Subject: Re: [harryproa] Re: sailing Elementarry
From: "Rob Denney" <proa@iinet.net.au>
Date: 1/16/2006, 8:19 AM
To:
Reply-to:
harryproa@yahoogroups.com.au

G'day,
 
Not sure the kite would have helped much as the apparent was well forward of the beam.  Still intend to try it because they are such great fun.  Interestingly, the Tornado was strapped in hard, traveller on the centreline, whereas i was quite eased on the same point of sail and at the same speed.   Lots to learn...
 
The last thought I had before pitchpoling was about the stern extension!  Will be interesting to see if 2 crew make much difference.
 
Most of the scope for improvement is all the little stuff, which I am traditionally hopeless at.  The rudders need fairing, finish coating and polishing, the masts need replacing (both have ugly repairs which make the pocket luff look very ordinary), the top battens need tapering, the hulls need top coat and polish, the tramp needs replacing, the sheet cleats need rearranging, the beams need fairings, remains of sundry tested fittings  need removing and other bits and pieces I see when I am sailing, but forget when I come ashore.
 
The problem is that I want to build new wing masts, try a una rig, try different rudders, have yet to find the ideal trampoline material (non stretch with holes big enough for my fingers and toes) and  hate painting, sanding and polishing so all the fine tuning just gets put on the back burner.  Gotta admit, though that the downwind performance will probably be enough to get the rudders undercoated and fine sanded and the sheet cleats sorted before next weekend and see how it goes.  The beam fairings are a design challenge for telescoping beams so I will probably sort out at least one of them this week as well.
 
The biggest improvement would be me.  Not as supple as I used to be (not helped by the saggy tramp which makes movement very slow and clumsy), and certainly not as dedicated (once a week for a few hours, whereas once upon a time I would race at 4 different locations on a weekend and two or three afternoons during the week), although the competitive juices do seem to be stirring so who knows.
 
El 1 looks a lot better than my boat.  It is meant to be sailing regularly on Pittwater this summer.   Owner likes it so much he wants a Harry as soon as Bain's boat is launched.  Apparently it is out of the shed, all the major bits are complete (including diagonally braced rudder brackets) so launching is not far away.
 
regards,
 
rob
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert
To: harryproa@yahoogroups.com.au
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 8:32 PM
Subject: [harryproa] Re: sailing Elementarry

Sounds like lots of fun. I've been watching the kite boarders out and
it reminded me.
There is still a  kite to go and possibly fold out wings set up at 45
degrees to the ww hull so you can get your weight back as well as
out. There is plenty of scope for extra speed.
Saw Elementarry #1 at Eden when visiting my mother It looks very
swish but unfortunately didn't see it sail or manage to talk with the
owners but heard from others that it was moving very nicely.
Robert


--- In harryproa@yahoogroups.com.au, "Rob Denney" <proa@i...> wrote:
>
> G'day,
>
> Sailed Elementarry again today.  No experiments, just went for a
sail.  About 12 knots, gusts a little more.  Took an hour and a bit
to get ready as I had to extend the righting stick and rerun some
lines after the nosedive incident.
>
> Got out there and tweaked the sails for the first time.  As in see
how it is going, pull a string and see what happens relative to the
boats around me.  Max on luff and leech downhauls seemed to work best
as they stiffened the masts appreciably.  May put on a bit more
leverage and see what happens.  .  Managed to fly a hull non stop for
about a minute, also played with 2 rudders vs one for upwind work and
decided two is definitely better, as long as there is not so much
wind that you have to play the sheets as well. 
>
> The local tornado fleet was racing so I lined up well to leeward of
their line and took off just after the gun went.  They were all 1-2
trapezing, I was occasionally flying a hull.  They were not a lot
quicker, nor pointing much higher.  I was still in contention when
they tacked.  I stuffed the shunt (couldn't handle the excitement)
and they left me for dead.  I met them coming downwind, lifted the
for'd board and amazingly held on to them, going just as fast,
sometimes a little higher on the run.  They had spinnakers up and
were sailing with one hull out of the water the whole leg.  Very
impressive to watch.  I flew mine occasionally, but have a problem
shifting my fat self around quickly so was not as good.  They gybed
and left me while I messed about with lifting/lowering the rudders.
>
> No way was this beating Tornados, but it was close enough,
especially downwind, to let me think that with a bit more skill, a
little less weight (the production boat will be about 30% lighter
than mine), masts which have not been broken and (badly) repaired,
and sails and gear  equivalent to theirs, we may be a chance,
especially in long course races in moderate to fresh breeze.  Bring
on Texel this summer!
>
> Congratulating myself instead of concentrating while power reaching
home and bore away when I should have luffed  to get round a mono. 
Capsized.  The 4m fall onto the relatively unforgiving sail does not
get any less painful, (must work out some steps to get down).  Hooked
up the extended 4x2 pine righting stick, walked along it and nothing
happened, needs to be still longer.  Fortunately there are power
boats everywhere and one comes along and flips the masts up.  Gets to
about 45 degrees and stops!  The booms were both pointing towards the
centre of the boat and the bottom one would not go out far enough to
let the top one out, the equivalent of sheeting on hard.  While I am
wondering about this, there is a splash and Mr powerboater joins me
on the stick and up it comes.  Nice guy, offered to take him sailing
next week.  No damage (pride apart), sailed back in to check the
gps.  Max speed for the day 16.2.  As always, felt faster but who
cares, we can compete with a spinnaker flying Tornado down wind! 
Feeling good enough that I may wet and dry the foils and hull this
week.
>
> Regards,
>
> Rob
>






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