HARPOON 5.2

HARPOON 5.2 Sailboat #838

This site is about the Boston Whaler sailboat HARPOON 5.2. A great sailboat!

Design by C&C. Built by Boston Whaler in the late 70s and early 80s. This is number 838. A great dinghy sailboat. Harpoon 5.2 #838 homeport is Hampton Roads, Virginia.

John & 838 Cruising the Bay

Most of the time you will found her sailing off Hampton Roads in Willoughby Bay next to the Chesapeake Bay.

Only Harpoon in the area.
#838 is kept on a trailer out of the water.

Hull never painted.

Got #838 running at 7.4 knots this day with wind under 15 knots
Sail
Fast!

Live

Slow!

Boston Whaler

Harpoon 5.2
This is a great boat!

STABILITY OF THE HARPOON 5.2 This is a story about the stability of the Harpoon 5.2 boat #838. It was an overcast day in Hampton Roads with about 8 knots winds from the south. The 838 was rigged for light winds. We had been out for a while and a good distance from the launch ramp. We could see a storm off in the distance and it looked like it was moving south to north out of our path. We headed back down wind. The wind had changed direction and was coming from the west (storm was in the west). The 838 was moving. The center board and rudder started to mum and I could feel the wind going by me. I told Beeman (crew) that we were really moving. The sailing was so good we past the launch ramp with the winds now at 12-15 knots with some white caps. In less than a minute we had all white seas with 30 knots winds and high gusts, driving rain and lightning. I told Beeman we are going to pay for a good ride. He recommended we drop sails and used the motor. I stated the trolling motor will not do it; lets just sail it. We headed to the ramp tacking several times. One area we hit some sand in a shallow area and the center board came up. Beeman got it back down. As we neared the ramp, I noted that we were going sideways at a good pace and sliding in the direct of a low bridge. I told the Beeman to forget the jib and PUT THE CENTER BOARD DOWN! Once the center board was down, we make one more tack into the ramp slip. Through all of this the 838 remained level in the water and the sails were full of wind. I owed a lot to my able body crewman and my experience sailing lasers—keep the boat flat. This was one day to remember for a long time.
M O V I E T I M E This is a video from the fall of 2005. Sun is shine on the len. Will need to improve for next season. Need some video from the upcoming Harpoon Regatta in April! Click the camera!

Postcards from Hampton Roads
-POSTCARD #1

-POSTCARD #2

Tie your rudder to one of the eye on the transom. The catch will not always hold if you capsize. A lot of folks have lost one.

If you have a trolling motor like I do, secure it with a line to the motor mount. Secure your battery to the eyes on the transom.

Secure a line around the base of the mast and run it to both side of the boat and fasten it to the shrouds. It will be the mean you will need to right the boat in the event of a capsize.

This site has a wealth of information about the Harpoon 5.2.

Forum about the Harpoon

OTHER BOATS THAT I SAIL

420 Laser Lighting

Coming Soon The wood is coming off the boat to be refinish in 09. I will post full pictures of before and after for all to see. Wood will be off later in 2009

Tee Shirt Iron-on for Harpooner

This is a Word document---- Download this T-shirt Transfer

Use mirror image when printing to transfers

Boom Support (link) This support hold the boom in place when tranporting

Install a power winch in order to load boat without the aid of a mate!

This page Created 2004, John--Hampton Roads I will update this site with new pictures and facts from time to time. My email address is helmsman_838 this is follow by the @ and yahoo.com Sign Guestbook View Guestbook