The Tasar v the Icon

You can change the sheeting arrangement. The Demo boat i sailed has a block on the floor so you can take the sheet from there if you wish. I found the off the boom arrangement very easy to use (despite having never sheeted off the boom prior to jumping in the boat).

Originally posted by Rupert Its a bit like suggesting the boat shouldn't have had a kicker to keep it more simple. It adds 1 cleat, one pole, some string and elastic. And gives the crew something MORE to do, and makes the front sail work better.

What a thoroughly enjoyable sailing experience that turned out to be. Walking to the beach this morning, I'd almost made up my mind that there was little point in taking the Icon afloat, but I am so glad that I did. It had been out already so was rigged and afloat, jumped in, got clear of the beach, a bit more plate, got the rudder down - and started sailing. I had no issues about rig tension or was the rake set right. I had a mainsheet, tiller, tweaked the kicker now and then as the light breeze came and went, but the rest of the time was just spent...sailing! Beat up to windward until clear of the moorings (a good 1/2 to 3/4 mile beat, then with a bit of clearer air, cracked sheets, pulled on the dangly pole string (so simple to use and really intuitive as to how much you need to keep the jib set) and relaxed as the boat just accelerated away.

The difference was... there was 110 years + in the boat, not to mention the 28 stone + (and maybe plus some more) but I didn't feel as if the boat was struggling. Clearly with less weight in the marginal stuff you'd go better but in breeze.... It was such a pleasant experience just focusing on getting the boat where I wanted it, without thinking about constant tweaks.

There were things that I didn't like - transom sheeting being one, add that to the 'off the boom' set up (which is fine if you're young enough to wear a logo'd up rash vest but otherwise is a no-no) and for older folks, a thwart might be kinder to already ruined knees and hips.

I'd like to sail one with a tad less weight and in breeze - with a Solent chop to shake things up, but as least you can have your head up and out of the boat looking where you're going.

As one who gets to sail most boats, I'd have to say that I thought the Icon made a virtue out of doing the simple things very well. If you are a fiddler and tweaker, maybe this isn't the boat for you, but if you get to sail once a week (maybe twice in the summer with a Weds night race) then this a boat that you ought to be able to sail well. Of course, put more in and I am sure that there is a lot more to come out but I'd need a longer sail and more breeze to 'push the envelope'. But on the experience of today, it is certainly an option worthy of consideration.

Well done to the minds behind the boat and a big thank you to Mike and Charlotte for the use of their boat which was returned to them - unbroken!

Cheers

Dougal
Pure Magic - 70 years of the Merlin Rocket

Originally posted by blaze720  Blimey ..... to think we could have 'missed' it looking back !   It made such a difference on the trial NS hulls against a regular jib stick we then developed the Icon rig anew around the thing.... larger jib + smaller main etc.    It is hugely important to the boat and is still a doddle to use.

For what its worth - I was dead against the dangly when we worked up the concept as well ......  but we also said we would be prepared to try a few 'new' ideas in the development process.

Blimey ..... to think we could have 'missed' it looking back !   It made such a difference on the trial NS hulls against a regular jib stick we then developed the Icon rig anew around the thing.... larger jib + smaller main etc.    It is hugely important to the boat and is still a doddle to use. 

Icon might still be the only boat with a dangly incorporated from day 1.  Try and imagine sailing without a kicker on the main for a bit of comparison ...  the jib is smaller of course but it also 'feeds' the main so has a disproportionate effect overall. 

We all know that getting the slot right is critical 'uphill' and there is no end of fiddling and adjusting going on to optimise the slot for beating in many classes .... but you can get similar benefits on all other angles as well - if you control the slot and twist of the jib via a dangly.  Don't worry about the theory, forum contributions for or against or any other justifications - just use one as it very quickly becomes intuitive.  Then you will understand .....

You see them on Enterprises and Albacores as well now (not well known for adopting radical new fangled ideas) as well as  on N12s and Icons.  btw  'Barber haulers' attempted to do a similar sort of thing but are much more limited in what they can achieve ...

And of course as has been said - you can just ignore it.  Or at least you might until you meet an otherwise identical boat on the water equipped with one ..... 

Mike L.


Edited by blaze720 - 24 Jul 14 at 3:45pm