Well, should I pass out cigars? Got the N-450 to the lake today. See pic here. Stepped mast on trailer, backed almost into water and put on rudders. I take the rudders off for trailering the 1 mile to the lake. It's no bumpy at all, but would going 25 mph on the road still be to much stress for them?

Then I beached it, hoisted mainsail, jib, and rigged the blocks. It seemed the mainsheet was a bit short. With the traveller centered, it wouldn't let it all the way out. So I unreeved it 2 turns, leaving a 4:1?

Capsized it with the sails up. Jumped on the hull, leaned out on the righting line as far as I could go and it wouldn't come up. Granted, there was maybe 2 knots blowing into the bows. Had the traveller centered, not let out, but had both sheets fully out.

I grabbed my kids hockey duffle bag from years ago for a righting bag. That did the trick. But for a minute I was wondering if the bag would leak faster than right.

Almost nobody was on the lake near the launch, so I could pay attention to the lines and rudders as I started out. This allowed me to sail over a 'no wake' buoy. Glad the tramp sits high.

This was my first ever ride on a cat. There was maybe 4-8 knots, but it went faster than my Force 5 in 15 knots. But it seems I gotta file a flight plan to tack. The second tack went much better than the first, after I realized I had to pass the tiller extension aft of the main sheet.

Had a bit of a problem with the mainsheet coming off one of the rollers. Not sure if this will correct itself when it's reeved 6:1 and not 4:1. I'll post a pic next post. It shows the sheet doing what it did.

The biggest problem I had was working the traveller. See that pic next post. I have a stopper knot on the end, then through beam eyestrap, traveller, beam fairlead, then block, then back into cleat/fairlead on the main block.

With this system, I can't figure out how to get the traveller to windward. I can let it out to leeward, no problem. When it comes to center, it runs out of leverage at the beam block. How do I get it windward?

I had my concerns about comfortable sitting, so I took a flotation cushion and lashed it on one side to the hiking straps and trapeze grommet (?) near the hull. But I was fairly comfortable with or without the cushion.

Anyway, it was a really nice first sailing. Great weather, sunny, enough wind to sail in and not too much for the first time. It's rained about 3" in the last week, and supposed to rain again later this week. Then I've got knee surgery on Friday, so I'll be out of commision for another week or 2.

Thanks everybody for your help. Never would have been able to do this without it.

Take care,
Danno

Here's the traveller/mainsheet setup.

your traveler setup looks like the way that i do it, your sheet should never really be that loose when your sailinbg i don't think, so i think your line comeong off the pulley is a mute point.

You NEVER need to get the traveller to windward of the centre line on a Cat - that is why it is not possible.

Danno,
You do not need to take off your rudders to trailer such a short distance. For trailering long distances, it is a matter of preference. Rick and I NEVER take off our rudders and have never seen any ill effects. We secure them in the "up" position. Other people ALWAYS take off their rudders.

All this is assuming that you are trailering your boat facing forward. Some people like to trailer their boat backwards, in which case you would always take off the rudders for anything farther than the 1 mile to your beach.

I found that leaving out the traveller fully and then leaving out the sheets helps the most when about to right the cat. I never had any succes with the mainsheet tight or traveller tight. I used to right Prindle 16 solo this way; very comparable to your boat. Also straighten yourself out fully when hanging almost perfectly horinzontal onthe righting line. A few inches above water and climb up slowly in the line right before your butt hits the water. Imagine you're at the marines and some drill officer is giving you a hard time. Hang straight as a plank and only inches of the water during the whole rightin manouvre. To many beginners hang of the righting rope the wrong way.

Best learning is to find a catsailor with some experience close by enough and sail with him for about 1 or two hours running through all the motions including righting.

Wouter

You should probably be able to right the boat if you lean way out almost horizontally. Tie a loop in your righting line and use it to hook your trapeze harness to (if you have one) to help you lean out farther.

However, you will find that a little more breeze will make righting substantially easier. Hopefully you won't find yourself capsized in 2knots of breeze!

I would add the two turns back in. You will want that extra purchase in any wind above 2 knots.
Typically when your sheeted out you also let the traveller out as well.
Then again, your mainsheet could simply be too short???

If you mainsheet is too short, don't use it as the traveler sheet, too. Take a separate line as the traveler sheet and tie to the end of the mainsheet.
I used to do this on the Hobie 18. For light air, I would take off the extra line and use the sheet, but for heavy air, I would use the traveler sheet.

Good luck,
Rick

watch out for powerlines.
some of those lakes have them in places where sailboats can hit them.

Thanks, everyone :-)

Josh: The roller problem happened while sailing downwind. Light air, wanted to let the sheet out some more, but it got hung up on the outer roller. I recreated what it looked like when I took the pic.

Scooby: That might explain it. I'm just learning sailing, and I think it's been suggested to pull the traveller to windward in light air. Was able to do that in my F5.

Mary: What a RELIEF! And loading a cat backwards? Taking off the rudders in this instance avoids the foils pointing into the wind?

Wouter and Jake: Nice body alignment description. I'll try that.


Tim, Rick and Jolly: Thanks :-)

And do you guys carry around a pair of pliers for your cotter ring adjustments? My fingers are getting pretty sore.

Cheers,
Danno

Are talking about the Damnit Rings? (that's what we call split rings around here). There are several different types - some easier to operate than others. West Marine carries some that have the tail bent to the center so it makes it easy to start it. However, these don't have many turns and concern me a little in that respect. I have also seen a fine set that has three turns and is much more pliable - I like these but I don't know where to find them. Point is that all Damnit Rings are not created equal! You shouldn't need pliers but soft and wet fingernails after a day of sailing can make them hareder to operate.