Mitch Booth rounding the mark

If your using the factory cradles on your trailer and the boat is adequately strapped down so that it won't "hop" on the trailer. The foam is not necessary. In fact if the boat is on the trailer right in the factory cradles the boat is either not on the trailer right or its putting too much pressure on the hulls. (ie I squish-a- your hull). If the boat is on the trailer right the only shock that is on the boat is on the mast/mastcradle -- cross beam point. Look at how much the mast wiggles as you cross a railroad track. Thats where you need foam -- not hull to trailer. You can put shocks on a trailer -- use go-cart shocks and a welder to weld on shock mounts to the trailer body and then to the axle. Make them angle in towards the center of the axle one in front one in back. It works great and alot of the 4wheel guys are modifiying their old jeep suspension into this configuration due to extra flex off road and a smoother road ride.



Hope that helps.

Steve

My mast sticks out about 4 feet from the back of the trailer. Do I have to have a red light on it at night?

Slide the mast forward so it only goes out the back about 2 - 2.5 feet. Also, look into getting a mast boom for the trailer. THe guys at sailing pro shop should be able to fix you up with one. Pad the hell out of the mast crutches. Also, silicone around the bottom of the comptip so your sure it doesn't leak.



Also, hit all the rivets on the mast with silicone. I've blown water into them a few times in really ugly crashes. Alittle goo is alot of insurance!



Two hulls down and the pointy end up!



Good sailing

Steve

Soloright is great. BEST and smartest money you'll ever spend on your cat. Couldn't even budge my NACRA 5.5SL without it. Now it Comes up quick, I'm back sailing in ~ 4 minutes max. Spend most of that time swimming around making sure everything is uncleated or furling the jib, climbing back up on the hull, etc. Soloright takes about a minute to rig and usually less than a minute to right the boat. I will NEVER sail without mine.

CARY

SoloSailor

Lake Murray, SC

Every tack is a roll tack when you're uni, even if you have wind and think you can make it. Keep your tiller hand dead smooth through the turn while sitting on the windward hull just in front of the crossbar. Let out about a foot or two of mainsheet to take the pressure off the main just before you come through the center of the tack, this will let your main come across and reshape itself more easily. AND, get to the front crossbar on the new windward hull fast as soon as the battens pop on the new tack. Take the sheet with you as you cross and fall off to accelerate back on course on the new tack.Sheet in as you regain your speed, It's pretty precise and deliberate, but works every time.

CARY

Is anybody aware of waterproof cell phone? I guess the alternative would be to put it in a watertight radio bag.

There are two Sports model phones that I found in my recent research. Erickson makes one of them, don't remember the other manufacturer. Water Resistant only, They are both good for about 30 seconds immersion. Nokia makes a waterproof cell phone bag, I seem to remember it's about 12 or $15. Most catsailors just use a couple of ziplok sandwich bags.

My local cell phone company (VERIZON) just gave me a dumb look when I asked for a waterproof or resistant sports phone. Told me nobody made one. Shows what they know. He meant they didn't sell one so he knew nothing about them.

I'll buy one of the water-resistant models aftermarket when my current cell phone needs to be replaced.