Old article about Sail - La - Vie (Spindrift) #114

[Geoff]

Hi Andrew,

In that topic or a similar one from a good while ago Emrys suggested a thread on the history of our boats.

It's on my mental to-do list.

I think we could have either a sticky topic or even a sub-forum, where the Investigator Magazine Library topic that Ray put up and all the good stuff from the old Moreton Investigator Association, etc could all be collated.

[Ozzie]

Great stuff folks. Just a call, is anybody reading the forum a member of the Investigator Association. Does it still function? Must be access to some historical knowledge there.

[Geoff]

Hi Ozzie,

Yes mate I am and Emyrs is too. They are based in Sydney though so I am a member by email only sadly. But it was through them I found the past owner of #107 and asked about the front hatch.

Covid disrupted their meeting and outing activities, but they are getting back into it now I think.

Emrys would know more and probably has had more interaction I would think.

[Peter T]

Yes indeed Andrew. I will be visiting David in the near future. Perhaps he might have more stories for us all to enjoy

[Peter T]

Hi folks, Minnow's previous owner was Sam Sammington. He responded to ne on a fb page and here is what he says

Will try and get any more info that I can. Cheers

[Ozzie]

Good Geoff, nice to know it’s still going. I’ve never noted any earlier reference to Spritzig II (143) over the years I was wondering if any on the Association might know.

Speaking of Emrys, hope your ok mate. Have not heard from you for a bit.

Magic box sounds interesting . Like a little trailer winch on the mast base or am I misinterpreting it.

[Peter T]

A Harken Magic box is simply a 6 to 1 reduction pulley system contained in a housing set up is same as photo below which does not have the box over it

[Geoff]

6:1 That's a whole lot of mechanical advantage for our little boats!

[Peter T]

Yes Geoff, I agree and when you take heaps of fittings off the boat to paint the deck and topsides like I am at the moment and you see what is actually holding everything in place, and you realise that a 6 : 1 advantage pull on anything on these little boats is a highly risky thing to do and in my opinion, completely unnecessary, especially when you consider there weren't even winches fitted to them originally.
The only exception I suppose is to help those raising the mast, at least in its initial stages when the weight of the mast can be quite heavy at least until it is about three quarters of the way up from the horizontal position
Cheers

[Peter T]

Hi Ray, found out a bit more about "Minnow" from its seller.
The boat was called Mishka. The chap who owned it prior to Sam didnt have it too long and the restoration was completed by the owner prior to him . I think there are photos of Mishka on this forum somewhere which should give you the sail number.
The boat also has another older main sail with it. I did a search on the name Mischka but came up empty.
And then I found it. See below.

MISCHKA SAIL NO 107 now called MINNOW
Cheers