The UK Dart 15 Association

Search found 25 matches

by Thierry Msika
Sat Apr 08, 2023 10:30 am
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Seized RWO R220 furling drum
Replies: 0
Views: 5311

Seized RWO R220 furling drum

Hello, my old RWO R220 furling drum was very hard to turn. I managed to free it with immersing it in 70C water. I hope it will stay free. There is a glue line in the middle of the drum. I suppose that someone in the past tried to make it watertight or to take it apart for maintenance. Is there a pic...
by Thierry Msika
Wed Dec 28, 2022 9:37 am
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Re: Rain water in the lower mast

Thank you very much Brian for all your comments, I drilled a 3mm hole 25cm up from the bottom of the mast. I measured the distance between the hole and the top of the plug with a piece of wire and found it to be about 5cm. By weighing before and after I drained 2.3l of water accumulated over a perio...
by Thierry Msika
Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:00 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Re: Rain water in the lower mast

Thanks Bob,

my question is not so much the depth of the heel casting which is I believe about 1" inserted into the mast but the thickness of the plug located on top of the said casting. I just would like to avoid drilling through the wall of the mast into the plug.

Cheers, Thierry
by Thierry Msika
Tue Dec 20, 2022 2:44 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Re: Rain water in the lower mast

Hello, I have had my lower mast turned upside down for quite a few days and it drains very slowly. I would probably have to wait for a few months to drain it dry. That makes sense as the leak is very small. I have decided against drilling just above the top plug of the lower mast as it seems to me t...
by Thierry Msika
Thu Dec 08, 2022 10:52 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Re: Rain water in the lower mast

Brian thank you very much for the detailed reply, unfortunately on my mast the sleeve is mounted on the top part of the mast making the bottom part a receptacle for seeping rain water. If you drill through this plug with a small hole you will entre the sealed section... I guess the sealing plug woul...
by Thierry Msika
Thu Dec 08, 2022 9:26 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Re: Rain water in the lower mast

Hi Bob, I think I'll first try the last idea you describe of installing a gasket between the two parts of the mast. I might try teflon tape. If it fails to keep it watertight I'll go and drill a small hole at the base of the mast above the mast heel casting. Do you know how far the casting goes into...
by Thierry Msika
Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:19 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Tramp slider broken
Replies: 2
Views: 3945

Re: Tramp slider broken

Thanks for the tip Liam. I already ordered 5 so I will only have a couple of spares left of the middle one but they were easy to order and easy to remove from the beam.
by Thierry Msika
Fri Dec 02, 2022 7:34 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Re: Rain water in the lower mast

I just found the article Leaky masts by Bob Carter. Thank you Bob!
by Thierry Msika
Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:13 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Tramp slider broken
Replies: 2
Views: 3945

Tramp slider broken

Hello, yesterday I broke 3 sliders. My trampoline has unfortunately been built the wrong way making it impossible to get tension across the boat. I replaced the original dacron lacing line with dyneema but wasn't too satisfied with the tension. I then replaced the lacing through individual dyneema t...
by Thierry Msika
Fri Dec 02, 2022 2:56 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Rain water in the lower mast
Replies: 11
Views: 36576

Rain water in the lower mast

Hello, over time a bit of rainwater accumulates in the lower mast. Either I take the mast down and occasionally drain it or I drill a small hole at the bottom of the mast and plug it before going sailing. The last solution is a bit rough but fast and efficient. Do you also have this problem and what...
by Thierry Msika
Thu Jul 28, 2022 9:42 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Problem hooking the mainsail
Replies: 2
Views: 4187

Re: Problem hooking the mainsail

Thanks Liam,

always reactive! Today it went on the hook first try. I probably need to crack the nut myself.

Cheers, Thierry
by Thierry Msika
Thu Jul 28, 2022 1:48 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Problem hooking the mainsail
Replies: 2
Views: 4187

Problem hooking the mainsail

Hello, sometimes I hook the mainsail up first try, most of the times not. Yesterday I was trying for 10 minutes in all possible positions, bow down or up, wind from different directions. Is there a trick? Should I turn the figure-of-eight knot in a particular position? In the end I got it hooked up ...
by Thierry Msika
Sun Jul 03, 2022 7:41 pm
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Tips and tricks
Replies: 3
Views: 7196

Re: Tips and tricks

Thanks Brian for the detailed method, I found the origin of the leak for the starboard hull. I got the boat with foot holds placed about 6" behind the big hatches. Someone used it as a handle to lift the hull. The deck got separated from the hull and there is a small crack. I will start fixing ...
by Thierry Msika
Sun Jul 03, 2022 10:21 am
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Tips and tricks
Replies: 3
Views: 7196

Tips and tricks

Hello, do you have any trick to stop the main sheet from being washed away at the back of the trampoline? My hulls leak a bit. I sponge about half a liter out in the most affected one after a couple of hours sail. How are the deck to beam socket build? Should I reef out the gel coat at the joints an...
by Thierry Msika
Mon May 23, 2022 7:29 am
Forum: Dart 15
Topic: Standard sail vs. square top sail
Replies: 7
Views: 6704

Re: Standard sail vs. square top sail

Thanks for the answer. My question was more related to the differences between the 2 shapes of sails and why would you use one or the other apart from the fact that the square top is not class legal. The sail area is roughly the same. I am not going to race. My plan is to cruise around my patch of w...
cron