Well I have finished my Log sailing on a high note by winning the nationals at Adelaide sailing Club. The regatta was part of the Adelaide International Regatta and attracted 9 canoes.
Front Runner and defending champion Hayden won the first three races then got caught in a nasty squall and ended up wrecking his boat on the breakwater. He was still faster than the log upwind in the 15kts and big seas we had on day one some of which might have been due to me feeling very uncertain about the conditions and having a couple of swims on gybes. I came second twice then broke the boom trying to get a bit more vang from a new untried system.
I have a new sail again from Ben Gemmell this time from a stiffer cloth and full size. Its much better as it should be after what we both learned from mk 1.
The second day of teh regatta was lighter and off shore, meaning it got quite patchy at the windward mark. Kevin Knot lead at one top mark and Kyle Knot lead at another but the nethercotts were not in teh race downwind.
Ht 4 was a close match race between Log and Christian with Log just edging ahead in a finish mixed up by the committee moving the mark as we were about to finish. Ht 5 looked like being similar until Christian clipped my stern in a cross and put a hole in his boat, requireing a quick trip ashore. By heat 6 the attrition rate of canoes was so high only Frank and I completed the course.
Monday dawned wet and very windy from the SW and all canoe sailors decided we were staying ashore.The waves were even bigger that Saturday. Other classes rigged but after some delay the RC called off all racing and the regatta was over.
The Log is the new national Champion and its also sold. Jon Emmonson who sailed Lust Puppet at McCrae has bought the Log and will sail initially from Jervis Bay and later where ever the Navy send him.
Designing, building and sailing the canoe has been a very rewarding experience. I have met some amazing new friends in Aust and from overseas and will always remember the experience and the friendhips. I have promised the Aust Canoeists that I will be interested again when the worlds come back to Aust or even New Zealand.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday, June 28, 2009
More photos
There are more Log photos from Toukley on http://www.flickr.com/photos/72192268@N00/sets/72157620664359294/
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
One Step Closer
The IC nationals at Toukley in Winter? Well it was the best time for a lot of what seem like part time canoe sailors to get together. And despite three weeks of rain and excess or little wind before hand we ended up with almost perfect weather. The Champs were held as part of the Toukley SC annual winter regatta and they did a great job.
Ten ICs attended, half were new rules boats. One did not quite get finished in time and a couple of others could have benefitted from more time for little details.
The lead up weather meant I only had the one outing with the modified rig, but fortunately all worked pretty well and the boat showed a slight improvement in upwind performance without detracting from its great downwind speed.
But not good enough. Hayden has put more effort in and has vastly superior upwind speed to everyone. He always lead by at least a minute at the first windward mark and although I could get some back downwind I never really got close enough to threaten him. Alex Kalin was sailing Steve Clark's Josie and he had upwind speed over me in several races, but in all but two I was able to get past him downwind.
So I finished second.
We had a variety of wind strengths all from the W and NW. Some tricky shifts but all manageable. The heaviest race was the last when it blew up to 20 consistantly. And as only the canoes were left racing we had a clear go. A few drop outs made the track lonely but it was rewarding to get around well, making all the gybes.
I was happy with the boat and seemed to sail it pretty well. No capsizes until the final mark in the final race when a big gust came through, some say 25kt, as I was rounding from square to upwind. Despite windward heal, on the seat early and roundings gently I was blown over with the sheet loose and sail flapping, I thought it was a soft swim but the other three canoes left out there all went down in the same squall, even Hayden who was reaching to he shore after finishing nearby. So it must have been a good puff.
I think I can get a little more with some fine tuning of battens and cunningham system, not sure if I can get the cat rig up to Hayden's speed though? Its a long while between races to find out.
Ten ICs attended, half were new rules boats. One did not quite get finished in time and a couple of others could have benefitted from more time for little details.
The lead up weather meant I only had the one outing with the modified rig, but fortunately all worked pretty well and the boat showed a slight improvement in upwind performance without detracting from its great downwind speed.
But not good enough. Hayden has put more effort in and has vastly superior upwind speed to everyone. He always lead by at least a minute at the first windward mark and although I could get some back downwind I never really got close enough to threaten him. Alex Kalin was sailing Steve Clark's Josie and he had upwind speed over me in several races, but in all but two I was able to get past him downwind.
So I finished second.
We had a variety of wind strengths all from the W and NW. Some tricky shifts but all manageable. The heaviest race was the last when it blew up to 20 consistantly. And as only the canoes were left racing we had a clear go. A few drop outs made the track lonely but it was rewarding to get around well, making all the gybes.
I was happy with the boat and seemed to sail it pretty well. No capsizes until the final mark in the final race when a big gust came through, some say 25kt, as I was rounding from square to upwind. Despite windward heal, on the seat early and roundings gently I was blown over with the sheet loose and sail flapping, I thought it was a soft swim but the other three canoes left out there all went down in the same squall, even Hayden who was reaching to he shore after finishing nearby. So it must have been a good puff.
I think I can get a little more with some fine tuning of battens and cunningham system, not sure if I can get the cat rig up to Hayden's speed though? Its a long while between races to find out.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
First time in 6 months
First time on the canoe in 6 months.
Some short mixed fleet races at Balmoral. In the light stuff the IC was the fastest there. An old 49er sailed by old friend and NS competitor Rob gave some competition, but I managed to get past both times upwind.
The boat feels much better than before. Especially upwind where it was a bit lacking. The tight wires keep the leach well under control and the sail depth is much more reasonable and manageable.
Everything stayed put and I felt comfortable in the boat even though I only got half way out on the seat a couple of times.
Back again next saturday for another go with more wind forecast.
Some short mixed fleet races at Balmoral. In the light stuff the IC was the fastest there. An old 49er sailed by old friend and NS competitor Rob gave some competition, but I managed to get past both times upwind.
The boat feels much better than before. Especially upwind where it was a bit lacking. The tight wires keep the leach well under control and the sail depth is much more reasonable and manageable.
Everything stayed put and I felt comfortable in the boat even though I only got half way out on the seat a couple of times.
Back again next saturday for another go with more wind forecast.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Another Nationals
The class has moved the 2009 Nationals from Adelaide/easter to NSW in June, so I have incentive to get the canoe out again.
I have decided to get the sail modified to better match the added stiffness achieved with the staying added last year. The sail had had the luff curve reduced and will get a bolt rope. The mast gets a sail track and will be extended 120mm to make max height. (I measured along the mast when I built the boat while measurer Hayden measures vertically)
A few small mods to the carriage to improve tacking and I'll be ready to go again soon after the moth season ends on 25/4.
Even though I have alot of sorting to do on my new moth the prospect of winter sailing a moth is less tempting than the canoe. Knee deep water does not seem as cold as chest deep water.
It will be good to have another canoe regatta and it looks like we will have maybe 6 new rules boats racing plus several OD Nethercotts.
I have decided to get the sail modified to better match the added stiffness achieved with the staying added last year. The sail had had the luff curve reduced and will get a bolt rope. The mast gets a sail track and will be extended 120mm to make max height. (I measured along the mast when I built the boat while measurer Hayden measures vertically)
A few small mods to the carriage to improve tacking and I'll be ready to go again soon after the moth season ends on 25/4.
Even though I have alot of sorting to do on my new moth the prospect of winter sailing a moth is less tempting than the canoe. Knee deep water does not seem as cold as chest deep water.
It will be good to have another canoe regatta and it looks like we will have maybe 6 new rules boats racing plus several OD Nethercotts.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Albury Nationals 2008
Third, probably where I should have expected. But I won one race which was rewarding for a couple of reasons.
Hayden won with the new String like AUS30 and Christian was consistantly second with Steve Clark's Josie now AUS26. Both sailed higher to windward than the Log and that was the basic difference in performance. These were the only new rules boats while there were 4 nethercotts competeing as well. So many old hand canoe sailors decided not to race?
The winds were mod to light and variable. The RC had difficulty getting stable winds to set courses. But we did manage the full quota of races.
But the good points were that the stayed rig now has shown some performance to windward. Once there is enough pressure to be on the seat the mast bends enough to flatten the sail adequately to sail well upwind and high enough to have competitive VMG. In the one race I beat Hayden I was sailing slightly lower but faster and gettiing to new shifts before him, tacking and crossing, just. I could only do this in one race and at other times I found height suffered or I found hole in which I suffered worse that H and C.
But we had a good regatta with some close racing at times.
As for rig development I think there is still potential with the mono rig, I think rigging it with a tight forstay and a sail cut more conventionally with less luff curve would allow for better shape in light winds. Also the boom could be lowered to improve aspect ratio.
But appreciate that the existing and potential canoe sailors see the log as an oddity and much prefer the traditional sloop rig.
So the option of cutting the deck off and moving fin case and mast step remains.
At this stage I am unlikley to be racing canoes again for a long time so the boat will get stored unless some buyer appears. Iam prepared to assist with what ever developments a potential buyer wants to pursue.
Regardless we had a couple of race legs on the weekend which showed clearly that the three different hulls performed very similarly, so the Log is still a good basis for future canoe racing.
Hayden won with the new String like AUS30 and Christian was consistantly second with Steve Clark's Josie now AUS26. Both sailed higher to windward than the Log and that was the basic difference in performance. These were the only new rules boats while there were 4 nethercotts competeing as well. So many old hand canoe sailors decided not to race?
The winds were mod to light and variable. The RC had difficulty getting stable winds to set courses. But we did manage the full quota of races.
But the good points were that the stayed rig now has shown some performance to windward. Once there is enough pressure to be on the seat the mast bends enough to flatten the sail adequately to sail well upwind and high enough to have competitive VMG. In the one race I beat Hayden I was sailing slightly lower but faster and gettiing to new shifts before him, tacking and crossing, just. I could only do this in one race and at other times I found height suffered or I found hole in which I suffered worse that H and C.
But we had a good regatta with some close racing at times.
As for rig development I think there is still potential with the mono rig, I think rigging it with a tight forstay and a sail cut more conventionally with less luff curve would allow for better shape in light winds. Also the boom could be lowered to improve aspect ratio.
But appreciate that the existing and potential canoe sailors see the log as an oddity and much prefer the traditional sloop rig.
So the option of cutting the deck off and moving fin case and mast step remains.
At this stage I am unlikley to be racing canoes again for a long time so the boat will get stored unless some buyer appears. Iam prepared to assist with what ever developments a potential buyer wants to pursue.
Regardless we had a couple of race legs on the weekend which showed clearly that the three different hulls performed very similarly, so the Log is still a good basis for future canoe racing.
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