Kamita
From Bill from Jenain, an email exchange that may be of interest to all Ebbtiders-
I am fowarding to you, a mail that I recieved from Alasdair Musselwhite, who owns a 36ft Ebbtide called Kamita, and my reply to him. It may be of interest to other Ebbtide owners.
Regards and compliments of the season from "Jenain" in Dar es Salaam , Tanzania.
Bill Robinson.
Ebbtide Query Response
Here are the answers to your questions. E-mail is rather difficult while cruising. There are only e-mail facilities in Hellville,(very slow), and we tend to avoid the place as much as possible! I will take the liberty of copying this mail to the Ebbtide blog, as it may be of interest to others.
Regards,
Bill.
So sorry i missed your departure (?) from False Bay but i have both been travelling and sailing in Turkey on Kamita so kept away from the marina far too much. for good reason all the same.
Had a great ten days sailing in S Turkey with gentle autumnal weather and F2-4 average on 26degree days which isnt too bad. Kamita loved it and we had a fair bit of Cruising chute and poled out Genoa days which worked the Hydrovane but not too much....As ever with me not living aboard there were little glitches that showed she had sat some time waiting for us to sail but nothing untoward.
Couple of things struck me all the same and i thought i would glean from you whilst i could.....
1. Pics, Drawings, spec of steel rudder you had DDix draw for you - any chance of details?
Unfortunately, I no longer have the drawings. Dudley Dix may still have them though, you could ask him. The rudder is hollow, it has a 6mm flat front , and the sides are 3mm. There are 3 SS lugs, about 50mm x 50mm x 55mm ,with Vesconite bushes, welded to the front of the rudder, and similar ones on the transom. The pintles are 12mm SS . The section where the tiller fits in, is also SS. to prevent rust. The rudder is very strong, and withstood a grounding in coral which I am sure would have destroyed a wooden one. I have a100mm dia. saucer anode on either side. See photos.
2. Fully battened main : Any details photos on batten cars, system and Mainsail measurements appreciated?
Yes, the main has 4 full battens and is loose footed. I do not like the weight, cost and complexity of batten cars, so I just have normal slides. As Jenain is a cruising boat, it is no hassle to head a bit upwind when hoisting or lowering the sail. Even reefing with the wind aft is not too difficult. I may try some Dutchman batten cars in the future, they run in the standard track, and have wheels or balls that run on the aft face of the mast. They are not too expensive either. The mainsail was made by North in Cape Town, as was my Genoa. They are both quite a bit heavier than is normal, but ideal for long distance cruising. See attached specs, but bear in mind that I have the “larger rig” with a 15’05m long mast.
3. Jenain - Galley layout and cooker/fridge location pics appreciated (see my pic with diesel cooker and gas plate athwartships ungimballed - i want to move diesel Dickinson cooker out and position gas cooker where drawers are like you have done)
My galley layout is very close to the original design, I only eliminated the small drawers next to the cooker, to get a larger fridge/freezer. It now has a capacity of 90 liters. The “food locker” houses the 12 volt refrigeration unit, most of the engine driven refrigeration system, and the raw water strainer. Food is stowed elsewhere! See my earlier comments re galley worktop height . Photos attached.
4. Spray hood and dodger installation. Mine whilst ok is not sturdy and build as yours is and i would really appreciate learnings and layouts design from yours (photos drawings and commentary appreciated)
My spray hood is very sturdy, but a bit narrow, to allow for the aft cabin/galley/engine compartment Dorade vent. It attaches with an aluminum track to a teak breakwater that in turn, is glued with Sika flex to the steel cabin top. It is made of a fabric called Stamoid. The front clear panel can be opened for ventilation, by means of a zipper. The clear panels have removable mesh covers to filter out about 50% of the sunlight. There are pockets on each side to stow small items. See photos . I am, however thinking of a hard dodger, maybe someone has a good design?
5. 3 Bladed prop size and HP of your engine. I am running 36hp on my Bukh with i think too big a prop as i cannot get full revs and indeed show a lot of smoke (unburnt fuel) on my engine. What is your prop arrangement and would you consider folding prop on this hull worth the investment - Kiwi prop - Stg 750?
I have a 450mm, 3 bladed Max prop, pitched at 14 degrees. My engine is a 34 HP Perkins with a 2:1 Hurth gearbox. I definitely consider a feathering prop worth while, for two main reasons. 1. You can set the pitch to match the engine, and 2. I estimate that I get at least 0,5 of a knot more speed with the prop feathered. That is 12 miles per day on passage! It also eliminates a shaft brake, or a noisy turning prop! If I were building again, I would put in a larger engine, about 50 HP, and a 3 bladed feathering prop who’s pitch can be altered without hauling the boat, such as the Sea Hawk, or the J Prop.
6. Any details or pics of your aft cabin cockpit hatch - size and location (see pics of my aft cabin and possible location?)
I do not have a hatch, only an opening port .The port is in the forward side of the cockpit foot well. The opening is 190mm X 460mm. See photo.
7. Pics and spec of your highfield lever arrangement for the inner fore stay sail - spent my life winding the Genoa through the gap between inner and outer stays - not to mention the wear and tear??
I use a 3/8 inch “ABI” highfield lever on my inner forestay, (they were available from West Marine). If we are doing a lot of tacking, or sailing on any point of sail other than upwind, I move the inner forestay to the stowed position near the starboarg chainplates , and sail her as a sloop. It is not necessary to remove the staysail, it simple moves with the stay.See photos.
8. Presume you have Furled Genoa (120%?) but wondered what you used for downwind ocean running - i appear to have a double foil on my Genoa furler but only a hanked jib - might put a luff rope into it to fly to windward downwind.
I have a 9-70s Reef Rite furler. This is great, it has a pawl to prevent it unfurling, (operated by a small highfield lever). All my headsails, except those flown on the inner forestay, have “Kiwi Slides”, which allow them to be dropped just like hanked on sails. There are 2 slots in the foil. Check out their web site , www.reef-rite@xtra.co.nz . I use a poled out Genoa and main, or my asymmetrical spinnaker downwind. I am, however busy rigging for a “Twistle Rig”. This uses 2 free floating poles,(not attached to the mast), and two headsails, or a two ply special sail. In Thailand, I intend to have a double ply headsail with one luff rope (and Kiwi Slides) , made from heavy spinnaker material. I made the necessary fitting in Simon’s Town, but could not find a reasonably priced pole, and did not have time to have the sail made.
9. Did you have a single line reefing arrangement to the cockpit or still at mast?
No , I much prefer to reef at the mast, where I can attend to any snags. I have “granny bars”, which make this easy and safe. This also reduces the clutter in the cockpit.
Two further things:-
I now have at last found a decent anchor. It is a 25kg Rocna and is so much better than anything else I have ever used. I have tried the CQR, Delta, Bruce and Danforth, none are much good! The Rocna sets immediately and , with it’s large fluke area and shape, holds in all conditions.
My new Beaufort Orion windvane is great, a big improvement on the previous Aries.
As ever the list is of ideas and questions is endless but appreciate the forethought and insight of your practical applications learnt over time and with good hands on experience.
Cheers and thanks
Alasdair____
P.S. It is just too difficult to send the photos and attachments from Madagascar, I will try and send them from Mayotte when we get there.
I am fowarding to you, a mail that I recieved from Alasdair Musselwhite, who owns a 36ft Ebbtide called Kamita, and my reply to him. It may be of interest to other Ebbtide owners.
Regards and compliments of the season from "Jenain" in Dar es Salaam , Tanzania.
Bill Robinson.
Ebbtide Query Response
Here are the answers to your questions. E-mail is rather difficult while cruising. There are only e-mail facilities in Hellville,(very slow), and we tend to avoid the place as much as possible! I will take the liberty of copying this mail to the Ebbtide blog, as it may be of interest to others.
Regards,
Bill.
So sorry i missed your departure (?) from False Bay but i have both been travelling and sailing in Turkey on Kamita so kept away from the marina far too much. for good reason all the same.
Had a great ten days sailing in S Turkey with gentle autumnal weather and F2-4 average on 26degree days which isnt too bad. Kamita loved it and we had a fair bit of Cruising chute and poled out Genoa days which worked the Hydrovane but not too much....As ever with me not living aboard there were little glitches that showed she had sat some time waiting for us to sail but nothing untoward.
Couple of things struck me all the same and i thought i would glean from you whilst i could.....
1. Pics, Drawings, spec of steel rudder you had DDix draw for you - any chance of details?
Unfortunately, I no longer have the drawings. Dudley Dix may still have them though, you could ask him. The rudder is hollow, it has a 6mm flat front , and the sides are 3mm. There are 3 SS lugs, about 50mm x 50mm x 55mm ,with Vesconite bushes, welded to the front of the rudder, and similar ones on the transom. The pintles are 12mm SS . The section where the tiller fits in, is also SS. to prevent rust. The rudder is very strong, and withstood a grounding in coral which I am sure would have destroyed a wooden one. I have a100mm dia. saucer anode on either side. See photos.
2. Fully battened main : Any details photos on batten cars, system and Mainsail measurements appreciated?
Yes, the main has 4 full battens and is loose footed. I do not like the weight, cost and complexity of batten cars, so I just have normal slides. As Jenain is a cruising boat, it is no hassle to head a bit upwind when hoisting or lowering the sail. Even reefing with the wind aft is not too difficult. I may try some Dutchman batten cars in the future, they run in the standard track, and have wheels or balls that run on the aft face of the mast. They are not too expensive either. The mainsail was made by North in Cape Town, as was my Genoa. They are both quite a bit heavier than is normal, but ideal for long distance cruising. See attached specs, but bear in mind that I have the “larger rig” with a 15’05m long mast.
3. Jenain - Galley layout and cooker/fridge location pics appreciated (see my pic with diesel cooker and gas plate athwartships ungimballed - i want to move diesel Dickinson cooker out and position gas cooker where drawers are like you have done)
My galley layout is very close to the original design, I only eliminated the small drawers next to the cooker, to get a larger fridge/freezer. It now has a capacity of 90 liters. The “food locker” houses the 12 volt refrigeration unit, most of the engine driven refrigeration system, and the raw water strainer. Food is stowed elsewhere! See my earlier comments re galley worktop height . Photos attached.
4. Spray hood and dodger installation. Mine whilst ok is not sturdy and build as yours is and i would really appreciate learnings and layouts design from yours (photos drawings and commentary appreciated)
My spray hood is very sturdy, but a bit narrow, to allow for the aft cabin/galley/engine compartment Dorade vent. It attaches with an aluminum track to a teak breakwater that in turn, is glued with Sika flex to the steel cabin top. It is made of a fabric called Stamoid. The front clear panel can be opened for ventilation, by means of a zipper. The clear panels have removable mesh covers to filter out about 50% of the sunlight. There are pockets on each side to stow small items. See photos . I am, however thinking of a hard dodger, maybe someone has a good design?
5. 3 Bladed prop size and HP of your engine. I am running 36hp on my Bukh with i think too big a prop as i cannot get full revs and indeed show a lot of smoke (unburnt fuel) on my engine. What is your prop arrangement and would you consider folding prop on this hull worth the investment - Kiwi prop - Stg 750?
I have a 450mm, 3 bladed Max prop, pitched at 14 degrees. My engine is a 34 HP Perkins with a 2:1 Hurth gearbox. I definitely consider a feathering prop worth while, for two main reasons. 1. You can set the pitch to match the engine, and 2. I estimate that I get at least 0,5 of a knot more speed with the prop feathered. That is 12 miles per day on passage! It also eliminates a shaft brake, or a noisy turning prop! If I were building again, I would put in a larger engine, about 50 HP, and a 3 bladed feathering prop who’s pitch can be altered without hauling the boat, such as the Sea Hawk, or the J Prop.
6. Any details or pics of your aft cabin cockpit hatch - size and location (see pics of my aft cabin and possible location?)
I do not have a hatch, only an opening port .The port is in the forward side of the cockpit foot well. The opening is 190mm X 460mm. See photo.
7. Pics and spec of your highfield lever arrangement for the inner fore stay sail - spent my life winding the Genoa through the gap between inner and outer stays - not to mention the wear and tear??
I use a 3/8 inch “ABI” highfield lever on my inner forestay, (they were available from West Marine). If we are doing a lot of tacking, or sailing on any point of sail other than upwind, I move the inner forestay to the stowed position near the starboarg chainplates , and sail her as a sloop. It is not necessary to remove the staysail, it simple moves with the stay.See photos.
8. Presume you have Furled Genoa (120%?) but wondered what you used for downwind ocean running - i appear to have a double foil on my Genoa furler but only a hanked jib - might put a luff rope into it to fly to windward downwind.
I have a 9-70s Reef Rite furler. This is great, it has a pawl to prevent it unfurling, (operated by a small highfield lever). All my headsails, except those flown on the inner forestay, have “Kiwi Slides”, which allow them to be dropped just like hanked on sails. There are 2 slots in the foil. Check out their web site , www.reef-rite@xtra.co.nz . I use a poled out Genoa and main, or my asymmetrical spinnaker downwind. I am, however busy rigging for a “Twistle Rig”. This uses 2 free floating poles,(not attached to the mast), and two headsails, or a two ply special sail. In Thailand, I intend to have a double ply headsail with one luff rope (and Kiwi Slides) , made from heavy spinnaker material. I made the necessary fitting in Simon’s Town, but could not find a reasonably priced pole, and did not have time to have the sail made.
9. Did you have a single line reefing arrangement to the cockpit or still at mast?
No , I much prefer to reef at the mast, where I can attend to any snags. I have “granny bars”, which make this easy and safe. This also reduces the clutter in the cockpit.
Two further things:-
I now have at last found a decent anchor. It is a 25kg Rocna and is so much better than anything else I have ever used. I have tried the CQR, Delta, Bruce and Danforth, none are much good! The Rocna sets immediately and , with it’s large fluke area and shape, holds in all conditions.
My new Beaufort Orion windvane is great, a big improvement on the previous Aries.
As ever the list is of ideas and questions is endless but appreciate the forethought and insight of your practical applications learnt over time and with good hands on experience.
Cheers and thanks
Alasdair____
P.S. It is just too difficult to send the photos and attachments from Madagascar, I will try and send them from Mayotte when we get there.
posted by Ellen Landrum at 8:42 AM
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