Trailing the Swift 18
The SWIFT 18 is designed to be easy to trail, launch and recover. Launching
is made easier by using a reasonably steep ramp. The standing rigging (except
the forestay) can be left attached to the boat and the mast if desired with
the foot of the mast resting on the pulpit and projecting forwards over
your car. You should not have any mast overhang to the rear of the boat.
Stepping The Mast
Stepping the mast is easier to do with the boat on the trailer than
on the water. If there is a strong wind blowing, we suggest you turn the
boat stern to wind. Lay the mast on the deck with the foot on the pulpit.
Fully extend the bottle screws and attach to chain plates, the Upper Side
Stays going into the aft chain plate eye, and the Lower Side Stays in to the
forward eye. Attach back—stay and keep slack. Remove tabernacle bolt
and if you have a Rotostay, remove the clevis pin from its base. Keep
both the bolt and the pin near to hand. Push the main hatch forwards and
have one person standing in the cockpit. The person on the foredeck secures
the foot of the mast in the tabernacle, whilst the person aft holds the
mast. When secure, the person aft walks the mast up, with the other person
pulling forwards on the forestay. N.B. As the mast is raised care should
be taken that the bottle screws do not twist. When the mast is raised and
the forestay attached, tighten bottle screws equally on Port and Starboard
until there is no looseness. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE RIGGING.
To Lower Mast — Slacken rigging screws and then with one person supporting the mast from behind,
undo the forestay and gently lower the mast down.
Headsail Roller Reefing
Study the attached sheet on the headsail roller reefing. You should
ensure at the star; of each season that the bottle screw inside the drum
is lightly greased and that BOTH LOCKNUTS ARE TIGHTLY SECURED PARTICULARLY
THE TOP ONE INSIDE THE HEADFOIL.
Outboard Engine
See manual
Operation Of The Centreboard
The centreboard is cast iron and epoxy coated. It is an aerofoil section
with a stainless pivot bolt that goes through the centreboard casing.
It is operated on a stainless steel screw—jack running on delrin
bearings. It operates with approximately 45 turns with a standard winch
handle, and is turned clockwise to raise and anti—clockwise
to lower it.
To lower the centreboard.
The easiest way to raise and lower the centreboard (as with any winch)
is to stand over the handle and to turn it as quickly as possible, counting
each turn. Turn the handle anti—clockwise approximately 45 turns.
The handle will go slack at this point, and you should then wind it back
one turn or so,so that you keep a little tension in the system. If you were
to go on winding you would come up against a stop on the screw thread, so
that you do not wind it right off.
To raise the centreboard.
Turn the handle clockwise approximately 45 turns. When raising the
centreboard you will know when it is fully up when you hear a slight ‘clunck’ as
it comes home into the centreboard case and you cannot turn the handle any
further.
The only maintenance it will normally require is as outlined above, in pre and end of season maintenance.
Rudder
The boat should normally be sailed with the rudder blade fully down.
Thread the line from the eye in the leading edge of the rudder blade up
through the stock, and forward through the camcleat. This downhaul line
should be kept tight, and will keep the blade in the fully down position.
You should push the rudder blade into the fully down position and then tension
the line.
The same line is then taken from the camcleat back through the stock
and passed through the eye in the trailing edge of the rudder, and secured
with a figure of eight knot. To raise the rudder it is easiest to lean over
the transom, grab the line, and pull the blade up.
Launch & Recovery
We have found that the easiest way to launch the SWIFT 18 is as follows
(and you don’t get your feet wet):
Rig the boat, remove trailer light set and tie down strap. Back the
boat to the waters edge and remove the winch hook from the bow. Tie a long
line round the front of the trailer and lead it to your car. Firmly apply
the trailer brake, and uncouple trailer from the car. Pass the rope a full
turn round the tow ball of the car. Make sure that the rope is free to run
and that you are not standing on it! Normally then with one person on the
foredeck of the boat, release the brake and allow the boat and trailer to
run back into the water until the boat floats off. The person on the boat
can then start the engine, and put on the rudder. An alternative to having
someone on the boat, is to have extra lines onto the boat, and lead them
to a convenient jetty nearby.
To recover the boat again tie a long line on the trailer, and let the
trailer run back into the water deep enough to float the boat on.
On
the boat raise the centreboard and gently motor the boat onto the trailer..(Half
a knot not five knots!) When the boat is located on the trailer the skipper
should go forward, lean over the bow, attach the winch hook and winch
the boat firmly into the snubber. Switch off the engine and lift off the
rudder. Then go onto the foredeck.
On shore the crew secures the trailer line to the towball of the
car with a knot that won’t slip, and then gently drive the car up
the ramp towing
the boat and trailer up the ramp. When the front of the boat is clear
of the water, the skipper can’ step ashore and apply the trailer brakes.
You can then reverse the car back to the trailer, and couple up.
IT IS VITAL TO USE A GOOD STRONG ROPE OF AT LEAST 10mm DIAM.
This is much easier in practice than it sounds on paper. However, it always pays to be safety conscious and to make sure everyone knows what they are meant to be doing! Always rinse the trailer with fresh water as soon as you can — and follow the greasing programme! THIS IS ESSENTIAL.
GOOD SAILING!
