those small storms are called squalls, the more you sail, eventually you can see them coming :) you either go back to shore, drop sail or fly in the squall, hoping you don't break anything :P
Cool videos. Im going to build some of these. How has yours held up and should i use epoxy or polyester resin for the bottom glass over marine plywood?
Buck, that is...Mr. Flap, Nice boat & you are so LUCKY to have a spouse that shares this enthusiasm for small boat sailing & the absolute IDIOCY that it always entails. Tip 'O the cap to you both. Keep the upside up!
Very informative & low- key video. Really like your boom treatment, you still get a nice stiff straight boom from smaller dimensional lumber as I see it
Oops. Going over the "wrong way" like that is the worst. The horrible moment when you know there's nothing you an do because she's past the point of no return, and that what follows is a long session of hard work righting the boat, climbing aboard, and baling. Baling a boat in conditions that were bad enough to cause a capsize can be a wobbly experience. Racing sailors with self draining cockpits don't know they're born!
Well, you certainly jumped in with both feet. Goat Island Skiffs are great boats, but they can be a handful even for experienced sailers, or so I'm told. You took her out and you survived, and now you are experienced sailers. Good for you. May you have fair winds and happy voyages.
Awesome. Hope you do a full Monday morning about lessons learned video on this … but like spell it out for us noobs? Also what u decided to do to improve draining - in the water after a flip and once on shore, some special scuppers or valves maybe, for bilge remnants? I one day hope to build something similar but wonder if the design can take wider (5”) glassed-in seating flush with side rails and a glassed-in higher floor, at about water level, to make it self draining? I am sure I am missing something but that’s the thought…. Thank you.
Flat bottom boat meant for inland and sheltered waters. Taking it out in open waters on days when there is a significant amount of chop would invite a rough ride. You want v-bottom hull if your intent is to go out in any chop or swell.
I´ve seen so many different way to rig a goat. square mast, round mast, hollow mast, solid mast, round boom and yard or sqare shaped.... why did you choose this combination of sqare mast, round yard and this kind of boom??? (don´t know the name of it)
The hollow box mast is sturdy, light, and simple to make. I originally had the simple round yard and boom from the plans, but switched to a pine/cedar boom for more stiffness (maybe).
I appreciate anyone who posts an HONEST video about learning a new skill (ie we all suck at the beginning). So cool to see how much you guys improved by the end!
On my Goat I found that boxing the center thwart in with plywood and a couple plastic hatches added enough buoyancy at the sides so that she could be righted and sailed away without bailing. That simple change made me much more confident in her.
First sail - Your friend on the tiller was setting you up? And enjoying your boom ducking LOL - But you both picked it up quickly - A joy to watch - Thanks for sharing.
I really admire your determination not to mention your bravery in teaching yourselves to sail. I can only imagine your terror as that skiff took off in some wild manner when you first caught a decent breeze.My father taught me to sail almost before I could walk, but it was racing our boats that taught me the most about sailing. I would highly recommend you join a racing club and crew for other members, it would really improve you both far more rapidly than you could ever manage on your own. I can assure you,that after just a few weeks you will be confident enough to race your own boat. Either way good luck and good sailing.
Very good and fun video! Really enjoyed seeing your skills and confidence grow with experience. Have you found a place that's consistently nice to sail?
I just saw your video for the first time. You guys really improved over the year! Two questions: 1. do you really use the Cunningham that much when sailing, or would a simple tie down from the boom to a cleat on the mast be enough? 2. You went thru a lot of different tiller extension joints - which was the best? Tx, Carl in SC
I don't know that the downhaul on this boat would be considered a cunningham (novice sailor here), but its nice for 1) having the pulleys to easily get a lot of downhaul tension, which is important for a lug sail and 2) keeping the mast in place as the downhaul is bolted through the deck. The tiller joint is a Ronstan R-3133, which works great and shows no signs of wear so far. The simple rope-with-knots joint worked fine for us, but it was a bit sloppy and the ronstan is definitely a step up. Sorry for the reply 6 months later.
