Honnor Marine DRASCOMBE 1979 Owner's Handbook Manual

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THE

DRASCOMBE

OWNER'S

HANDBOOK

1979

How to get the best

from your boat

Original for

by

THE DRASCOMBE FLOTILLA

AN INTRODUCTION BY THE DESIGNER

Contrary to popular belief, boats of the “Drascombe“ flotilla were not
designed to appeal in the market for nostalgic reasons. It all started when I had
sold my boat-building concern in 1964 and had retired to a remote farmstead on
the top of Dartmoor. After a while I decided to indulge in the pleasure of
designing and building a boat to suit my own requirements and being out of the
boot business, I was entirely free of thoughts of “what will sell“.

My family did not share my passion for sailing small boats. In fact, it had to
come to the point when I went sailing alone.

Quite simply, if we were going to enjoy our leisure time on the water as a
family, I had to design a boat that they could enjoy, and to do this, the first
requirement was that they should have complete confidence in the craft. The
design began to shape by my thinking solely of our own needs which were..

1. Ability to trail and for the family to handle on and off the trailer.

2. First rate sea-keeping qualities.

3. A good motor boot for, to start with, it was going to be a question of fishing

and pottering under power.

4. I wanted the boat to be lively enough for me to enjoy a good hard sail once

I had put the family on the beach.

It was uphill work but eventually the first “Drascombe Lugger“ was
launched in 1965.

The half-decked open boot with a high bulwark did wonders for confidence.
The loose-footed yawl rig, with all sails stowing aloft and out of the way, gave the
space needed for a family. By making the boat balanced under jib and mizzen as
well as under full sail, the motor could be cut and fishing lines streamed without
fear of hearing that sickening crunch as boom strikes female head. The hard turn
to the bilge gave a powerful hull well able to carry sail. Her generous sheer kept
her dry.

In short, we started to enjoy our boating together.

But it was not until 1967 that I was persuaded that other men might also
have my problem. So at Earls Court in 1968 the first wooden production
Drascombe Lugger was sold, within 29 minutes of the doors being opened to the
public.

The first G.R.P. Lugger came out in 1969. By 1970 the “stretched“ version,
the Longboat, was in full production. This boat was primarily for youth training

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but the clamour for some shelter led to the “Cruiser“ version coming out in 1971.

There followed in 1972 the 15ft. 6in. Dabber basically a double-ender with
the upper two planks being allowed to flare away to form a V-shaped transom.
The balanced hull form, vee‘d at both ends, needs only a shallow rudder hung
on the transom.

The Driver came along in 1974 - an 18ft. open boat with a standing lug
yawl rig and petrol or diesel inboard engine. She was withdrawn in 1978 when
the escalating costs of inboard installations had priced her out of reach of most
people.

The Drifter was introduced to the public in 1977 after a year of prototype
trials which proved that her shallow draft design was even more efficient than
had been hoped for. Although no longer than the Longboat, the Drifter is
beamier, deeper and heavier, with accommodation for two or four people. She
can be fitted for on outboard in a well or with a sturdy diesel inboard and full
electric cabin and navigation lamps.

The Scaffie came out in September 1978 and was an instant success.
Slightly smaller than the Dabber, the aim was to save money by simplifying. With
one sail and no centreplate she is indeed a simple boat but lacks nothing of the
essential Drascombe character.

January 1979 saw the well tried Cruiser Longboat replaced by the Coaster,
using the same hull but with completely redesigned deck and cabin layout and a
more comprehensive specification included in the standard craft.

For the Record:

1968—69 lan Brinkworth cruised the Greek archipelago in his Lugger.

1969—70 David Pyle sailed his Lugger from Emsworth, England to Darwin

Australia.

1970 Ken Duxbury and his wife cruised the Aegean in their Lugger.

1971 The same intrepid couple sailed their Lugger from Greece to

England.

1973 Geoff Stewart sailed on open Longboat from England to Jamaica.

There have been numerous crossings of the English Channel and the Irish
Sea by various Drascombe boats but —

DON‘T FORGET —

THE SEA HAS NO MERCY

and although the boats are seaworthy enough, when the chips are down, safety
depends on the skill and experience of the crew. Good sailing and good Luck!

J.L. WATKINSON.

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SCAFFIE

Preparing to Launch. The screw bung to drain out bilge water is fitted near the

bottom of the stern-post and may be reached by lifting the central floorboard. Get
rid of any water present and make sure the bung is screwed tightly home. If an
outboard motor is fitted check that it is correctly positioned on its mount and that
the clamps are screwed up tightly. In the case of motors which swivel through

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DRASCOMBE
SCAFFIE

PEAK

L
U

F
F

MAINSAIL

STANDING LUG

L

E

A

C

H

H

E

A

D

HALLYARD

THROAT

MAST BAND

GAFF (YARD)

TILLER

TACK

FOOT

CLEW

MAINSHEET

REEF CRINGLES

REEF POINTS

Fig. 1.: the rigged Scaffie showing the principal parts

360 degrees for reverse some careful adjustment may be needed to avoid
touching a gunwale. If pushing the boat oft a trailer, secure a line to the mooring
cleat and hold on to it!

Rigging tor Sailing. Most of the preparation for sailing is done most
conveniently before launching but it can be done from inside the boat while
afloat, if necessary. The main halyard is the only rigging that goes up with the
mast and this is rove through a swivel block shackled to the bail on the after side
of the mast band. Tie the ends together to make sure you do not loose it. With
the mast gate open place the heel of the mast in its step and raise the mast into
place. Swing down the gate and secure it.

The sail has to be lashed to its yard. Lash the throat first to the lower end
and then haul out the peak until folds appear parallel to the spar, before securing
it. Lace the head of the sail to the yard with the marlin hitch (Fig.11) but not too
tightly. The lacing must stop the sail from bowing away from the spar but should
be just slack enough to permit some movement.

Bend the halyard to the yard with a clove hitch with its end secured as
shown in Fig.2 and loosely attach the yard to the mast with a parall made fast to
either side of the clove hitch. Paralls are made up by threading the brown balls
on to a short length of line with a knot between each (Fig.3). Reeve off the tack
downhaul, starting with a knot under the mast thwart on the starboard side up aft
of the mast, through the tack eye on the sail down through the thwart to port.
Prevent it from unreeving by tying a knot. Reeve off the mainsheet as shown.

The Becket block to which one end of the sheet is secured runs on a rope
horse between the two posts by means of the small stainless steel block fixed to
it. Tighten the horse and secure in the cleat provided. Fit the double block to the
clew of the sail by means of the large carabine clip and shackle the single block
to the top of the rudder. Then reeve off the sheet so that it leads from the rudder
head forward along the tiller.

When ready, hoist the mainsail as high as it will go and belay it on the
belaying pin beside the mast. Pull hard on the end of the tack downhaul until
folds extend up the sail from lack to peak and then cleat it beneath the thwart. It
needs to be set up harder in fresh winds than in light.

Sail the Scaffie with same curvature in the mainsail at all times, keeping it
full of wind. In hard puffs you have no jib to keep way on while you ease the
mainsail but it you let the boat stop you lose control. Therefore do not hesitate to
reef in good time (Page 23). Just put her beam to the sea, lower the sail and
take one or two reefs. It is quite quick and she will have drifted only a short
distance to leeward by the time you have hoisted the sail and got under way.

There is a length of shock cord with hooks which should be rigged from the
underside of the fixed part of the tiller to the stainless steel eye just abaft the
grating in the after deck. When under power it is best to unship the wood tiller
and steer with the motor. The shock cord will hold the rudder straight.

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However, it is quite useful even when sailing since it limits the movement of
the tiller should it be accidentally let go.

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BOWLINE

Fig. 2.: some useful knots

OVERHAND KNOT

HALF HITCH

CLOVE
HITCH

Fig. 3.: Paralls are made up by threading the beads on light line with a

knot between each. Two beads suffice between the ends of gaff
jaws. Four or five are needed where the mast is encircled.

DABBER

Preparing to Launch. The screw bung to drain out bilge water is in the after

locker. Get rid of any water present and make sure the bung is screwed tightly
home. If an outboard motor is fitted,check that it is centred on its mount and that
the securing clamps are done up tightly. If pushing the boat off a trailer, secure a
rope to the mooring cleat and hold on to it!

Rigging tor Sailing. Most of the preparation for sailing is done most
conveniently before launching but it can be done from inside the boat while
afloat if necessary. Before stepping the main mast make sure that the shrouds
(side stays) and the forestay are attached to the mastband and lying along the
mast without twists or tangles. The main halyard should be rove through the
sheave at the masthead and the jib halyard through the block hanging from the
forestay lug. Tie their ends together to ensure that they do not undo themselves.

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Fig. 4.: The rigged Dabber showing the principal parts

MIZZEN

DRASCOMBE DABBER

PEAK

L

U

F

F

MAINSAIL

STANDING LUG

L

E

A

C

H

H

E

A

D

HALLYARD

THROAT

CENTREPLATE

GAFF (YARD)

DOWN­HAUL

T

A

C

K

FOOT

C

L

E

W

MAINSHEET

REEF
CRINGLE

REEF POINTS

B

U

M

P

K

I

N

RO

W

L

O

C

K

SO

C

K

E

TS

B

O

W

S

P

R

I

T

JIB SHEETS

LANYARDS

S

H

R

O

U

D

C

L

E

W

F

O

O

T

L

E

A

C

H

T

A

C

K

HEAD

F

O

R

E

S

T

A

Y

L

U

F

F

JIB

Pick up the mast and hold it vertically in the boat with the forestay lug on the
mastband facing forward. Raise it and lower it straight down through the hole in
the thwart, placing the heel firmly in its socket.

To set up the shrouds take one side and pass several turns of the lanyard
through the U-bolt fairlead which is fitted on the side bench. Tension slightly and
secure with two or three half-hitches(Fig.15). Do the same the other side, pulling
the mast central and bending it somewhat aft. Finally reeve off the forestay
lanyard through the shackle in the stemhead fitting and pull it up as hard as you
can before securing. This should tension all three wires and leave the mast
standing straight without bearing hard on the thwart in any direction. Note that
the forestay is always set up to the stemhead and not to the end of the bowsprit.

The mainsail has to be lashed to its yard and the mizzen to its mast. The
method is the same tor both. First secure the lower corner (in the case of the
mainsail, the throat cringle to the lower end of the yard) and stretch the sail along
the spar. Tension the top lanyard until the sail shows slight creasing parallel to
the spar and secure the peak. Then lace to the spar with the marlin hitch (Fig.11)
but not too tightly. The lacing is only to stop it from bowing away and should be
slack enough to permit some movement of the sail relative to the spar.

Ship the bowsprit through the hole in the stern and the bumpkin through the
hole in the corner of the transom and you are ready to go. Step the mizzen mast
through the transom cap into in step and tie its sheet to its clew. Pass the sheet
through the bullseye on the bumpkin, back to the clam cleat on the after deck via
the bullseye on the side of the mast. Tie the jib halyard to the head of the jib and
slip the loop at the tack of the jib over the end of the bowsprit. Hoist away on the
halyard and belay to the belaying pin on the thwart with a good amount of
tension. The jib sheet may conveniently be secured to the clew by means of a
double overhand knot as explained in Fig. 5 on Pg. 8. Pass the ends through the
fairleads on the side bench and either put a knot at each end or tie the ends
together.

Ship the rudder in shallow water and fix the tiller by holding the thin end
high in the air while passing it down over the rudder head until it engages with
the notch in the rudder. You may then raise the tiller a considerable distance
before it comes clear of the circular arc on the rudder and hence in danger of
coming off.

After shipping the tiller adjust the length of the mainsheet horse (the length
of line across the transom on which the lower block runs) to give it about a foot
of slack. (Fig. 16).

Before hoisting the mainsail first reeve off the mainsheet (Fig. 16) and
shackle it to the clew but do not secure the end other than with a knot to stop it
from being lost through the lower block. Pass the tack downhaul, which is single
length of line approximately 4ft. long, up through one of the holes in the thwart,
tying a knot in its end to hold it there, through the tack cringle on the sail and
down through the other hole opposite (Fig.12) but do not draw tight. Attach the
halyard to the yard by taking two turns round the yard immediately below the tri­angular chocks, and secure with two half hitches (Fig.2)

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Temporarily attach the other end to make certain it does not vanish up
through the masthead sheave. Loosely attach the yard to the mast with the parall
beads on their short length of line (Fig.13). Hoist the sail up quickly to the
masthead, tensioning the luff to avoid a poke in the eye from the yard as it goes
up! Belay the halyard on its belaying pin and then pull down on the tack and
cleat underneath the thwart.

Paralls are made up by threading the “beads“ on to light line with on
overhand knot between each and a retaining knot at the ends (Fig. 3).

For sailing in light winds the tack downhaul should be tight enough to cause
just a small amount of creasing in the sail between peak and tack when head to
wind. When the sail is full of wind and sheeted home these creases disappear
and it draws well with a full, fair curvature. As the wind increases in strength, so
the tack should be pulled down harder The secret of getting a good performance
from the standing lug lies largely in the adjustment of this tension. At no time
should it ever be slack enough to permit creases across the sail from clew to
throat.

In fresh winds it may be desirable to reef the mainsail. This is simple and
quick to do and is described on page 23.

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Fig. 3.: The double overhand
knot for securing the jib sheets

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