Why - I always wanted a Gaff Cutter but they only seemed to exist in old heavy wooden designs and had a reputation for being slow with limited pointing ability. Then there was an article in Small Craft Adviser on the best rig for small cruising boat in which Paul Gartside and Howard Rice were interviewed. Their answer was a Gaff Cutter with the caveat that it was on a modern hull. The M15 is a 3/4 rig and the sidestays are far enough aft so it will accommodate a longer boom and not require running backstays. I designed the sail plan around the original Center of Effort so that the helm would pretty much feel the same. This required the bowsprit as I did not want to move the mast step. The overall sail plan was 3 ft lower and 30% larger and the CE stays close to the same place under most useful sail configurations down to a staysail and double reefed main. Performance wise I am very pleased. I only lost 1 or 2 degrees in pointing ability and the speed is better than the sloop from 10 degrees off the wind to a 130 deg broad reach. In strong gusts it doesn't get kicked around and heel as fast due to the lower sail plan. It has sailed like a witch in 35 mph winds on our local lake with 3 ft seas under the stay sail and double reef. A very versatile rig. Thanks Doug Kelch "Seas the Day" M15 G #310 On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 3:22 PM, John Schinnerer <john@eco-living.net> wrote:
Nice photo, I can see how the steering line is run in general.
Interesting rig on that M15! Can you say more about your customizations, the why of it - the bowsprit, cutter rig, mainsail alterations?
cheers, John S.
On 05/18/2016 09:31 AM, Douglas Kelch wrote:
I have cruised my M15 for many years and have used a remote steering system for much of that time. I can stand in the companionway for long comfortable periods. It has even allowed me to fly a spinnaker single handed in light winds.
I mounted two cleats on the coaming just behind where the arch of the tiller touches the coaming. I put a pig tail on three blocks and attach these to 3 cleats, the two coaming cleats and the third one on the bow cleat. I then run an old mainsheet through all of these blocks and snuggly tie both ends off on the tiller.
This line forms a loop that runs near the edges of the cabin entrance. You can stand in the cabin and use it like a big steering wheel with both hands or use it one handed. I have even put a cushion up on the bow and sat there in very light winds.
It works on all points of wind until about 8 kts with gusts then it is only good a little bit off the wind.
I use old main sheets because they are easy on the hands and are stiff enough not to run through the blocks too freely. This allows you to let go of the steering for short periods with the tiller loosely locked.
I have also changed over to a Catalina 22 tiller which lets me snuggle up to the cabin wall while sailing into the wind. I single hand almost all of the time and this works well. I did mount a tiller extension on the Catalina tiller but rarely used it.
Thanks
Doug Kelch M15 G #310 "Seas the Day"
On Tue, May 17, 2016 at 10:39 PM, Thomas Buzzi <thomaspbuzzi@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey, Jazzy
You have to slide a tube over the end of your tiller to be able to stand in the companionway. Not very handy and definitely not power steering. I use a hiking stick so I can sit on the rail sometimes or you could rig some turning blocks mounted on pad eyes to lead lines forward to the companionway hatch if you are planning to do a lot of off shore voyaging. Drive safely, Tom B
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On Tue, May 17, 2016 at 6:48 PM, Jazzy <jazzydaze@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi guys, let's hear about your tiller extensions. How long does it have
to
be to stand in companionway? Whaddya got? What's good, what's bad?
Jazzy
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design
- Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com