Dart 15 Forums

spud 1616 wrote:

hi guys spud here from swanage sc
ive just got some new sails for my old boat 1616
can you advise on any tips for setting up the sails and care of during the first few months,
also batten tension how to set this up properly
any help will be gratefull
thanks
spud

Bob replied:

Hi Kevin
Well done for getting new sails. These are my views (others are bound to disagree so watch this space for other views)
1) batten tension - adjust the tension so that when the sail is on the ground the battens have no curvature but no slack. The bend comes when the sail is hoisted and the downhaul is applied.

2) looking after the new sail.
a) Keep it for best. Use the old sail on very windy days.
b) Slacken the battens after use
c) always roll up the sail from the top as it creases less that way.
d) I apply Holts Pro-lube on both sides of the bolt rope to help it hoist easily. It does not stain the sail.
e) if it is still hard to hoist because the bolt rope jams in the slot pinch the mast slot together a little at both ends of the wide (entrance) section of the slot. Do this by carefully hammering the mast using a piece of wood as a drift.
Cheers
Bob

spud 1616 replied:

thanks for that bob
where can i get the holts pro lube from
ive never heard of that
is it the same as using a candle on the edge of the sail

spud

Bob replied:

Hi Kevin
Holts Pro lube is an aerosol dry silicone lubricant. You can get it from any chandlery. It is much better than candlewax. Some joker suggested candle wax to me years ago & it was awful. Please don't spoil your new sail with it.
Regards
Bob

SPUD 1616 replied:

it was a dart 15 sailor that suggested it ???
thanks for the heads up
looks like i may have to get a spare batten set after you suggest the keeping the old sail for windy weather

also can you get trailers so that the hulls can be fitted side by side rather than fully fitted
thanks
spud 1616

Bob replied:

Hi
Not Mike C, I hope!!!

On trailers there are trailers which carry the boat knocked down so that it is smaller. I'm not sure who make them. Try asking Lizzard Trailers of Helston or Windsport.

Failing that I'm sure that some of our members who have got them will tell us who made them.
Cheers
Bob

George Stephen replied:

Spud,

If you want to go to all the trouble of taking your cat apart, you might as well car-top if your car roof rack load limit is large enough and you have enough room in the car for everything you want and the cat parts that you can't car-top - essentially only the tiller/rudder assemblies.

I took a family of 5 and the cat on the roofrack of a Carlton Estate for a fortnight's holiday in France - the Vendee - Atlantic coast. It helped not to be hampered by a trailer, let alone the extra cost of the ferry crossings.......

The time saved in assembling and disassembling the cat makes a trailer desgned for assembled cats a much better bet for most England and Wales trips.

George

spud 1616 replied:

i use a ldv pilot van and the roof is very high.
its worth thinking about if i ever do travel.
thanks for the idea

spud

Jan replied:

Hi George. I'm off to France this year , Landrover defender 110 with boat on roof, Bikes on back wheel, 4 kids in car, caravan behind!. One of the many reasons for buying a Sprint 15 was so I could take the boat on holiday, which brings me to my point. I am also going to the Vendee Staying at Bretignolles sur mer , just north of Les Sables-d'Olonne.
Where did you stay and where is a good place to launch, sail and possibly leave the boat?

By the way spud, loading the boat onto the Landy can be a bit of a game and I use two crates, like you use for office move to keep my gear in and stand on to give me the height needed. Kids are quite adept now at helping me get the hulls up and we can unload and rig within an hour. Hard work mind , and gennerally to be avoided just for a day which is why I would like to find somewhere reasonably secure to leave boat on beach.

George Stephen replied:

Jan,

I stayed on a campsite at La Tranche-sur-Mer, on the coast of the Vendee south of Les Sables. The campsite was actually halfway between the centres of La Tranche and La Faute-sur-Mer, where the coast faces south. I was able to sail direct from this campsite, especially chosen for this reason! I left the cat on the beach, chained (thick bicycle cable) to a tall post because we were advised (seriously!!!) of the risk of theft...... A thief would have been able to take the cat apart and steal it, but I figured no-one would be that keen. I left nothing on the boat save the cover! The rudders, tiller conbar and extension, sails, main and jib sheets and blocks were all carried to and fro. I recall I took the cable round the mainbeam on one side and round the central tube of the trolley, and it was just long enough, but exactly how I did it is forgotten. Bear in mind that this was at a place accessible only from the campsite or by a longish walk along the beach from the nearest access points, but from where boats had previously been stolen.

So if you want to leave your cat on a beach, take precautions!

On the plus side, you should get a super sea breeze starting around midday every day. But Bretignolles faces southwestish on the Atlantic coast, so you'll probably have to launch into quite big waves off a beach.

There are sailing clubs in the area, and they may be able to help, even provide temporary berthing for your cat.

Good Luck

George Stephen

Nick replied:

Les Sables has a large sailing club at the harbour mouth. launching via a smooth slipway and soft sand. There was a Tornado fleet there. dont Know If the would let uou store a boat there though