S2 7.9 Meter Class Association

Here is another option: Mcmaster car can ship you U-channel that will fit in both aluminum and plastic. The aluminum is around $16-25 for 8 feet (not including shipping). If you really don't like shiny aluminum, it can be anodized and the cost is still in the same range. The plastic is around $17 fo...

I just finished this repair. Step 1 - measured where the step should have been by checking three other 7.9's. No, sorry, I didn't save it. I made a template from the measurements and chucked it when I was done. Step 2 - used a dremel to cut through the skin on the deck, then used a crow bar to peel ...

Sail trim is always opinion of course, but on the 7.9 with a Boston D4 mainsail, I rarely use the cunningham. The primary purpose of the cunningham is to tension the luff of the sail, which is the one of the primary controls to set the fore-aft location of the maximum draft. Assuming you have your h...

Thanks! I started cruising the boat a lot last year, and one my family's favorite things is to bring the boat right up to the beach and go swimming. Unfortunately that means I have to yank the pin when we go in, and force the rudder back down as we leave and repin it. This was a much more useable sy...

I had several emails regarding this pull-down arrangement for my rudder when I mentioned it late last year. Sorry for the LATE posting. It's pretty simple, so I'd be rather surprised if someone else hadn't already done it to their boat, but at least those who were interested will have this sketch to...

I've got my cascade set up so that it goes block-to-block at the maximum setting. I let the gomers pull all they want

The fracture occurred right where I had drilled a hole in the batten to rivet it to the mast. Instead of through rivetting the next one, I am going to use a U-bolt over the top of the batten, or something similar. Anyone know how the melges attach theirs? I'm chalking this failure up to my fault for...

Unfortunately, I haven't raced the boat the last 2 years. The short version is that until the kids at home get just a bit older (3/5/7 right now) I'm going to have to wait to get back into the traveling and racing. The time to organize this stuff (not to mention the funds) have disappeared. Matter o...

On another note regarding the backstays - the melges batten I am using virtually blew up going upwind yesterday in a stiff breeze. There was no warning other than a loud crack, followed by my bow-guy pointing upward as it happily slid down the backstay. So I'm guessing we get about 3 years out of th...

Yep. If you can steer the outboard and the helm at once (not hard), you can turn on a dime.

Here's my setup: Backstay max on. Genoa Halyard max on. Main halyard max on. Cunningham max on. (Gotta pull the max draft forward in the sails, it moves the center of effort forward and will help you steer). Jib trim should be normal. Get it to the standard position on your spreader (or however your...

I did this fix not to long ago. I used a razor knife to cut out the old stuff as deeply as a I could. Then I taped the windows and used black 3M 4200 to fill in the groove that I had cut out. I used my finger (wetted down) to smooth the 4200 then peeled the tape just as the 4200 got tacky. Looks lik...

Well darn it all. I'm going to have to back out. It looks like I'll be tied up installing some new equipment at work for the next month or so.

I use the schafer cars. I simply ground them open slightly and they've worked fine.

I cheated when I connected the batten to the mast crane. I didn't have the stainless bolts so I just used 1/4 stainless rivets - they haven't loosened or moved.