PROTECTING INTERIOR DURING KITE DROP

[QuiqueOrtiz]

I am starting to sail a brand new Solaris 44 and the owner has forbidden to drop the kite inside the boat.

He wants to keep it free from salt and water. I can understand!! Its and aweseome new boat with stunning luxury interior.

But he is also quite competitive so I would like to find a solution to perform fast drops without damaging the interior. Dropping the kite on deck and packing it outside is not a competitive solution.

Foredeck hatch is not an option as it doesnt open fully and is quite forward, so we must foccus on companionway drop.

I have a couple of inspirational videos:





¿¿Any ideas?? ¿¿How do they do it on luxury super yachts like those on the second video??

Cheers!!

 

[Somebody Else]

Have your sailmaker measure for and fabricate an oversize nylon bag that completely fills the companionway. The key is to have it fixed all around the edges of the companionway so it stays put until it's time to remove it. Hopefully there will be some hatch details such as grooves or slots which can be used to secure the launch bag.

Oversize so you are dropping the sail into it, not stuffing the sail into it.

 

[sailman]

Have your sailmaker measure for and fabricate an oversize nylon bag that completely fills the companionway. The key is to have it fixed all around the edges of the companionway so it stays put until it's time to remove it. Hopefully there will be some hatch details such as grooves or slots which can be used to secure the launch bag.

Oversize so you are dropping the sail into it, not stuffing the sail into it.

+1 on that suggestion.  Most setups like that use a temporary rope track to slide the bag forward.  Doesn’t sound like the owner would be up for that so have the sailmaker make an easy un-mount so the bag can be taken inside after the take down.

 

[BlondeWithFreeBoat]

Steal the plastic upholstery covers off your grandma's formal living room furniture. Move quick so she can't get ya with the wooden spoon!

 

[European Bloke]

I've been on boats that have had canvas covers made to cover the wood around the chart take area, galley, and table. I assume all custom made by the sail maker. I also seem to remember big poly bags over seat cushions in high risk areas. The floor still gets wet.

Might work better than a companion way bag on a big boat.

His boats still going to get beaten up racing, he's going to have to come to terms with that or leave it on the dock to keep it nice.

 

[Steam Flyer]

Have your sailmaker measure for and fabricate an oversize nylon bag that completely fills the companionway. The key is to have it fixed all around the edges of the companionway so it stays put until it's time to remove it. Hopefully there will be some hatch details such as grooves or slots which can be used to secure the launch bag.

Oversize so you are dropping the sail into it, not stuffing the sail into it.

^ this ^

The bag can be secured on fore/aft lines along the overhead so it slide out of the way so that crew can get in/out thru the companionway when not hoisting or dousing the spinnaker

FB- Doug

 

[voodoochile]

Snuffer?

 

[European Bloke]

Snuffer?

It sounds like the dude is still currently pretending this is a racing boat, even if he doesn't want the lads knocking the vases over down below.

 

[ROADKILL666]

Just rip it out. 

 

[Steam Flyer]

Just rip it out. 

Mari-Cha had a removable interior.

FB- Doug

 

[ROADKILL666]

Mari-Cha had a removable interior.

FB- Doug

Forgot about her

 

[JL92S]

The hatch sack is a good idea. Alternatively check out the Deckchute concept

 

[Steam Flyer]

Hang a plastic laundry basket in companionway.

A big BIG plastic laundry basket.

- DSK

 

[Fintho]

The hatch sack is a good idea. Alternatively check out the Deckchute concept

I was going to suggest this but forgot the name, seems like a good idea, although it could clog the deck up a bit, depends on how the foredeck's set up.

 

[Navig8tor]

Umm get a full blown and empty race boat and race it hard, adjourn to the more civilised vessel for after race drinks and the debrief.

Or like Mari Cha,  have a removable interior especially the high knock areas, we could take 7 tonnes of interior out of one French maxi- everything bolted to the alloy ring frames, throw it in a container and go race

Yes, have raced all manner of really nice vessels with padded covers and Clear plastic hose duct taped over fiddles etc.

The clew rings and Sparcrafts always used to find the one area that was unprotected without fail. PITA

 

[George Hackett]

Go find another boat to race on. 

 

[Kevlar Edge]

It sounds like the dude is still currently pretending this is a racing boat, even if he doesn't want the lads knocking the vases over down below.

Haha spot on 

 

[Steam Flyer]

It sounds like the dude is still currently pretending this is a racing boat, even if he doesn't want the lads knocking the vases over down below.

Haha spot on 

If the boat is not designed and built with the purpose of handling the sails needed to drive her, it's not even a good cruising boat.

OTOH if it sails well enough to be fun to sail, then it can obviously be fun to race... WTF is the owner doing trying to put on sails that have no way of being set or doused (without risking damage)?

Sounds like a mismatch, somewhere.

FB- Doug

 

[coyotepup]

Two words: Disposable spinnakers.  Just cut 'em free after the downwind leg.  Owner's got enough money to buy new ones before the next race, right?