Hi all
I am the proud new owner of Tag (Sail no 71).
Just wondering if it should be easy to winch the keel up as mine seems not too easy..I can't take a full turn on the winch so just do little quarter turns...does this sound right?
Also I have added a plastimo furler for the headsail and there are no winches on the side coamings for same..has anyone fitted winches and if so what type
Thanks and what a great site
Red Connolly
Belmullet
Co. Mayo Ireland

The keel on Cygnus (sail no 30) used to be hard to wind up so I replaced the Barton blocks with the ball-bearing equivalents. I also gave the rope a turn in the washing machine to soften it up a bit. The keel still sticks a bit at the bottom - especially if it was let down with a bit of a thump - and it still needs the winch to get it going. Once it's unstuck I can pull it up the rest of the way without using the winch.

The later 21s had turning blocks on the side coamings instead of proper sheet winches - you are supposed to use the cabin-top winches but to my mind the old system is better. My sheet winches are the same as the cabin-top winches (Meissner)

Geoff Harwood Cygnus P21/30

Hi Geoff and Red.

I own Osiris, No 42.

I would like to think I am not the 1st person to do this, but who knows....?

Whilst winching out a reef in the main, downwind during a race I inadvertently flicked open the jammer on the keel halyard. I had just raised the keel about 20 - 30 cms ( well, another quarter knot in a race makes a difference!) The keel dropped down with a bump. The boat didn't start to sink and everything still seems to work well. Allowing for the velocity ratio on the keel blocks, and the volume of water displaced as it fell I am trying to convince myself that the keel end stops/supports are probably designed to cope with a dynamic load such as this!? After all when slamming into a rough sea (which I always seems to end up doing at least twice per season)the dynamic shock load on the keel supports must be quite significant. Since everything on the Parker seems so robustly engineered I am hoping I have not done any damage. Can anyone tell me what to look for when I am lifted out for the winter? I will book a half day in the strops to allow me to do this.

To add to this thread, I have found that regular squirts (eg every 2 weeks) of WD40 on the keel pulley blocks really does help with winching it up. Also my keel does not seem to vibrate or move around when it is up or down and we have slept overnight in quite "rolly" conditions. The rudder blade does "knock" in its housing and I usually pull this up at night which stops it.

Regards to all,
Peter White

Thanks Geoff and Peter.
Geoff was it a big job to replace the blocks..access etc.
Red

Hi guys again
Forgot to ask about the set up for the halyards etc. back to cockpit..
ie which goes where
Red

Hi Red,
I have some photos of halyard layouts which I'll scan and email to you if you wish. I have modified mine a bit though. I have substituted spinlock jammers for the spinnaker pole uphaul and downhaul.These are fast and can be operated 1 handed, useful when I am short crewed in a race.

I found when I bought my P21, the halyard layout sort of sorted itself out. There is a newer P21 on our club moorings (Tamar River, Plymouth, Cornwall) "Sparky" number 82. I suspect the layout on this is the same as yours, as it has turning blocks instead of winches. I'll see if I can get a digital pic of this if you wish.
Regards,
Peter

ps - a 10 inch winch handle really helps to winch up the keel too. The standard is 8 inch I think.

Thanks Pete
It would be great to get the digital pics if its not too much trouble.
Red

quote:

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Originally posted by red connolly

Thanks Geoff and Peter.
Geoff was it a big job to replace the blocks..access etc.
Red

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Not a big job at all. But you need a system that lets you raise the keel to the point where you can get to the bolt that holds the block to the keel through the hole in the casing and then take the weight off it so you can undo the bolt and swap blocks. On a trailer it's just a case of putting the right thickness of packing betweeen the keel and the trailer.

As to damage from dropping the keel, I've done it a few times and it still seeems to work OK. And I've whacked a few old mooring blocks at 3 or 4 knots trying to get to my mooring a bit early! One of the plastic slider blocks has a bit missing but there's no sign of the missing bit in the box so I guess that one was down to the previous owner. Still works fine.

Geoff Harwood Cygnus P21/30

Dear Geoff, thanks for your reassuring comments below! I had a good look down the keel box yesterday with a powerful torch and couldn't see anything amiss. Hopefully I've got away with it too!
Trust you are having a good season, the last couple of weeks have been quite good down here.
Best regards,
Peter

As to damage from dropping the keel, I've done it a few times and it still seeems to work OK. And I've whacked a few old mooring blocks at 3 or 4 knots trying to get to my mooring a bit early! One of the plastic slider blocks has a bit missing but there's no sign of the missing bit in the box so I guess that one was down to the previous owner. Still works fine.

quote:

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Originally posted by red connolly

Thanks Pete
It would be great to get the digital pics if its not too much trouble.
Red

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Hi Red, discovered yesterday "Sparky" is away for a week or so, he's picked the right weather for it here. I'll get some pics for you on his return so you can do a direct comparison.
Have a good first season,
Peter