Introduction

[GeneHacker]

I have been sailing for several years, first on a H14 then a H18. I have been looking for a Super Cat for a few years and this past week good deal on one near Sacramento CA. After seeing Team Oracle USA tie up to 8 and 8 we ended up dropping everything and making the journey up to the bay area. After the amazing race and party we headed over and got a good look at the SC20 and made arrangements to pick it up over the weekend (then drove home and got home after 3am....but totally worth it). What a great day...got to watch one of the greatest sail boat races of all time, then go strike a deal for my new beachcat!

The 1979 SC20 was completely covered in moss, the tramp, hulls, lines, even the tires. But after a good cleaning she is actually in very good condition. It doesn't look she has seen much use. I am very excited.

I live near Lake Isabella CA which is very windy, which I think this boat will be perfect for.

This past summer I did the Frenchy's Rum Run race to Anacapa Island on the H18...the SC20 looks like a great boat for that type of racing. Anyhow I wanted to introduce myself. I will likely have a lot questions in the coming weeks as I find the time to get the old cat back together and up to her formal glory.

[Kevin Keller]

Do you need any parts? I have a nice tramp with beer holders installed.

Kevin

[GeneHacker]

Hey Kevin, the tramp looks serviceable. I am hoping to be able get a couple seasons out of it anyhow.

A lot of the running rigging is not in very good shape (jib sheets, bungy, and rudder lines).

I am not sure what to think of the cable traveler set up. Is that what most people use or is that usually upgraded? It seems like a solid track could be complicated with the telescoping beams.

[Kevin Keller]

The traveler track does work fine but a solid traveler is better. I would concentrate on getting it sailing right now and worry about upgrades later. Are you going to keep it down at the lake? or trailer it?

I was looking up your lake on Google and saw there are some mountain/hills to west. Weird thing is that the green side is the east side. I would have thought the green side would be the west side. Any idea why?

Kevin

[GeneHacker]

Kevin, I will keep it down at the lake during the summer and put it on the trailer for trips (San Diego, Huntington Lake, and out to Ventura for the offshore races).

Maintaining Trailerability is important.

Lake Isabella is surrounded by mountains. The wind rips everyday as air moves from the Central Valley to the desert. It is famous for windsurfers and kiteboarders but most sailors I encounter think it is too windy. We have a blast on it. Most weekends we have several boats out (p19, Tiger, N5.. I was outgunned with my H18 but the SC20 should help me dish out some payback.

The area is very "chaparral" with golden hills, oaks and ghost pines. The green you see in areal shots is mostly the riparian zone.

[Kevin Keller]

Learn something new everyday! riparian zone.

Thanks.

[SC15Av8or]

Well you better strap on !!! These are beasts in their own right and the first thing you need to learn is forget how you sailed those "H" boats. These you sail like a raped ape and push the bows underwater !!! SC driver watching the AC were all "Yeah we stuff the hulls all the time Dean....Psht no biggy!!" We have several of the SC sizes in our non-club club. You will dish it all back and then some if the wind does what you say it does. Other wise you will be eating health helpings of "H" poo hooing

Welcome and do not be afraid to ask for help or dish some poo hooing!!! We all take it with a grain of salt and enjoy the friendly bantering. This is the place you will come to for most if not all your SC needs. It is all here what you want t o know.

[GeneHacker]

Our local lake averages 15 to 25 every afternoon with gusts a bit higher.

It can be a bit much...one time the wind really picked up and after a bit of survival boating to get back it was very difficult to derig. It took two guys to hold the front of the boat just to get the sails down. Then we lost the halyard...with the metal ring still attached, the wind picked it up and we could not reach it. It hung up in the air strait horizontal from the tip of the mast. We had a beer waiting for it to come down, then another. After about an hour we decided to get some pipe and duct tape and assemble a 20+ foot pole to get it down. That was too windy.

Several boats at our lake use sails off smaller boats to help with the heavy winds. One runs P16 sails on his P19. He dose really well with that rig.

What is "too much" wind for a SC20 with stock sails?

[SC15Av8or]

There are a few posts on here but it seems up to 25 and you are ok. Stock sails for 15-25 and TR (Tall Rig) 10-20 is what I see them chatting about. There is a recent thread on here talking about that.