INVESTIGATOR 563

I generally start with the number 2 jib and full main. If wind is poor I’ll go up to the larger jib. Technically it’s a genoa as it comes past the mast but it’s only just past.(avatar picture) Mostly it’s the first setup.

If the wind comes up we might go first reef and after that Detroit spinnaker ( donk). My advice before to those new to sail is forget vangs, Cunninghams and fiddling with the backstay’s tension for a good while just sail by the seat of your pants. You will quickly get a feel for what you and your crew find comfortable, which is really what sailing should be, fun and comfortable. I’m careful when taking new crew or guests as I read an article once about scaring the bejesus out of their wife and family is why grumpy old blokes with large expensive yachts usually finish up solo sailors

If later you decide to race you can get into the science pretty well then or whilst learning add one thing at a time.

Another good bit of advice I read and never forgot was pushing the boat hard is a good way to get gear failure. And gear failure is easier to deal with after a bit of experience. Don’t ask me how I know

Meant to add. Actually don’t have a storm jib. If you do a search on the forum Ian has a few comments on them. As we don’t race we have only played with the spinnaker and I’m total crepe at handling it.

Hi David and Ed,

Can you clarify a point to help out a newb?

Why was it good that Ed didn't have to tilt the trailer?

I have only launched once so far and have a tilt trailer, so I assumed tilting was the normal thing.

TIA

Righto David, thanks!

The one I launched at and will be again next week has a pretty decent pitch, so I will experiment next time.

Hi gents , just my $0.02 worth. I only trailer once a year but I’ve made it a habit to use the tilt always for both launch and retrieve. My reasoning FWIW is it puts a lot less strain on the machinery. When retrieving there is a lot of weight on the u bolt your strap is connected to, anything that lessens that loading is probably a good thing , not withstanding my lack of physicality on the winch handle as the old bod sinks slowly into the horizon .

As an aside I always but a dampening cover over the winch rope . I have an old hessian bag but I’m thinking of getting a purpose built dampener from 4wd suppliers for the job. If you google “dangerous winch rope” or some similar search like winch safety you will get a plethora of forum posts on 4wdsites on accidents and it some cases deaths from winch accidents.

Back years ago I had my brother pulling me out of a pretty mild bog with two very long tow ropes joined in the centre with a bow shackle. Big mistake . We had dampened the rope well and I was standing well back luckily, but my rope snapped and propelled the bow shackle through his back window.....expensive tow for me. We had fooled ourselves totally that the length of the ropes would reduce any issues. It’s worth noting that when winching an Investigator you are in the firing line and within 5.63m of the flying apparatus . I’m not being alarmist here but my professional life was in road design and road safety and as they say in Star Wars, “Sith Happens”

In regards to launching I just find the tilt makes things go easier and if you are unfamiliar with the ramp or depth you avoid or at least lessen that horrible crunch that occurs when you see someone misjudge the depth and drop the rear of a vessel hard on the concrete. None of this is expertise, just stuff I picked up doing my PhD at the school of hard knocks.

Back to doing new windows on boat today. My least favourite job.

Diabolical looking ramp David. Yeah definitely no tilt needed.

Hey David,

That ramp is wasted on boats. Would be great for billycarts.

This is great fellas, thanks. Appreciate the diversity of opinion. We can't all be right all the time, that's why we have spouses. Oh that is so politically incorrect.

David, with all but no experience, I have pondered the angle of attack issue you mentioned - I feared that at tilt in shallow water I would risk driving the rear point into the grit.

Anyway busting my guts to get out next week and try it.

Yes I see your reasoning here and fair enough if you have steep ramps you would need to adjust. We are finally getting decent facilities in LM after 50 years but for years many of the ramps I used were flat and have the dreaded short end drop off. This means at low tide you can’t get in to far as you risk dropping off the end of the ramp . A disaster if trying to retrieve. Tilt is essential at these ramps.

It’s more the fall off the non tilted trailer at the flat ramp I meant and you can put a lot of strain on the first roller on a flat ramp. Trying to pull a boat over the first roller without tilt on a flat ramp does put a lot of strain on all components. There is virtually no forefoot in the Investigator and the compound curve from bow to keel is relatively smooth but once you lose the assistance of buoyancy it’s all on the mechanicals .

Ian B has some good comments re trailer on this thread . Their is also a link to launch pics from an earlier thread

.viewtopic.php?f=4&t=996&p=5237&hilit=Retrieve#p5237

The main points I wanted to get across if you are new to the process are these. One, this is not a tinny. Two. Best thing is to get a ramp you know well and do your launches/retrieves on a quiet windless day with no crowds There is nothing worse than being rushed at a ramp and people can be quite rude and impatient. Ignore them and be safe. You’re dealing with near a ton of boat, motor and equipment when it’s moving and safety is paramount. Oh and three keep kids and bystanders well away and know where they are at all times.

On a lighter note there are many “ launch gone wrong “ videos on YouTube. I don’t like funny home video shows because people getting injured is not really that funny to me but you can learn a lot about what not to do at a ramp watching these and usually nobody’s injured, only their pride. Stay safe all, back to haulout

Meant to add the stove setup in Yarra was a work of art 🖼

Ok so Im strongly contemplating painting Tikirri but there is a lot of think about before hand!
One thing I want to do is replace the windows as they are super wonky and probably cut by hand haha. They are screwed on the outside with silicone sandwiched between which is leaking a bit too lol.

I have a vision of replacing the two windows with one piece of fairly dark Perspex/acrylic with the idea of leaving the actual window holes as they are and simply covering the pillar between them with the sheet of Perspex. I imagine using a heat gun or similar with the new window strapped down would slowly bend it into place and then I’d let it cool before using some kind of non-screw system to secure the windows on which I’m still considering.
I’ve finished the drawing which I’ll send to a company that’ll CNC it. At this point it’s all theoretical and I’m happy sailing as it is but I’m also keen to get Tikirri to a really good state and love working on it

Here is a before and after example on another investigator I’ve done one my phone