From Chad,
Launched my GIS, Sailormade, tonight after work. Just had enough daylight left as you can see! Boat was very light and responsive. I rowed out away from the jetty but drifted back towards it as I set the sail due to the current. I had not lowered the rudder and by the time I realized this and pushed it down the boat was about 4 seconds from a collision
After that it was plain sailing in the light conditions I’d been waiting for. A success!
Photos: 1, launching
2, sailing…….
3, …….and back safely!
Looks wonderful!!! I’ll bet you are happy!!!
Looking at the rigging pictures I thought of something that the Biting Midge did with his GIS.
He put some brass strip half roundon the bottom runners of his boat. That way he can rig it on a concrete boat ramp. The brass will eventually corrode and have to be replaced but it will last a few years.
It would be easier than rigging while half afloat.
Another way we use is to rig on the trailer/dolly, dress for sailing, then take the trailer down, point it head to wind hoist the sail and slide the boat off the trailer/dolly. One person holds the boat at the front while the other gets rid of the trailer.
With his we have rigged it on the concrete just above the water. Then when I dragged it in by myself it makes the most awful noise in the universe as the brass grinds agains the concrete and the boat resonates like a giant soundbox. But no harm
The brass was 12mm (1/2) wide half round. He used bronze or stainless screws which were put in slightly oversize holes countersunk flush and the whole lot was bedded in sikaflex including the screws. Screws were quite small so they could be countersunk easily. Bottom skids were predrilled, epoxy was put in the holes before the parts were sikaflexed and the whole thing screwed in place.
Don’t use silicon seal – terrible stuff and can be of an acidic type which will promote corrosion.
The bronze or stainless screws will set up electrolytic corrosion if you don’t use sikaflex or something as an insulator.