V Twin

Originally posted by johnreekie1980 Dingy sailing is not a hazardous sport. If sailing is a hazardous sport then what is cycling to work. The Department for Transport shows 970 cyclists killed or seriously injured in the third quarter of 2011. I am not sure what the definition of seriously injured is but it is probably not sore hands. I have yet to see a figure for killed or seriously injured per mile sailed against other sports but i would bet that it is low.

I hardly mean hazard as in 'death hazard' (although being upside down in a rough sea is not something I relish) If you prune roses there is a pricking hazard, if you sail there is a getting cold and wet hazard.

Originally posted by Steve Clark You need to reduce the effective beam when the boat is upside down. This is best done with flooding tubes, which will allow the side you are standing on to sink and thus allow the boat to roll.  You also want the one that is going up top drain.   so it isn't hard to find a solution you like.

There is no solution I would like other than not to go there in the first place. I don't know whether you sail a Garda Class, though most likely a cat, but why can't we accept that turning turtle for multi-sailed dinghies with rigging and clutter is the most dangerous situation so why do so many accept it. Perhaps they don't realise that it was seldom the norm pre the asymmetric bubble and other than for cats has only come about as a result of many dreadful badly designed dinghies. I'm amazed that so many sailors of the flat water Garda Classes accept that a dinghy should turn turtle after say a half minute  for reasons of safety.

Inverted stability is the gnarly downside of upright stability.  But here are solutions short of helium balloons.
You need to reduce the effective beam when the boat is upside down. This is best done with flooding tubes, which will allow the side you are standing on to sink and thus allow the boat to roll.  You also want the one that is going up top drain.  This has been done a number of times in the past, so it isn't hard to find a solution you like.
Just a suggestion from one who has been there and done that.
SHC



Edited by Steve Clark - 26 Apr 12 at 4:05pm

Originally posted by Do Different As GRF has seen the performance he hoped for albeit briefly. I would expect a man of his independent spirit to cock a snoot at those detractors still on the shore, lash half a dozen milk bottle containers to the hounds and take every opportunity to refine the sailing systems and his technique. Had I got as far I would certainly would take that approach for now.

Well said.
Over the nearly ten years or so since I started playing with what became the Alto (wasn't planned), I have been amused rather than put off by the many doubters with their suspect comment. 'Swinging the pole not necessary because asymmetrics only use apparent wind', and so swinging pole unnecessary! Interesting that all boats sold except one into BCYC,are into estuaries or, as Graeme, on the sea where there are these strange things called currents, or do I mean 'apparent currents' Perhaps it is the apparent currents which make the swinging pole so desirable. As for non-doubled bottomed boats, 'apparently' they went out with the Titanic or do I mean  the Ark. They are dangerous since they won't turn turtle.
Two new boats have sold since the Boat Show into an estuary that has as well as apparent wind and apparent currents, a phenomena known as 'apparent waves'. Clearly the new owners realised they needed a non 'Garda Class' that can handle such dangerous conditions. 
Since the Dinghy Show two new AltOs have sold and like all other  AltOs, to be sailed, yes in waves! Oh dear and it only has a single bottom. 

Hi Oldarn, yes I meant more powerful in terms of inverted stability/non-compliance as opposed to raw power from a sailing perspective.