For those who don't know much about the ICW. The US east
Coast is very dangerous at certain times of the year. Hurricane
season and Fall- Early winter. Weather fronts turn the Gulf
stream into a frothy maelstrom at times. Very steep and high
peaked wave action with no clear pattern. Not a nice place to
motor or sail. The coast itself too near shore has shifting bars
due to the intense storm action. So have to be offshore some
distance which puts your craft in the problem area. Lots of
adventure stories from those who have experienced this kind of
sea.

Those with sanity will take the ICW which is a network of rivers,
canals, bays and inlets during these conditions or predicted
weather. The ICW has a beauty and charm of its own which
some like to experience. Not all is narrow channel. Besides the
height limit the ICW is not uniformly deep. It flows with river and
tidal action so has shifting bars as well. Many places even in the
center of the channel is only 7 feet deep. Lowering tha mast
through the hull would likely guarantee a grounding and at a
really bad place, channel under a bridge.

Based on my estimate of the added stretch length plus cabin we
are in the 8000# range, dry weight. Add equipment and full load,
supplies and water, 6 PAX, max displacement will be at least
11,000#. I am leaving a little room of 1-2000# for design
changes, hull & structure amendments for changes in load
bearing features, plus what happens to the mast & sail weight.
That still is reasonably light compared to the cruising
competition for similar capacity. I could do with less but have to
appease the "boss" !

Keep the ideas coming, I didn't mind a tilting mast except for cost
and safety. It had merit but preferred not to complicate the
balestron rig excessively.

Regards,

JT

--- In harryproa@..., "proaconstrictor"
<proaconstrictor@y...> wrote:
> How much is truly lost by motoring the IC, and building the right
> rig, and having it stepped wherever you reach open water? I
mean
> realisticaly. I've never done it, so I'm just wondering.
>
> I have a silly idea, what happens if the spar fits in the boat like
a
> daggerboard, and you can drop it so that 10 feet are dragging
in the
> water Then you winch it back up, after you pass under the
bridge.
> Obviously a big drag in the water, but it might get you under,
and be
> simpler than having a higher stress joint way up there.
>
> Also, is this a stretched Vision? I thought it was about 8000#
based
> on the 4K displacement. If this challenge arises from having
too
> much boat, how about cutting back on the gear. So many
advantages.
> I have a backpacking rig where the whole thing is 10 pounds
not
> counting consumeables.