Sailing Deux Chevaux

The beginning

When the boat first went on the water it was launched on the Norfolk Broads. It was a Saturday the boat went in the water, the mast was raised and off we went – the outboard driving the boat. At 2.5hp I wondered if it would be enough to cover all uses but I needn’t have worried it was more than enough and pushes the boat along well at a very low throttle opening.

Now launched, outboard mounted and mast being raised

Motoring along Barton Broad on a very hot day!

We moored the boat at Neatishead and went to the local pub!

I put up the old enterprise sails and sailed DC for the first time!

Now I knew it handled ok under power it was time to raise sail. An old set of ‘Enterprise’ sails were put on and off I went. The boat moved well in the light airs and was very docile indeed. DC is only a little longer than an Enterprise so moves in a similar fashion. Where it differs is in its beam which is and superstructure. The beam adds stability and the cabin means the mast is mounted higher making the boom much higher giving full standing room when at the tiller.

So the first sail went well in light winds. My wife spotted the tired set of sails and suggested a new set would be worth getting. A phone call to Jeckells sails in Wroxham and a new set of Enterprise sails ordered. This set was to be grey in colour (no extra charge) and have one big set of reefing points added (again no extra charge).

New sails - and the DC logo!

Around this time I was lucky enough to find a mooring at Barton Broad so the boat went in the water in July where it stayed until the end of October (2008). The boat was sailed and motored around the broads but as I was single crewed mostly I wanted to ensure the stability of the boat. 100Kg ballast went in the boxes I had created on the keel and two mud weights added a further 25kg, 125kg in all. This improved the boat tremendously. It became very stable indeed, I can stand on the gunwale and lean out with no hint of the boat going beyond a few degrees.

On the mooring with an army bivvy acting as a boom tent

During the HBBR meet of 2009 DC was used as a camera platform by Chris Perkins due to its amazing stability and went out in winds that were causing Norfolk punts with much more experienced sailors on board to capsize.

Moored with new boom tent 2009 @Chris Perkins 2009

Reasonable speed for little wind @Chris Perkins

Small Hobbie sail reefed at HBBR meeting @Chris Perkins

DC towing INWE and EVERHOPEFUL at Neatishead @Chris Perkins

So anyone who is thinking of building a SF Lynx 14 can be assured that this is a tremendously stable boat for its size that also moves well in light airs. For me the cheap availability of the Enterprise mast and boom and sails saved me hours of manufacture and costs and I would recommend this option to all.

Growths on the underside at the end of the season

The only negative side for me has been the aquatic growths attaching themselves to the boats underside. They have damaged the painted finish and mean that after scraping and a new coat of primer I will have to paint the underside with a propriety antifouling before a return to the water in 2010 – no doubt more chemicals for me to react to!

You might now like to read Greg Chapmans review of sailing Deux Chevaux, click the link on the right.