The Winklebrig Forum

Thanks Andrew.
Sorry I misunderstood. Sounds like a good idea. Post some pictures if you go ahead.

Hello Gerold.
At risk of being accused of 'plugging' my book! I have written a section there about this.
At the time I added a staysail, I took the opportunity of lengthening and strengthening the bowsprit and enlarging the jib. So altogether, I have more sail ahead of the mast (to help with the weather helm) and the added advantage of a more flexible and stronger  (two forestays) rig. In high winds, I furl the jib and sail with the foresail and reefed main, or in even higher winds, the  staysail and mizzen sail (another adition!).
I know you can go on forever modifying the Winklebrig (and I am probably the worst culprit!), but I think a second foresail is a valuable and easy  addition.

Hi Andrew and welcome!

This is a personal opinion, but I wouldn't attach anything to the tabernacle to hold the mast up, as it really isn't designed for it - unless you have one of the one piece stainless steel ones I have seen somewhere on this site.
My solution for   'belt and braces'  is to fit an inner forestay. The details are in my book - advertised on the home page - or alternatively you can look back at the posts on this site.

Thanks for publishing the results of your motor trials, Gerold.
As mentioned previously I keep the Torqueedo as an auxilliary on an drop-down transom bracket, so I have often wondered how it would perform.
I am off to Morbihan next month so I will do a bit of testing (although not in some of the more ferocious 10 Knot currents :-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=095PdISuZZ8)
Not a tow car but this has kept me off the streets the last 18 months:-

Welcome Mathew!
Click on 'resources' on front page of web site, there are some original drawings here. Alternatively, if you have a specific question (eg Topsail, gaff, mainsheet etc etc), most of these have been covered over the years on this site but if not, ask and I am sure someone can help.
Happy sailing.

Welcome Roger!

I know you will love the Winklebrig. Sound advice not to change anything until after the first season.
I am going to Morbihan in Brittany in May so it would be great to see you or any other Winklebriggers there if you can make it.

http://www.semainedugolfe.com/Home-1074-0-0-0.html

Regarding the trailer lock I use a Bulldog type like this which works for me:-
https://www.barriersdirect.co.uk/car-security-mirrors-signage-c1171/vehicle-clamps-c1205/bulldog-motor-home-4x4-wheel-clamp-10-out-of-10-for-security-in-auto-express-test-p718?shopping&gclid=CPyBktDE8dACFWcW0wodcYwLWw

Fair winds!

Hi Gerold.

Yes. I have been very pleased with the rudder. Not only have I eliminated the running aground issues/anxieties mentioned in my earlier post, but I was always unhappy (sailing single handed) leaning right over the stern to lift the old rudder on and off. Now, whenever I leave the boat on a tidal mooring I simply raise the rudder blade without having to take the whole thing of the pintles.

The rudder blade is 8mm aluminium the same shape and more or less the same same size as the original although  lighter.

When I first tried it out I was a bit worried that as there is nothing holding the blade in the down position it would ride up as I sailed along, but my fears proved groundless, and I have since been out in reasonable seas, winds, and tides, and it stays down. I am not quite sure why, but guess it must be the weight of the aluminium combined with its slim underwater profile.

I was very lucky to find the old mahogany rudder stock in a local boatyard, which although a bit battered (rather like my boat!) is a lovely colour and didn't need too much alteration. However, having taken the two halves apart to fit the blade, I discovered that it would not have been difficult to make one from new.

I painted the aluminium blade to begin with, but the paint came straight off in the salt water. I have not repainted it since, as for my sailing I dont think the aluminium is exposed to salt water for long enough to be seriously damaged by corrosion, although I do keep an eye on it.

A good winter project. Good luck!

Hi Paul.

I have dried out a lot both here on the Suffolk coast and in Britany. Yes. You are right that she doesn't stay upright on a hard bottom (although the mud around here is fine though as the keel sinks in). However, as long as there aren't two of you trying to sleep on board, the leaning over isn't too much of a problem as you simply sleep on the downhill side. Beaching legs would work, but there will always be the problem of stowage on a Winklebrig.

As an aside, I have found that much more of a problem  when running aground or drying out is the rudder. More than once I have run aground under sail (the rudder always touches first). You then have the dilemma of whether to lower the sails (you are never head to wind when stuck fast!) or to let go of everything and try to remove  the rudder. I have tried both, and having found myself under sail, adrift without a rudder being blown onto a lee shore,  I can verrify that the former is less stressful!

I now have a retractable rudder (like a dinghy)  and sleep much better.

Hi Dave.
This is very personal, but my views are as follows:-
1. Keeping the boat afloat is not a problem, but the hull is not epoxied so I don't think you should  keep her afloat 12 months of the year or you may have problems with osmosis.
2. You will very rarely sail at 5 knotts. If you want speed, the Winklebrig is not for you. Equally, being a gaffer and not a boat which can be 'tuned', she does not point well.
3. Yes it is possible to make a modification to the bowsprit to allow retraction.
4. All boats are a compromise between weight/size (for towing and launching), looks, comfort and performance. If your priorities are in this order, then  the Winklebrig may be for you. If performance is higher up the list, then she probably isn't - Go for a Drascombe or Cornish Crabber.
I have had an enormous amount of fun with my boat and haven't regretted a single day of ownership.
Good luck! 

Photos attached.
(I am sure you can make a better job of it than me, but the arrangements seems to work).

Hello Gerold

I have installed a chain locker in the bow of 'Winkle'. The chain goes down a bronze chainpipe :-
http://classicmarine.co.uk/boatstore/product.asp?strParents=0,31&CAT_ID=37&P_ID=83
and into a triangular shaped plastic tub in the bow of the boat. The forepeak is sealed off with plywood with an  internal hatch in it allowing space for the chain bucket and couple of spare fenders.

I thought about making the whole thing watertight with a front facing drain hole through the bow but I found it wasn't necessary (no appreciable amount of water gets in here with the chainpipe facing backwards), and I prefer the access to the cupboard being through the cabin as it limits the size of the hole in the foredeck to the diameter of the chainpipe - therby retaining the strength in the foredeck.

I carry quite a lot of chain in this way as I anchor in the East Coast estuaries (tidal), and I have found the arrangement works very well.

I will post some pictures the next time I go to the boat.
Kind Regards
Martin

Have just returned from a wonderful week's sailing and festivities in Brittany.

A huge fleet of mainly traditional boats sail down the coast from the Brest festival to Douarnanez where there is another week of festivities. I have previously attended the Brest Festival which is a bit big and impersonal for my liking, but Douarnanez is lovely. It provides a dockside setting for the festivities and the huge bay is ideal for reasonably sheltered open sea sailing. It is extremely well organised, huge fun and highly recommended to Winklebriggers.

I took the car ferry to St Malo and towed Winkle the 4 hours to Douarnanez which is  a wonderful old Sardine fishing community (albeit with a chequered past and the scars to prove it), which really goes to town to welcome over 1000 skippers and crews mainly from France and Britain.

Here are three links which give a flavour of the affair (the last one is the fleet's trip from Brest to Douarnanez which I did not participate in due to shortage of time but which would be a terrific sail one year).

For anyone interested, the Brest festival is every four years and the Douarnanez one is every two years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a61GP28WVQk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhi_XPELmQI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5giUB4iuaf4

Hello Gerold
I purchased a Torqeedo 1003S two years ago as an auxillary and for use on my inflatable dinghy. I keep it on a transom bracket when sailing and in the cabin for security when not. It is very easily stolen!
I did wire in the remote control as reaching the Torqeedo's tiller is a bit of a stretch, but this packed up within a year so I have abandoned it. I think the sunlight affects the electronics.
I sail nearly all the time on tidal/coastal waters and I would not like to have it as my sole means of propulsion, but its weight, cleanliness (no grease or fuel to spill in the cabin) and power make it a wonderful 'get-you-home' to have on board for peace of mind.
I don't think you will be dissapointed with its power, but I would say that even with two batteries you may find the range limiting. I understand that you can charge the Torqeedo battery from another battery so you could carry a large leisure battery to charge from if you are going to be away from mains power for any time.
Let us know how you get on.

Well done David!
That looks a really professional job and I have no doubt it will pay dividends in terms of stability and performance. You may need a new trailer though!!

Hi Kayeselle. What are you trying to achieve with the kicking strap? Very few Gaffers have them and like most Gaffers the Winklebrig's rig is not designed to be fine tuned in this way and I think you will find that by putting stress on one part of the rig, it will 'give' somewhere else. You might simply be  pulling your gaff down or stretching the forestay. 
If you are trying to flatten the sail for improved upwind performance I would try other things. A horse on the main sheet does it for some. The use of balast and  weight distribution does it for others. However, in general these boats sails much better when sheets are eased and you don't try to point to close to the wind. 
Good luck!