My biggest challenge with my Skerry has been getting the sail up when on the water. It’s set up so the halyard and downhaul just go to cleats near the base of the mast, which means I need to crawl forward (and let go of the tiller) to get the sail up. Sailing at Aquatic Cove in SF over the weekend was kind of harrowing because I kept drifting toward the pier and other boats.
I’d like to run those lines back to cleats or camcleats near the center thwart, but I also want to leave the front seat clear of too much hardware so I can take people out rowing. I trailer the boat around, so keeping hardware minimal would also help reduce setup/teardown time.
Any suggestions?
I’ve been using a drift sock attached to the bow of my Northeaster Dory. It keeps the bow pointed windward and slows the downwind drift. It doesn’t take up much room, is easy to deploy and retrieve, and makes a great addition to the onboard gear.
My main lake sailing area lies beyond a low bridge, so I have to install the mast and raise the sail while on the water. The drift sock really helps—I don’t have to row as far, and with the slowed movement, there’s enough time to stop, retry, or continue the setup without rushing. I’ve rigged it to clip onto the bow hook, with the retrieval lead secured near the mast.
I believe I first read about using a drift sock or drogue here on the forum. It’s probably the most useful piece of sailing gear I’ve added.
Are you able to lead the lines to be cleated on the underside of the thwart? My boats centerboard lines are lead that way as designed and I plan to eventually do the same with the halyard and down haul.
Not a bad idea, I’ll look into a drift sock, it would definitely be the least impact on seating space for passengers.
Here’s how I addressed the problem you describe. Main halyard is on starboard, boom pull-down line on port; those lines do crowd up the front compartment a bit, but since I’m usually solo, they’re not a problem.
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