Tricorn Cruising Dinghy - my twin sister

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Jamie Kennedy, Mar 20, 2016.

  1. Jamie Kennedy
    Joined: Jun 2015
    Posts: 541
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    Location: Saint John New Brunswick

    Jamie Kennedy Senior Member

    Well, it is not every day that you go for a drive and out of the corner of your eye catch a glimple of your long lost twin sister, abandoned on the side of the road. Here are some pictures of M'Lady, taken today. She is the very same Tricorn Crusing Dinghy my father bought June 14th, 1962 in Port Cartier Quebec, on the day I was born. Apparently he didn't need a fourth golf caddy. "So what shall we name her," said Dad, as he came into the hospital room, very excited. "Jack, he is a boy." "No," my Dad, taken aback, "The boat!" .

    We sold her here in New Brunswick 3 years later when we moved up to a 32 foot wooden schooner M'Lady II. Well, M'Lady II is long gone, last seen in Kingston Ontario in 1976. M'Lady I is in rough shape, but then again so am I. We will have to do some work on one another and get ourselves re-acquainted. June 14th would be a good day for a launch. A great cruising dinghy.

    Here are some photos, taken today, of M'Lady, in the state I found her. The current owner took possession when he brought the property 3 years ago, Bayswater New Brunswick. Lovely spot. The wife was considering turning her into a raised bed flower garden. There are worse fates after 54 years, but I think I might be able to do better.

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    Here also, is an interesting article. Only 37 were built that I know of. Perhaps two or three made it to North America. Not sure.

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  2. Patmobile
    Joined: Apr 2016
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    Location: France

    Patmobile New Member

    Here's mine. Restored from near wreck condition, kept in France, and sailed in French waters, south Brittany, Normandy, and the English Channel.

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  3. Jamie Kennedy
    Joined: Jun 2015
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    Location: Saint John New Brunswick

    Jamie Kennedy Senior Member

    Absolutely beautiful. I love the rust coloured sail. I see the transom hatchcover is set to one side in your model. I think this was an improvement made in the second year of production, perhaps to make it easier to sit back there when running the outboard, or perhaps more likely just to make it easier to open the hatch when steering with the rudder. I see also that you moved the traveller to mid boom, which I do think is an improvement as long as the boom is strong enough, which I think it is. I understand the original boat had a roller reefing mainsail, and was curious how this works with the boom vang (kicking horse). Did the boat not originally have a boom vang? Definitely an improvement. Pretty essential really. Have you tried one of those new fangled "fly away jib booms", like they are using with the Enterprise and Albacore class? I think it would be a nice addition even for cruising. Brittany must be a lovely coast for such a craft. I have only been to Alderney, and Cornwall on the other side.

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  4. Patmobile
    Joined: Apr 2016
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    Location: France

    Patmobile New Member

    The offset hatch may have been a modification to make it easier to stow the outboard, or possibly, as you suggest, for accessibility while steering.

    The boom is from a Fireball which had centre sheeting. I do have the original boom with roller reeling. I use a spinnaker from a Lazy E, and a spinnaker pole from a Fireball. I haven't yet figured out the "flyaway" system, but the pole stows along the boom when not in use.

    I didn't have the original centreboard nor its lifting winch, so I made a centreboard of plywood with a steel core which weighs about the same as one made of aluminium. I use a simple 4 part tackle instead of the lifting winch.

    I made the change to centre sheeting on the main because I have seen people capsize Wayfarers when the mainsheet gets fouled on the outboard. I bought the rust coloured sail on eBay and adapted it slightly by cutting six inches off the luff at the peak. That's why the mainsail has a rather large home-made aluminium headboard. Headsails are also eBay secondhand buys.

    You can find a more detailed account on the 1001 Boats blog where I write sometimes about French designs. http://1001boats.blogspot.fr/
     

  5. Jamie Kennedy
    Joined: Jun 2015
    Posts: 541
    Likes: 10, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 117
    Location: Saint John New Brunswick

    Jamie Kennedy Senior Member

    Great. Thanks very much. I myself would have to see the 'flyaway jib pole" to know how to rig it. The boom is a great place to store the spinnaker pole.
     
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