Thanks Thanks:  0
Needs Pictures Needs Pictures:  0
Picture(s) thanks Picture(s) thanks:  0
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 18 of 18
  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NSW, Australia
    Posts
    474

    Default

    The OzRacer should be about as fast as a Sabot anyway. Might even be faster, with the comparatively huge rig.
    You know you're making progress when there's sawdust in your coffee.

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NSW, Australia
    Posts
    474

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Boatmik View Post
    Yes, So many great sailors learned in Sabots.It looks likely that you could put one as originally specified on the water for about $1500. But like everything else, their price has spiralled out of reach as an introductory sailing boat.I really wonder if the higher tech versions out now will train kids to sail any better?Great to know where you came from (sailingwise!)MIK
    I was just reminded of another early sailing experience, over at boatdesign.net, from when I raced in Mirrors.

    Back when I were a lad, I crewed on one of the local Mirror dinghies. The bloke who owned it couldn't afford a spinnaker and the gear for it at the time, but did have a whisker pole. So, I came up with a brainwave. We fitted another attachment for the whisker pole on the foredeck, and used it to control the clew of the jib when reaching.

    It worked really well. The usual way of sailing Mirrors was with both jib and spinnaker up, which really wasn't that efficient since they tended to interfere with each other on a reach. We found that the properly sheeted jib would often allow us to keep up with the boats flying spinnakers.

    In the interest of clarity I should also point out that the spinnaker-equipped boats would still walk away from us a on square run, where all you need is the biggest possible drag device. However, we could generally hold them from a close reach round to a broad reach.
    The way this started was that one day we were getting fed up with being passed by boats with kites up on a reach, so I basically said something like "Let's see if I can get the jib pulling better", grabbed the whisker pole, shoved it in the clew, then played around with angles and sheet tension while holding the inner end of the pole in one hand. Worked well, so we developed it from there.

    This sort of ties in with something I saw yesterday, while checking out the boat ramp at the Hinze Dam. There was an odd looking sailing dinghy there which rang a bell for looks. I checked up later and it was a Shimmy 12 from Scruffie Marine. There was the usual east coast afternoon sea breeze blowing, and this thing could barely sail out of its own way. Seemed to be utterly hopeless upwind. Rigged with a boomless main that set very badly, and a standard jib. No centreboard either.

    I really don't get why people build (sailing) boats that don't sail efficiently. It seems like an utter waste of time to me, when making them sail rather well really isn't all that difficult.
    You know you're making progress when there's sawdust in your coffee.

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    'Delaide, Australia
    Age
    65
    Posts
    8,138

    Default

    Totally agree of course!

    Nice move with the whisker pole trick! I've seen something like that in some other classes, but mostly much after you spent time playing with it.

    MIK

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. Plywood for small boats.
    By schmik in forum Michael Storer Wooden Boat Plans
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 21st October 2013, 08:24 PM
  2. Roofracking Canoes and small boats
    By Boatmik in forum Michael Storer Wooden Boat Plans
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 13th December 2010, 08:38 AM
  3. Woodenboat has boats launching page - do we want one here too?
    By Boatmik in forum Michael Storer Wooden Boat Plans
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 3rd September 2009, 12:31 PM
  4. help needed for small wooden exhibition boats
    By Yenny in forum BOAT BUILDING / REPAIRING
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 16th September 2008, 11:29 PM
  5. Small boats
    By dopeydriver in forum BOAT DESIGNS / PLANS
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 23rd January 2007, 10:12 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •