The RS900 - 'our' fantasy dinghy!

True Rick, however Is it not fair to say that in the musto, because the
boat is so quick that there's a lot to do with reducing drag rather than
going for a fat powered sail?
Where as in the heavier boats with a more rounded, not all out planing
hull shape, such a rig though more efficient wouldn't be able to power
the boat along in the same way....?
Certain classes, mostly skiff style boats have made better uses of carbon
in their masts. Noticeably luff curves have changed in such boats to
induce curve predominately at the top of the mast which anyone in an
800, 29er, 600, 14, will more than likely notice that as they pull the sail
towards the tip, the mast bends to it.
But in slower boats which spend more time displacement sailing, making
the full benefits of having carbon may not actually be a benefit to how
the boat performs. E.g Windsurf rig on an osprey... hmm

However if anyone feels like rigging up such a style rig onto an osprey,
please do put photo's and let us know how it goes   

Doug H

p.s One major benefit of carbon..... snap an ally rig in to and see how a
repair job comes out on that!

Edited by Doug.H

Originally posted by Doug.H But in slower boats which spend more time displacement sailing, making the full benefits of having carbon may not actually be a benefit to how the boat performs. E.g Windsurf rig on an osprey... hmm

I dunno that the two are necessarily connected. A board rig does march to a bigger drummer because you don't really have problems with power management: they are sensible enough to change sail size to suit the weather. From one point of view its crazy that we don't do that in dinghies: carrying the same rags in 20knots as in 2knots is a pretty silly idea when you look at the maths...

I do think there's a long way to go in terms of using carbon to best advantage for lower powered boats. I think there's a lot that could be done in playing with the laminate and materials up and down the tube in order to get the best bend characteristics. Also I think that essentially triangular sails with soft battens don't help at all with tuning rig response. I do have some crazy ideas for a moderately radical canoe rig in those terms, but I'm trying to decide if I'm brave enough to shell out the cash...

Edited by JimC

Are'nt you guys loosing the plot completely. In motor racing changing the
tyres seems to me to be cheating. The best drivers should be able to win
whatever the weather. In the present climate (financial of course) they
might not even be able to afford one set. Suggesting we all need three or
four suites of sails is certainly fantasy. In fact why not take thee or four
boats like windsurfers take three or four boards.



.!


and . in any conditions gu tyres

Originally posted by NeilP I'm not implying that carbon is not a better material for masts, I'm just saying it's not the magic bullet that will make a rig perform in all weather, whereas the ability to adjust and tune the thing on the water might be. .

Adjustable upper shrouds, lower shrouds, upper spreaders, lower
spreaders, adjustable rig, adjustable mainsheet stirrup, jib clew in out,
up down, and many more I would'nt understand.So how many controls
are really necessary to sail a dinghy across the wind range? Many
dinghies with alu. masts can do that without all those controls. Carbon
masts just make it easier. The alternative explains why 505's sold about
five or less new boats in the UK last year. A boat with the complexity
necessary to win major events cost from a builder nearly £20K,
approximately double the price of a comparably performing modern
dinghy. I guess the equivalent Merlin costs double an RS 400.
Is this the sort of boat you really think the fantasy RS900 should be?
You would have a job to convince RS!

Originally posted by oldarn Originally posted by NeilP I'm not implying that carbon is not a better material for masts, I'm just saying it's not the magic bullet that will make a rig perform in all weather, whereas the ability to adjust and tune the thing on the water might be. . Adjustable upper shrouds, lower shrouds, upper spreaders, lower spreaders, adjustable rig, adjustable mainsheet stirrup, jib clew in out, up down, and many more I would'nt understand.So how many controls are really necessary to sail a dinghy across the wind range? Many dinghies with alu. masts can do that without all those controls. Carbon masts just make it easier. The alternative explains why 505's sold about five or less new boats in the UK last year. A boat with the complexity necessary to win major events cost from a builder nearly £20K, approximately double the price of a comparably performing modern dinghy. I guess the equivalent Merlin costs double an RS 400. Is this the sort of boat you really think the fantasy RS900 should be? You would have a job to convince RS!

RS400 nationals 39 entries

Merlin Rocket nationals 78 entries.

Many dinghies can do without all the various adjustment, true. But sail a boat with lots of controlls and learn how to use them and I garuntee the next time you get into a boat without them you will find yourself reaching for the correct controll line and not finding it. So you have to make do with adjusting something else.

Mike Lennon quoted from December edition Y&Y          ;           ;           ;           ;       "I like to have my boats very adjustable so I can leave set-up right untill the 5 minute gun. You often find conditions on the race area are very different to the foreshore..."

You can, if you learn how to use them be better set up for the conditions more of the time if you can adjust. Essential if you sail an overpowerd boat, I wouldn't want to sail a i14 with a pinned rig. I would be wrongly set up more often than I was correctly set up.