MK 4 OSPREY

Will,

now we know you took the pics could you send some electronic copies to our Web Master, also what did you think of the boat?

Nick

Hi, about the photo of the new Osprey in front of the Javelin at Alton on 5th February (taken at the first gybe mark). I took the pictures - there were no Fireballs on the water that day, but there were four 5o5s behind the Javelin, and the Osprey increased its lead throughout the race.

Im only joking, and its an amazing statment of how things have progressed that the I14 could be considered heavy now.

As for the real Barges of the Thames... they coupled weight carrying ability with speed to such a level it spawned an Industrial revolution. (along with the advent of steel and the exploitation of the rest of Britain).

Chris

you are right of course that the modern assy is an entirely different beast to those used by thames barges etc. I was just teasing, as i'm sure you realise. I don't think a barge will have ever sailed to the apparent wind in the sense that modern fast dinghies do.  Though my dad has said that he's sailed barges at around 14 knots, that must have been pretty impressive!

Nevertheless, Rogerd makes a good point that some classes that are sometimes referred to as classic or heritage, such as the fastsail classes, are highly developed (within class rules of course) thoroughbred racing dinghies.