Maiden Voyage

[garethrow]

A little over a year since making the decision to change from our well-loved Storm 17 of 13 years we today made our maiden voyage in our new BR20 ‘Halen Y Mor’ (Salt of the Sea) on the Teifi Estuary in a pleasant F3-4. We have the new bowsprit enlarged jib rig - pioneered by Peter C. No nautical disasters but lots of learning to do. Thank you to those who have advised on route to purchase and given me trial sails at Bala (Matthew P).
The tensioning system on the jib is a block and tackle (4:1 I think?) from the base of the front of the carbon mast with a hook on the top end which I hook onto a loop tied into the jib halyard once it is pulled up.
I leave the mast up whilst in the boat club yard with the jib down so have gone for a full boat cover that suspends from the boom.
We look forward to better times in 2021 and being able to attend the occasional raid / informal event.
I gather from the yard that there are a good number of this type pf BR20 on order – so happy days to come.

Regards

Gareth Rowlands
RR20 Halen Y Mor

[Peter Cockerton]

Gareth

Well worth waiting for I think, I have had 5 reservoir only outings to date once in a f5 gusting f6 solo. Under full sail with ballast I’m not concerned with 20mph apparent although when tacking the larger jib with that strength of winds blows the bow off until she increases speed again. The Areoluff spar comes into its own then with the ability to reef the jib down. I find the conventional jib sheeting no problem whatsoever when solo and I’m very happy with the set of jib with the wind strengths experienced to date on all points of sail. Being a fun cruiser not a raider type of sailer I must admit the main stack pack and lazy jack arrangement on my boat makes reefing and dropping the main an absolute dream, I leave the boom, stack pack with main inside supported by lazy jacks and topping lift ready for next outing.
The new rudder arrangement on the BR20 is a much improved version as well, the rudder lifts and drops easily and no play in the rudder either,  light touch on the helm as well.

Love your hull colour scheme

Peter C

[garethrow]

Thanks Peter
As a matter of interest, are your jib fairleads on adjustable tracks on the foredeck, and if so, where do you find the best position to be?
Regards
Gareth Rowlands
BR20 Halen Y Mor

[Peter Cockerton]

Gareth

The fairleads are on tracks, to bisect the jib luff two thirds up on a full jib I find the best position of the car is fully back ( next to spray hood ), on the one occasion where I reefed the jib using my spar I moved the car two notches forward.
What’s your experience so far on the handling of the boat with the larger jib, I,m well impressed with the extra sail area and it’s still so well balanced which was a concern (Matt told me it would be fine) when I asked for it. Not sure if the boats pointing is improved on the old boat yet will need to do some compass runs to assess first. I also specified dyneema for forestay and shrouds, much nicer to deal with when mast dropped, one consequence though is the changing length of the forestay, when I have dropped the mast and sometime later put it up again I find the forestay too short to attach to the bowsprit again, I have adjusted it twice now on the lashings.

Peter C

[garethrow]

Thanks Peter - I had a feeling mine were set too far forward.

Experience thus far - difficult to say. Yesterday was our first time on the water since 15/9 = our last sail in Gwennol Teifi. So we found the experience quite tiring and were concentrating on not hitting anything and figuring out how things work - including new engine, which at present sadly has to be a Yamaha 6hp and not electric. We did note that the jib needs significantly more effort / strength to pull in fully than we are used to (self tacking previously), but don't consider that too onerous - and we were tacking up a narrowish channel - so worst cast scenario. The boat certainly didn't feel unbalanced and the rudder seemed to go down quite easily. I have dynema on the jib halyard but not the main - which I may need to reconsider - but too early to tell. Like you - we consider the main storage between lazy jacks onto the boom a big bonus after years of stowing the gunter spar + sail in the bottom of the boat.

Hope to go out again next W/E if weather allows for further trials.

Regards

Gareth Rowlands
BR20 Halen Y Mor