish pulls you off balance and you fall in unexpectedly. The permanent ladder is an essential safety feature.
2. Learn how to "heave to". The M15 will foot along forever when you heave to properly and you can take care of personal needs, make a lunch, change a lure, fight the the fish etc with out a worry and all hands free. To heave to, swing the boat hard on the wind (45 deg to true wind). Execute a slow tack without freeing the jib or the main (don't touch the sheets). Don't complete the full 90 deg tack until most of the speed is off of the boat. Slowly start to tack back the other way (don't touch the sheets) and you should find that the boat will stall (not complete the tack)with the tiller to leeward. Tie the tiller off to leeward. The jib should be backwinded at this point, the main sheeted in near the centerline and the tiller tied to Leeward. Observe the hands free movement of the boat and then go about your business.
3. Install jiffy reefing and learn how to use it. I tried reefing hooks at the tack but they jambed between the boom and the mast because they are too big.
Welcome aboard!
Doug Kelch M15 #310 "Seas the Day" --- "Ludlow, Don" <LudlowD@BEK.com> wrote:
Hi: I just took delivery of a 2003 model M-15 # 620 named Sweet Dream. . .
I plan to sail the 40 mile long Mobile Bay and in Mississippi sound and around the barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico. . . clear water and white sand beaches. ..With the addition of a rod holder, I plan to do some offshore trolling also (Fishing is great here). Any rigging and handling suggestions would be appreciated Fair Winds Don Ludlow
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