• Ahoy and Welcome to the New SSS Forums!!

    As you can see, we have migrated our old forums to new software. All your old posts, threads, attachments, and messages should be here. If you see anything out of place or have any questions, please scroll to the very bottom of the page and click "Contact Us" and leave a note with as much detail as possible.

    You should be able to login with your old credentials. If you have any issues, try resetting your password before clicking the Contact Us link.

    Cheers
    - Bryan

Surprise!

The new main arrived yesterday. The full-length battens are hard to spot = smooth!

It took some fiddling but all the reefs work properly. The third reef is SER-compliant. An overhead leech cord allows adjustment from the mast. Now to go sail with it...

No Reefs.JPGView attachment 4883View attachment 4884Third Reef.JPG
 
Last edited:
For those unfamiliar with "SER", it stands for "Safety Equipment Requirements."

SHTP SER 3.33.1 states: "A boat shall have mainsail reefing capable of reducing the luff length by at least 40%​ OR carry a trysail, with the boat's sail number displayed on both sides, which can be set independently of the main boom, has an area less than 17.5% of E x P, and which is capable of being attached to the mast. Storm sails manufactured after 01/01/2014 shall be constructed from a highly visible material." ​

The full SHTP SERs can be found here: http://sfbaysss.org/main/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/SHTP-2018_SER_011718.pdf

SER 3.33.1 is also a requirement for LongPac.

My 2 cents: As we know, trysails can be expensive, often impractical unless a second mast track or gate is fitted, and seldom if ever used by boats racing towards Hawaii. Thus the option of reducing the luff length of the main by 40% as in SER 3.33.1 as BobJ has chosen with the third reef on SURPRISE!.

3.33.1 does not preclude taking both a trysail, and having a deep (40%) reef. Some serious offshore boats have more than 3 reefs, and > 40%. If conditions warrant, an alternate to a trysail or 4th reef is dropping the main. This discussion has been going on since the 19th century. Each boat, skipper, offshore route, and weather encountered is different.
 
Last edited:
I had Marchal sailmakers add a third reef to Nightmare's main to comply with SER 3.33.1
Nice job and reasonably priced.

LongPac 2019 was the only time I considered using it, though swapping down to a #4 jib would have been first.

Nice sail Bob!
 
Last edited:
Thanks Skip!

comprehension dawns

I got a secondhand main which is in reasonable shape, though VERY deep. it has two reefs. I'm going to have either Synthia (if she wants to) or Joe at Leading Edge add a pretty deep cunningham and a 3rd reef point, probably next year.

My "bay racing main" just has one deep reef point.
 
As promised in post #171 - a fun new A2! This should round out the sail inventory.

Photo by Philpott! !

New A2 2.JPG
 
Last edited:
Surprise! lists to port. I suspect this was to allow for a full ice box, possibly a refrigeration system and a bunch of crap in the cockpit locker, which are all on the starboard side. She also squats in the stern as Ragtime! did. My solution with Rags was to move the house bank forward. On this cold, rainy holiday weekend I'm ruminating about doing the same thing on Surprise! There's room for the batteries in the bottom of the hanging locker, on the starboard side near the mast.

I did a highly-scientific test: My dock neighbor, who weighs about the same as the house bank, stood at the starboard shrouds. That leveled the boat right out! The batteries would sit lower in the boat and not as far outboard, but I'd be removing that weight from port, aft and adding it to starboard, forward, which in very round figures would double the effect.

I considered the possible amperage and circuit length to determine the battery cables I'd need. I'd leave the starting battery aft near the engine so the highest sustained amperage is from the electric halyard winch, which (I recently discovered) can trip a 50 amp breaker. (Lewmar recommends 90 amps!) I estimate I'd need 2/0 cables about 22' long.

The cables would have to run across the bilge so I checked the CFRs (USCG) and found nothing. I'd have to purchase the ABYC standards - does anyone know what they say about this?

It gets more complicated (of course!) The ACR/shunt etc. is back there with the starting battery and I don't want to move that stuff.

Comments/suggestions welcomed!

Hanging Locker 3.JPG
 
Last edited:
If I recall the Express 37 and 34 have all the heavy stuff on starboard. Even the anchor locker is on that side. The theory was it's better for going to Hawaii...
 
Bob,
I highly recommend Nigel Calder’s book BOATOWNER’S MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MANUAL to help guide you through making any electrical changes, modifications and/or upgrades. All the tables and data you need are in that book.

Keep in mind that the battery cables need to be sized to minimize the voltage drop in the run, preferably no more than 3% loss. The length of run is the total ROUND TRIP. Over current protection (fuses, circuit breakers, etc.) are there to protect the wires not the devices, so if your electric winch is tripping the 50A breaker, make sure the wire is large enough for the load before going to a bigger breaker.

I also moved the batteries forward in my previous WC30. My new boat has a very minimal electrical system, but Im already making big changes.
 
Dazzler said:
Bob,
I highly recommend Nigel Calder’s book BOATOWNER’S MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MANUAL to help guide you through making any electrical changes, modifications and/or upgrades. All the tables and data you need are in that book.

Keep in mind that the battery cables need to be sized to minimize the voltage drop in the run, preferably no more than 3% loss. The length of run is the total ROUND TRIP. Over current protection (fuses, circuit breakers, etc.) are there to protect the wires not the devices, so if your electric winch is tripping the 50A breaker, make sure the wire is large enough for the load before going to a bigger breaker.

I also moved the batteries forward in my previous WC30. My new boat has a very minimal electrical system, but Im already making big changes.
Click to expand...

Fun, in'it?

Roger (and thanks) on the battery cables, breaker, etc. Scott's been doing some more work on the rig and has tripped it a couple times, but it beats burning the boat up. I'm trying to get to it. Time vs. money...
 
Well, that's all very pretty. And I'm sure Rob was as engaging as always, e.g. very.

And what are you gonna do with it?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
WBChristie said:
Is the main 3Di endurance?
Click to expand...

Yes it is (as is the jib).

The start of a holiday project: Replace and move the house bank, replace the old Freedom 10 and make some wiring improvements. Thanks Rob!

Cabin Sole.JPG
.
 
Last edited:
With Sea Wisdom's rudder bearings all repaired, Will chartered her out to the big man, who provided his own sails.

Happy Christmas to all!

Sleigh.jpg
.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top