pirateer 13 boom question

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rachelc258
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pirateer 13 boom question

Post by rachelc258 »

Ok, someone recently gave me their old pirateer 13. I've been taking sailing classes at my university, and I was just hoping to use this to learn. Most of the set up seemed fairly self-explanatory, and fairly similar to what I was used to with the coronado 15s UCSC uses, but I am baffled over the boom.

For one, according to the manual, there's a rope that runs through the back of the boat, by which the boom is attached by a pulley which runs across the rope. I think the manual called it a bridle.

Well, as far as I can tell, there isn't one of these in the boat (although, it also apparently is missing the rope and pulley and connection to the hook by which you pull back the mainsail in set up), but I also can't quite figure out what such a thing would be used for- surely it limits (and the few pictures I was able to find attest to this) how far the boom can swing out over the boat by a LOT, limiting it to just a beam reach.


Is this a vital part? Or just used for special things? And if it is fairly important, why?
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EmergencyExit
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Post by EmergencyExit »

I can see from the pics in the manual what you mean about that bridle limiting boom swing. Am guessing the C15's you are used to learning on use the stern sheeting/split mainsheet tail setup ? I have my C15 set up that way and while it also limits the boom travel, if you ease the boom out much further anyway the main hits the spreaders up at the upper battens, and you lose sail shape at that point...perhaps that is the reason for the limiting ?


bl
rachelc258
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Post by rachelc258 »

EmergencyExit wrote:I can see from the pics in the manual what you mean about that bridle limiting boom swing. Am guessing the C15's you are used to learning on use the stern sheeting/split mainsheet tail setup ? I have my C15 set up that way and while it also limits the boom travel, if you ease the boom out much further anyway the main hits the spreaders up at the upper battens, and you lose sail shape at that point...perhaps that is the reason for the limiting ?


bl
It seems to me that if we were running in the c15s, they would hit up against the shrouds.
But I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to be a bit more clear about "stern sheeting/split mainsheet tail setup "- my classes have been more on the "this is how you do it" side and a bit weak on the terminology.
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EmergencyExit
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Post by EmergencyExit »

...it is basically the same setup as you see in the manual for the Pirateer except there is no "bridle" and "pulley"...you take 2 short pieces of smaller line, and splice them into a larger line (forming a "Y")where that pulley is on the pirateer..have a look at the first picture on the 3rd row at the site below..

http://troop255.org/sailing/2003NAC.html
rachelc258
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Post by rachelc258 »

oh, ok.

thanks:)

We took it out for a test sail, it seems to work allright, although I still am not sure how you're supposed to move around the thing, you have to really get out of the way to keep from banging your head on the boom, and the tiller just complicates matters! ah well, I'll figure it out.

Oddly enough, the boat turned out to have been previously owned (way way and a few owners back) by my university! So perhaps when I go back in the fall, I can grill the sailing instructors:)
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EmergencyExit
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Post by EmergencyExit »

Glad to help out....know what you mean about the boom and tiller...going from a trip in the cockpit of Emergency Exit to sitting on the rails of the C15 usually results in a couple of bangs on the head with the boom and a few pokes in the back with the tiller till I adjust... <LOL>

Fair winds, enjoy the Pirateer..
bl
rachelc258
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Post by rachelc258 »

took it for another sail today, and it seems to be a bit more troublesome than the coronado 15s. I half wonder if Chystler just didn't take the design for one of the slightly larger boats and just stick it into a 13 foot one. I could see this working a lot better if it were, say, 18 feet long. Because to get proper control of the tiller (without being much stronger) you have to sit up in the middle of the boat, but the only place NOT to get beamed by the boom (short of lying down) is on the very very end of the boat... I'd move the boom up a few feet and make it shorter if I could.

Perhaps i'm doing it wrong. I wonder if it would work if I sit in the middle of the boat, duck under the boom, switch sides, and THEN tacked. Ah well, I guess I'll just have to go sailing AGAIN, poor me ;-)
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EmergencyExit
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Post by EmergencyExit »

you've got the idea...
if single-handing the boat, sit about midships, and practice a routine of pushing the tiller, and as the bow comes into the wind (and the boom begins to move) squat and duck under it, pivoting on your feet, and scooting your rear end to the far rail . with good timing you'll be sitting on the other rail just as the tack is completed. you'll need to switch hands on the tiller behind you as you move over.
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