most Common CaUSeS are Worth a men- anchors when their warps became Editors N otes tit) rl . twisted and chafed through. This insidi- Roller reefing. SUILVEN'S jib was ous problem was brought to my attention when I discovered that one of SUILVEN Heavy W eather very nearly torn to shreds during a gale because l hadn't rolled it away tight Il's mooring warps - no Iess than 14mm After sitting out some of the worst enough. Slack turns on the drum had nylon m ultiplait - had been half worn storms in living memory aboard our Tiki allowed about a quarter of the jib to through at the point where it just grazes 26, SUILVEN II, I'm feeling a Iittle fraz- unfurl in a force 1O. The sheets were the rudder. This had no doubt been zled to say the Ieast. Before I go up cleated off allowing her to strain against caused by the bobbing motions of the im measurably in your estimation I should her anchors with her bows just feet to boat as it rises to the small waves add that we haven't actually Ieft our windward of a boulder strewn beach! generated by south westerlies in the Foss Quay mooring during this time! We Fortunately l was close at hand and creek. Fodunately, I noticed this during a have, however, spent m any anxious managed to scramble aboard and save routine inspection and further chafe has nights being tossed around by storm and the situation. Another owner wasn't so been prevented by sleeving the warp at occasionaly hurricane force winds, dea- Iucky - his roller jib was destroyed but that point with a shod piece of polythene fened by the rattle of rain and hail on fortunately the boat was ashore at the tube. A Pahi 31, moored just a few 6m m pIy and the unearthly shriek of time. Needless to say, if you are going boats away, had Iost one of her anchors wind in the rigging. W e've seen boats to Iay the boat up it is well worth spend- and slewed around in a gale when a capsized on their moorings, trees dis- ing half an hour removing a roller jib. By rather sharp edged fairlead chafed membered, workshops blown away and the way, the incident brought to Iight the through the warp. Happily, she escaped sails torn to shreds. fact that when the jib is furled away damage. Worse things happen at sea so they (with a couple of turns of jib sheet I could go on and at the risk of teaching say, and indeed they do - but they can around it for extra security), there should Grandma to suck eggs (a quaint English ' often be prevented by forethought and be no more than a turn Ieft on the drum expression) I will add the following com- planning. For those of us yet to m eet - otherwise the potential for slack creeps monsense guidelines. our first gale at sea I hope that this i n . If you must Ieave your boat moored in heavy weather edition - based on the Rolling away the jib in Iight airs is best the same place for long periods make experiences of those who have met done a bit at a time, pausing lo remove sure that her warps are checked at regu- many - will prove invaluable in the men- any slack by heaving in on the sheets. Iar intervals - and that includes the taI and physical preparation necessary to With Iarge jibs or genoas this may be mooring or anchor ends and any points see it through. done by careful use of the w inch. where warps cross. Move them around In the face of a gale an experienced Secure the sheets by tying them to the to spread the wear and better still pro- crew is then as im podant as a strong winch bodies - do not rely on them stay- tect the areas where it occurs. and well equipped boat for the battle ing put in a dlclam'' type cleat. Of course, against the elements is as much psycho- at sea in a blow there logical as it is physical. Regrettably may not be a problem as boats are som etimes abandoned by in- the jib would have been experienced crews when the going gets rolled away in a rising tough - an action that in itself often puts wind and autom atically them at far greater risk than actually tensioned if not, read staying aboard and sitting it out. 1 () r1....... remem ber once watching a crew of four OK, so you are half way being taken off a monohull by a Iifeboat. across the Atlantic and They were a few m iles offshore in con- you've just lost your roller ditions that the seasoned sailor would jib. Somehow you've probably describe as uncomfortable but managed to pull down or certainly not dangerous. But they were cut away the remnants aI so debilitated by seasickness that and your rig has with- they could not m ake the 30 miles dow n- stood the extra strains. wind to the nearest safe harbour. I Fodunately you have got would hazard a guess that inexperience a storm jib which is set was at the root of their emergency. on a flying Iuff and you For newcom ers it is particularly important hoist this to get underway to build up experience slowly and deli- as the wind moderates. berately, stretching yourself a Iittle bit Your light weather sail - a further with each passage. Then you will flat cut spinnaker, gen- get to know your own limitations as well niker etc. - also set on a as those of your crew and boat and flying Iuff will come in Iearn how to safely work around or handy when the wind extend them . Remem ber a Polycat will drops. If not, it's going to Iook after you probably better than any be a slow passage........ other small boat - just as they have done for generations of seafarers over Chafe thousands of years. You m ay rem ember that the chain of events that Ready for the storm ? Ied to the break up of The exceptionally stormy British winter Eddy Evans' Tangoroa we have just been through has seen GAIA (Iast issue) staded many boats damaged and two of the with the loss of both his Hurricane force winds found their >ay l'nto the top third ofthis rollergenoa, destroying it in minutes. Theseapeople/sailorman Contents X First Im pressions 611,-11-1 rl (1 t .1 :, 7r-I 1(-1 :! 1 .................................................. kI Taking the High Road - Tiki 21 in Scotland ...... 5 l / r I* /* A Moving Experience - Pahi 31 ANDIAMO ........7 /t qrt)h!l t () t 11 () qril 11 rll (,ll ............................................ 6) H eavy W eather Bound for Belize - ocean going Tiki 26 ........... 10 A AII Hell Broke Loose - KIDO battles south ..... 11 KIDO in Grenada - Kido Project update ........... 12 *ri 11*1 1! 1 (1 11 I:tliirtl ..................................................... 1 tl E1 Cllllill () t 11 (! E3 () FII .................................................. 1 îl il thllh!)r (rl,t 11 (, r rrt,tl d1 rl-It1 tl (,tp ............................... 1 15 Lifestyles N ews and W ees Sunrise over a Hina on Millbrook Lake. S pecial Heavy W eather Edition Any heavy weather adicles that m issed the deadline will be held over for future issues. W e are still very short of photographs, especially of the Iarger boats. Can you help? W e need Ocean Cruising material too - there's a free years subscription to the author of any Ocean cruising Cover picture: 'IT'S SLIPPERY SAM' on Ullswater. article! The Sea People is edited by Dave Skelhon wiih help from Jill Brown and Steve Turner. Hon. Secretary: Sandy Turner Published by The Polynesian Catamaran Association, Editorial and Secretarial Address: Treasurer: M ike W ynn Foss Quay, Milbrook, Torpoint, Plymouth PLIO 1 EN UK. Cruising Secretary: Tim Forrester Printed by DTP (UK) Ltd., 25 Liddell Road, West Hampstead, London NW6 3EW. Racing Secretary: Dave Hender No. 13 May 1990 * I3rinted on 1 fltlt?z; rccycled paper 3 First Im pressions most cats get at speed. I've also avera- T iki S unrise ged 12 or 13 knots over short and medium distances. The Tiki 31 unlike the by Phil Le M aitre 21 seems to slice through rough water without the usual bumps and bangs of Phl'l Le M aitre 's superbly finished Tiki works well - the boat tracks well too. waves hitting the underside of the plat- 3 1 >as undoubtably the star attraction Tacking isn't bad either. It's slower than form . The Tiki 31 's plaporms are in fact at the 1989 SA Cruise in Company much higher from the water. ln the tide the Tiki 21 but then it's a much bigger rips the usual death defying accele- (Sea People No. 12). Her astonishing boat - plus you have to remem ber that rations take place - you know, pick up a windwardperformance has overturned you are putting two masts through the wave, the apparent wind increases then oId l'deas about schooner rigs. W hy wind. The usual Tiki tacking rules apply hang on for the ride of your Iife. It really she should go so well, when the too. gets the oId adrenalin flowing! forward mainsail probably backwinds The amazing thing about this design is W indward performance is excellent. You the aft sail isn't clear. Any Ideas? its stability - it's so stable. I think the Iow would expect a schooner rig to be poor aspect schooner rig helps to achieve this to windward - not so in this case, The and winds of F5 - 6 can be taken with- Tiki 31 seems to point very high for a After a lrouble free Iaunch on April 20th, out reducing sail.