Sharpie Questions

[Paul Pless]

At what point (what length) do large cruising sharpies become difficult or inconvenient for a crew of two to handle? It has been stated by some that to obtain standing headroom in a sharpie it must have a length of 45 - 60 feet or longer.

Also, (some people have said) in bad weather sharpies should not be 'hove to' but need to continue to be sailed? Others have said that you pull the boards up and take the sails in and let them ride like ducks. Whose right?

[johnw]

An old rule of thumb is that no sail should be over 500 feet if one person has to handle it. Thus the divided rigs on larger boats; it's to keep down crew size.

Since most sharpies don't have external ballast, sailing in heavy air can be dangerous. I've never been in a storm in a sharpie, but I'd be inclined to let it ride under bare poles. If you pull up the board it won't trip, but should float, as you say, like a duck.

[Dave K]

Tom Colvin has designed and sailed many sharpies, and has cruised thousands of miles in a modified sharpie ("Apostle") of "Roslyn" or "Nonpareil" model. You might ask him - he's a great guy and knows whereof he speaks...

[brian.cunningham]

Another good one to ask is Reuel Parker.
http://www.parker-marine.com/
He wrote a real good book on sharpies, and sails them all over.

[imported_Conrad]

I sailed a Meadowlark single handed very easily, 33X8', 8000lbs, ketch rig. Average sail was 180', no winches on board. I would think that with modern equipment the old 500' rule might be outdated, but even so it would be very manageable for a couple. Here's a 65' cat ketch with huge sails, easily sailed by a couple, so...? smile.gif

http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2003/0903/Sept17/DMB1.jpg

[Dave Hadfield]

That is certainly an intersting boat. Useful-looking design. Any stats?

What happens when that cockpit fills with water?

[Paul Pless]

Conrad,

What were your heavy weather experiences like? Isn't the meadowlark a leeboarder? Those boards seem like they could get out of hand in rough going.

Paul

[ 04-13-2004, 02:05 PM: Message edited by: Paul Pless ]

[imported_Conrad]

The above boat is a Wylie 65- the transom is removable to aid in launching RIB, etc. It isn't solid across the bottom so water can drain rapidly.

The Meadowlark is in Herreshoff's "Cruising Designs", ballasted leeboards on tackles. They never banged, and sailing with both down worked fine, so when you had a chance you delt with them. No problem at all. The hardest part was the tiller- very cumbersome, no rudder balance, and too short.

[ 04-13-2004, 01:23 PM: Message edited by: Conrad ]

[brian.cunningham]

The main on this 42ft trimaran was 700sqft
http://www.sailtriad.com/images/fast-triad.jpg
lazyjacks really help out.