Well, should I pass out cigars? Got the N-450 to the lake today. See pic here. Stepped mast on trailer, backed almost into water and put on rudders. I take the rudders off for trailering the 1 mile to the lake. It's no bumpy at all, but would going 25 mph on the road still be to much stress for them?

Then I beached it, hoisted mainsail, jib, and rigged the blocks. It seemed the mainsheet was a bit short. With the traveller centered, it wouldn't let it all the way out. So I unreeved it 2 turns, leaving a 4:1?

Capsized it with the sails up. Jumped on the hull, leaned out on the righting line as far as I could go and it wouldn't come up. Granted, there was maybe 2 knots blowing into the bows. Had the traveller centered, not let out, but had both sheets fully out.

I grabbed my kids hockey duffle bag from years ago for a righting bag. That did the trick. But for a minute I was wondering if the bag would leak faster than right.

Almost nobody was on the lake near the launch, so I could pay attention to the lines and rudders as I started out. This allowed me to sail over a 'no wake' buoy. Glad the tramp sits high.

This was my first ever ride on a cat. There was maybe 4-8 knots, but it went faster than my Force 5 in 15 knots. But it seems I gotta file a flight plan to tack. The second tack went much better than the first, after I realized I had to pass the tiller extension aft of the main sheet.

Had a bit of a problem with the mainsheet coming off one of the rollers. Not sure if this will correct itself when it's reeved 6:1 and not 4:1. I'll post a pic next post. It shows the sheet doing what it did.

The biggest problem I had was working the traveller. See that pic next post. I have a stopper knot on the end, then through beam eyestrap, traveller, beam fairlead, then block, then back into cleat/fairlead on the main block.

With this system, I can't figure out how to get the traveller to windward. I can let it out to leeward, no problem. When it comes to center, it runs out of leverage at the beam block. How do I get it windward?

I had my concerns about comfortable sitting, so I took a flotation cushion and lashed it on one side to the hiking straps and trapeze grommet (?) near the hull. But I was fairly comfortable with or without the cushion.

Anyway, it was a really nice first sailing. Great weather, sunny, enough wind to sail in and not too much for the first time. It's rained about 3" in the last week, and supposed to rain again later this week. Then I've got knee surgery on Friday, so I'll be out of commision for another week or 2.

Thanks everybody for your help. Never would have been able to do this without it.

Take care,
Danno