Fireblade - revisiting the hybrid project

Well it's what we do in windsurf racing and seems to be catching on a bit in dinghy world of late what with the Aero 5, 7, 9 but generally one size tends to claim the numbers..

My thinking was more toward weight, size and application, if maximum mast height and boom length define the 'types' the smaller sizes aimed at hiking application and the larger aimed at trapeze use, assuming of course the boat works OK with a trapeze and I suspect it's going to be a little tricky, it's a boat that is quick to heel and I'm wondering how that's going to effect getting back in off the wire in a lull.

Then there's the centreboard, at the moment it's probably too big for a) me, b)our water, so logic suggests if you were speccing say an 8 mtr ish hiker for smaller inland water you wouldn't need this big plate, but on the sea with a bigger sail it would work fine with a 9.5 upwards.(providing it's got some form of half decent mast that lets it twist off properly.)

Anyway it's a way off yet, I need to get some sensibly priced carbon masts & booms from somewhere.

Sounds fun! Got any photos?

Well what a night I had last night, after managing hurriedly to attach trap wires arriving at the start thinking it was the five minute gun when it was the one minute. Lovely warm sunny windyish (wind drops the moment the gun fires as is normal, so a patchy 2 - 4, but enough to get on the wire and see how she goes.

Which was well, having to catch up after completely missing the start due to watch error. and arriving at the first mark about half way back in the pack which contained Contenders, Tasars and Lasers and an Aero 7, then it all went pear shaped on the bear off, which took longer than it should have due to the rudder blade raked and in need of pulling vertical, all attempted to be done from the wire, which ended up with the inevitable front rounding and capsize on the bear off.

The boat wasn't that easy to right, slippery plate, high sides, it needs righting lines as I think someone pointed out way back. So by the time we were back under way the fleet was at the first gybe, then having rounded up, back on the wire and engaged once more on the catch up into the normal short chop with the boat bucking and crashing, after a few hundred yards and a particularly steep wave, crash down we came and with it the mast and me back in the soup, snapped forestay, I haven't bothered to find out exactly which bit failed will do it a bit later this must be the third de masting of a trapeze boat with me out there, doesn't inspire confidence or enthusiasm for much more of it...

Edited by iGRF - 11 Jun 21 at 12:39pm

Originally posted by 423zero Get a K1, have a comfortable sail round.

Not quite ready for the sailing equivalent of a mobility scooter just yet, maybe when I'm 80...

Edited by iGRF - 11 Jun 21 at 6:30pm

Originally posted by Grumpycat Hansa 303 maybe . Rupert can give you some race training too .

Don't knock them! Mind in a short chop, they do ship a lot of water!