Can't go wrong with the P18, very stable and forgiving platform, can be sailed solo or with up to 3 adults and is very quick.
1) Get the rudders dialed in, there is a section in the Tech Album on how the Prindle rudders work, check all through bolts as they do get bent from pulling on the "up" lines or from trailering with the rudders in the "up" position.
2) Check all sheaves on the mast, they get brittle and break, replace if necessary. The main halyard can be washed and will look like new again.
3) Check all standing rigging, if coated and coating is old and cracked, shave brittle old coating off with a sharp knife, look for broken wire strands and rust.
4) Wash all running rigging in washing machine with oxy-clean, let it pre-soak overnight first.
5) If sails are dirty soak in a large tub (my jetted tub worked great) overnight with oxy-clean, agitate frequently by stomping, use luke-warm water only.
6) Practice rigging in back yard, the mainsail uses the "hook and ring" to secure, raise sail to the top, haul on up-haul line untill you hear the ring hit the mast head, keeping tension, rotate mast using mast-rotator, release tension and pull down on sail tack to check if hook engaged ring, repeat in necessary.
7) Practice raising the jib, it uses the ring and "S" hook method to secure raised jib and can also be a little tricky at first. Once "S" hook is engaged, crank on down-haul, there is a small down-haul line on tack of jib and a cleat just above it, line goes through the turnbuckle, through grommet "eye", back down through turnbuckle head giving you 2:1 purchase, and cleats off on small cleat on jib tack.
8) Download the Prindle manual from this website and get very familiar with it.
Finally, get contact with Quarath, Dustin lives in Utah and has a "squadron" of Prindles, maybe you guys can go sailing together.......
Posted: May 29, 2013 - 05:36 AM
Who knew?
