K1 single-handed keelboat

With a small thin long keelboat like this would it not be very quick upwind in pre planing conditions? Also as a round bilge boat it would not suffer from that horrible chine dig in we experience in our Tasar when not sailed flat. I like the jib boom and have never understood why dinghies have never tried this. We had them on racing model yachts in my distant youth and by adding tension to the jib luff it held the tack down. If I had any money, and somewhere to sail it (not a pond) I would have one. Why this prototype encourages such ire from GRF escapes me. Why would his psychological security be threatened by a small lump of lead?

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A few answers to the questions:

Another interesting boat..how does it draw?  Depth 1.1m on the prototype, but may be 1.2m for the production boat - close to average dinghy anyway

Is this a K6 for those with no friends?  More a K6 for those without crew...

It could do with a kite IMHO.  It has two sails to play with and will be pretty quick running anyway.  The idea is to keep the racing close and tactical rather than going for reaching speed, but it is quick upwind.  For solo kite blasting I'd recommend a RS 100

 

I'd love to find out who can Cad profile a chunk of foam that big.  Try John Baker at

www.polystyrenemodels.co.uk   They've milled foam blanks  for me for several prototypes

A bit bizarre really I'd gone over to the stand to see the new single
handed V3000   Jeff is planning to get this going next year alongside the Phantom and K1

 

I assumed it was some sort of sailability device   already well covered by the sit in the middle keelboats mentioned above

Targeted at the Phantom fleet I guess  Yes and no, which means the boat will accommodate the Phantom big boys but with 60kg of lead swung to windward (yes, it sails heeled...) you should also be competitive if of average size or less

 

You'd want a well balanced trolley and a helping hand up the slipway mind you!  The hull and rig are very light so the all up weight will be around 125kg.  With an alloy trolley as standard to save a bit more weight the total load to drag up a slipway will be little more than an average dinghy and less than a Finn...

Originally posted by Peaky In some ways I think the concept has real merit. You could look at it either as a singlehanded Flying 15, or a winter play thing for yotties, or even as an alternative to a Solo. You'd want a well balanced trolley and a helping hand up the slipway mind you!

I don't think the comparison with a singlehanded F15 is apt. The F15 is supposed to be raced upright and the keel just stops you capsizing (tho' it's probably a bit heavier than needs be for that purpose).

The K1 is designed to be sailed heeled like a yacht, with the keel contributing substantially to the righting moment. Think of it as a big Marblehead that you can sit on.

There is already this:



which is the 2.4mR paralympic singlehanded keelboat:

• Length: 4.35m
• Beam: 0.90m
• Weight: 260kg
• Sail area: 8m2

Plus the Illusion:

"The Illusion is a one-design keelboat, based on a scaled version of Lionheart, the British 12 Metre Class yacht and designed by Jo Richards and Neil Graham in 1981. These peformance single-handed boats offer superb racing in nearly any conditions, by sailors of all weights and ages - with tested racing performance up to Force 6! Boats are equipped with a standard main, roller furling genoa and spinnaker, plus running rigging. In the United Kingdom , there are active fleets at Bembridge Sailing Club (Isle of Wight), West Kirby Sailing Club (Wirral) and Aldenham Sailing Club (Herts). The Illusions can also be found in Scotland, Canada and the United States."

My last single hander was a Musto skiff so when i had a
chance to sail the prototype I was not really expecting
much but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Its got a nice feel to the helm, slides along nicely and
it was good to sail a boat were a bit of heal is not a
bad thing.

And it felt this good with a cobbled together rig and
keel. I'm actually looking forward to having another go
as the details get developed.

Mind you the Musto has gone and Hannah and I have sold the 29er and now sail a Merlin... so perhaps I'm closer
to my pipe and slippers than I would like to admit.

Ian