Welcome to Leah 3… 18 Nov 2013

You have probably heard me, boring everyone at the bar, talking about my latest project. For some time now I have been renovating a small boat in my workshop but the project is now complete so it is time to end the suspense and reveal the picture of last week’s shake-down sail on the river…

I was a bit nervous about how the boat would handle; during this year’s renovation I have changed the sail plan, modified Dragon sails to suit and moved the mast forward to compensate. The designer of the boat, Julian Everet, suggested 14 inches forward but I thought this was too much and I moved the mast only eight and a half inches, ‘cos that ‘looked right’! I built a new mast and boom to decrease weight up top, plus lots of deck changes to bring systems up to a modern design.

The result, as you can see, looks quite balanced and she handled like a dream although the weight distribution is not yet perfect as she is stern down a couple on inches but apart from that I am very pleased.

Leah 3 will be a great little Gin and Tonic/ fishing/racing/cruising boat, and once I have completed the interior to make cruising very comfortable, I will be content.

Plan B will be to add a fibre glass batten on the mast top to hold the backstay off the main and then I will make a mainsail with a larger roach. For Plan C I am thinking of adding a carbon fibre bow spit so I can raise a code zero foresail, that will awesome, but is as yet a bit down the road…

America’s Cup, here we come!

I am going to be very busy in the spring, trying to get her ready for a season on the river, between travelling, but you come sailing with me when she is on the water…