The Winklebrig Forum

Hi Eric,
I've recently sold my WB (sail no:95) and I also had problems with sticking plates. You will get more information if you search under 'bilge boards' which is another definition for this plate!
In my case the boards stuck through rust forming on the iron weights causing the metal to blister and swell. I was able to remove the rust and thin the metal by using an angle grinder (with care). From memory I could have removed the boards by loosening the fixing bolts at the front of each board with an Allen key. Some of the early WB's did not have this facility for taking out the boards. The boards can also stick if warped or if the rope use for raising and lowering has been replaced and the wrong knot used and is wider than the boards thickness. I think the housing for the boards narrows at the top so if the boards are pulled up with force they get wedged. Hope this helps. Best, Mike. 

Heligan has now been sold and is with her new owner in Shropshire. Hard to see her go but new adventures with another boat await.

Heligan (sail number 95) is now for sale at £6000 ono. She comes with a roller coaster trailer, Yamaha 4hp outboard, seago inflateable and an extensive inventory. The boat is currently  at her mooring in Cookham however in the coming weeks she will come home to Penn Street Village near Amersham in Bucks for viewing. Any interested purchaser can contact me on my email address mikeseller@hotmail.co.uk

Hi Roger,

Congratulations on buying your Winklebrig - you will have a lot of fun and good sailing. Regarding your security question I use a trailer hitch towball lock which fixes into the coupling head on the trailer to prevent unauthorised use - much  cheaper than wheel clamps. All the good Chandlers stock them.

Mike (W95).

Hi Dave,
I'm the owner of Heligan (sail No:95) and it was the pretty looks  of the Winklebrig design that persuaded me rather than going for the Cornish Shrimper. Winklebrigs are much cheaper and as you have recognised the bilge board arrangement allows for less cluttered space down below in the cabin.
Gaffers of course do not have the same upwind efficiency compared with that of a Bermudian rig but I'm never in a hurry and have found that after tweaking the various 'strings' she sails well enough for me. Heligan has the high peak mainsail without the topsail so performance upwind is better. At the moment I keep the boat on moorings during the summer months (last 3 years River Thames) and have had no problems with raising or lowering the bilge boards. The boards can warp and the iron weights rust if not properly maintained. When I got the boat the iron weights were blistered through rust and had swollen causing them to stick inside the casings. Since cleaning them off and regular painting each year no more problems.
You can retract the bowsprit but would have to change the arrangement of the fitting with the foredeck cleat. Obviously you would need another shorter forestay when removing the bowsprit.
Lastly if my GPS is to be believed then 4 knots plus is about the max for my boat so far!
Best,

Mike. 

Hi Paul,

Your not alone! When on her mooring my boat sits perfectly on the water but with the added weight of an adult or two she tends to sink lower at the stern. This is aggravated by the heavy Yamaha outboard and stowing too many heavy objects in the lockers.
As you know all boats have a degree of weather helm and especially gaffers however it sounds as if you are struggling to keep a course without using some  force on the helm. I would avoid introducing additional ballast as this will alter the trailing weight etc. I would suggest (unless already tried) that you first go back to basics and try the following options. Take out the heavy items from the lockers ie anchor plus any chain etc and keep them below on the cabin sole when sailing. Sit further forward in the cockpit and maybe fit a tiller extension. Too much curvature in the mainsail will cause weather helm so play around with the outhall and the foot tension. Old sails stretch and with excessive curvature in the sail will slow the boat down as well.

Hi All,
Come the autumn I shall be advertising 'Heligan' for sale in the boating press and the forum sales page. She will come with a Hallmark RC trailer that has new avonride suspension/hubs/brakes and sealed bearings and a comprehensive inventory which includes Yamaha 4hp outboard/ 3.2 gal fuel tank, tender, sprayhood, tent, boat cover, nav lights/battery/solar charger, origo cooker, navtex, dometic portable toilet, anchor/chain ropes etc etc.
In the meantime if anyone would like more information or knows of someone who is seeking a WB then please get in touch - mikeseller@hotmail.co.uk
Heligan is on her mooring - River Thames at Cookam Dean.

Hi Gerold - I am aware that boats built or in use in the UK prior to June 1998 do not need to comply with the RCD standards or have the relevant CE builders mark. I assume the same applies in Germany as part of the EU. Production of the Winklebrig started in 1985 and I think the last boat was finished in the year 2000.
The RYA (Royal Yachting Association) have guidelines on their website www.rya.org.uk on this subject and you may also find other useful information if you 'google' the question. I am a member of the RYA so if you have difficulty in finding the answer to this problem I can ask their Legal Expert on your behalf. This service comes free of any charges.
However  I think you may find that you do not need the CE mark even though your boat was built after 1998 as the design was already being manufactured prior to 1998 - this is only a guess on my part! The magic words in the guidelines are 'or in use prior to June1998' which might extend to the design.

Hope this helps and do get in touch if you would like me to ask the RYA.

Mike.

Hello Gerold,

Welcome to the Winklebrig Forum. Congratulations on choosing a great little boat - you will have lots of fun.

Mike.

WB 95

Hi Paul - I think you could be right. The Mariner was a trade name for Mercury engines sold outside the USA?!

If correct a guy at my mooring (Cookham on the River Thames) has a 4hp Mariner 2 for sale at   around £200/£300.

If anyone is still mystified  as to which 'string' does what on a gaff rig or wishes to tweak their boat for better performance then look no further than an interesting article in the latest issue of Practical Boat Owner. Based on the Shrimper it fully explains the high-peak gaff rig and tips for shaping the mainsail.

Clint - looking at your photograph again the new tabernacle appears to sit well on the deck. I assume any curvature in this area is very slight. I was down on my boat yesterday and although I could not check how flat this section was by using a straight edge it looked flat to my eye. If however you have a slight gap along the edges or minor high spots then surely by applying a suitable sealant on the base of the tabernacle this would suffice. Regarding cost, Force 4 have a range of sikaflex sealants/caulking from between £8 to £20 per cartridge.
On reflection your idea of packing out by increasing the dimensions of the mast at its base seems the simplest solution. I assume the thickness of packing needed will allow you to screw/glue the wood to the mast. If the thicknesses are relatively small maybe stainless steel sheet could be used on the mast instead. Again looking at your photograph there appears to be another problem with the positions of the existing fixing holes through the coachroof as the new tabernacle has decorative holes at the back which might be another headache for you when deciding how to fix the tabernacle into position. 

Clint - That looks like a bargain purchase and a very suitable piece of kit for a Winklebrig. You say that you will need to pack out the mast but would it not be best to fix the packing on the inside of the tabernacle plus put back  support wedges on the outside edges so that the tabernacle fits snuggly into the cabin rooftop moulding - I suggest this for two reasons. you will need to bolt the tabernacle through the rear so that the bolts marry up with the existing fixing holes and the inside timber which strenghtens the coachroof. I would not bolt the new tabernacle to the deck as this flexes under strain and can easily crack.
If you adopt this suggestion I'm sure that you can work out  to somehow bolt or screw the new packing onto the new metal tabernacle.
Recently my original wooden tabernacle split. In the end the split was re glued and I had two stainless steel plates made up to the shape of the outside edges of the tabernacle which were glued and screwed onto the wood.

Firstly Gwilym congratulations on winning the PBO Miles to Maldon trophy as seen in the latest issue of Practical Boat Owner. Good to see a photograph of you and Eva aboard "Constance." Such a pity that Peter Poland did not mention a winklebrig in his article on small second hand cruisers last month.

Like you I have spent some very comfortable nights aboard this summer thanks to the double berth in the forepeak and keeping things very tidy and stowed away down below! The original information for this boat describes this as a one and a half person berth however I have found it roomy enough for two - the only problem is getting in and out of this space when two wish to share. I take it "Constance" came with the ply wood sheet support that fits between the two bilge board casings and the spare cushion which sits on top converting the space into a wider/longer bunk. If so and still not adequate then I suppose with a little thought and DIY a larger ply sheet could be inserted.

Regards,

Mike. (No: 95)

This boat is a winklebrig hull and has been on the Thames near my mooring at Cookham. I keep my boat at Woottens and the yard have three more hulls of which two have been fitted out as river launches. The bare hull is tucked away at the back of the yard sheltering all kinds of wildlife!

Mike.