A Pleasant Change of Plans

Yard Sailing Esmerelda

 The 2014 sailing season will be starting early if plans go right. I have to days this week to go sailing and I intend to take them both. Wednesday I'll be heading out with a never sailed before buddy of mine to shake off the rust on a low wind sunny day. And Saturday, the first official sail of the season, The Typesetter and myself will make a go of it in a bit saltier conditions. I couldn't ask for more of a week that's for sure. Well off to make plans.

A New Life

The Whomper.

  When Lido #1280 came to me originally she bore the name Geronimo. With the figure of warrior on her side. I now know she was named for the greatest 12-Metre yacht in all cinema, the come from behind kid of the 1992 America's Cup movie, Wind. The name was removed as even without this knowledge it did not fit the boat. But with the boat in my driveway I feel I can reveal her new identity as the 14-Foot Lido SV Esmerelda and the beginnings of her new career as a sail training, expedition and cruising vessel. But it's good to know that somewhere in the last thirteen years someone thought enough of the vessel to think it worthy of such a namesake.
  I just finished Wind and it's a classic example of early nineties cinema. I know Matthew Modine from one of my favorite movies, Cutthroat Island and I'm not sure he carries dramatic as well as he does comedic straight man. In the end I really wish there was more focus on the Cup, the boats and the sailing and much less on the interpersonal relationships of the crew of Geronimo. There is so much history and legend surrounding the Auld Mug that a movie with that as it center would have been a find movie indeed. But I guess they needed to sell to a mass audience.
  As for the sailing those 12-Meters were amazing boats. If the next America's Cup were to go back to the 12-Meter Rule I think I would watch it. I understand better now the drama of sailing changing and how the tactics although similar to what was seen in AC34 were much better defined over a longer course and harrowing sea states. I'm a huge fan of the AC72's and the amazing amount of techonolgy and human effort put forth by those boats but seeing monohulls battleing it out in San Fransico bay would have been an equal spectacle.
  Racing may not be in the close future for Esmerelda but I'm certain at some point we'll sight a buoy in the distance and the former Geronimo will once again pick her skirts up in pursuit of the mark and do the big red boat proud. Esmerleda, welcome home. 
 

Plans

A good clean boat.

   Needed to fix a bunk on the trailer so went over the The Typesetters today. After plowing our way through some pizza's we got the boat off the trailer, repaired the bunk, and go the boat back on the trailer. I then hauled up the main to see if the topping lift worked. And it does. As we chatted about this and that I sat up in the cockpit, yard sailing and dreaming. There is something amazingly comforting about sitting in the boat, even on the hard an feeling the wind and watching what the sail does. I fiddled with the boom vang and the outhaul to play with the sail shape. I watched a great video on sail trim and saw how the draft was effected. The fact I can't center my traveler still bugs me.
  So in our discussion The Typesetter and I discussed a long held idea of starting a boat building/sailing program for teens. It went back and forth but the end result was I am building a puddle duck this year. The Woman has expressed interest and the Lido needs a tender so it'll work well for the season. In addition we can itemize what a PDR would take in time and money in preparation of pitching the project. It is possible that nothing will really become of this but in the end the Lido will have a fine tender and I get to build a boat this summer.
  This next weekend is dedicated to another hobby of mine, running steam traction engines. The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula has a sawmill powered by a 1916 Case steam tractor and I'm licensed to operate it. The Typesetter is too. But before we go out to begin work on the engine I'll make the final payment and monetarily the 1,280th Lido will be mine.

A Wonderful Day

Fresh from the wash. Not half bad for half a century plus.

  It was a wonderful day here in Western Montana. So after dropping The Woman at work I decided to head over to the boat. I'm not quite sure when the idea to take her to a car wash and clean her came about but that's what happened. Trailering for the first time this year was uneventful. I forget how wide a Lido is, a full three inches wider then my truck on each side. One surprising thing was how much dirt came from behind the gunwale guards. Attention was paid to the fo'c'sle as this is the first time it's gotten a really good cleaning.

The interior as clean as it ever has been.

  Then it was back to the boatyard with a very clean Lido 14. One thing I've been meaning to figure out is how to get the mast up single handed. Single handing is not something that is talked about much when it comes to the Lido 14. I plan on doing a lot of single handing this summer so knowing how to get the mast up is important. There is a method of throwing the mast in the air and catching it with a rope but that seemed likely to lead to disaster. A more reasonable solution was needed and was found.

  One thing I've been thinking about a lot lately is a method of holding the mast up while at dock or while using the motor. Lazy jacks or a topping lift are methods of achieving this. A topping lift is mentioned in the Cal Sailing Club Lido Manual, the Cal Sailing Club has since transitioned to the the JY-15, and I figured how hard could it be? Quite simple really. I used 1/4" nylon line from the top of the mast which thanks to the design for the wire halyard has a good attachment point that should be free from sail interference. At the boom end the lift is shackled for easy release. In theory when the sail is raised, it should lift the boom enough to slack the lift and allow for it's use during sailing. We'll see how that pans out.

With the topping lift.

  The jam cleats on the centerboard that control the centerboard uphaul and the boom vang are designed for 1/4" inch line, not the ancient 5/16th lines I had been using. It was a simple enough fix using the left overs from the topping lift. I also fashioned a permanent bow mooring line from my old mainsheet. In many of the illustrations  I've seen you moor a Lido bow into the wind, perpendicular to the dock. Now when you have 90° sailing only docks that's a great way to moor. But when power boaters are using the dock that is set up for ease of those with a motor and a recommended time limit, things get more interesting. I'm not sure how many power boaters we irritated our first time out at Polson but it was a few. But the fact of the matter is we've needed a dedicated mooring line at the bow and now we have one. I also replaced the 5/16th line on the trailer winch with the rest of the mainsheet.

Clean interior. Just needs sails and water.

  All in all a very productive day. Getting the boat ready for the season has been frustrating at times but as launch day draws near it seems as if things are falling together as they should. Of course today was not all sunshine and roses. The tiller, which I managed to damage on the last sail of the season, still needs to be made ready. The rudder pin, which I've managed to drop into Flathead Lake at least once, needs to be semi -permanently attached so it'll be harder to lose. A new Fish, Wildlife, and Parks sticker needs to be obtained for the year. The motor needs a prop and a test. The portside bunk on the trailer is misaligned causing the fender to rub against the bottom of the hull. And there are electrical gremlins to track down. There are always electrical gremlins to track down.

Could be dockside or at anchor.

  I'm afraid to say not much as been done on the Teal front. I've moved the trailer and boat to my yard and once the Lido is good to go work for the season shall start in earnest. The front combing needs to be replaced and the new sails set up. In addition a new dagger board needs to be made as the current one takes water.
  Boats are a great distraction. Time flies when you're working on a boat and it's a pleasant change with the weather and all from the cold grip of winter. The lake is still cold though.  
 

Spreading Her Wings

Adventure in a tarp.

 It was an eventful day for the captain and crew of the Lido #1280. As I have mentioned in a previous post getting new lines was at the top of the list and with those lines being delivered two days ago, today was the day to get the boat rigged. In addition to replacing the rope sections of the main and jib halyard and a new mainsheet, the downhaul and boom vang were installed.

Mast raised for the first time in 2014. The new halyards are still white.

  The first order of the day was to raise the mast. That done it was off to lunch. Raising a mast on a 14' dinghy is hungry work! Once back in The Typesetter's boat yard work began in earnest. Replacing the mainsheet was easy enough having purchased line specifically for that purpose. The main halyard was a different beast. On our last sail of 2013, an epic voyage from Big Arm to Dayton to photograph the end of a SFYC yacht race the wire crimp on the main halyard gave way. This necessitated a temporary fix that served well but with the danger of temporary fixes becoming permanent it was time to do it right. Or if not right better. All in all it was done fairly quickly. After the correct size crimp was purchased the rope section was attached, put in a hitch and whipped in place. Nothing fancy but a good solid job. The jib halyard was much easier as we did not have to replace the crimp.

Currently the vang is as it would have come from the factory in 1962. A multiple purchase set up may well be in the works. As is a rework of the downhaul system also currently factory.

  The downhaul was simplicity itself, using one of the old halyards and a bowline knot. That done it was time to see if we could rig the boat and get some trailer sailing done. After accidentally  backwinding the jib we got it all figured and the little boat seemed ready to go.

What I can only imagine is the order number for our sails. They are not in bad condition for being over fifty years old.

Sails set and drawing nicely in about 5kts of wind.

  There is always work to be done on a bout and ours is no exception. The tiller needs to be repaired and strengthened.I have chosen an appropriate name for the vessel and I will need new name decals to let the rest of the world know as well. Adding some non slip to a few spots may not be a bad idea either. But for all intents and purposes we have a boat for the upcoming season. I can't wait. 

Closer Still

Capri 16.5 on it's way west.

 It was a serendipitous morning for those of a nautical mindset. As I pulled into work I noticed a small sailboat. I hailed the owner and he informed me he had purchased the vessel, a trim Capri 16.5 from an owner in Helena and was heading back to Washington. I mentioned my vessel and he remarked he owned a C-Lark and was looking for something a bit bigger. A C-Lark! Those were built in Seattle during the time my own boat was being built. Carrying a bit more sail area but filling the same niche you can normally find one or two for sale in the Seattle Craigslist. They weigh a bit less and are bit finer but I can only hope to sail one someday.
  Seems our line has arrived, I'll head over on Wednesday to install it. Prop for the boat has been ordered and should arrive in time for our sailing date. Now comes the cavalcade of little things. Making sure the dry box is ready. Seeing what extras can be purchased and stowed. Giving the boat a good cleaning as well. The weather should hold if not be downright decent for the next few weeks. All in all we're just a little bit closer!

Sailing Daydeams

  There is perfect sailing weather at Big Arm at the moment. Almost seventy degrees, light to low moderate winds all day long. Perfect. Save for the 36.6 degree water temperature. I may be daft when it comes to sailing but I'm not that daft. So I sit and daydream about sailing and do what I can to keep life on the hard interesting.

Mariner 2.5 two stroke of unknown vintage. Weighs about as much as a vacuum cleaner.

The outboard motor that came with the Lido has been sent along with a good friend of mine, some kind of mechanical wizard to be looked at. Seems I need to find a propeller for it. I originally wanted an electric outboard for the boat, and own one just for this purpose, but after some soul searching an and learning the motor came with the boat,  the stinkpot won out. I don't have unlimited time to sail. During the scheduled sailing time my schedule is my own. But I need to be back work at a time not set by me. And on a giant lake in a sail only boat I need to do what I can to ensure I make it to the dock before that time. Although the Sail and Oar purist may knash their teeth, the fact is I don't own a sail and oar boat. So we all make sacrifices. On the bright side the motor is older, contains none of the modern Mariner 2.5's safety and comfort features and should annoy a certain class of people. I'm okay with this.
  Just down the street from The Woman's house is a motley collection of various watercraft spread out haphazardly about a side facing yard. There is what I'm guessing an 18 foot long production sloop on a trailer with flat tires. The cabin has been left open to the elements so who knows what the true shape of the boat is. Besides I don't think my truck could tow it over Evaro Hill. There are a few drift boats piled on a trailer but what really caught my eye was a little blue hull of a sailboat.

She's a Koralle Jr. 12 LOA sloop.

  The boat reeks of potential so I snapped some photo's of it. This caught the attention of the owner who after going out of his way to ignore me as he smoked a cigarette on his stoop asked me what I'd pay for the boat. I countered with what he wanted for it. We looked the boat over and there are a few problems. The bottom of the hull needs some fiberglass attention. I asked him again what he wanted for it.  He came back with $2,000 dollars. This is about three times what I'm getting the Lido for. I countered with $250 and asked if it came with anything. I remember using terms like sail and mast, spars and  rudder. "It comes with some things" the owner drawled between drags. He sounded out my offer, tasting it and came back with $400. And that broke the bank. I'm sure I could swing it but that's taking money from the boat I really want and Kenny Rogers was right. But I did say if the boat was still sitting there at the end of the season we might talk. And we might. But don't as a non sailor try and dicker over a price I see as outrageous. Even if it is a relatively rare boat imported from Germany. I'm not paying you for what the boat could be, I'm paying for what the boat is. Especially if I don't know you.

Gotta know when to walk away

  I picked up a copy of the Orange Coast College Lido Manual entitled Sails in the Sun (or: Masts in the Mud) off of Amazon. Wow what a great resource! From how the centerboard downhaul is rigged to how to get on and off the boat this book covers quite a bit. So after reading it I decided to head over to the the Typesetters and get the center board rigged "right".
  #1280 is from the fourth year of Lido Production so she has a few of the early fittings that make her unique. I thought I would share a few of those with you here.

Movable Jib Cars. Most are replaced with a fixed cleat and fairlead system. I like that I could have more headsail options. 

Here is the rerigged centerboard up haul with the line on the starboard side. The original single block set up for the boom vang will go on the port side.

Here is the set up for the outhaul. Now replaced on most boats with a jamcleat on the mast.

Traveler car for the mainsheet. The cars with stops to allow for setting the position of the sheet are missing.  Replaced in later Lidos with a rope bridle system.

That sticker will have to be replaced with an up to date one  I think.

   My goal is to sail #1280 in an as original configuration as possible. I want to know how the boat handles as designed because I'm guessing that is harder and harder to do with the 6,100+ boats in the Lido fleet. The only thing I'm planning on changing is the gooseneck setup from the original configuration. In that the sail is hooked over a horn on the gooseneck which in turn attaches to the downhaul. In a more modern set up the luff tension is controlled without placing stress on the gooseneck by bringing the downhaul through the grommet in the tack.
  The Typesetter and I also ordered the new line for the main and jib halyards, outhaul, boom vang and mainsheet. The mainsheet will be of nylon, the others of polyester. Although the lines that came with the boat seem to have some life left we feel it is prudent to spend the money and start the season with new line.
  And splash date was finalized. The 1,280th Lido 14 built will hit the still cold waters of Flathead Lake on May 3rd, 2014 at Big Arm State Park. I think I shall bring a cake.

Here Be Dragons

  Hold Fast is a documentary by Moxie Marlinspike detailing the refit of a Pearson 30 and it's eventual sail to the Bahamas. While some might not agree with the methods in the movie, none can argue it's message. I'm not quite sure how I came across it but I remember thinking that finding a boat and sailing it on fantastic adventures was something I wanted to do in my life. Of course it's a bit harder when you've tied yourself to the pier of routine and live in a state with no ocean coastline. But why let that stop you?
  I've never had small plans. I guess part of me has never seen the point of small plans. And now on the verge of ownership of a 14' foot dingy I have some big plans. And as it turns out I have an inland sea to do it in. Flathead lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. It's 196 sq mi. of water that can kill you carved out by the Glacial Lake Missoula. To call it a sea is no exaggeration either when you figure the Sea of Galilee is currently only 167 sq mi. The lake even claims it own monster. But here in the Big Sky Country it is the mecca of all things water sports during the warmer months.
  Most of the activity is centered to the south around the resort town of Polson. I've sailed there, when we first took #1280 out, it was out of the Polson city dock. That was not the best experience I've yet had. Power boaters it seems have little patience for those new at the sport and even less patience for those not using internal combustion to enjoy the water. We did manage to dock under sail twice and one of those times was in full view of the sight seeing boat. But I digress. Due to the nature of Polson Bay and it's depth even light winds will bring up a decent chop. Well decent if you're in a 14' dingy with 3 people aboard. But in a pinch I would do it again and most likely will. Only way to get better is to do it right?
  Currently we sail mainly out of Big Arm. The dock is well situated, we can tie up on the end and fuss with things and people nod understandingly and the semi-sheltered bay is great for day sailing. The west shore of the lake is famed for it's thermals producing pretty reliable wind for most of the day and it's a popular spot for racing. Just north of Big Arm, past the invisible town of Elmo, is Dayton, home of the South Flathead Yacht Club a good destination for a day sail.
  Across the lake and slightly south is Finley Point, home of the first WMHBBA messabout. We've sailed a Teal out of Finley but the winds can be really good or non existent. Water out in the depths get's a bit rocky too. The dock set up however is excellent and the camp ground is decent.
  I bring these up because I want to sail to all of them. I read The Log of the Spartina and decided long ago that that was the kind of sailing I want to do. Now I don't have a Welsford Pathfinder and even if I could have a boat that size I would want a Oughtred Caldonia Yawl but what I do have is a more capable boat then what I've been used to. And I think it's good enough for what I'm planing this summer.
  There are people who take human powered craft all over the Flathead Lake. As a matter of fact there is a published marine trail for them to follow to get from civilized point to civilized point. Why couldn't one, with the proper planning and preparation, do it in a small sailboat? There are many other types of small sailboat adventures out there. The Texas 200, Everglades Challenge and RAID's all over Europe. The idea being to take boats a bit out their element and sail a course untraveled. I have thought of joining the Texas 200 but after consultation with The Typesetter five days in the desert heat of Texas in a constant downwind run does not sound like our idea of fun. But 50 or so miles circumnavigating Flathead does. Of course to some this is crazy talk but so was the Texas 200 and this will be it's seventh year.
  At this point circumnavigation over a week is pretty much out. But weekend or over night journeys are in the planning.  But even now there are areas of the map marked Here Be Dragons. I've yet to sail out of the shadow of Wild Horse Island. What are the winds like as you head north? Can I keep up a decent rate of advance trying to stay a pistol shot from shore? What would an east west crossing be like? Baby steps. Undertaking a plan of this magnitude will take a willingness to bite off small chunks at a time and to learn all I can during and between those chunks. It's going to take a lot of sailing. And that's the whole point.
  Outfitting #1280 for these voyages will have to commence as well. The rig needs to be better put together for fine tuning and proper trimming. I need to come up with a boom crutch and tent for over nights. I'm thinking that cushions for the bench seats may not be a bad idea either. I'll never race my Lido against other Lidos so modifying the boat for comfort and livability can trump class racing for the time being. Although adding the forward brace and hiking straps may not be a bad idea even in a boat I'm planning on sailing on an even keel more often then not.
  Of course these ideas sound great in the middle of a graveyard shift or over coffee with a semi
-like minded individual at Break Espresso but as the saying goes "Everybody has a plan until the first one ton shell hits your admirals bridge". And that shell will hit no doubt but I'd like to think at least I'm in the fight. Because it gives me something to reach for and a bit of a challenge. The lack of small sailboats in my neck of the woods is a bit disheartening. I know we have a few Lasers and I think the North Flathead Yacht Club has a juniors racing series but no one that I've seen is out gunkholing in small sail boats. And that's a shame. Because for all it's terrors Flathead holds some wonders too. And I think it's high time they were explored.

Motor Mount Work

Notice the concentration, the focus!

Today the weather was fine enough to get some work done on the Lido. As mentioned in a previous post there is a motor mount at the rear that begs for a bit of work. So in between graveyard shifts and questionable weather The Typesetter and myself tackled what we could.
The first order of business was to get the rotten piece of plywood off the back of the mount. This proved both more difficult and far easier then we were expecting. More difficult because the nuts holding the mount were well and truly seized. Far easier because instead of taking just the nut off The Typesetter ended up twisting the entire end of the bolt off. Then it was off to hardware store for replacement bolts as I had picked up the 3/4" plywood the day before.

Old on top. Notice the old bolt in the middle. Good thing we replaced that!

The work is designed to last a season until a more permanent solution can be found. But I think you'll agree it looks far better then what was on there originally and will do the job that is needed of it. Now on the rigging and trailer work and we'll be ready to hit big water in 2014.
On a final note, here is the spring newsletter for The Western Montana Home Built Boat Association.
 Spring Newsletter
"Hello fellow boat builders and sailors, founder here. It's been a rough winter here in Western Montana but there are undeniable signs of spring. Mainly that the calender says it's April! But with spring hopefully right around the corner that means we'll be on the water soon.
The WMHBBA has recently acquired a 1962 Lido 14 for the purposes of sail training. Although not made of wood this will be an excellent craft for members to refine their sailing skills. We'll keep you posted on training events, meetings and messabouts as the season gets underway.
One major change this year will be a water arrival and possible departure for the 3rd Annual Finley Point Messabout, held at Finley State Park on the shores of Flathead Lake. The Board is discussing sailing from Big Arm with the overnight itself at Finely or possibly the other way around.
I hope some of you are ready to tackle those spring boat chores. Repainting, new hardware, sanding, or the dozen other things that keep a wooden boat sailing every season.
This year look for WMHBBA tee-shirts and burgees as the season gets underway. Design and prices should be up by the messabout so you can show your WMHBBA pride. There may be a possibility of IP&NCo. gear as well. And we'll continue to provide the finest opportunities and resources to build and sail small wooden boats in Western Montana. That is our charter you know. And we'll even let those other small boats along for the ride because there is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. So until next time keep your peak up! JDM-Founder"