Thread: Is that a 12' GIS I see hull down on your horizon

You're welcome.

Hi Ric,

Have you dusted off the 12' for spring yet?

Tim

Originally Posted by tpb03

Hi Ric,Have you dusted off the 12' for spring yet?Tim

Not yet, it was 7c as the high temp today with rain and small hail. At one point everything was white from the accumulation. Hopefully next weekend will be warm enough with a wetsuit. (too cheap to buy a drysuit)

Rick

The powers that be in sailing are focused on plastic fantastic (and typically 1970s) one-design classes. Its killing dinghy sailing slowly. The Ozracer, not to mention the little Firebugs are a challenge to the business model which (I feel) has captured YA, one which builds moulds which must produce 10s if not 100s of identical designs to return a profit. Ozracers and Bugs need two things to challenge the dominant world view - fleets and a path to higher performance boats, within the same home built philosophy.

The S12 is an important step up in performance, but problems usually produce more than one solution. I would like to flag Richard Woods' Duo to you. Does it also present a potential racing class? It would be cheaper than the S12 but slower, I think. Richard is a long-time and successful Mothist, so his ideas should not be lightly dismissed.

http://www.sailingcatamarans.com/index.php/designs/1-beach-cats-and-dinghies-/420-duo-10ft-sailrow-dinghy

Prototypes of both designs appear to be awaiting the Northern spring.

If you are in Sydney and want a warm welcome with a homebuilt boat (under 14 feet unfortunately) you will be most welcome at Concord Ryde Sailing Club.

Howdy Ross,

Hi RossV

Yes to all that you have said - a dominant one dimensional business model does allow other things to sneak in at the edges. Compare to the vibrant ... almost mad selection of classes that were around in the '70s.

The cry then was that there were "too many classes". But now there are too few, cutting down the number of entry options.

Though buying a geriatric Laser is a good starting point in terms of cost - but might have too much horsepower and handling trickiness for many beginners.

The new John Woods boat is pretty nice. It is only as wide as a sailing canoe, so will inherit some of those difficulties. But so little material that it does make a lot of sense for teen beginners or experienced older sailors. One group will survive the capsizes, the other will be able to avoid capsize.

The S12 has more beam but more building and lots of built in buoyancy and more reserve as the boat heels. Ably handled I think the woods boat could go faster in a mothic way.

BTW ... where do you inherit the below 14ft restriction from?

MIK

This is a correction of my statement in post 545 - 14 feet relates to multihulls.

Sorry for the error. Bring on the GISs

Ross

MIK,

What progress on the S12?

Richard Woods Duo is now sailing, all be it with the "rubber rings" of his alternate "RIB."

In my post 547 (above) I reported that CRSC welcomed boats up to 15'6".

There is now pressure to change the Sailing Instructions to reduce that length to 14'. This would exclude both Beth and GIS.

If anybody in interested in a home for these designs in the Sydney region, I would appreciate a heads-up this week as it will support my resistance to this move.

You've got my vote to maintain the status quo.

Cheers,
Alex.

Thank you to those who expressed support. It was sufficient to persuade the sailing committee to reject the suggestion unanimously.

Now where are those GIS and Beths?

Hi Ross,

There are not so many Beths around. But a few GIS. Is it OK if I frame your invitation as a standing request for storer boats and others of the ilk to join in racing at Concord Ryde Sailing Club and see how they like it.

BTW, why were they thinking of a restriction of length. Did that come from the local council or something like that.

Best wishes

MIK

H Rick,

With summer almost over, do you have any more feedback or footage on the S12?

Tim

Howdy,

The boat isn't dead. It has just been a year of madness. Not enough time to scratch myself. Starting the sailmaking business, moving to spend almost all of each year in the Philippines, and unexpected but welcome baby and a serious health scare for my partner.

At the moment I am working on a simple sailing canoe, partially inspired by the Aquamuse canoe as well as the UK and US canoe classes carrying 44sq ft sails.

Joost has been the driving force for that one. It is much simpler than the S12 in terms of documentation, so I am trying to get the documentation together in the next couple of months. I've also beeen building one. Looks like it will hardly break $400 building one in the Philippines.

Then it will be back to the S12. I think the rotating rig is a bit techie for most with some optimisation required to get the mast bend right. I kindof forgot that Australians are rare in having experience with light flexible dinghy rigs of this type and their setup.

So, I think the standard rig is likely to be an unstayed mast. The bulkheading of the boat was set up to make just about any sort of single sail rig possible and will adapt easily to freestanding.

Just writing this, it makes me think of reading the UK rule for their 44 sq ft canoe rigs. There is a specified maximum height of sail and the area has to be an actual 44 sq ft ... but after that it is up to the builder what they want to do.

Maybe the S12 will be the same. Leave the rig up to the sailor with maximum height limited to the same as the current drawings.

Best wishes
Michael

Originally Posted by Boatmik

Just writing this, it makes me think of reading the UK rule for their 44 sq ft canoe rigs. There is a specified maximum height of sail and the area has to be an actual 44 sq ft ... but after that it is up to the builder what they want to do.

A bunch of us use 5sqm rigs in the UK and race alongside the 44 sq' boats.

We just use different PY, unless you are two up in the 5sqm canoe.

Of course with 5sqm you tend to need outriggers more.

HTH

f