Swift 18 Owners

Folks, From the picture I have posted in the gallery of Evergreen on the cradle, I have calculated the angle of the keel. I know this picture was taken with the keel fully down (with the 45 or so turns of the screw) and only half a turn or so from the end stop. Evergreen (S197) was towards the end o...

Dave, Theory is that with no main and jib/genoa only you lose a lot of pointing ability. It makes sense when you think about the location of the various forces (aero & hydro) and how the resultant impacts on performance. Certainly, on Evergreen under Genoa only I can make virtually no progress windw...

Happy new year folks and fair sailing in 2008! Just a few points: Looking at my keel and manufacturer's drawings of the boat the rake back of a fully-down keel looks a lot more than just 15 degrees. Swift 18's have an awful lot of windage for their weight. Last summer, I was going into Carlingford L...

I use 2 pieces of 1"x1" wood a little less than 8 foot long, lightly tied to the toe rail at the stanchions nearest the mast foot. I have a block at the top of the A frame and at the bow sprit and I think it's 4 to 1 purchase. I lift the mast by hand and take the strain with the A frame. I keep the ...

I added some pics of the broken rudder in the gallery section under joe_swift18. I hadn't realised when I wrote the first mail on this that the stock was also damaged when the rudder broke away. There seems to have been a piece welded onto the bottom of the stock to give more support to the rudder a...

Was out sailing last night with a friend in Dublin Bay in a 5 to 6 Northerly. About 3 miles out from Dun Loaghaire harbour on the way back in, I found it strange that I couldn't get the boat to bear away as she wasn't heeling too much. Looked over the transom and saw my rudder laying sideways in the...

One strop is simpler to install. However 2 strops would probably allow sheeting of the main closer to the boat's centre line. I'd have to experiment to know for sure but on 420's it was always 2 strops that were used.

Joe

Never heard of a traveller on a pushpit. May be problematic as it's not designed for this upward force. Agree completely that the centre sheeted main is a pain in the rear as it's in the way when there's 3 or more on board. Simplest solution appears to be 2 strops connected to the backstay u bolts a...

Mike, I've sailed my boat more often single handed than not. I can raise & lower the mast single handed (using an A-frame) and have not made any modifications to the standard running rigging. For the Genoa once or twice around the winch (depending on wind strength) and tucked in under the standard w...

Apparently, the main measurements sail makers need are the I, J, P and E measurements of the rig. These are: I - Jib\Genoa sheave to working deck (not coach roof at mast) J - Jib\Genoa tack at bow roller to front of mast P - Main sheave to top of boom (can also use the black bands) E - rear of mast ...

Apparently, the main measurements sail makers need are the I, J, P and E measurements of the rig. These are: I - Jib\Genoa sheave to working deck (not coach roof at mast) J - Jib\Genoa tack at bow roller to front of mast P - Main sheave to top of boom (can also use the black bands) E - rear of mast ...