SUJET :

Chers amis,
I've recently bought a Feeling 286S from the early 90s which needs some renovation. In particular I'm thinking of changing the original winches with more update ST ones (because these do not work properly and I'd like to sail single-handed). It seems to me there is no steel plaque under the deck and that the winches are bloqued just by five screws passing the fiberglass and bolts. Do you think this will be enough?
Btw, I'd like to use a gennaker that I have which looks of the right size for the boat but I have no idea where to place the tack point. Any suggestion? Thank you!
Roberto

Hello Roberto,

I have a F 30DI from 2002 witch has nearly the same size as F 286s.
She is fitted with ST and there are no special steel plates under the deck ( just backing washers before nuts ).
My opinion is that if you don't see cracks in the fiberglass the deck is strong enough, otherwise you might add inox plates.
I do not have a gennaker but an asymmetical spinnaker : tack point is on a 50 cm long bow sprit. The tack sheet runs through a guide line at stanchions basis and ends with a jamming cleat near the genoa winch.

Cheers !

Michel