NELLYBELLE Relaunched

S

sleddog

Member
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Yesterday at the Santa Cruz Harbor hoist, a gathering of the Tribe celebrated the Pi-24 NELLYBELLE's relaunch after Alan Wirtanen and Melanie Kett rescued her from sure demise in a Texas junkyard.  Alan had built NELLY in 1971 to a design by Steve Fennell called PI. PI was fast, but her 250 pound keel was too light, and she capsized and turtled in a gale in the Santa Barbara Race, June 27-28, 1975 off the Big Sur Coast with the loss of the Fennell brothers.

 NELLYBELLE's only other surviving sister is LOOSE.  Alan has deepened NELLY's keel to a design by Larry Tuttle and increased its weight to 750 pounds.  As well, the rig has been shortened slightly so Moore-24 sails fit.

Shortly after NELLYBELLE's christening and relaunch, Alan and crew of Morgan, Mario, and Dennis set sail and flew the spinnaker off the dock.  Welcome home, NELLYBELLE!

PI1.jpg

Pi2.jpg

Pi3.jpg

 
P

Pro looper

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What a great day! we have lost so many great SC boat builders in the past but the list of silverbacks that did show was awesome!!!

Mario. IMG_2014.JPG

 
S

sleddog

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SloopJonB said:
With that story about the keel I'd be curious to know why it wasn't changed to a bulb when the ballast was tripled.
Click to expand...
NELLY's old keel was used with a lead extension at its root.  The problem with a bulb keel at the Santa Cruz hoist is draft greater than 5' will be in the mud at low tide, limiting launch and haul.

 
K

kettkat

New member
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Minor correction: Nellybelle’s original keel was 780 lbs, the new one 700 and the center of gravity is lower. No bulb because too much kelp in Santa Cruz.

Great write up about her, we so appreciate the turnout and support given by all of our loved ones who came to the re-launching!

Shout out to Buddy Byington who made the rescue possible, Dave Scoggins for his artful repairs, Dennis Bassano for always being right there to lend a hand...and a righteous beer...

Nelly spent 25 years on “Death Row” at Canyon Lakes, TX for a crime she did not commit and not only did Alan commute her sentence but he restored her to her original glory!

Melanie

 
M

moody frog

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That is great Sleddog :)   and .... so good to read "Alan has deepened NELLY's keel to a design by Larry Tuttle". !

Kind of news I like.

 
Sidecar

Sidecar

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Tasmania
sleddog said:
SloopJonB said:
With that story about the keel I'd be curious to know why it wasn't changed to a bulb when the ballast was tripled.
Click to expand...
NELLY's old keel was used with a lead extension at its root.  The problem with a bulb keel at the Santa Cruz hoist is draft greater than 5' will be in the mud at low tide, limiting launch and haul
Click to expand...
???????

if the keel was extended anyhow, then there was room for a bulb in lieu, which would have given greater RM. and a bigger “foot” to sit the boat on, especially if the bottom of the bulb was flat.

Even if that was the original keel, you could cut a foot off the bottom and put on a bulb back on and you would still have more RM.

What are we missing?

BTW....Lovely boat and restoration.....

 
Last edited by a moderator:
paulrtullos

paulrtullos

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okc, nola, rockport
Sidecar said:
???????

if the keel was extended anyhow, then there was room for a bulb in lieu, which would have given greater RM. and a bigger “foot” to sit the boat on, especially if the bottom of the bulb was flat.

Even if that was the original keel, you could cut a foot off the bottom and put on a bulb back on and you would still have more RM.

What are we missing?

BTW....Lovely boat and restoration.....
Click to expand...
good point. unless there were structural issues

 
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