Ep. 10 - HOW TO SAIL A YAWL: on board a Welsford Navigator

[@jwboatdesigns]

Hi guys, great video, shows why I draw cruising dinghies with a mizzen. Thanks for posting that.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks John. Always a pleasure showing off your boats - so capable, comfortable and pretty.

[@jeffb6131]

Watched with great interest, Solid air looks pretty roomy, another good one Mat.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks Jeff. See you VERY soon.

[@SailingKateLouise]

Thanks Mat, loved it , cheers Paul

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks Paul. Hope you got something out of it for your beautiful girl. 👍🏾⚓️

[@liam.liam.liam.liam.liam.liam.]

Haha your videos are the best! Thanks guys

[@bakerjmark]

Great video, as usual! Very timely for me as I get ready to launch another John Welsford yawl, Long Steps. I haven't sailed a yawl or a lug sail before, so i need all the help I can get. Thanks for this!

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks Mark. We'll be featuring a Longsteps launching very soon. Maybe in the next month??? Stay tuned.

[@lenanderson529]

Hi, I’m am highly considering Longstep as my next building project. Looked at it and heard JW talk of it’s capabilities. A few questions if you don’t mind me asking. Download PDF plans from Duckworks are in metric. Did you build with metric or with converting to standard dimensions? Do you know if CNC can be used to cut marine plywood more efficiently to minimize waste and increase accuracy for fabricating frames and panels? Thank you. Len

[@bakerjmark]

@@lenanderson529 I did the whole thing in metric. Much easier than converting every number. Even the plywood is metric in thickness. I just needed to buy a couple of metric carpenter squares. I don't know about CNC. I drew it all out by hand on the plywood and didn't have much waste. Have fun with your build!

[@HighMaintenancePS]

Great video again thanks mate. Of particular value this one. Watching from NZ and from a young age always fascinated, envious and keen as mustard on Tassie and boats.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Excellent. Thanks again

[@til7545]

Brilliant and fun episode! You were FLYING on the way to the meet👍. And great learning on yawl sailing for a future Navigator sailor (still in the early build phase)

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

thanks for watching...stay tuned for PART 2!

[@DinghyCruisingTrim]

Thanks for the insight Mat. Have not tried a yawl but maybe one day…

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

…hopefully soon. And in Tassie in Solid Air?!? 👍🏾⚓️

[@lauriev]

Great video once again. I can confirm first-hand that Solid Air does get on the plane (as a previous owner). As you have experienced, the Navigator has great initial stability, and even good incremental stability when you get a good lean up. I never managed to capsize it in 6 years of sailing, even with a near rooster-tail coming out the back one lively sail, lol. I reckon you would have to make a bad boo-boo to capsize it - like getting the main sheet in a knot or something. I have even sailed with the mizzen alone, ok for short distances or in a bad blow. Other things of interest, the sails are a very heavy weight of cloth from memory, and the mast is very thick ally, over-engineered but better than the alternative. A lighter solution there would give even better stability, and be easier to lift out at the end of a day's sail when you are a bit tired. I also remember that the rudder blade could creep up in a blow if the tension on the wingnut was too loose, careful with that as a sudden lean could cause the blade to come out of the water when you most need it.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Great info Laurie. Thanks again for your comments and support. Stay Salty!

[@m1kalD]

Lovely vibe to your videos. And what a capable craft....

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks mate. We’re enjoying making the videos. And sailing the craft!

[@peterrahn5999]

Love the videos, keep it up! Thank you!

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

thank you. great fun to make too!

[@timingersoll1257]

Great Vid. I can second the sentiment that the mizzen is a great first mate!! (I often sail alone...so I'm not offending anyone! : ) I haven't thought to try backwinding the jib when heaving to...I'll have to give that a try. Normally I'll heave to when reefing and want the boom near at hand, or for a long stretch, will drop the main into my lazy-jack/topping lift arrangement...but I can see where it might come in handy to keep the main up, but off the wind a bit and out of the way. So much flexibility with that mizzen!! Great looking boat and a fun sail..thanks for sharing.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks for watching and commenting. It was interesting to hear what Jon said about drifting backwards and the stress it puts on the rudder. Makes sense. Fore reaching might sometimes be a better option?

[@peterfynn]

What a super video. Makes me wonder if I should change the rig on Floki (a Welsford Pilgrim) - naa, she sails well as it is, but I do like the idea. Thanks John

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

You should!

[@chrisstockman904]

Great job Loki! Another great video Mat, stop it, you're making the rest of us look pretty lame 😅. I was scared of my mizzen when I started out. Now it's first sail set and last one struck.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks mate. 👍🏾⚓️

[@chrisstockman904]

P.S. reading Jon's latest book at the moment. Those guys are the real deal!

[@ecnavttocs]

bugger ... run out of vids.... Really enjoy your channel. Cant wait for more.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thanks mate. Don't worry...we won't run out of content anytime soon!

[@PixieSV]

I'm excited to get my Longsteps finished. So technically it isn't capable of self steering. Not if you have to hold on to the mizzen line and adjust it constantly.

[@dmain6735]

Sweet

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

and salty!

[@kens2114]

Interesting about the mizzen/yawl rig, thanks

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

you're welcome

[@damoog5985]

Brilliant. So when you hove to, you released the main and hauled the mizzen in tight? Does that keep you heading into the wind, or just off it? Thanks, great video

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Thank mate. Roll the heady in, let the main out and pull the mizzen in tight. Without touching the rudder the boat will wind-vane directly bow to wind. The boat will slowly drift downwind. Pretty cool hey!?

[@SimonWitt-d3p]

Thank you

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

You're welcome

[@dennismiller8013]

Hi guys , great video what type of life vest do you use ?

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

thanks mate. for inshore waters we use Baltic Sandhamn. Offshore I'll put a manual inflating yoke over the top of the Baltic.

[@joeogg1125]

I am coming down to AWBF in Feb '25 and interested in either scamp rigged like Howard Rice's, or ( very differently) a navigator aith a cuddy. A scamp camp might be a decider. Who to contact to find out about AWBF 25 Scamp Camp? ps what's happened to Scallywag ??

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Hi there. Thanks for the contact. You will need to contact Howard directly regarding an Australian Scamp Camp and perhaps contact John Welsford directly for Scallywag information. We have a SCAMP and Pathfinder with cabin for sale if you're keen.

[@chrisashdown8814]

To me thats a ketch with the rudder post aft of the mizzen mast where a yawl the mizzen if aft of the rudder post

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

I think the old 'before or after rudder post' rule is a bit misleading. Perhaps it's up to what the designer says? Phil Bolger quote: "This is all arbitrary (**the rudder position**). The functional difference is that a ketch depends on her mizzen for a significant part of the power that drives the boat, whereas in a yawl the mizzen serves as a balancing and maneuvering sail." Ian Oughtred calls two of his most successful designs Yawls: Ness & Caledonia. If John Welsford calls the Navigator a Yawl, that's good enough for me! Still an interesting and perhaps subjective topic.

[@SimonWitt-d3p]

Do you have any suggestions on where I could search to buy a second hand Scamp in Tasmania?

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

Are you interested in building one? We’re planning a SCAMP CAMP at the next AWBF.

[@SimonWitt-d3p]

Sounds interesting. Can you please tell me best place to buy Scamp plans / kit?

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

duckworks.com/search.php?search_query=Scamp&section=product

[@antiussentiment]

The Navigator looks like such a cool boat. Optimists, not so much. When they arrived at my old club a few decades back, the killed off our wonderful local junior dinghy designs. And along came ugly parents that demanded their children became Olympic champions at all costs.

[@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx]

All boats are fun...and if the kids are smiling that's what matters to us.

[@antiussentiment]

@@SmallCraftTasmania-ms4sx you'd hope so right?