Cal 39 & Bill Lapworth

[pah]

as my brother says (though he'd only have a skeg...) if they're designed right, that they can take it all on the shaft. he compares it to (actually masts without standing rigging) the days of byplanes.. it was radical to have "unsupported" wings. no cable... everything relying on the wing to fuselage joint. it the rudder post were several inches in diameter that'd be nice, but still.. leverage is a wondrous thing.

thanks,

peter

[blowinstink]

Here is the website of a Cal 40 (which by more than one account I have read - though certainly not all -- is identical to the Cal 39 . . .) currently in the south pacific.

Blogs - tags:greenroom - Wetsand.com

Looks like she's having a pretty good time at it too . . .

[pah]

i don't know them that well other than by good reputation. not identical but damn close. i think the 39s more or less replaced the 40s but i look at them as the same for my purposes, at least the early cals.

thanks, peter

i'll check it out

[starlightventure]

If you go on a passage with an unprotected spade rudder, You Must carry a spare emergency rudder, one that you can hang over the transom with a tiller.
Their are many reports of broken rudders at sea. One hit a 400 pound sun fish and bent the rudder shaft. Many have hit whales and irreparably jammed the rudder, still another hit a tree trunk floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, rendering the boat unable to steer. As you can see buy viewing the profile of a Cal 39-40- and most other spade rudder boats, that the top of the rudder will bind up against the hull if impacted by an object.
Unable to steer the boat far out at sea, big BIG problem.

[bheintz]

Originally Posted by mattf

Join the Cal email list here at sailnet.

How do I join the Cal email list?

[chall03]

bheintz, I believe the email lists have been since discontinued.

[slap]

Originally Posted by starlightventure

If you go on a passage with an unprotected spade rudder, You Must carry a spare emergency rudder, one that you can hang over the transom with a tiller.
Their are many reports of broken rudders at sea. One hit a 400 pound sun fish and bent the rudder shaft. Many have hit whales and irreparably jammed the rudder, still another hit a tree trunk floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, rendering the boat unable to steer. As you can see buy viewing the profile of a Cal 39-40- and most other spade rudder boats, that the top of the rudder will bind up against the hull if impacted by an object.
Unable to steer the boat far out at sea, big BIG problem.

Any type of rudder can fail, so it's a good idea to have a backup system. Also, many of the objects that you have listed can damage a skeg badly enough that the rudder is damaged or jammed.

[neophytecruiser]

I believe the Cal 40, besides being a foot longer than the 39, has a larger cockpit (shorter cabin) and is 2000 lbs. lighter. Both are great boats, as are all Lapworth designs.

[Bollardyachts]

The Cal 39 is a decent boat, but as with many types of boats, they have their problems. Deck core deterioration seems to be a chronic issue with the Cal 39's, and there's one hauled out in town here that lost it's rudder in a recent blow. I've heard of this on others also.
Check any boat your considering purchasing carefully.

[Jeff_H]

I am a big fan of the Lapworth and his earlier boats, but I have never liked the way that the Cal 39 sailed. I found them to have quirky sailing characteristics and be hard boats to handle, especially short handed. They do offer nicer creature comforts than the earlier boats.

Jeff