V Twin

   Well after the day of absolute hell and distraction we finally got it launched about 5 this evening after a total catalogue of glitches and minor irritations right up to an including the moment we tried to hitch the trailer only to find it was locked and no-one knew where the key was.

I've got a bit of iPhone footage which doesn't show much as by the time it got going it was too far out, then just as he was about to overtake this ferry a couple of the 'calshot rangers' who'd gathered along with a small crowd from the local cat club to admire what they thought looked a very fast and interesting craft, only to tell me I had to pay to launch and could I move my car.
By the time i'd complied to go take a look, he'd vanished, then some female fish murderer came hurrying past me saying she needed to get the lifeboat launched, cos a boat had just suddenly flipped over and couldn't get back up again. 
'Hang on said I it's an experimental boat he may be deliberately capsizing it as part of his tests. No she said it was sailing along then flipped over, by this time I could just make out the upturned hull, totally turtled and my heart sank, how the hell could that happen, I'm the designer of the titanic at this point, it's impossible to turn over that boat how the hell has he done it, why can't he get it back up again, at which point a passing rib assisted, but still it didn't seem to want to come back up the right way. I'm beginning to get that sinking feeling..
Another long story cut short, he gets back to shore, with a big grin, I'm all 'wtf?', he's 'it's like a skating rink,' being painted in just undercoat, he'd gone forward to sort out a spinnaker glitch, slipped arse over tit, grabbed the stay and flipped the boat as he went over the side and he can't stand on anything without slipping off, so impossible to right and the wings weren't helping in the 6 knot tide.
Anyway, as for the sailing quality prior to that, he's sailed much worse first time out, it's out of balance, massive lee helm, the wings have too much windage, but he didnt touch down sailing so they're clear enough, getting back was tricky the foils not really working (It looked a bit slow from the shore on its upwind leg returning after the capsize test.)with all that reverse rudder.
The rig was a bit too vertical down to a technical hitch with one of the splices on the jib hoist, so it needs the rig raking aft a bit and maybe the centreboard going forward a notch (we have four positions it was set in No 2) To me it looked underpowered, it was quite breezy, but then as he said, I couldn't even get on the racks because it kept trying to bear away, ad I probably couldn't even if it had been balanced because of the sloppy deck.
So all in all, not an instant success, but then we knew that wouldn't be the case, but not a total disaster either. It sat well on the water, even with his 96 kilos on it. the stern wash was clean, the nose wasn't slamming, it glided quite well through the water, he did get a hull clear for a while, and he did get the feel of what would be to come once the power was balanced.
So although I'm mildly disappointed I didn't get instant success from the rig we cobbled together, it would have been a miracle had that happened, so still lots to do.
Not sure how to get my iPhone footage up, but I'll try the blog first and post a link.

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G.R.F. Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 10 Aug 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4028	Post Options Post Reply Quote G.R.F. Report Post Quote Reply Topic: V Twin Posted: 12 Aug 11 at 11:31pm
	Well after the day of absolute hell and distraction we finally got it launched about 5 this evening after a total catalogue of glitches and minor irritations right up to an including the moment we tried to hitch the trailer only to find it was locked and no-one knew where the key was. I've got a bit of iPhone footage which doesn't show much as by the time it got going it was too far out, then just as he was about to overtake this ferry a couple of the 'calshot rangers' who'd gathered along with a small crowd from the local cat club to admire what they thought looked a very fast and interesting craft, only to tell me I had to pay to launch and could I move my car. By the time i'd complied to go take a look, he'd vanished, then some female fish murderer came hurrying past me saying she needed to get the lifeboat launched, cos a boat had just suddenly flipped over and couldn't get back up again. 'Hang on said I it's an experimental boat he may be deliberately capsizing it as part of his tests. No she said it was sailing along then flipped over, by this time I could just make out the upturned hull, totally turtled and my heart sank, how the hell could that happen, I'm the designer of the titanic at this point, it's impossible to turn over that boat how the hell has he done it, why can't he get it back up again, at which point a passing rib assisted, but still it didn't seem to want to come back up the right way. I'm beginning to get that sinking feeling.. Another long story cut short, he gets back to shore, with a big grin, I'm all 'wtf?', he's 'it's like a skating rink,' being painted in just undercoat, he'd gone forward to sort out a spinnaker glitch, slipped arse over tit, grabbed the stay and flipped the boat as he went over the side and he can't stand on anything without slipping off, so impossible to right and the wings weren't helping in the 6 knot tide. Anyway, as for the sailing quality prior to that, he's sailed much worse first time out, it's out of balance, massive lee helm, the wings have too much windage, but he didnt touch down sailing so they're clear enough, getting back was tricky the foils not really working (It looked a bit slow from the shore on its upwind leg returning after the capsize test.)with all that reverse rudder. The rig was a bit too vertical down to a technical hitch with one of the splices on the jib hoist, so it needs the rig raking aft a bit and maybe the centreboard going forward a notch (we have four positions it was set in No 2) To me it looked underpowered, it was quite breezy, but then as he said, I couldn't even get on the racks because it kept trying to bear away, ad I probably couldn't even if it had been balanced because of the sloppy deck. So all in all, not an instant success, but then we knew that wouldn't be the case, but not a total disaster either. It sat well on the water, even with his 96 kilos on it. the stern wash was clean, the nose wasn't slamming, it glided quite well through the water, he did get a hull clear for a while, and he did get the feel of what would be to come once the power was balanced. So although I'm mildly disappointed I didn't get instant success from the rig we cobbled together, it would have been a miracle had that happened, so still lots to do. Not sure how to get my iPhone footage up, but I'll try the blog first and post a link.
	https://www.ease-distribution.com/

Bootscooter Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 15 May 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1094	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bootscooter Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 12 Aug 11 at 11:50pm
	I've not replied to any of your threads on this so far but I've been reading everything with interest and admiration, regaedless of the outcome. Sounds to me that for a 1st sail you've achieved all and more than you could have expected, and that tweaking will only improve things. Well done chap!

tickel Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Dec 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 408	Post Options Post Reply Quote tickel Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 8:04am
	Well that is all very interesting, you have my congratulations. What a shame that you have a policy of putting peoples backs up as it tends to thwart sensible discussion when it is needed.
	tickel

dopamine Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 26 Oct 06 Location: Burkina Faso Online Status: Offline Posts: 68	Post Options Post Reply Quote dopamine Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 8:13am
	Not sure that GRF has a "policy" of irritating. I'm sure he does it quite naturally without even trying! Anyway, bloody interesting stuff and a great effort, although it looks like you may have created something even more difficult to get back into than an RS100?

Ruscoe Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 12 Jan 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1514	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ruscoe Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 8:19am
	Really interesting greame, shame about the primer making it super slippy. What's the next steps? to et the board and rig positioning right so the boat feels balanced?


oldarn Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 10 Apr 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 440	Post Options Post Reply Quote oldarn Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 8:38am
	Congrats Graeme. . I'm sure it is just the beginning of the interesting part of the project. So now it's get the rig right. Balance and controlability are everything Mike
	thefastexcitingrunningasymmetric

winging it Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 22 Mar 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3958	Post Options Post Reply Quote winging it Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 8:51am
	it sounds quite like my first voyage in my low rider moth, which was similarly slippery, and had similar rudder problems, so I had to steer much more with body weight than with the rudder. Likewise with the hideous Mogo, where I had to move stuff around to get it feeling right. So who is the mystery jockey? Anyway, well done, and keep it going.
	the same, but different...

cad99uk Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 11 Mar 10 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 187	Post Options Post Reply Quote cad99uk Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 10:19am
	Well done GRF. Looking forward to further updates.

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 12:59pm
	Well I'm not to happy I didn't get a 'go' myself, but the jockey is Jamie, and he's done this lots of times, what's worrying me more was how long it can take from here to get a boat balanced, he told me of tales of boats that he'd been instructed to build in the past by folk you would all recognise as professionals in the field, splitting in half as he sheeted in for the first time. Then others that took 27 separate attempts to balance prior to final approval to build. The reason he struggled to right it was because the plate is at the moment only a temporary plug fashioned from two bits stuck together and had his 96 kilos stepped to the end (where I would) it would have snapped. Once it was up it was easy to remount over the stern, which is more than can be said for th rs100. Neither of us really expected it to go over in the first place. What next? A very long snagging list, reposition of the rig, another trial or two, hopefully with us both with enough time to go out, come back change stuff, go out again, get a kite up with a halyard that will grip in the cleat, some temporary deck grip so he doesn't fall off it, a proper foil that won't snap, mesh on the racks to reduce the windage, a different jib, a purpose designed suit of sails maybe, so much to do, so little time.
	Snow Equipment Deals New Core Kite website

alstorer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 02 Aug 07 Location: Cambridge Online Status: Offline Posts: 2899	Post Options Post Reply Quote alstorer Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Aug 11 at 1:29pm
	As you're using B14 wings, I'd recommend using the Advantage Sails mesh tramps for the wings- it's what most of the fleet currently use. Apparently those dacron ones are fine if you never let the boat heel (barring roll tacks), let alone capsize. Don't go for nets, as A: you're not a fisherman and B: there's 25 years of experience in the B14s to say they're a bad idea!
	-_ Al