I thought I would add my boat to this list, I purchased it several years ago 1999 or so, but until recently not sailed it much, it comes with either a bare hull and deck fittings or with a suit of sails. I brought the hull only. Im very happy with this hull although it may not be competitive with newer IOM’s It holds it own in our club of sailors(Mixed bag of boats), I have managed to come second in almost every race losing to a marblehead in the last run to the line usualy. I would like to run in a IOM fleet to see how I go. A couple of mods, I cut a hatch forward to get into the bow, and I mounted a Hitech drum wingh in the main rear hatch rather than below deck to reduce sheeting resistance.
Nick,
I always wanted to build one of them becuase of the price of the kit. It seems a good way for someone to get their foot in the door with IOMs. Did you get the un-pigmented hull? Did you make your own rig? If you are using the Robbe Rig, what do you think of it? I was actually in contact with some sailors from Germany who sail and think highly of the windstar after ‘mods’. There was a website that included ‘aftermarket parts’ to alter a windstar including a new keel and bulb, and a keel box/mast step for a keel stepped windstar. I’ve actually archived all the photos and mod suggestions in case I decide to put one together one day.
Cheers,
Hi Bruce,
I brought the pigmented hull quite a number of years ago not realising it isnt class legal however i sail with a group of “run what you brung” so it doesnt matter to me. I make all my own rigs, the sails were too expensive here in Australia and reports are they arn’t crash hot anyway. I modified the keel by putting a layer of carbon fiber cloth on both sides and fairing the fin so it is a little thicker, a new rudder may be next. I will look up the web site you mentioned. I may ask you to send me the photos if i can’t find the website.
Regards
Nick
Nick,
Here is the website:
An online translator might be in order! Anyhoo, the CF keel that was offered for the Windstar is no longer on their page, so a few inquires will be needed. If you need the photos just tell me and I can also give you the contact address of the gentleman I was corresponding with who is quite knowledgable about Windstar mods.
Well I had given sailing the Windstar a break because I had a couple of cracks in the hull around the hatch. I want to start sailing again so decided to try and fix her. previously I had little success in gluing anything to the hull. I had conflicting reports about glue and resin but now I may have had some success. I used Boatcoat epoxy and made sure I sanded through the internal pigment before applying some fibreglass patches. they are holding up so far.
One of the big problems I think is the deck stepped mast so I was thinking about fitting a mast tube like I see on the skiffs, but is a mast ram essential when using this setup(so I can think about implementing it on this flat deck hull), what do they look like, so I can make a simple one off plug/mould for it?
Thanks
Nick
It is hard to put a mast ram on a flat deck setup (as it may interfere with the jib boom or jib sheet), however there is another option. . .the jackstay.
This is a strap (wire) that goes from a chainplate fitting, around the mast (max 100mm above the ‘heel point’ - IOM class rule) and down to the other chainplate.
Put a bit of tension on the jackstay and you get a similar effect to the mast ram.
Basically, the ram or jackstay resists any forward flexing of the lower mast induced by forces from the gooseneck/vang. If the mast flexes forward at this point, the main boom can rise and that changes the twist in the main. so it becomes impossible to maintain the trim of the rig. The ram or jackstay give back this control.
Hi, Thanks for the info, the main reason for the change is because the mast pushes down the deck. I thought it might be better to put that force on the keel box instead. the original re-enforcement was inadequate and with the glue issues I also had the stock set-up doesn’t work.
I would love to get a new hull but I cant justify $1000 plus for what is essentially a club boat in a mixed fleet
Regards
Nick
Hi,
Has anyone got a picture or diagram on setting up jack or check stays. And what is the “heel point”
Nick
The heel point is defined in the ERS (Equipment Rules of Sailing) as the lowest point on the mast.
Oh good, I thought it was some calculation on the heeling pivot point, cheers:)
heel of the mast, makes sense.
Now anyone on how to rig up the check stays:confused: I guess that just having them to the shroud chain plate wont have much effect so I would have to fit extra chain plates aft of mast and still give sufficient clearance for the boom?
Nick
That’s right, they need to be a little aft of the spar to work. Also you will need some kind of hook or ledge on the front face of the mast to hold the jackstay in place, and some kind of adjuster to tension it. At max 100mm from the heel point, it should be low enough not to interfere with the boom, but you may have to watch out for the vang.
I threw her in the water yesterday for the first time in over a year. I moved the winch back under the deck to the original plans position I fitted a bit of carbon tube from the mast bolt in the deck to the base of the keel box which fixes a major flaw I think and ran the receiver and servos on 2 laptop battery cells. That turns the anaemic Hitec 725 drum winch into something somewhat more respectable, maybe not in RMG class but from what Ive read nothing comes close to that little number:D
I sailed for around 3 hours on those cells.
I havn’t put the check stays on yet, but will for next weekend and get some photos up as well I hope.
Nick
Can someone tell me the position from the front of the boat of the fin and mast?