The Winklebrig Forum

Adrian Evans
   
Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 01:16 pm:      
I am hoping to view a couple of WBs for sale on the bank holiday weekend. However, one of them does not have a trailer. If I decide to go for that one, does anyone have any recommendations for a trailer? I would hold ease of launch and recovery, as very high priorities, and quality/longevity.

many thanks.

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Sunday, April 01, 2007 - 04:30 pm:      
I have taken liberty of moving Chris Ekers question from "Guest Book' to 'Forum'


"Has anyone used a Brenderup trailer for their Brig? I currently have a Hallmark Roller Coaster 3 which is worn out. The Brenderup looks good and takes the weight on the keel only which seems better to me. Also it should be easier to avoid the bilge keels. However I have not actually bought one yet so would appreciate any comments."

I contacted Roller Coaster as I intended putting keel rollers on my trailer. It seemed the natural thing to do to take the weight on the keel. They advised against it and said it would compromise the ease of launching.

Julian Swindell
Username: Julian_swindell

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007 - 09:07 am:      
Just a quick question. When you are trailing, do you leave the mast bolted through the pivot in the tabernacle, or do you unship it and slide it forward to reduce the rear overhang? I always unship it, but wonder whether this is necessary.

Nick Baker
   
Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 05:43 pm:      
On my Rollercoaster 1 the bearing reference numbers are-
44643 ( without seal )
44643 L ( with seal )
This corresponds with the bearing kit ref.H60 from www.towsure.co.uk and at only £7.95 per wheel it is well worth changing every two years or so.
Most years my trailer is more of a launching trolley and only travels 200 metres twice a year but even then the bearings deteriorate rapidly.
I apologise if everyone knows all about wheel bearings but I thought it was worth putting on record!

David Cawston
   
Posted on Monday, March 19, 2007 - 07:37 pm:      
The sun was shining this morning so here are some photos of the mods I have done to my trailer that makes launch and recovery so easy. No permanent modifications are made to the original trailer, just a nuts and bolts and drilling job.
It is simply an additional drawbar that hinges on the main axle and bolts to the existing drawbar drawbar uses the same size tube as the existing one with a couple of clamping arrangements welded to it, the hitch swapped to the new drawbar (two bolts and adjusting the brake rods) and a hinge made up between the back of the new drawbar and the existing main axle (I cut down a Mini front top suspension arm and welded it to a bit of angle that bolts to the main axle using the existing holes used to mount the brake equaliser)

I will explain the odd black thing sitting between the main axle and the keel in another post. So to launch, reverse trailer in to water until water is 2" below hubs, remove bolts from clamping brackets, lift wooden handle (fixed in end of old drawbar) and unwind winch (keep tension on the winch strap) and boat just rolls slowly off trailer (do NOT do a lifeboat launch!). Photos of an actual launch will follow after Easter

Roger Parish
   
Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 12:14 pm:      
Try stopping me posting pictures now I have sorted it out!
The secret of the back winch system is to keep the pull horizontal as you have now found out. The front block is held under the keel by the front loop rope. You should be able to launch the boat without dunking the hubs, controlling the launch with the main winch. To be honest I dont bother and float the boat off unless it is a very shallow slip:

The videos are 2.8MB and 3.7MB
http://www.cawston.eclipse.co.uk/broads032Med.mpg
http://www.cawston.eclipse.co.uk/broads033Med.mpg

Julian swindell
   
Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 03:41 pm:      
I raised this in the earlier forum. I have just had my brakes stripped down and they are in awful condition.

Shoes and drums rusted and cables almost certainly will need replacing too. I have looked at a hub flushing system but I wondered,
a: does it work
b: could I not just knock up a similar system with a few bits of hose and connectors for a lot less than £70?

The local trailer centre says what I really need to do is strip the hubs at least once a month during the season. Is that what others do?
Has any company developed a disc brake system for trailers that would be so much easier to service?

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 05:22 pm:      
Still recovering from a week's exhilerating sailing in Britany. For any lover of old boats, high winds and strong tides this is a must.The following link gives a flavour of it.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x109eqo_parade-semaine-du-golfe-2013-visual-fx_ travel?start=108#.UaTYsZymW18

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Friday, November 16, 2012 - 12:43 pm:      
I was doing a bit of armchair sailing last night when I came across a picture of a Winkle Brig at this delightful mooring on Hickling Broad in Norfolk. My apologies to the owner(forum member) if he was trying to keep this spot secret! Maybe he was not aware of this picture.
http://www.adlardsinthecountry.co.uk/?gallery=gallery-page

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 11:17 am:      
After three years I am finally sailing solo on the Bristol Channel. Ok, ok - it has taken a while, but it's well worth it. One query though. Given the range and speed of tides, motor sailing is a regular necessity. But how do you do it properly? Do you put the engine on and sail regardless (setting the sails and so forth). Or, as some have suggested, do you tighten the mainsheet so it is centred, and roller reef the jib? For the record, Martin Cartwright has responded privately arguing the case for sailing proper, though with a reefed main in heavy winds. He also suggests the Winklebrig is well designed to sail with the wind on the bow quarter, as the freeboard promotes a dry passage. Hopefully he might contribute his excellent response here, especially if I have misconstrued him. By the way, this thread duplicates a recent one I entered inappropriately in the Trailer section, and I hope this now draws attention to the issue of motor sailing, and closes the loop sensibly.

Paul Thomas
Username: Paul_thomas

Registered: 01-2011
   
Posted on Tuesday, May 08, 2012 - 09:59 am:      
Hello, has anyone taken their WB to Coniston? If so where to launch and moor? The council run boating centre and adjacent sailing club seem the main options. I will probably be camping at Coniston Hall as apparently there is insufficient space for all three of us in Partan. I would like to use a mooring, but with use of a pontoon/dock for embarkation. Are there any anchorages on the lake? Any info welcome.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 08:10 pm:      
I was too late to register for the Brest festival this year, so I am thinking of going to Scotland instead. I remember Adrian, you went to Gigha one year. Did you cross from the mainland in the Winklebrig? Can you or anyother Winklebrigger recommend this or any other Island?

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Thursday, March 08, 2012 - 06:08 pm:      
Anyone going to this year's SeaFair Haven- 23-30 June?

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2011 - 10:46 pm:      
As I mentioned in another thread, I've successfully towed my Winklebrig from Cardiff to Poole Harbour, and to Milford Haven this year. I thought I'd try the Norfolk Broads in 2012. I know there are a number of people who know the area well. Can anyone recommend where I should start looking to launch and perhaps moor my Winklebrig, so I can explore for a week or two? I guess it would also need to be somewhere I could leave the car and trailer too.
Many thanks.

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Thursday, April 07, 2011 - 01:46 pm:      
Anyone going to the Norfolk Broads at Easter?
As Easter is so late this year I might stand a chance of getting Winkle ready in time! I can't remember where you launch from and when. Anyone know?

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Friday, November 26, 2010 - 10:49 am:      
The above are on 30 May to 5 June, and 14 June to 19 June respectively.Unfortunately I am now unable to do Morbihan, but I will be going to Venice. Has anyone any experience of the Venice Raid? Is anyone else going next year?
Does it matter that the Winklebrig is almost impossible to paddle single handed? (I am working on Roger's Yuloh design, but wouldn't want to rely upon it if my engine is not allowed).

David_owens
Username: David_owens

Registered: 04-2010
   
Posted on Monday, October 25, 2010 - 08:33 pm:      
Thanks to Roger Parish - who sadly is selling Partan - I've immersed myself in the Forum. but where are the tales of epic voyages? I recently read the late Frank Dye's account of sailing to Iceland and Norway in a Wayfarer and capsizing several times in a gale. He even took his wife out on her birthday and nearly drowned her. Drascombes have sailed seas - as has the humble West Wight Potter. But where are the Winklebrig equivalents?
Are there no epic voyages? If not, is it the boat or the Winklebriggers? I suspect it may be the latter. I confess to having no wish to waterboard my wife, or capsize once, let alone three times.

Barend Nieuwendijk
Username: Barend_nieuwendijk

Registered: 08-2008
   
Posted on Friday, September 03, 2010 - 08:26 pm:      
Last week we sailed in the August Classic Cruise from the East Coast Old Gaffers Association
It was great. It was my first time sailing in England (river Orwell, Deben and Stour) and we enjoyed it very much despite the strong winds. I was not with my Winkle Brig but with the catboat from my friend Jaap (see pictures).
We were happily surprised that there also an Winkle Brig participating in the event: WB 36 (yacht Calibris) owned by Geoffrey Osborne (see pictures). Of Course we met each other and spoke a lot about our WB's.
Geoffrey won the price for the smallest boat in the event!

Martin_cartwright
Username: Martin_cartwright

Registered: 04-2008
   
Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2010 - 02:28 pm:      
It was a great pleasure to meet up with the two Davids and Roger. Thank you all for your company. Shame about the weather! After you left I sat through a morning of 'light' Welsh rain off Lawrenny (in these parts we would call it a monsoon)and finally lost my nerve on hearing the forecast for three days of 'heavy' rain. So I came home.
Very impressed with David Evans, the new recruit. Seems to have have gained an encyclopaedic knowledge of the contents of this forum in a very short space of time! It was great to meet you David and I look forward to the next time - if David Cawston didn't frighten you too much on your beat back to PAC.

Roger Parish
Username: Roger_parish

Registered: 03-2007
   
Posted on Monday, April 26, 2010 - 08:57 pm:      
Thought I would start a new topic to see if it might arouse some interest!
The forum (thanks to Julian) has built a large data base of info so new winklebriggers can probably find answers without asking questions. Its a bit like the boating mags, after a couple of years they have covered most topics!
Many of us often find we are sailing single handed so it is essential to make sure that the boat is set up to make life easy and safe. Mooring , anchoring and lowering sails spring to mind. I have never been entirely happy with the lazy jack arrangement on my boat as in a good blow there always seems to be a lot of canvas flapping around and it can be quite alarming trying to tie it all down. How do other people cope?