Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

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  • WI-Tom
    Seaside Expat
    • Jan 2009
    • 15902

    Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

    With my new boat launched and sailing (but not yet named), I guess it's time to move on out of the Building/Repair section into People & Places. The first launch was rowing only on a local creek:



    Rowing solo is really nice--transom stays well out of water:



    Noticeably heavier with passengers, but the transom still doesn't drag:



    If I had bothered to install the forward oarlocks, it would balance better with a passenger. Most likely I'll be solo 90% of the time anyway, though, so no big hurry on that.
    Last edited by WI-Tom; 07-01-2017, 02:52 PM.
    Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

    www.tompamperin.com
  • WI-Tom
    Seaside Expat
    • Jan 2009
    • 15902

    #2
    Re: Sea Trials and Outings in my Kurylko Alaska

    But of course "oar" is only half of "sail and oar," so the next day included some sailing:



    I hadn't really rigged anything for sheeting, or figured out the ergonomics, but no disasters, at least:

    Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

    www.tompamperin.com

    Comment

    • WI-Tom
      Seaside Expat
      • Jan 2009
      • 15902

      #3
      Re: Sea Trials and Outings in my Kurylko Alaska

      After lots of rainy cold days, I finally got the chance to do a couple of all-day outings on a local lake:



      Sailed about 4 miles down to a local island on a gray, cloudy weekday when no one else was out:



      Anchored off a small island (sadly, about the only island on the lake) for lunch:



      Then sailed back to the far downwind end of the lake (actually more of a river channel), thinking that short-tacking my back out would provide lots of time to get to know the boat:

      Last edited by WI-Tom; 06-30-2017, 04:11 PM.
      Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

      www.tompamperin.com

      Comment

      • WI-Tom
        Seaside Expat
        • Jan 2009
        • 15902

        #4
        Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

        Alaska is designed to be ketch rigged (two standing lugsails), but based on feedback from other Alaska sailors, I figured I would do well enough with just the 85 sq ft mainsail in the center mast step instead--the entire rig has 134 sq ft, and in my typical cruising winds, that would be way too much about 80% of the time. But I had been puzzling over how to handle sheeting the boomless sail and get the right sheeting angle. Here's what I came up with:



        The "sheet hauler" line, in theory, would haul the sheeting point outward to the rail after each tack--there was too much slack in the traveler (necessary to fit over the tiller) for that to happen on its own.

        In real life it worked pretty well once I had added a couple of jam cleats for the sheet hauler line:



        I was happy to have a couple of long days in the boat. Turns out I like to sit on the aft-most thwart, facing mostly forward. The swiveling tiller extension makes steering from here easy and comfortable, and it puts more weight forward, better for windward work especially.

        I also got the hang of slowly sailing the boat around to tack, a VERY noticeable difference from my brother's Phoenix III. In the Phoenix III I'm used to tacking so quickly that you can sail right up to an obstacle to windward, put the tiller over, and tack without worrying about hitting it. The Alaska, with a long straight keel and no rocker, has a MUCH wider turning radius. I found myself using very little rudder angle, letting the boat steer itself in a wide circle--at some point, the tack happens, but it takes a lot more space and time. I'm still getting the hang of it, but I made it back up a 3-mile narrow river channel in fluky (sometimes almost entirely blocked) winds without missing a tack. So far, so good.

        I also discovered that my Alaska has excellent directional stability--let go of the tiller for a few moments (or a minute or two) and it'll pretty much keep going straight. Slight weather helm when reaching or running, more weather helm when close-hauled. A slight tendency to lee helm when broad reaching in light winds--I'll have to sort that out, as I'm not keen on lee helm.

        As with any lug-rigged boat, it parks itself about broadside to the wind when you let the sheet fly--a simple way to stop for a quick break when waves aren't bad.

        My usual cruising gear fits in two large duffel-type dry bags, which will fit side by side at the forward end of the centerboard--that's also where I have 100 lbs of ballast (4 bags of steel shot), which seem like a very good idea--not a lot of freeboard, and more heeling than I'm used to in the Phoenix III. In fact, I was able to sit comfortably on the rail just behind the oarlocks to help keep the boat flat. Oars store well out of the way forward, slid all the way up to the bow.

        So far so good--I should have some time soon to get away for a longer trip or two, which will (I'm sure) teach me a lot more about my new ride.

        Tom
        Last edited by WI-Tom; 06-30-2017, 04:33 PM.
        Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

        www.tompamperin.com

        Comment

        • Phil Y
          Banned
          • Apr 2010
          • 21066

          #5
          Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

          Looks great. A boom might be a good addition?

          Comment

          • callsign222
            Senior Member
            • Aug 2009
            • 1784

            #6
            Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

            That was my question too! A sprit-boom works nice with a standing lug- high and light.

            Look at me in my Monday Morning Quarterback Chair!

            Comment

            • callsign222
              Senior Member
              • Aug 2009
              • 1784

              #7
              Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

              Beautiful job, Tom! Really nice. Very slick.

              Comment

              • Stiletto
                Grant S
                • Jan 2003
                • 11238

                #8
                Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                Congratulations! She looks great, and having the option to sail, or row, a real plus.
                There is nothing quite as permanent as a good temporary repair.

                Comment

                • timo4352
                  Senior Member
                  • Jul 2010
                  • 2904

                  #9
                  Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                  Beautiful boat. Love that color.


                  http://stickupsharpie.wordpress.com/

                  http://gunningdory.wordpress.com/

                  Comment

                  • WI-Tom
                    Seaside Expat
                    • Jan 2009
                    • 15902

                    #10
                    Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                    Thanks for the comments, everyone. Yes, I'm musing over a boom or sprit boom. Too lazy to actually try it yet, but I probably will. The sail comes VERY low when not reefed, so that might point toward a sprit boom instead of a conventional one.

                    But enough chit-chat for now--I'm going out sailing again! I'm finding out that 1 reef tied in seems to be my working sail area, with the full mainsail for lighter winds.

                    Cheers!

                    Tom
                    Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

                    www.tompamperin.com

                    Comment

                    • Ian McColgin
                      Senior Member
                      • Apr 1999
                      • 51646

                      #11
                      Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                      Very good job. Finastkind.

                      I'd rather have a boom but see the value of boomless given how low you carry the sail with one reef, which is about where it would have to be full.

                      I'm surprised you need hauls on the sheet. The ring should get over the tiller fine when you tack and you'll always want the sheet anchored about as far out as it can go.

                      There can be an advantage to a slow tacking boat if you can carry way through the turn. Basically you get a boat length or two straight to weather. All boats lose speed tacking, some rather fatally. Fast tacks lead to a major loss of momentum but in the boats that tack fast that's not so important as they also accelerate fast. In your boat, you'll want to practice what arc in the tack for given wind and sea maximizes the product of gain to weather versus loss of speed. I'd start trying to go into a tack at four and come out at three. Many slow tackers benefit from starting the sheet a few inches, over-tacking by a point, and then trim and bear up as you have speed.

                      Comment

                      • WI-Tom
                        Seaside Expat
                        • Jan 2009
                        • 15902

                        #12
                        Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                        Ian,

                        thanks for your thoughts--I agree about the slow tacking so far, but it's all new to me so I appreciate your insight. I'm finding that when I get it right, that wide slow circle gets you some ground directly to windward, just as you say. You need a little more room, but it seems to sail/coast around to the new tack without losing too much momentum. I'll keep the overtacking idea in mind next time. It already seems to me that I'll want to sail a bit freer rather than pinching anyway, with the extra speed making up for the extra distance.

                        As for the ring on the traveler, it gets over the tiller on its own, but there's too much slack to get the ring all the way outboard without hauling it there. So I'm using this system to haul the sheet to the leeward side to get it far enough outboard for proper sheeting angles--not hauling the sheet to windward to sheet in tighter as you might on a big boat. Seems to work ok so far.

                        Four days of sailing this week (so far, with maybe one more tomorrow)--that's more like it!

                        How's your new boat coming along these days? It's been a while since I checked your thread.

                        Tom
                        Last edited by WI-Tom; 07-05-2017, 12:11 PM.
                        Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

                        www.tompamperin.com

                        Comment

                        • Daniel Noyes
                          Banned
                          • Jan 2007
                          • 8532

                          #13
                          Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                          I try and avoid Sheet Haulers unless I'm hauling a big load of sheet.

                          I've found the easiest way to get a boom to leeward is often to sheet it there. I did not have an issue with the traveler on the Alpha dory, there was none, just a eyebolt in the transom, to get a nice flat sail to leward I ran the sheet from the boom to a cleat on the leeward side, under a horn of the cleat then to my hand... this will draw the boom down and to leward... possibly eliminating the need for your... Sheet Hauler.

                          nice lines. she certainly looks different with the Una rig. probably more room with the one sail as well.

                          Comment

                          • WI-Tom
                            Seaside Expat
                            • Jan 2009
                            • 15902

                            #14
                            Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                            Originally posted by Daniel Noyes
                            I try and avoid Sheet Haulers unless I'm hauling a big load of sheet.

                            I've found the easiest way to get a boom to leeward is often to sheet it there. I did not have an issue with the traveler on the Alpha dory, there was none, just a eyebolt in the transom, to get a nice flat sail to leward I ran the sheet from the boom to a cleat on the leeward side, under a horn of the cleat then to my hand... this will draw the boom down and to leward... possibly eliminating the need for your... Sheet Hauler.

                            nice lines. she certainly looks different with the Una rig. probably more room with the one sail as well.
                            Yes, with a boom the sheeting would be simple, with no need for a sheet hauler or any of that nonsense. But with a boomless standing lug mainsail the way Alaska is designed, the sheeting angle is critical--the sail needs to be sheeted as far aft and as far outboard as possible (conflicting demands, really, with a boat like Alaska with such a narrow transom). So, the optimal sheeting point is too far back and too far to leeward for me to want to shift it there at each tack, especially since I'm finding myself steering from well forward, on the aft thwart, with tiller extension.

                            How's your dory--launched yet? I'll check out your thread next--hoping there's some sailing photos.

                            Tom
                            Ponoszenie konsekwencji!

                            www.tompamperin.com

                            Comment

                            • Daniel Noyes
                              Banned
                              • Jan 2007
                              • 8532

                              #15
                              Re: Kurylko Alaska Sea Trials and Outings

                              Originally posted by WI-Tom
                              Yes, with a boom the sheeting would be simple, with no need for a sheet hauler or any of that nonsense. But with a boomless standing lug mainsail the way Alaska is designed, the sheeting angle is critical--the sail needs to be sheeted as far aft and as far outboard as possible (conflicting demands, really, with a boat like Alaska with such a narrow transom). So, the optimal sheeting point is too far back and too far to leeward for me to want to shift it there at each tack, especially since I'm finding myself steering from well forward, on the aft thwart, with tiller extension.

                              How's your dory--launched yet? I'll check out your thread next--hoping there's some sailing photos.

                              Tom
                              ahhh... no boom, which is why CS222 suggested one... hmmmm... I think taking a turn on a leward cleat may still help.take the sheet from the traveler block on the transom forward, hook it under a cleat or around an oarlock on the leward rail up near where you sit, and thence to your hand...

                              also...



                              a rod traveler is better at getting the mainsheet block to leward, or you could try tightening up on the rope traveler untill it is taught this will alow the block to traverse the greatest distance on the rope.

                              dory Launching July 4.

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