Subject: Ken Jensen talks goosenecks, engine/mainsheet snarl avoidance, and landing/leaving in surf/rollers
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 2:31 PM
Subject: W.Cruising

WAYFARER Cruising (often single-handed - 'My Way' ):
 
This topic is a never ending one, and since we are all different, there shall allways be different solutions. What is brought forward by me has been given to me along the way from someone there as well as from my own chest. The burden of age is claimed to be an insult, and it defenitely demands no waste of energy, when you reach my age, but then again the stimulus of W.cruising is a marvellous vitamin.
The advantage of gaining experience - through sailing, performing, doing it - is that learned tricks/techniques integrate with the personality, and thus become less technical, and more like "playing by ear/sound/feeling" being part of a 'SYMPHONY'/ SYM-BIOSIS.  In W.Cruising, and especially solo such proper seamanship is unavoidable!
 
Gooseneck  the adjustable one gives more working space under the boom with a reefed mainsail, and a lifted boom is less prone to catch the water in 'rock and roll'. Full up position on the mast of the sliding gooseneck is where it's placed for W1348's boomtent, and this is also where it - with the boom connected and its aft end slanted against the forward part of the deck-side transom - will hold the mast up - as a strut support!
 
Avoiding conflict engine and mainsheet.  A Span/Bridle/Crowfoot is made of a thin steelwire, extending across-ship from steel-eylet to steeleylet (over the lid of the aft compartment) and fastened by a small shackle on either side, and has a cringle at the midpoint for the mainsheet block's lower snap- or cliphook. The upper mainsheet block's snap- or cliphook is hooked to a 'popped' on eye (50cm forward of the boom-end) on the lower part of the boom, or to - when the roller-reefed mainsail covers this eye - to a claw ring (called a 'lyre' by us).


This arrangement prevents snarling the mainsheet around the mounted engine, which I normally will prefer removed and stowed, but certain situations (sudden high wind velocity after calm/flukey conditions, navigating a strong current into windshelter - privileged to have looked up at W1348-sails on the way into *Saltstraumen*, claimed to be the world's strongest seawater whirlpool and maelstrom, at Bodø, lat. 67*14' N, where we arrived a bit early, lost the wind due to the terrain and had no engine!). It's easier, safer, quicker for the solo-sailor to reef down, rearrange the mainsheet and leave the engine in position at the transom where it will be easily available.
The 'crowfoot' mentioned above can be replaced by a prestrecthed synthetic line with a tied eye on the midpoint, and the ends lead with double-hitches through the multi-purpose steeleylets to the equal cleats - either side of the sidedecks (see the earlier sketch of cockpit lay-out).
 


Landing through rollers and breakers where drogue and anchor can be used, but I have no experience of serious/heavy condition for which Capt. Voss used a drogue with a trip-line and even demonstrated crossing dangerous bars that way!   I have wondered if it's possible to back in that way, and hopefully avoid some waterspray using the sprayhood. Anyway the W. should be hauled out with the transom first.
Starting to sail out through breakers is quite interesting, and an anchor left out there about 100-150ft off is helpful for the start. Be very careful if the boat is bounching about before you board - it may easily break a leg!  Water at least 3/4 - 1 m I believe is necessary, starting with punting and oar-steering.
 
Best W.regards to you all,  Ken