Re: BCC Balance
Posted by:
svshaula (IP Logged)
Date: October 12, 2018 07:21PM
Category: Miscellaneous
I wonder if the weight of a gaff rigger's wooden mast, boom and gaff is significantly greater than the usual Al mast and boom? In any case, I think it's very important to have a buoyant bow. We sailed alongside gaff rigged BCC Chautauqua between PV and La Cruz, Mexico. Instead of rising to the oncoming seas of several feet like Shaula did, Chautauqua plowed into them, slowing significantly. She had 2 anchors on her bow, the main one a 35 lb CQR, and a spare plow of about 45 lbs. Both BCCs were fully loaded for crossing the Pacific. I'm sure the extra anchor contributed, but other factors could have been involved. Maybe the weight of the spars? I don't know where the chain locker was located. Chautauqua had a wooden main cabin which must have weighed significantly more than the standard FG cabin.
I would definitely remove the spare 35 lb CQR from the bow and also move anything heavy that's stored way forward. You might consider replacing 100ft of chain with 100ft of line. We've carried 235ft of 5/16" BBB while cruising through the Pacific, NZ, Australia and Pacific NW without needing more. We do have 2 spare lengths of 50ft, 200ft of line and a spare 35 lb CQR (stored in the forepeak's bilge.