Conference unifix::sailing

    
    >1.  Every time I pull the boat out of the water after a sail, I have
    >about a qt - 1/2 gal of water in the inner hull.  Is this normal with
    >this boat?  My guess is that it is coming in through the center board
    >fittings.  The pivot pin was removed and resealed by the boat yard 
    >before I bought it.  Any ideas?  Should I be worried?
    >
    
    	One quart over how long a period, an hour a day a weekend.  That is
    not a huge amount of water and could be entering from any buner of
    places.  Pivot ping for the board, mounting points for the rudder,
    around the drain plug.  In other words any place a fitting penetrates
    the inner hull or the outer hull.  Would I worry only if it were a
    quart over a couple of minutes.  I would as a winter or spring project
    consider recaulking all the fittings.
    
    >2.  The boat doesn't have a boom vang, but the boom seems to have a
    >fitting for one.  Can I rig one on this boat?  I thought it might be
    >something to consider for adding to our 'learning experiences.'
    
    	Even if the fittings were not installed it would not be all that
    hard to purchase them and install them.  I would add a vang it will
    make sailing off the wind safer and faster.
    
    Forrest

I've had a Javelin for almost 10 years, and sailed it quite a bit, although
always on Lake Boone in Stow, MA. I bought a 29' CAL last June, so the Javelin
is feeling quite neglected now. I haven't even stepped the mast this year,
but my kids have been using it as a roving swim platform.

My Javelin takes on a small amount of water. I keep it in the water, and it
takes on perhaps 1-2 gallons per week. I'm not really sure where it comes in.
I believe the center board pivot is above the water line, so that's not a
likely candidate. The only suspect I can identify is the the cockpit drain
fitting. It's also possible that water can get in at the hull-deck joint
while you are sailing with the rail in the water. There's a hull drain plug
in the transom that may be leaking, but again this should be above the
waterline. In any case, if you're just trailer-sailing it, don't worry about it.
(I have to worry about mine. One time, I let it sit too long without bailing
it, and it sank at the dock. Good thing it has positive flotation.)

My boat has a boom vang. I've used it once or twice. The only time it seems
to be useful is on a broad reach. I usually leave it at home.

My mainsail is kinda tired and baggy. I find that in a moderate breeze, she
sails much better when reefed a bit. There's a lot less weather helm when
she's not overpowered. (Mine has roller reefing. I didn't even
realize it had any reefing capability until I complained to another Javelin
owner about the lack of jiffy reefing, and he told me his had a roller
gooseneck!)

Maintenance tip: don't do any :-). I flip mine over along the water's edge in
the fall. (I use a winch, and a tree. Kids, don't try this at home!) I scrape
the lake scum off while it's still wet. Some years I've put some wax on the
hull, but other years I'm too lazy. My hull is a golden yellow, 20 years old,
and still looks OK. The trailer has been hanging from the rafters in my garage
for the last ten years. (The winch came in handy there, too.)

For winter storage, I recommend parking the boat and trailer somewhere away from
trees. Don't cover it, unless you are super fussy about maintaining the gloss on
the deck surfaces. Covers are a lot of work, and they make a lovely home for
insects and rodents. Go over it with a stiff brush and some cleanser in the
spring, and you're all set for another season. 

If you sail the boat in salt water, I recommend that you hose it down after
you use it. The salt from the salt water is by far the worst aging factor for
the hull and fittings and sheets and sails and trailer.

--Reinhard

    Thanks for the input.  
    
    The boat is usually in the water at most about 6 hours at a time.  It
    sounds like the water problem isn't a problem.  I was worried about
    long term effects, but it sounds as if there isn't anything there to
    worry about.
    
    I'll have to think about the boom vang.  I may do it just to get the
    experience.
    
    I believe that my gooseneck also rolls and I've thought of using that
    as a means of reefing.  Especially the one time I rolled it when I got
    caught in a storm (talk about a learning experience).  However, I
    wasn't sure how to do this.  Do you just roll up the main on the boom? 
    If so, what about the main sheet block located in the middle of the
    boom?
    
    I have a gouge on one side of the hull that I'm going to use to
    experiment with fiberglass repair.  But its good to know that the boat
    doesn't seem to require much work.  I'd rather learn to sail right now.
    
    I'm curious about your experience with moving up from the Javelin to
    the CAL 29.  You've done what I plan to do in the future.  Was owning
    the Javelin a help in making this move?

    
    	You just roll it up like a window shade.  The block on the middle
    of the boom should be easily removable.  If not and you see the need to
    reef on a regular basis I would make this change.  Also if you install
    a VANG make sure that it can be detached from the boom esaily for
    reefing.
    
    
    	Have fun repairing the gouge......
    
    
    Forrest
    Ps.		Make sure you drain the hull dry and leave an opening for
    		the hull breath through.

The block in the middle of the boom can be removed semi-permanently, if you
want. The disadvantage is that the mainsheet will now be routed in a way that
is less convenient for changing sides when tacking, i.e. it will be right
in somebody's face. Oh well, you need to have it that way anyway when you're
reefed, and in light winds it's not a big deal. You could relocate the
mainsheet cleat to the aft end of the cockpit, e.g. onto the tiller near
the hinge end, although this effectively forces the helmsperson to also take
responsibility for the mainsheet.

On moving up:
I didn't really "move up" to the CAL '29. I had a CAL '29 (bought new) from
1978 to 1981. We sold it because it was just too much for us, with raising
2 small kids, 2 jobs, etc.

The kids are quite a bit older now, so I decided last year that it was time to
buy a big boat again. I bought a 1973 CAL '29 because it was the best value I
could find among many used boats that I looked at. It's a good balance between
roominess below, seaworthiness, and sailing performance. (I felt a bit silly
buying exactly the same boat again.) 

In the years that we didn't have a big boat, we usually chartered a boat
(bareboat) each summer for a week or so. This was A LOT cheaper than owning a
boat and was enough to satisfy my family's sailing needs. (Unfortunately, my
addiction is much stronger than theirs.;-) 

If you think you might want a big boat (i.e. "coastal cruiser") some day, I
recommend that you take one of the sailing courses leading to charter
certification. This is typically 3-7 days on a 30' boat, with a skipper who
teaches you how to sail the boat. You'll then be able to charter some boats to
get a feel for whether this addiction is for you, and to get an understanding of
what features you'd look for when buying a boat. (Once you buy a boat, you will
find it hard to sell... "What's the difference between a sailboat and a brain
tumor? -- You can get rid of the brain tumor!.") 

On repairing a gouge:
If you have a colored hull, I suggest that you leave it alone, unless it's
fairly deep. You will find it almost impossible to match the color exactly. It's
easy to make it look worse while attempting to make it look better. 

--RS-who-has-a-lazy-streak-a-mile-wide

    Thanks both of you for the ideas on reefing.  I can't wait to get home
    tonight and scope it out.  Have either of you actually tried reefing?
    
    As for the gouge, fortunately(?) the hull is white(well, it supposed to
    be white).  Its not a big gouge, so I think I will give it a try when I
    get the nerve and time.
    
    Thanks for your advice on moving up.  I like what you've suggested. 
    For the near future, the idea of taking a course, and chartering would
    probably fit our budget alot easier than owning.  The Javelin is a lot
    of fun, easy to deal with and I don't have a lot of money sunk in it. 
    With 4 small kids, that may be the most important factor.  Is this
    beginning to sound familar?
    
    Thanks again.
    
    Gary

    
    	The boat that the sailing club in Lowell uses to teach on use this
    reefing system.  The goosneck is capable of rotating just pull out on
    the boom and spin it around.  The vang attachment is a low profile
    slotted fitting, and tht simply slide out.  The mid boom block is on a
    slide car that quickly disconnects.  The block on the end is also on a
    swivel.  The reefing exercise is to hoist the main and then slowly
    lower it while wraping around the boom.  Sounds complicated it really
    only takes a couple of seconds to do....  It does not take all than
    many wraps before the sail area is really small....
    
    
    Forrest

Roller reefing is easier if you do it before you raise the sail. If you have a
good breeze, I'd suggest 2-4 full 360� wraps onto the boom. If you do this when
the gooseneck is already on the mast, you must pull out (i.e. aft) on the boom,
and turn it while it's pulled out. Take care to make sure the bolt rope doesn't
wrap too far forward on the boom, or the gooseneck won't snap back in properly
because of interference between the boltrope and the mast. 

In a good breeze (10-15 knots), you'll find sailing with a reef in place much
easier and more comfortable. The boat won't heel as far, and it will be much
less sensitive to gusts.

On a side note: I've only taken water over the side once in my Javelin, before I
"discovered" the reefing system. This happened when I got scared in a stiff
gust, and I let go of the tiller. Of course, the boat rounded up into the wind,
and it took on a bathtub full of water while it was rounding up. If you get a
wild gust, HANG ON to the tiller. If the heel is too much, ease the main sheet
out as far as necessary. The boat is very beamy, and it is not likely to
capsize, even in a very stiff gust.

It's a good idea to keep a bucket in the cuddy for bailing. BUT, if the water
is above the bottom of the cuddy opening, DON'T OPEN IT. The water will
eventually empty out of the cockpit through the drain, as long as you don't get
any inside the hull.

--RS

    I wonder if the Javelin sails the same way my 15' O'Day sails.  In a
    strong wind an with your hand hanging on tightly to the tiller, the
    boat will only heal so far and then it automatically rounds up into the
    wind.  This can be done in a controlled mode and helps you to find that
    special heal point.  It's a lot of fun to push it to the limit if your
    arms don't get pooped from the force on t he tiller.  The danger is
    giving up and jibing which most likely will dunk you and the boat over.
    
    And to think my O'Day sits unused under that tree year after year.
    
    	Regards,
    
    	Ron
    
    ps: BTW, this model was the first "Day-sailor" before the 17'ers came
    along (I think)
    

re .9 yes, that's a pretty good description. When not reefed and heeled, the
boat has a tremendous amount of weather helm, to the point that you can't keep
it going where you want it to go. Hold on tight, and she'll come almost to
a full stop, with the rudder plowing sideways through the water.

Reefing improves this dramatically. 

--RS

    Thanks for the sailing and reefing tips on the Javelin.  I have had
    some similar experiences with the boat in a stiff breeze and did
    experience the 'rail in the water' my first time out with it.  Boy, did
    that scare my daughters! (Dad, wasn't real thrilled either). 
    Fortunately, it did come back.  However, I did have an experience with
    it last year in a late fall storm that showed up suddenly at the lake
    where I was trying to practice some single handed sailing.  In this
    case, I did get hit with a breeze that capsized the boat and required a
    rescue by the local sheriff's office.
    
    I was on my way back to the dock which required sailing into a very
    stiff breeze.  I was having a very difficult time making any progress
    toward the dock as it seemed that everytime I crested a wave, the wind
    would blow me back.  I believe I got blown over when I was trying to
    change my approach to the dock, was on a reach across the wind and got
    caught off guard by a gust that just blew the boat over and dumped me
    out before I could react.  The boat 'turtled' on me, but I managed to
    get it upright again after A LOT of effort.  When I got back into the
    boat(that turned out to be almost as hard as getting it upright), I
    grabbed the tiller to head it into the wind so I could start to get
    things back in order, and to my surprise and dismay, the retaining pin
    on the rudder pivot pin had come off, the rudder floated up out of its
    fittings, then the second gust hit and blew me over again. ( I've since
    changed the retaining pin in the rudder to a different type that
    latches like a safety pin.) The rest of the story involves the
    sheriff's boat showing up( someone saw me from shore), and rest made it
    to the radio and newspaper(to my great embarassment).  The story could
    go on, but the end result was that I was able to recover the boat
    intact, even the rudder which got blown to shore, and my only loss was
    an old radio.
    
    I'll have to admit that experience nearly ended my sailing career, and
    I definately get a little nervous now when the wind picks up, but in
    the end I think its made me more determined to learn how to do it
    right. That's why I appreciate the comments about the reefing and the
    stiff wind performance. 
    
    
    	Still learning and enjoying..
    Gary

    On moving up:  I went from a Sunfish to a Javelin (still my favorite)
    to a Catalina 22 - this was a difficult jump for me in the sense that
    it was MUCH more boat than the Javelin to handle and I did much more
    aggressive sailing (to Block Island and the Vineyard) as opposed to day
    outings in the Javelin.  Ironically, the jump from the 22 to a Catalina
    27 was a relative piece of cake...but I have a feeling the intermediate
    jump to the 22 was a big part of the reason...the experience on the 22
    was invaluable.  The other part (and others told me this and I didn't
    believe it) is that the larger the boat the more stable and the 
    easier to sail.

    I visited my local yacht dealer and described the reefing method being
    discussed in this note.  He noted that this was a common type of boom
    used on this type of boat (Javelins, DS's, etc) and that there was an
    additional piece of HW often used to temporarily reattach the mainsheet
    blocks to the boom.  
    
    However, he suggested an alternative reefing system.  His suggestion
    required adding reefing points to the sail and some rigging on the side
    of the boom that would allow you to reef the sail without removing the
    mainsheet blocks.  It also had the additional advantage of providing
    some tension on the outhaul of the sail to keep it flatter.  Total
    cost, including having the reef points added to the sail, was around
    $80.                 
    
    Has anyone seen this system?

    Re: .13
    
    In the same visit to the dealer, he mentioned that the Javelin may be
    in production again soon.  Apparently, the Javelin class organization
    is going to put up the money for Blue Fin (they make small fishing
    boats) to make a plug of the Javelin hull.  

    What the dealer is describing is standard jiffy reefing. I had a
    sailmaker add a second set of reef points and I added the hardware
    to the boom for the second reef myself. I'm sure it was less than $80.
    
    This was on my Com-Pac 19, which originally had roller (pull & roll the
    boom) but which had had jiffy reefing added in later years, but only a
    single set of reef points.
     
    You can either use a line and cleat on the mast for the luff reef point
    or a tack hook. 
    
    Bill
    

    Maybe its a sign of old age, but I love to see things go around again.
    I remember when the wonder of 'roller reefing' hit the sailing market
    in the 60's. Greatest thing going.
    
    Now we've re-invented the old style, given it a name of 'slab reefing'
    and boat dealers can again sell more accessories. I dont know when reef
    points were first added to sails, but all the early 1900's photos of
    schooners seem to show them.
    
    Why cant I 'invent' something I can sell to the world?

re .13 I prefer jiffy reefing to roller reefing, but the roller reefing on
the Javelin works fine. If your gooseneck is already set up for roller reefing,
I wouldn't bother with jiffy reefing. If you need to add new hardware, you
may as well do jiffy reefing.

For jiffy reefing, you need:

  o  a line of reef points in the mainsail
  o  a fairly long piece of 3/8" line, maybe 20', but measure 1st
  o  a cleat on the boom near the mast
  o  a turning block on the boom, under the outboard reefing eye
  o  a reef hook mounted on the gooseneck

$80 sounds about right.

Your dealer probably has a boom laying around with jiffy reefing hardware
on it. Take a look at that boom to understand where the fittings go, and how
the reefing line is routed.

--RS

    Actually 3/8 is a lot bigger line than is needed on a boat this size.
    
    Also, the block should not go "under" the aft reefing eye, it
    needs to go significantly aft of the eye to provide both aft and 
    downward pull on the reefed clew.
    
    Bill