Newb with SC19

[K2ride]

Hi there,
Just acquired a SC19 with the 28.5' mast but missing a mainsail ...& new to cats.

A few questions:

Looking for SC19 mainsail, stumbled upon a post where a 5.7 flat top nacra mainsail could fit the bill?
...Any input on alternative mainsails would be appreciated as low cost used SC19 mainsails are quite far & few between.

Also,
Is a SC20 simply a stretched version of the SC19?
...meaning if the stretch is only a lengthening of the hulls or does it also include more cross section volume?
&...
Is the laminating schedule of the SC19 very similar to the SC20's?
...looking to have a 11' or 12' beam on this & need to know if the 19' basic hull composition can take the wider beam load increases & weight gain.

Nb: not for a ''Performance'' but a somewhat sporty ''Adventure cruising'' solo program.

[havliii]

Lots of intel on this forum.......... begin reading, read everything, read all of Bill Roberts' posts (use the advanced search engine to sort)
The 19 and the 20 are very different boats. The 19 is a stretched 17 (I believe)

At one time they made a Supercat 18 square which was 12 feet wide, so yes it can be done. The layup schedule is likely quite different from a stock 19.

You will have to deal with a new dolphin striker and the underwire to keep the front beam from collapsing.

If you do widen your SC19 to 12 feet what you will likely end up with is, an overweight, slow, pitch pole happy, expensive, old boat. Not saying you can't do it, anything is possible, but the real question is do you have the expertise to do all the requisite engineering and craftsmanship.

[Matt Haberman]

Havlii is somewhat correct in that the SC19 is stretch SC17... That is not exactly true, but the SC17 & 19 are much closer in hull design then the SC20....

Havlii is also correct that the SC18 is a cut down SC19 that is 12' wide, but there are several significant differences that allowed us to make it 12' wide. In addition to a different laminate schedule in the hull the boat was designed as a Uni-rig one man boat. The Uni-rig configuration is such that the bridle wires go almost all the way to the hounds (ie: very short forestay), this results in very low compression loads on the hulls. The hulls would never take the loads of a traditional sloop rig with shallow angle bridle wires.

The SC18 is a great one man boat, but I can tell you that if you add a second person in moderate conditions it is not very forgiving and Havlii's prediction of performance is probably quite accurate.

[K2ride]

Kind of was expecting this ''beam stretch scheme'' not being worth the time, effort & $$$; thanks for the reality check!
So, ...down to one of these options:
A- SC19 mainsail
or...
B- hunting down a SC20 & selling the 19
or...
C- back to the initial purpose of this SC19 buy which is a parts boat for a small tri build ( amas, akas, rigging etc...)
...bottom line is this tri build is far more worthy than the beam stretch project for my sailing program & have conceived & built a few (monos) in the past with good results.

First thing, first! ....That be ''A''; the simplest for now:
Any input on where I could find an oldish SC19 mainsail or a good base alternative that could be reasonably moded by little'ol me with the assistance of myself & I as we have access to a canvas sewing machine?

[havliii]

Where are you located? I have a perfectly sail-able 19 that I began tearing apart for that same reason, ama's. I bought a 20 to sail in the meanwhile and that was a mistake the fun factor stalled out my tri project.

Your post says you don't have any catamaran experience, if that is so, either of these boats is going to give you a butt whooping. (It 's way too much boat for a newbie.) Many beginners try to start catamaran sailing with a high level boat, one that demands more skill than they possess. This ends in discouragement and expensive broken parts. Mono hull and dinghy experience does not qualify. Cat sailing is jai alai, monohulls are croquet.

Keep your 19, find a cheap, ready to sail 14,15,16 and get started.

[havliii]

K2ride,

Sorry for the harsh welcome, but welcome aboard. Post some pics of your new 19. If you are anywhere near the Chesapeake Bay we sail into mid November and can get you a ride on a Supercat. We have three 19's, three 15's and one 20 in our fleet. Jeff S. has two extra SC 19 main sails, they are old but the price would be right. I'll let Jeff know that you are looking, I don't know how often he reads this board.

[havliii]

Jeff will sell one of his main sails.

[K2ride]

Sorry for the delayed response; rural internet feed woes.

I'm in Québec & did have a Tornado years ago for almost a month; the solution for the windsurfing's ''Wind waiting frustration'' game that rises to match one's capacities & performance equipement.
The Tornado was short lived as it was totalled in a freak night storm at the club just as we (young aldult son & I) were really getting the hang of it ... was as much a hoot as windsurfing without the neccessity of stronger & stronger winds for the ''up to par'' adrenalin fixes.

Went back to iron engines on 2 wheels to ''Rally type'' ride remote northern Québec & Labrador (preps for the ''Paris Dakar'' ...just in case); Adventure at its best!
&...
All of the passion gradually went downhill as my wife's 11 year long uncurable cancer went uphill to a grinding halt 3 years ago; still feels like the rugg was pulled from underneath me ...finally see it as Adventure riding at its worst instead of the end of it!

Finally time has come to get back on the ball by pushing on with sailing by choice; as great as it was, hardcore riding is past & needs to stay there to stay great as I'm no more suicidal than a spring chicken anymore.

Thanks for the sailing invite but can't leave for now; expecting RIP to move on what's left of close friends & family, again.
Sailing will be needed soon as ''pseudo'' living on memories just ain't my cup of tea but ''harebrain'' schemes (with just enough wisdom to allow a 50/50 chance of memories) are! ...

&...
No need to apologize for the subjective reception as ''harsh'' isn't synonymous of ''honest'' &/or ''sincere'' in my book.

That said,
Who's Jeff & how to I get in touch with him?
Or...
Howbout a SC19 mainsail cut figures to soup one up? ...
Keep in mind that it's unacceptable for me to fork out more for a mainsail than cost of the cat & trailer as the tri build option, though requiring more time & effort, is very much alive; could change but but unlikely at this point.

[havliii]

Check your private messages, I sent an email on how to contact Jeff. I quit kayaking un-runnable rivers for much the same reason. I found living with less adrenaline preferable.

[K2ride]

Done; waiting for him to reply.
Thanks!
Oooh,...
& welcome to the SCSM (Senior Citizen Survival Mode).