Typhoon upgrades

[Laura]

Hello,
I'd appreicate comments from more experienced sailors out there....

Just spent our second weekend sailing our new (to us) Typhoon weekender, Harmony. The boat is beautiful, it handles really well, but unforturnately the sails need to be replaced ASAP. I have ordered new sails, and want to make some upgrades such as boom vang, using point reefing, adding a cunningham.

I'd like to add a traveller, but using the outboard is hard enough -- I am afraid it would get in the way. The motor that came with our boat is a 2.5 HP -- no reverse or neutral. We are in a slip in Mamaroneck on LI Sound (near beautiful open water but a crowded harbor). I have to kneel on the transom and pivot the motor around for reverse -- reverse is scary! We have to use the motor in the channel/to get away from the slip and the truth is is takes some of the fun out of sailing. Would it be worth investing in a 5 HP motor to make reverse easier? Could I then consider adding a traveller? Or is backing up in a Typhoon difficult enough that I should just deal with it??

I appreciate the advice from the old hands on the list.

Ciao, Laura



lac@oup-usa.org

[Mike Wainfeld]

Three useful upgrades I've made:

A bulkhead compass, as the boat came without one.

A jib downhaul-a line running from the upper jib hank down thru a small block on the bow fitting and back to the cleat on the cabin top.
When I head into the wind and pull the downhaul the jib flakes neatly on the forward deck.

Jiffy reefing. A key upgrade. The boat will sail beautifully reefed in higher winds.

I use a 3hp long shaft motor. It has neutral, but no reverse. I don't even try to back up under power, I walk the boat back out of the slip, pivot the bow around, shift into forward and go. One of the advantages of a small boat, although a buddy with a 35.5 Bristol also finds it easier to push his boat away from the dock.

I've thought of installing a boom vang or a traveller, especially when I see some twist in the main; I'm leaning more toward the vang as its probably an easier installation.

Oterwise I'm keeping the boat original and simple; as you now know its really sweet!



ripcord1@erols.com

[Jim Ehrenfried]

Hello,
I'd appreicate comments from more experienced sailors out there....

Just spent our second weekend sailing our new (to us) Typhoon weekender, Harmony. The boat is beautiful, it handles really well, but unforturnately the sails need to be replaced ASAP. I have ordered new sails, and want to make some upgrades such as boom vang, using point reefing, adding a cunningham.

I'd like to add a traveller, but using the outboard is hard enough -- I am afraid it would get in the way. The motor that came with our boat is a 2.5 HP -- no reverse or neutral. We are in a slip in Mamaroneck on LI Sound (near beautiful open water but a crowded harbor). I have to kneel on the transom and pivot the motor around for reverse -- reverse is scary! We have to use the motor in the channel/to get away from the slip and the truth is is takes some of the fun out of sailing. Would it be worth investing in a 5 HP motor to make reverse easier? Could I then consider adding a traveller? Or is backing up in a Typhoon difficult enough that I should just deal with it??

I appreciate the advice from the old hands on the list.

Ciao, Laura

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer-always a series of tradeoffs. We have a 5hp Nissan with FNR, and I still have to do alot of leaning to start, shift gears, etc., but not to the degree that you must. A new 5 hp will run some serious dough (about $1100) so it needs to be a real pain to make that kind of investment. We also have a Harken traveler system on our Typhoon-now that was a good investment. For about $350 total it makes sailing alot more enjoyable. I would highly recommend that upgrade. We also have a vang and a cunningham set-up that we use periodically. We have single-point reefing which is fast when doing it at the mooring and really nice if we need to reef underway. Hope this helps.

Jim Ehrenfried
"Slipknot"
Pocasset, MA



jfreeds@msn.com

[Richard Stephens]

Laura,

Or is backing up in a Typhoon difficult enough that I should just deal with it??

With an outboard that you can steer, the Ty does have the same problems backing up as larger long-keeled boats - in fact it is very easy.

You'll find a lot of postings on motor choice if you search this site. I have a 4hp long-shaft Johnson. I find that to give more than enough power, but at 54lbs, it is on the heavy side.

In addition to the motor and sail hardware, the other upgrade you might want to consider is a mast support post, if you don't have one already.

Congratulations on your choice of boat! I hope you get many years of pleasure from sailing her!

Richard.
Ty "Blue Diamond"
Cayuga Lake, NY.



rstephens@alexusa.com

[Ed Brennan]

Hello,
I'd appreicate comments from more experienced sailors out there....

Just spent our second weekend sailing our new (to us) Typhoon weekender, Harmony. The boat is beautiful, it handles really well, but unforturnately the sails need to be replaced ASAP. I have ordered new sails, and want to make some upgrades such as boom vang, using point reefing, adding a cunningham.

I'd like to add a traveller, but using the outboard is hard enough -- I am afraid it would get in the way. The motor that came with our boat is a 2.5 HP -- no reverse or neutral. We are in a slip in Mamaroneck on LI Sound (near beautiful open water but a crowded harbor). I have to kneel on the transom and pivot the motor around for reverse -- reverse is scary! We have to use the motor in the channel/to get away from the slip and the truth is is takes some of the fun out of sailing. Would it be worth investing in a 5 HP motor to make reverse easier? Could I then consider adding a traveller? Or is backing up in a Typhoon difficult enough that I should just deal with it??

I appreciate the advice from the old hands on the list.

Ciao, Laura

My Ty daysailer has a 4hp Yamaha which provides more power than the hull can use. I think 5 hp is unnecessary, costs and weighs more.

Good sailing, Ed



epb2626@aol.com

[G Lutzow]

Hello,
I'd appreicate comments from more experienced sailors out there....

Just spent our second weekend sailing our new (to us) Typhoon weekender, Harmony. The boat is beautiful, it handles really well, but unforturnately the sails need to be replaced ASAP. I have ordered new sails, and want to make some upgrades such as boom vang, using point reefing, adding a cunningham.

I'd like to add a traveller, but using the outboard is hard enough -- I am afraid it would get in the way. The motor that came with our boat is a 2.5 HP -- no reverse or neutral. We are in a slip in Mamaroneck on LI Sound (near beautiful open water but a crowded harbor). I have to kneel on the transom and pivot the motor around for reverse -- reverse is scary! We have to use the motor in the channel/to get away from the slip and the truth is is takes some of the fun out of sailing. Would it be worth investing in a 5 HP motor to make reverse easier? Could I then consider adding a traveller? Or is backing up in a Typhoon difficult enough that I should just deal with it??

I appreciate the advice from the old hands on the list.

Ciao, Laura

I installed a traveller just aft of the cockpit, I also installed jiffy reefing and a boomvang. Offwind performance has improved markedly by contolling the lift of the boom when the mainsheet is eased. The roller reefing is a joke at best and I had nothing but problems with the system.

Unfortunately, I can't help you with the motor, my Typhoon has never had a motor installed. I have sailed it on and off a mooring in Sarasota Bay, FL since I purchased the boat new in 1980. With these modifications the boats handling has improved and you are able to minimize or eliminate the weatherhelm that the boat tends to exhibit. Good Luck.



nms_inc@mindspring.com

[Paul D.]

I agree with Mike's comment that it is easy to push the boat out of the slip, aim the bow and away you go. When the wind is right I like to sail in or out of the marina but some folks don't like that. I have a Johnson 4 horse Yachtwin and it pushes the boat fine, although it has no reverse. I would recommend a motor with integral gas tank. It would keep the motor small and simple less parts. I spent $45 bucks on a gas tank and fittings! I believe Yamaha makes a 4 with integral tank still. Tohatsu/Nissan makes a 3.5 but I think it is rather less than average quality.

Good luck and good sailing!
Paul Danicic
HORNET
MPLS



nyeme001@tc.umn.edu