Commander #155 'Mephisto Cat'

[Rico]

Thanks T-106,
The Picture is of C-151 'Nemesis' racing along with 'Answer' at the approach to a mark. The picture was taken by my crew after we had rounded that mark. At this point we were a couple of hundred yards ahead...

I think we were lucky with the breeze early on, and on the outcome of some tactical decisions. Despite a few things we could have done better, we managed to hold our lead...

I do remember 'Answer' clearly. In addition to being a beautifully kept boat (nice color too...), they managed to reel us in later in the course.

We could see them creeping up from quite a distance on a long port-tack reach. I remember deciding to climb-up above his course shortly before they overtook us as we were planning our tack into a close hauled (starboard tack) course towards the next mark. If I recall correctly, 'Answer' continued further on her course before tacking into the wind. We benefited from a very nice lift on that run, and I also believe our ability to point higher was crucial in the wind & current experienced that day.

I lost track of 'Answer' after that, but was surprised to see them down in the course when we finished as they'd been so close to us.


Dinghy Sailing

Recently, I've finally completed the construction of my little Cat rigged sailing dinghy. You may recall this dinghy as my intended 'tender' for the Mephisto Cat (see post #18 on this thread), but since then, I've decided to go with a tiny 6' zodiac inflatable dinghy. This size is not made anymore, but I managed to find a used one...

The inflatable is not so nice to row (I do not carry a motor for it), but it makes-up by being VERY small when deflated (or when inflated for that matter!) and it does quite nicely carrying two people... I am very happy with it.

Since the hard dinghy was already prettied-up (to match the Mephisto Cat - by the way); I decided to make it into a nice sailing dinghy. I installed a mast tube, and new gudgeons for a rudder and spruced-up the convenient hinged retractable keel.

I found and fitted an old 14' wood mast (two piece) and boom from an old dinghy and spruced that up by rebuilding the rub surfaces where the mast is joined by the connector tube, and where the base of the mast wears as it spins in the mast tube.

I also fixed-up and adapted a nice aluminum hinged rudder. (The hinged design proved its worth while sailing in close quarters in Tahoe!)

Add a few control lines, and a little block -or two, and we wre off sailing! The pictures are of my solo maiden voyage - very exciting! My little nephew joined in the fun later... My Girlfriend & I spent about 2 hrs tootling around in the dinghy later that weekend - it took more wind to move the both of us, but it was fun. You just have to pay attention as the winds are very shifty and gusty at Lake Tahoe... and can spill your beer! (and the water is cold!)