This blog is devoted to my John Welsford designed 15' Navigator yawl Ellie. I built her in my garage over a period of 18 months and launched her in 2011. She sports a sliding gunter main, roller furled jib and sprit-boomed mizzen. Her construction is glued-lapstrake over permanent bulkheads and stringers. This blog is a record of her construction and her voyages here in the Puget Sound area and (hopefully) a useful resource for fellow Navigator builders.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Navigator Setup Times

A while back, someone on the JW Builders forum asked how long it takes to rig a Navigator for sailing after arriving at the boat launch.  Most owners replied that it took between 20 and 30 minutes, but one owner said it only took him 15 minutes.  It takes me about 30 minutes, but if it can be done in 15, I'd really like that!

So I set up a camera to record myself rigging for this morning's sail, hoping I could spot which steps could be done more quickly.


I've only reviewed the video once, but already I see room for improvement.
  • I've got a lot of clevis pins that use split rings.  Split rings are a pain and time consuming to attach and remove.
  • I didn't realize how long it took to set up my roller furler.  Room for improvement there for sure.
  • Too many lashings and bungee cords.  They take a significant amount of time to remove.

If you have any suggestions, please post them below.  Help!
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