Devotti Single Hander

Originally posted by G.R.F. Mike, try reading your own forum, loads more helms than me know the boat is a bit of a 'water pusher' even the guy who sold it to me warned me about it. Sheeting in? Down wind? and what depower by over sheeting? Give me a bit of credit will you... I had a couple of season in an MPS if you must know and didn't have any issues downhill, it was uphill that I could never master over a certain wind strength, same as the Blaze funnily enough, except at least with the Blaze that threshold is a tad higher.

Everyone who sails a singlehander should know - downwind (the run), overpowered -  ease the kicker a little and sheet in - hey presto - no nosedive    That is assuming that you are keeping the boat flat and fore and aft trim is good, by that I mean sit max aft and keep the boat flat with mainsheet tension!  I have sailed Finns downwind in up to 35 knots with no problems using this technique!

Rocket science?  NO - just logic as there will be less sail area presented to the wind.  I'm absolutely with ML on this one

Hope it's windy today GRF then you can try doing what the rest of the capable singlehanded sailors do! 

I am guessing that this has been wasted on you but maybe it will help others.

Uphill you need a rig that flexes in the gusts so that it automatically de-power - heeling is slow and you lose ground to windward - slip sideways.  Keep it flat GRF    Downhill a flexible rig works well, after 60 years of development of such a rig in the Finn (probably one of the most refined dinghy rigs around, bearing in mind the strict class rules) taking the concept into the D-One was an easy decision.  Were you too busy writing on various forums to read Adrian's report on a sunny day in Hayling Bay?  Go here and you may get the idea http://devoti-one.co.uk/devoti-one_suntouched3_009.htm 

Have a nice day's sailing!

Why not make the trip to Hayling Island on 5th December - weather permitting - and see for yourself how well the D-One copes with the conditions?  We will have a rib available in case you decide to boldly go where no man has gone before - mining in a D-One!

Don't worry, I have broad shoulders and am ready for the response - at least everyone else on this thread can have a laugh

Rodney

Edited by rodney

The Blaze nosedive issue is a rocker not a rig issue blah blah etc

No it is not ... it is a 'user issue'.  You just need to sort out your technique. It's not helm weight related either - either come along to a training event, get time racing alongside other Blazes or simply ask any competant singlehander helm in virtually any other single sail class, Laser will do and you must have a few locally.  This is hardly Blaze specific stuff it is just you are in one at the moment and I'm guessing have virtually zero previous time in any other single sail singlehanders. 

Have you ever considered sheeting 'in' rather than reacting by dumping mainsheet ?  Go on give it a try next time ..... be brave ...must be worth a bit of a try at least. 

Mike L.

PS - I can't be the only one dying to hear what you think of your next ride ! 

Lucky you didnt sail the original rig then....that's why they changed it.

You could have called yourself "stinky pete" (look it up) the amount of mining you had to do.

But change it they had to, after a go-live.....unlike this mast that has already taken that behaviour into account.

I don't sell them, but I am sure as hell enjoying sailing them.

Tim

 

Originally posted by G.R.F. Well it's probably pointless given the circumstance of this particular thread, if you want to debate the ins and outs of rig control and sail twist from limited controls I can wax poetical all night, but then that's not going to help you sell boats is it? So, I've made my point and I shall leave you to continue to enjoy in innocence you're wonderful new toy. The Blaze nosedive issue is a rocker not a rig issue, an issue I think a spinnaker might alleviate a tad, but I never got that far and it's not that big an issue as it happens, it's never gone all the way down the mine like Bethwaites wonder machines, it's just a 'build your confidence it wont' thing that needed to be overcome.

G.R.F. ......I don't quite understand what you're saying. If I type windsurfing
into google images, I get tons of pics of windsurfing rigs powering along,
with the top of the mast bending off sideways taking the top of the sail out
of action. Which is seemingly the same as what is happening with the D-
one rig.

The point is when the wind gets mental, you dont want to have to go and change the sail to cope with the conditions.

In the picture the wind was pretty ruff (gusting 5 for sure)

So in my opinion the rig was doing the right thing....spilling power.

BTW if I wanted to keep the power on all I had to do was put some kicker on and all would be fine (would deffo do that in the lighter stuff = more power)

Doubt you can get that sort of adjustability on a board, hence the early doors sail change.

If in that wind I was to wack loads of kicker on I would never get downwind without wanting to nosedive....you (GRF) would know this as you have mentioned before about the Blaze having the same problem.

We could argue all night about what is right and wrong with different boats, but it's completely pointless.

Tim