On my PDQ I installed a short length of pipe to hold the winch handle used at the mast. It was attached with screws.
The canvas holder on my F-24 finally died from sunburn, so came up with a new version. This time it attached with VHB tape and is cut on an angle to hold the handle against the bulkhead. It's cut high enough that there is toe clearance under it.
I considered commercial units, but none were designed to fit tight in the corner. I considered Velcro, but this seems more secure. The only down side is that it does not accept floating handles (too fat).
See the full story on winch handle holders in Practical Sailor Magazine.
Hi Drew, I’m looking at purchasing a PDQ Altair. I would prefer the tall mast of the Altair.(49’ bridge clearance) Are all Altairs this tall? And do they all have fractional rigs?
ReplyDeleteHi Drew, Looking at purchasing a PDQ 32. I understand that the Altairs have 49’ bridge clearance with fractional rigs. Compared to the 45’ clearance mast head rigs of the 32 (pre Altair). Is this strictly true. Or are there some tall mast head rigs? What was the clearance of yours?
ReplyDeleteBrad Nichols
F27 Bracon
My PDQ was masthead, about 45' air draft. The change was somewhere around 1997. That said, I sailed with some 49' rigs and passed them easily.
ReplyDelete* The self-tacking jib is slow and is a poor traveler design. If you are looking for speed, look for a 120-130% genoa. You want one that is full hoist and sheets just about to the shrouds. You will need to sheet inside the shrouds for weather work, which is a slight pain, but it is MUCH faster.
* My keels were modified, which makes a big difference on balance, tacking, and weatherlyness.
* Keep the weight down. They are fast if kept light.
* The taller mast only makes it fast in winds less than 10 knots. The 49' mast has to reef earlier ... unless you have the slow self-tacking jib. Once you reach 15 knots (20 apparent is the reefing point up wind on my boat, and I push harder than most) you just have 4 feet of wasted stick. You will also want 3 reefs, for certain. Two is not enough when the wind is >30 knots.
Curiously, the PDQ is just as fast as my F-24 in many conditions, and certainly you will cover more miles in a day, since you won't be tired. If I were to move back up to a cruising cat, the PDQ 32 would be on my short list, since it sails much batter than most cruising cats. And it is MUCH better built than the F-boats.
(Yes, I measured it, because some of the local bridges were close.