On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 23:12:53 -0400, DSK wrote:
(snip)
Michael wrote:
Think "balanced" vs "unbalanced" rudders....power steering vs manual.
The balance area of a rudder reduces the perceived load on the helm, but
does *not* reduce the load on the rudder post.
I think it would be more accurate to say that the force by the
helmsman requires less physical effort with a balanced rudder.
I can not think of anything that would reduce the load on a rudder
post....
I am not aware of any production boat that was built with the bearings
you suggest. I though such beasts do exist for rudders..
Probably not in the 30' size range.
Fancy racing boats have top-notch rudder post bearings, and of course
bigger boats have to have bearings appropriate to the load... if they're
well designed of course...
It's a worthwhile upgrade to a boat that will spend a lot of time
sailing hard on autopilot.
Humm.... I think I would rather have a bushing, I dont think a bearing
in a water environment would last or be as reliable as a bushing...
A wild guess is that 80% of boat owners dont know how to do this or
80% of any other work that may be required to be done, yet they own
boats.
IMHO that's a wild overestimate. Most boat owners I know (mostly
mid-size sailboats) know how to do a wide variety of technical things
and all basic maintenance. The stuff that gets done by hired help is
either really demanding & technical, perhaps requiring special tools...
like testing injectors or timing injector pumps... or really tedious &
awfule, like sanding off old bottom paint.
Standing rigging has little to do with the designer
In terms of it replacement, sure designers initially determine the
original config. and I have yet to see anyone change that (from an
original design aspect).
I have. In a very few cases did it turn out to be a wise move.
... Very rarely would the design of the standing
rigging be changed on a production boat.
Depends on who is doing what. A a relatively common change is adding an
inner stay for a staysail.
Ya but thats not a mod like separating two shrouds from a single chain
plate, or mounting the chain plate on the outboard of the hull,
etc....
a inner stay isnt a mod of the existing rig but an addition to it
What I had in mind is the excessively salty type who brags about
"upgrading" his standing rigging to the next larger size, because it so
macho to brag about sailing in high winds. The issue here is that 1-
rigging is sized to the boat's righting moment regadless of wind
strength and 2- heavier rigging will dregarde the boats performance and
3- because of the difficulty in getting the tensions correct, may
actually weaken the overall rig & bring down the mast.
Yep, Dave Martin. He stayed in Oriental, NC for quite a while. Some of
what he did made good sense... putting on larger standing rigging did
not. In fact (as I said) from an engineering standpoint it can be
harmful. Where does all the added stress from this stronger rigging go?
It doesn't disappear!
Yes there are downsides to upgrading the standing rigging to a larger
size, one increment in size would not make a difference
Yes, it would. There would be a difference in weight aloft, in windage,
in stress generated from the additional tension needed to keep that
heavier gage rigging from shock loading, and in any event (as I said)
the standing rigging loads are determined by the boat's righting moment.
The strongest possible wind will not impose any more strain on it.
However the heavier gage will require greater tension and will have less
elasticity and will probably overstress the chainplates and will
definitely place a greater compression load on the mast.
I dont necessarly disagree with you but from all those who have
upgraded one size I have never heard any issue as a result from the
end user or a rigger....
I have never yet heard of anybody putting on a thicker mast because they
want a tougher more seaworthy boat.
In short, putting on heavier standing rig is good *only* if it was
undersized originally. In any other possible case, it is detrimental to
the boat's performance and seaworthiness. Period.
.... But I do see the postive aspect of its
use. I would rather replace it more often at that cost than figure
the SS rigging will last as long as the rest of the boat.
Get Sta-Loks. You'll never need to replace anything but the very
inexpensive cones.
Yes they are better than the Norseman ones from the test results I
have read.
As far as I am concerned a saildrive unit is essentially an outboard
with more negatives.
Like what? The newer saildrives are great. Less trouble, more efficient,
and neater installation, than a conventional inboard.... you can put
both the engine weight and the prop in more advantageous locations.
For the lower unit the boat must be dry docked to service it, where a
OB on a laz maybe pulled at any time. COST...
Is a saildrive generally prefered over a conventional IB? I dont
think so, why is that?
Multihulls have saildrives or OB's I would rather have the OB's
check out this excellent pictoral of a OB in a laz as well as general
project boat:
http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/s...9&page=1&pp=15
you should go through all 15 pages
The advantages of an outboard are
1- cost
2- winter storage in your closet
3- service by removing it to the shop
4- maneuverability (*if* the installation is such that the helmsman can
swivel it)
Pretty much everything else about them is a negative. Fuel economy &
heavy weather performance are terrible.
Very true, but then risk of theivery or submergence or damage is higher;
reliability is often lower too.
Point for the lazerrete config.....
Putting the OB in a lazarette might reduce the chance of theivery, but
it increases the chance of flooding... those wells get a surge up in
them at every wave, your engine could go under water 500 times and you
wouldn't see it. Many of the also amplify noise, and choke the engine.
They keep that traditional counter stern looking sweet, though.
That's been my experience with a dozen or so boats equipped with
outboards in wells. YMMV
In my case, I have always bought bargain-basement boats for very cheap
(ie within my budget) and fixed them up myself. But it's really
sailing... both racing & cruising... with my family that I enjoy most.
It's the means to an end.
The economic advantage doesnt always outweight the practical downside,
mileage will vary....Boat repair can be a hobby to a degree.
And it also gives you a boat that you know all about, and can fix, and
can rely on.
Yes, if you have got the time and passion
http://www.bumfuzzle.com/logs11-04.htm
You may be interested in the issues with a 2 year old cat on a
circumnaviation by novice sailors.
http://www.bumfuzzle.com/
Much so called "wisdom" is perception also:}}
"Genius is limited and stupidity is unlimited"
That's an excellent quote. One of my favorites is
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the
intelligent are full of doubt"
--Bertrand Russell
Fresh Breezes-- Doug King