Thread: Mk2 PDR children's rig?

Originally Posted by keyhavenpotter

Wouldn't it be great if the PDR had an option for kiddies rigs as they grew. Here in the UK they race Opi, then Laser 4.7, Radial and then full size laser.

It just seems a natural thing to have a family PDR that everyone can sail kids or dads, or mums!

Since you are creating a Mk2 version just now, could it incorporate the mods, perhaps more mast foot positions?, to be able to use four rig sizes.

The idea came from Clint's request on the WBF for a larger boat than the Goat to sail when the kids had grown. Well this morning I woke up thinking kids are best in their own boats playing and learning and acting the goat as they do, but becoming good sailors in that process.

Could add greatly to the PDR appeal. The kids could race, then family teams and then adults all on the same day.

Brian

Would it not be easier to build a PDR with the lug rig option, and put in a couple of reefs when the kids take it out, and shake out the reefs when Mom or Dad want to take it for a spin? Then you only have to construct one sail, and as the children's abilities go up, you can take out one or both of the reefs when they want a little more 'excitement'.
Otherwise, would it not be better to build them their own PDR, and then they could go sailing with the parents instead of the adults yelling instructions from shore...
Rick.

Now why didn't I think of that!!!!

In fact, even more reason is that my son is building a Shearwater with lug rig and he has agreed a rig with Iain O, which will give him the three Laser rig sizes with two reefs, that is full rig, Radial equivalent and 4.7.

So no excuses!!!

I will now go and sit in the corner with a certain shaped hat.

Brian

Make sure the pointy end is upwards! Otherwise they hurt too much.

The difference is the enormous stability of the PDR - it can carry more sail area more easily than the Laser. Hitting the same sail areas might be good from a marketing point of view though.

The Mk3 version has been drawn up with two rigs. The little one works out at 55 square feet which is 5.1m for the more conventionally shaped sprit rig.

Since starting designing boats I have found rather huge discrepancies between listed sail areas for boats and the area you get if you draw the sail according to the class rule measurements. For example (and from memory - it comes from designing the Goat - so about 14 years ago) the Laser quoted its sail area at 76 square feet, but drawing it out from the class rules resulted in a true area of closer to 85 square feet.

I can probably do a similar measurement fudge to make the extra 0.4 square metres disappear.

Great idea! The Mk3 PDR now has a 4.7 sail option.

MIK

Seriously MIK, the idea of 4.7, Radial and full Laser sizes has an immediate connection with people, even if the actual facts don't quite fit!

Ed's lug rig is 64 sq ft, Radial size. Adding 50cm to the luff took it up to Laser, so one reef takes it back to radial and two reefs takes it down to 4.7.

Where is the PDR Lug rig just now, full, one reef and two reefs MIK cannot quite remember?

It's just I think the idea has legs, and also I can see family fun regattas where everybody sails the same boat. Great fun.

You could have three classes youngster, teenager and adult or by weight even!

Three wind strengths, light, medium and strong. Then a three by three matrix of full sail, one reef or two reefs for each weight to make racing level. Sounds a bit complicated but would be very simple in practice. For instance youngsters could use full sail or just one reef in light winds.

Put down three marks off the shore, pool noodles with a weight holding them in place. Standing starts from the beach, finish at the last mark. Nice short races, could fit loads in during one afternoon of fun.

Brian

Howdy,

The problem is that they will be out of scale because of the different stability.

The rig needs to be the right size for adults. The smaller rig is kinda arbitrary in size - I can do anything I want. As can the boat builder. for example a higher aspect full size rig would be possible with the mast moved to the rear position.

However I think the 4.7 idea is a great one because of the reverberations it will give to the small boat racers!

Thanks a heap for that.

MIK