Another sail last Saturday. Openning day at St George.
Had a race against 4 foiling moths. Stayed with Luka's Prowler (No 2 in Aust Nationals) up the first work but then downwind he shot through in pursuit of Dave's new boat who had blitzed us all from the start. Lea caught me at the first gybe but in the 10-12 kts he cold not get low enough on the downwind and I ran away never to see him again. Grant was back a bit further on Revelations, unable to figure what adjustments had changed over the winter as he was barely foiling.
On the last lap Bruce appeard late again with his monster and we sailed together for a while. We were even closer matched than last week, until he gets clumbsy and rolls it over.
Happy with another day without swims, despite some poor gybes.
Sail is back with Ben Gemmell this week for some repairs and fine tuning. He will get a look at it next week when the 12s come to St George for a visit.
Then its down to Albury to race the ICs again the following week.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
I had another sail of the canoe yesterday. We had 4 moths out from St George and Bruce's 16ft moth on steroids as well. It is like a scaled up moth with 3m wide wings from which he trapezes, 500mm wide hull and a giant 12msq single sail on a rotating wing mast, some weapon.
It was only light when we launched. The Hollow Log was much faster than the moths in sub foiling winds, but when Bruce came out he was marginally faster upwind in less than 10 kts. Neither of us were fully powered up, but were going upwind faster than everything else.
We sailed around to the River club who had an opening race for the 16s. By this time the wind was a touch over 10 and Luka was foiling his moth well. The three of us followed the 16s away from their start.
In two short laps Luka had caught and passed all the skiffs, Bruce and I had a close race just behind the slowest skiffs, gaining upwind and losing downwind. The Hollow Log proved faster upwind than Bruce, while he gained a little downwind. After two laps I waited for him and we did another lap in slightly less wind and we stayed closer together.
On the way home we both commented that it was good to have another boat of similar performance to tune and race against. At least until he finishes his new 16.
More time on the boat. No dramas, no swims, nice speed.
It was only light when we launched. The Hollow Log was much faster than the moths in sub foiling winds, but when Bruce came out he was marginally faster upwind in less than 10 kts. Neither of us were fully powered up, but were going upwind faster than everything else.
We sailed around to the River club who had an opening race for the 16s. By this time the wind was a touch over 10 and Luka was foiling his moth well. The three of us followed the 16s away from their start.
In two short laps Luka had caught and passed all the skiffs, Bruce and I had a close race just behind the slowest skiffs, gaining upwind and losing downwind. The Hollow Log proved faster upwind than Bruce, while he gained a little downwind. After two laps I waited for him and we did another lap in slightly less wind and we stayed closer together.
On the way home we both commented that it was good to have another boat of similar performance to tune and race against. At least until he finishes his new 16.
More time on the boat. No dramas, no swims, nice speed.
Monday, September 3, 2007
I have has a query from Rhys in NZ with some interest in canoe building. My response is valid to anyone else who might be considering building from the Hollow Log design as posted on the Aust Canoe web site:
It has taken me along time to feel comfortable sailing my canoe. It is not an easy boat and I have made many mods to the sail, rig, seat and systems before reaching the point that I am comfortable to sail it in at least 20kts and reasonably smooth water.
I still need lots more practice before the idea of 25kts and waves is tempting, but we might get that at McCrae, so I will be working on it.I think I can handle a small boat OK. I have been sailing narrow moths for 5 years and manage to finish about 1/3 from the front in NSW and Aust fleets. I am 57 and a long skinny 85kg.
If all that sounds like you and your commitment, then I recommend building the boat at minimum width because the rewards when you get it right are very moth like.
If you want something easier you could try some of these options:
* simply increasing the width of the bottom pannel (and hence chine width )by 100mm
* increasing the prismatic coeff by making the ends blunter,
* lowering the freeboard and cockpit floor
* using the conventional sloop rig, but you would need to widen the gunwale beam at the mast to stay it. I doubt the sloop rig would be lighter but the short boom would make gybing much easier.
I would not change:
* the general hull shape and the way the stressed ply flows smoothly from bow to planing areas as nicely as a bow wave.
* much of the structure as I have proven it tough and strong enough. The foam BH are really forms for the carbon ring frames and also deck supports for heavy feet.
* fin, seat and cat rig mast positions. The boat tacks well and only gets into iroms when you centre the tiller halfway though a tack. And since I have got the sail to twist downwind there is no tendency to nose dive.
It has taken me along time to feel comfortable sailing my canoe. It is not an easy boat and I have made many mods to the sail, rig, seat and systems before reaching the point that I am comfortable to sail it in at least 20kts and reasonably smooth water.
I still need lots more practice before the idea of 25kts and waves is tempting, but we might get that at McCrae, so I will be working on it.I think I can handle a small boat OK. I have been sailing narrow moths for 5 years and manage to finish about 1/3 from the front in NSW and Aust fleets. I am 57 and a long skinny 85kg.
If all that sounds like you and your commitment, then I recommend building the boat at minimum width because the rewards when you get it right are very moth like.
If you want something easier you could try some of these options:
* simply increasing the width of the bottom pannel (and hence chine width )by 100mm
* increasing the prismatic coeff by making the ends blunter,
* lowering the freeboard and cockpit floor
* using the conventional sloop rig, but you would need to widen the gunwale beam at the mast to stay it. I doubt the sloop rig would be lighter but the short boom would make gybing much easier.
I would not change:
* the general hull shape and the way the stressed ply flows smoothly from bow to planing areas as nicely as a bow wave.
* much of the structure as I have proven it tough and strong enough. The foam BH are really forms for the carbon ring frames and also deck supports for heavy feet.
* fin, seat and cat rig mast positions. The boat tacks well and only gets into iroms when you centre the tiller halfway though a tack. And since I have got the sail to twist downwind there is no tendency to nose dive.
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