Mirror Mods Part 2

Mirror Dinghy modified for cruising. Part 2 shows the rig and the reefing system.
Music: Knightsbridge March, Eric Coates and his Orchestra.

[@55longboarder]

Excellent vids! I've been watching them for months. Sadly, not many Mirrors to be found here in coastal New Hampshire here in the states. Well done, sir!

[@AdventuresofanoldSeadog]

Great stuff.

[@frundlemud]

Watching from Wales. I have learned a lot , diolch (ta)

[@OldJong]

Very interesting! It is easy to see why you can go out in rough conditions on your little ship. :-)

[@joaomoreira62]

It a very useful video Thank you.

[@MorticeUK]

having helped my father build a mirror dinghy from one of the bell woodworking kits. then sailed and raced it? I am truly amazed by the tenacity shown here in making a Mirror dinghy into a micro pocket coastal cruiser.....!!!!! thank you so much for sharing your epic addiction to life at sea and a love of the wind taking you somewhere....!!! inspirational.

[@davefreeman9847]

I had a Mirror 1970 and built two for people.

[@elmin2323]

Love it more :)

[@clearprop]

The sun is starting to dry us all out again as I write this; looking forward to part 3 and the gaff rig.

[@msf60khz]

Hi Dan. Hoping to sail next weekend. I am wanting to improve the reefing arrangement a little and also to increase the topsail in size. I will try to find a camera man for the next installment. David

[@clearprop]

msf60khz Hi David. Hope you manage to get out - the weather today was hopefully a glimpse of things to come. I learned to sail in '92 at the Outdoor Education Centre, using Langstone Harbour. I've had a long layoff (apart from a few weekends messing about with hired boats) but am now looking for a dinghy. Strangely enough I'm actually watching a mirror at the moment on eBay, although it's got the later aluminium spars which I don't particularly like. I really enjoy your vids - they're in exactly the spirit of dinghy cruising that I am looking forward to enjoying ad they really appeal. I've read about the DCA in 'Watercraft' magazine a few times and I really would like to get involved in the not too distant future. Good luck finding a camera man - looking forward to the next instalment!

[@clearprop]

msf60khz Hi again David - thought I might as well let you know that that Mirror I was watching on eBay is now mine! I'm going to enjoy making a mod or two in the fullness of time but here she is anyway (hope the link works): www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261412574772?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[@clearprop]

msf60khz Hi David. Well my Mirror is now safely home and I've had a chance to start planning a few mods already. First job in the winter is to remove all the internal paint and set about restoring the varnish finish. The hull feels very sound even around the centreboard case but I'm sure I'll need to make a repair or two in the process. Still looking forward to a rigging description of the true gaff rig you've added; collar a cameraman soon!

[@mrben659]

Good work lad, do you have a equipment list when your off cruising/camping? Cheers

[@MorticeUK]

hmm was it a bell woodworking kit?..or something from else..I forget...all I remember is joining a sailing club at school and sailing a mirror dinghy, then pestering my father, having visited the boat show in London and coming home with brochures with pretty pictures of how the Mirror dinghy could be sailed, rowed or powered by an outboard. You seem to have added to its attributes.

[@jez3273]

Hello, great work thanks. I'm am intrigued at wanting the gaff sail mod, and am awaiting Part 3. Can you provide a rough idea for how to make the sail. I wonder if I could modify the original is that how?

[@rattytattyratnett]

Where are the eyelets positioned on the mainsail for reefing. How far from the base of the sale is each eyelet?

[@msf60khz]

My apologies for the low audio level.

[@andrewbartlett8923]

Very interesting . my particular interest is the topping lift. I assume although I couldn't quite see that you have a cleat each side of the boom to recieve the topping lift lines. I notice you appear to pad the cleats in case they strike you on the side of your head? Thanks for the help.

[@msf60khz]

+andrew bartlett At the moment, the topping lift ties to a lacing eye on one side and on the other side it passes through a little bee block and goes back to a cleat further aft. Only one side needs adjustment. You need plenty of spare line so you can lower the boom down.

[@mikefriend7570]

On rewatching your video I notice you have added stitching reinforcing to your main sail reefing points at both the luff and leach did you add extra sail material as well and did you do this yourself ?

[@msf60khz]

The patches are very thick and were done by a sail maker, also the very strong eyes which are pressed in. These reefing eyes need to be very strong.

[@davidmeijer1645]

I've watched this over and over, and I'm convinced you misspoke about which halyard was the reefing halyard and which was the normal halyard. Am I misunderstanding this? I don't quite get this arrangement. Also, is this sail the full sized triangular sail or the four sided true gaff rig sail you're describing here. My misunderstanding my be related to this distinction. Thanks.

[@msf60khz]

David I am sorry. I do name the two halliards the wrong way round. The sail being used is the triangular Gunter. D

[@beneathpavement1]

Hi there, I am still not sure how your topping lift works - how it attaches to boom (if it does), where on/under the boom, where exactly the line runs and cleats etc. I want to fit a topping lift to my Mirror, but for rowing and sleeping aboard rather than for reefing afloat, if you see what I mean? I am not sure if a separate reefing halyard is required in that case?

[@msf60khz]

The line starts near the outer end of the boom, where it is tied to a lacing eye. It passes up to the mast, then round infront of the mast, guided by two pad eyes. Then back down to the boom, where it passes through a bee block on the side of the boom. Then aft along the boom and terminates on a cleat. To top up, you take the line off the cleat and pull the boom up, then re-cleat. I also have a lazy jack arrangement which uses a loop of line under the boom and going up to anorak clips on the topping lifts.

[@beneathpavement1]

Thanks for your reply. In the end I went for a line which starts at the top of the mast, down under the boom through an eye, back up to the head of the mast through a Mirror jib block, and back down the mast to a cleat. I'm pretty happy with it, but the cleat gets in the way for the jib sheet sometimes!

[@gonbr100]

Could you tell me what wood is the mast made of and how hight it is, please?

[@msf60khz]

The mast seems to be about 2 inches shorter than the boat, making it about 10 feet 8 inches. If you want it very accurately please ask me again - it is raining here at the moment. The wood is "soft wood" according to the Mirror building instructions, so I suppose any good quality wood will be OK.

[@Stitch8220]

Hi David - really enjoying your videos - just wondering if you've sheathed the outside of the hull in fiberglass for extra strength when cruising...

[@msf60khz]

Stitch8220 I have not done this as I am told it can cause rot. By the way, I have just made spray hood for the boat.

[@Stitch8220]

Mirror Cruising Would love to see a picture of it if you get some!! I'm currently restoring an old Mirror from 1968 - dealing with some rot due to the boat being left in the previous owner's garden for a number of years. Enjoying the process and your videos are a great help.

[@msf60khz]

Stitch8220 I will try to upload some stills for you. Tried it a few days ago at Aberdyfi.

[@Stitch8220]

Mirror Cruising That would be great! I'm working away on my boat - hoping to have it in the water in the next couple of weeks. I think a spray hood would be beneficial especially later in the season as it gets colder. Thanks again!!

[@mikefriend7570]

I am in the process of refitting my Mirror and am going to copy your reefing system. I understood most of the video but got confused over the fixing point on the gaff for the halyard for reefing purposes. You seemed to have it fitted in one place yet you then unhitched it and passed it through the fitting to then hitch it on the main halyard fitting. Have I understood that correctly? Fantastic videos by the way, always great value

[@msf60khz]

MIke. In order to keep the gaff close to the mast, the halliard is passed through the ring on the gaff and then secured to the gaff using the hook. To save yet another fitting, I just took it to the other fitting. Hope you can understand. Thanks for the comment. D

[@msf60khz]

I got the two halliards reversed in the description, sorry,

[@juliancwalinski9015]

Hi, just a quick question if that's OK. I had a shroud anchor plate rip off my mirror in some strong gusts of wind on Bala Lake yesterday. It looks like you have bolted your's through, this is what I'm thinking of doing to repair and strengthen them. Did you use a metal plate on the outside of the hull to tighten the nuts against? Any tips suggestions would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

[@msf60khz]

Hi Julian I had old Holt cast shroud plates and one broke off. I used U-bolts with big washers on the outside. Cut off the excess thread. david

[@juliancwalinski9015]

@@msf60khz Thanks for the reply David. Mine ripped the screws out of the wood so I've drilled the original plates out very slightly and used gutter bolts through a plate on the outside and cut the thread back, much the same as you did. . Thanks again Julian

[@msf60khz]

A list is hundreds of items and is too difficult, so what I do is have things in groups, such as clothes bag, navigation bag, sleeping equipment, food and water, toolbox, waterproofs and lifejacket. Always the night before I charge up everything and replace any batteries.

[@user-ck1nt9ie7h]

СПАСИБО

[@davidmeijer1645]

Also, can you describe your boom tent arrangement?

[@msf60khz]

I use a tarpaulin rolled up under the boom. It is fixed to the boom using a strip of wood. It is held down along the gunnels by strings passed through little holes in the hull, and tightened using anorak clips. The boom is supported by a simple scissor-type crutch. Th tarpaulin is roughly shaped using scissors. There are flaps across the front and back, and I use Velcro to close the doors. Notice a tent has to be inside the shrouds. D

[@davidmeijer1645]

Yes, I do notice the tent must be inside the shrouds. I puzzled that out while devising a boom tent for our club's Wayfarer just today!

[@MorticeUK]

btw? the centerboard conversion has to be the best most practical thing you did.

[@thewanderingbox8253]

👍👍👍🏴‍☠️⛵

[@PauloSantos-pd8ps]

Se você colocasse legenda em português no video 1,2 e 3 eu poderia entender tudo sobre as partes do barco principalmente sobre o mastro e polias.

[@msf60khz]

Vou me esforçar para dar alguns subtítulos em português da próxima vez. Obrigado pelo comentário.

[@MorticeUK]

btw?.....our mirror was 27288

[@elmin2323]

Videos*

[@tonygreen8628]

Do it at sea, what a cockup

[@msf60khz]

I think you are talking about slab reefing for the jib. Yes, quite tricky at sea, but it is a traditional system. It is also quite a cockup at sea when a roller furler sticks with the jib deployed. I suppose the safe way is two forestays with different sails permananetly bent on.