Navigator Launch

Finally got my Navigator (WindLass) on the water with the sails up, and here are a few pictures from the launch. I took her to a local lake (Lake Ellesmere), and she sailed very well. After many years since I've sailed a boat I was pleased at how easy she was to handle on my own, and the speed throught the water in pretty light winds.

More importantly, the whole family enjoyed the experience, and the high coamings kept the little ones safe inside. Looking forward to the next step, which will be taking her out on the salt water!

(click images for larger views)

There was plenty of room for 4 people, and I am planning for us to able to take a couple of extras, in the right conditions. One modification I may carry out next winter is to extend the forward seats back a bit further. The postion of the deck makes sitting on that front seat more of a perch for adults. I am also impressed at the stability when moving around, very little of the "tippyness" that i was expecting.

The other plus of the smaller boat is that sailing and lauching are easier on your own, so I am very happy with the size. I was quite aware of the rule of thumb that the bigger the boat, the less it gets used. It can very easily become too much of chore to use when the opportunity arises.

Cheers
Martin