Thread: Olympics

Well, I couldn't agree more with you engblom.

I think we already have a GIS class don't we? This website is testament to the fact that a GIS class exists and that there is an association of GIS builders and sailors all working together for the benefit of the class and the association.

Clearly it is also a development class, as there are no two boats that are identical and the membership are all working at developing various bits of the boat in order to optimise it! It must also be gratifying to the designer that all this development is, in the main, using low tech materials.

The fact that it costs nothing to join is a huge plus for us all. Not only that, but it proves how well such a loose association can work in practice.

I think it is happening on a few fronts Engblom,

Though working through backchannels as we are with no support from any orgs it takes a long time.

The Goats are causing a great buzz right now ... but remember that the first two were launched in Queensland in 1994/5.

Maybe if I hadn't reverted to a hobby business from 97 to 2005 that might have made this happen sooner. But there wasn't the reach (through using the net and also people being trained to buy stuff from the net by Ebay) until 2005ish.

In a sense I was ready to go at that time but it probably took a further two years to really make a fist of the website and to get lots of traffic.

Sidebar - Recently I lost all google traffic except for foreign google (google.com.xx) and also images. Because of a google algorithm rewrite. But happily I have enough real traffic from forums and agents and other websites to keep about 50 percent of my traffic.

So it has been a lot of work by different people to get to the current situation. The nice thing is that we "own" it. Not some other body deciding what has to happen with the GIS which is the price of being accepted by one of the powers that be.

I doubt very much that they would be interested in the Goat anyway. The rig would bug them to bits and the timber spars (bend is not reproduceable precisely making it harder to reach an equal level of performance between different boats".

Generally it is pretty easy to get a boat accepted at a sailing club level. They are generally happy if one or two or three or five new boats join their fleet. Or are happy to run championship events as a fundraiser for their own efforts (the fundraising is generally minimal in reality, but social good is on most club's agenda too).

So that's a nice level for Goats.

But at this stage I think it makes a lot of sense for boats to collaborate to get groups together. You can see the fun of the Small Reach Regatta. Or alternatively get involved in adventuresome sailing events - John Goodman in the Texas 200, George in the English RAID and Joost in the Caledonian RAID. A great way to meet people, showcase the boat and create more influential talk about how something so simple and light can sail (and row) so well.

All of these things will add to growth.

Hmmm ... one thing I just thought of .... the mast is so irrelevant to boat performance it would be possible for people to highly develop sail and the two attached spars and then allocate hulland mast packages race by race by lottery.

But that was talked about in the PDRacers ... and the general consensus was that people preferred to sail their own boat.

That was a bit rambling. But let's say I am really happy with where the Goats are now. Enough to meet in twos and threes, good comms over the net so that everyone can share in solo adventures. Lots of stuff on youtube and blogs. And its super nice to have an ethos of information sharing and helping each other get the best out of the boat - not to mention that everyone seems to have a good head for thinking on their shoulders - a clever and thoughtful bunch for sure.

Hmmm ... that was just as rambling.

MIK

There are actually a few classes of boats that can still be competed with, without too much expenses. Windmill is one, that is still active.

I was even once considering to build a Windmill (before I found out about GIS). You can still buy Windmill plans. For somebody that really want to compete (and have a partner) Windmill is a good alternative. http://windmillclass.org/

For somebody that might just compete for fun with whoever is up for some time of fun, GIS is a better alternative as it is a boat that can be sailed solo. Windmill is having too big sails to be well handled alone. Also GIS is better when it is having higher sides, able to have an engine, being rowed etc.

The Windmill is perhaps the most similar American boat to Australian types. Light (not quite to Oz levels there, but not as bad as most northern hemisphere boats) and slippery.

I actually think it is a design classic.



One main difference is that the Goat rig is much, much cheaper. I've done so many quotes for stayed jib and mainsail rigs in mine time and the cost just goes up and up shockingly even with a modicum of adjustables.

MIK

When it comes to the weight, it is very good considering how old it is. If you build a Windmill nowadays, with gaboon plywood and epoxy, it will be lighter. Actually the class rules even allow lighter boats, as long as you put an extra weight around the center board during a competition. The rules says the boat (with extra weight included) needs to be 90 kg (200 lb) during competition.

The reason for this extra weight is that old boats, with heavy wet plywood should have the same chance as the modern light boats. They want it to be the skills, not how new the boat is that determines who wins.

Outside of official class competition, the boat can be very light...

EDIT: I was a little bit wrong, it is so long time since I have been checking out Windmill last time and I remembered wrong. The ballast is permanent, and having an upper limit: This is how the rules are, quoting them directly:

"X.3.M.6 If the weight of the hull only is less than 198 pounds, the difference shall be compensated for by
adding ballast. The maximum allowable compensating ballast for all hulls built starting with #5408 shall be
15 pounds. The compensating ballast shall be permanently attached to the underside of the front thwart on
the centerline of the boat. All Windmills meeting the minimum weight with or without ballast shall meet
the center of gravity requirements."

I think the biggest advantage of minimising weight is to make the boat easier to handle on shore. From Australian class experience about 140lbs is a cutoff point for two adults being able to lift a hull and carry it some reasonable distance.

With the NS14 I had a female crew (lightest crew in our fleet) but were able to carry the boat up and down the beach or lift on and off the trailer.

That's something I kept in mind drawing up the Goat.

Though some are heavier and some are lighter!

MIK