Friday, June 19, 2009

Post Nationals



Been a little quiet since the Nationals, catching up with family after spending the last 6 months in the shed.
However AUS31 now has a conventional Jib sheeting system and a new set of spreaders - 150mm lower than the old ones. Hoping to get some good weather next weekend to hit the water.

Meanwhile here are some pics from the Nationals http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=35025993421&view=all 

Monday, June 8, 2009

AUS 32 Launches and the 2009 Nationals





Though the images appear in the wrong order chronologically, they are:
  1. Broken Self Tacker - AUS31 on Heat 6 of the Nationals
  2. Broken rudder shaft - AUS32 Heat 3 of the Nationals
  3. Nethercott, Flatpack, Serendipity (flatpack)
  4. AUS32 'Serendipity' on her maiden sail
Pete launched Serendipity (AUS32) in almost no wind the day before the Nationals and quickly discovered that he needed grip and that he needed to plug a leak in the transom.

Hayden ran the measuring stick over AUS31, and pointed out that I needed to fair in the ends of my flares to reduce having 2 hollows in profile view - this is an easy fix. I also need to fair my tiller stock - which I was planning on doing anyway as i am switching from kick up back to cassette rudder.
For an overview of the Nationals I suggest you check out the Nationals report and results (which I will publish shortly) but here is my bullet point take on the nationals:
  • AUS31's rig needs major work, the self tacker flexed too much meaning the jib pulled to dead centre and back winded the main badly - upwind I was lucky to be withing 15 degrees of the other boats pointing range. 
  • The mainsail was far to full and the battens just would not click over, after day 1 I switched back to the old flat AUS018 mainsail and immediately performed better
  • The hull slipped very easily through the water, and makes very similar noises to Haydens 'Miracle Drug' upwind. Though I was getting a gurgling sound down aft which may be a bit of air getting sucked in around the kick up rudder.
  • I need to do more work on my plank to get it to slide better
  • I need to round the leading edge of my foils a little more - suggested by Seth after he noticed it took me a little while to get going after tacks
  • I need to move the daggerboard slot further forward, the boat was hard to tack
  • I need to put on a conventional jib sheeting system, this decision was made easier by the self tacker ripping out of the boat.
  • I need to strengthen the rudder axle on my boat as insurance against what happened to AUS32
  • I may look at a different vang system to the GNAV
  • I need to rub back the boat and get the finished surface that I want.
Overall I am disappointed with my result in the Nationals, but I am pretty pleased with my first 5 and a 1/2 races in the first boat I have built. Though  could not run with the other new IC's i could beat the Nethercotts when things held together even though I had some very visible major rig issues. I need to sit down and work with Geoff on a plan to address some of the above issues and incorporate the changes into the flatpack building instructions so that others can benefit from this Beta testing. I am looking forward to taking the flatpack back east in October to see if I can apply what I have learned.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hitting the road




The Adelaide Sailing Club Express is packed and ready to roll:
  • AUS 31 (Christian) in the trailer
  • AUS32 (Petes) on the roof
  • Brendans and Andrews RSX Sailboards on the trailer roof
Both AUS31 and 32 need a couple of things done before we race, but we should be able to take care of those Friday before we race.

Safe trip Pete, see you in a couple of days.