By J.R. Watson
One of the original experimental components of Adagio was the rotating wing mast. In 1970, a plywood mast (a fore runner to our 050 mast design) was stepped on Adagio.
The rotated airfoil-shaped wing mast makes a smooth transition from mast to sail on the leeward side. This provides cleaner airflow around the mast. The benefit is better attached airflow, thus less drag and more power driving the boat. Continue reading
As winter wore on, I ran out of things to do. There was no snow for skiing and no ice for ice boating. I figured it was a good time to make something fancy for the new catamaran. I reckoned that fairing the compasses that stuck up out of the deck would reduce windage and make everything look cleaner. I decided to make carbon fiber compass hoods with a clear finish inside and out. This was a good application for the matched mold technique of composite construction.
By Ray Locke
This is a project which will give your stainless steel helm’s wheel a beautiful wooden look, a softer and sturdier feel. Mine looks great and, with a new teak cockpit table, really improves the look of the helm station. It is done by wrapping the wheel with pieces of teak that have been hollowed out and rounded over, then epoxied together. The end product feels heavier than the stainless steel wheel, is about ½“ greater in diameter, and is beautiful. Continue reading
When the centerboard of my Searunner trimaran broke in the middle of a windy race around the Black Hole, the question I kept asking was “Why now, after working fine all of this time, and when we were leading the race?” Continue reading
by Jim Derck
Why do centerboards and rudders need durable edges? When centerboards and flip-up rudders drag across the bottom, the first fiberglass to abrade away is usually the leading edge at the bottom. This exposes the end grain of the wood, allowing water to be absorbed the length of the centerboard or rudder. The wood then expands, cracking the fiberglass along the leading edge and causing more problems. When it is time to repair the tip, it usually takes a long time to dry the wood for an effective repair. Continue reading