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Corti Creare
Awesome time-lapse video of the new J/121 Offshore Speedster- a 40-foot boat designed for #sailing offshore with less crew! This video shows the hull plug "rough cut" being created at Symmetrix in Bristol, RI using a 5-axis CNC machine- amazing how fast a 40 foot plug can be created! Just 3 days! Next up? The "fine tuning" and final finish to 800# finish with 0.01mm tolerances! For more J/121 #sailboat information- http://www.jboats.com/j121
Catamarans are the perfect boats to dry out on a beach, or, as many do in tidal areas (including ourselves), use a half tide drying mooring. If the boat has daggerboards then sensibly the rudders should lift to avoid damage, especially if the tide/wind causes waves when refloating. I have used the method seen in this video for 40 years. Very simple and works easily. Please note that this boat is over 30 years old, and I had never tried to lift the rudders with one hand before! Hence the initial hesitation. They would lift more easily if the shafts were greased. A simple snap hook holds the rudder up. Some people use "dinghy style" lifting rudders but that means the blades stick out behind the boat, which has often led to breakages when in a crowded anchorage and unsuspecting dinghies pass in the night. This rudder system works exactly like a conventional semi-balanced rudder when it in the down position. And has the advantage that the whole rudder can be taken off the boat by simply undoing one bolt. And no shaft leaks either! The thin ropes led through blocks to a cleat on the tiller are connected to the outboard. So the engine turns with the rudders, significantly increasing manouverability! I write more about steering systems on my website, see here https://www.sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/19-faqs/sailing-and-performance-questions/109-which-steering-system-should-i-use
Coming back from a weekend in Galveston we were only 3 or 4 miles from home port. Entering Galveston Bay we saw this storm approaching. Sailing with just the jib we hoped we could out run it but decided it was better to be out in the open water when it hits so we just rolled in the jib and when it hit turned away from it. No waves to speak of so decided to keep the rain out of our faces. We put the dog down below and waited for it to hit. It hit with 36 knot winds but they died down to the high 20s. The squall only lasted 10 minutes or so and when it passed we headed home. It was our first experience of a storm although not at sea as such so this was a baby storm. The first of many to come in our sailing lives I'm sure.