Another one to avoid
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Choosing a boat
Forum Discription: Ask any questions about the sport!
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10307
Printed Date: 05 Aug 25 at 12:02pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Another one to avoid
Posted By: iGRF
Subject: Another one to avoid
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 9:01am
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Never a month seems to go by without further boating weirdness popping up on the iGRF radar, this time a couple of my fellow club mates turned up down the lake this Sunday past with another antiquity.
I know what it's called because I put the obvious question to them "why on earth would you?" Another Dad torturing his daughter. So, forum Pop Quiz, what am I describing? About 15 foot long, twin hander conventional three sail, big box like stern section which looks vaguely mirror like only boxed in, a pointy bow and a bloody great metal daggerboard thing you can hardly lift, obviously some sort of fashion trend about the same time that Finn thing was created. Unlikely it will ever plane has a PY about the same as a Laser. And it's not an Enterprise, GP, Osprey, 420/70, or any other conventional thing. They sail them a lot in Belgium I'm told. |
Replies:
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 9:37am
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A Scorp? ------------- |
Posted By: OBC
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 9:38am
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Snipe?
------------- MR 2404. Finn K468 |
Posted By: AlexM
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 9:44am
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Kestrel ------------- |
Posted By: robinft
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 9:52am
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Flying Junior? ------------- Laser number 9 |
Posted By: Presuming Ed
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 10:05am
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Big metal centreboard implies 12 sq metre Sharpie? http://www.sharpies.org.uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ER2Ksa8uHpA [TUBE]ER2Ksa8uHpA[/TUBE]
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Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 12:54pm
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1 correct answer so far i was there so not going to comment ------------- (Redoubt Sc) Miracle 4040 GP14 13407 Crewsaver phase 2 range now available to buy online on at http://www.gibsonsails.com |
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 1:05pm
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12sqm sharpies all over Holland too and isn't there a concentration on the east anglian coast somehere ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 1:44pm
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At 15 feet (plus 6"?) it sounds like a Snipe to me. If so, it pre-dates the Finn by almost 20 years. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 2:51pm
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I was going with a Lark, but as we already have a winner, it can't be ------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 3:13pm
And the prize goes to the wooden topper sailor... It is indeed a Snipe as ugly and unnecessary a contrivance ever to wear out my already wasted eyes.. And to make your poor daughter and an ageing boat design genius lift from it's trailer.. Don't ever buy one, I always said young Andy (the owner) isn't all there. EDit, doh don't re -read my own threads the winner was OBC who I shall now go and investigate for further wood bothering crimes against sailing humanity.. 
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Posted By: robinft
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 3:15pm
Snipe; 3 sails? ------------- Laser number 9 |
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 3:21pm
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snipe is two sails surely! and its a weird looking thing at that. http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/class/Snipe - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/class/Snipe ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: timeintheboat
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 4:19pm
North Norfolk to be precise. Wells SC has a good number. They are a thing of beauty, jolly expensive, wooden masts, gaff rig. They sail them in all winds - I think there is not much room for the crew though! Definitely a gentlemen's boat to helm. ------------- Like some other things - sailing is more enjoyable when you do it with someone else |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 4:29pm
So, correct me if I'm wrong then, that big balooney thing, don't you call that a sail? Well when it's not being a spinnaker that is, and the expression 'three sail reach' what does that mean then? Am I being thick here? |
Posted By: robinft
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 4:31pm
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The Snipe doesn't have a big balooney thing, only a main and a jib. The stick thing alongside the boom is a jib stick. ------------- Laser number 9 |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 4:39pm
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A jib stick? Don't, I don't even want to know, so no balooney thing either and those Sharpie things how wrong are they, on a multitude of levels... Being designed in the fatherland in the thirties for a start..
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Posted By: I luv Wight
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 5:06pm
The Aussies took the 12m˛ Sharpie, and made it a 'Lightweight Sharpie'   http://www.sharpies.com.au/ - http://www.sharpies.com.au/ ------------- " rel="nofollow - http://www.bloodaxeboats.co.uk" rel="nofollow - http://www.bloodaxeboats.co.uk Andy P foiling Int Moth GBR3467 Freedom 21 Codling |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 5:32pm
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The Aussies always appear to be haing more fun in a boat than the rest of us, don't they? Warmer water, I guess!
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 5:36pm
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I have a sneaking suspicion that OBC might have snuck across here from the cvrda website, Grumph, so certainly another wood botherer!
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: OBC
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 6:58pm
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heh heh. I once had the dubious honour of being part owner of a venerable old Snipe and it was truly a bit like sailing an open coffin, and rather uncomfortable too. The high boom, although handy also made it look... wrong..... It did plane but you needed half a gale up the jaxi to do so. Then you had the terror of actually turning it round to come back. Not the easiest boat to sail imo I have a glass N18 too so not all wood. ------------- MR 2404. Finn K468 |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 7:31pm
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And I note you're a windsurfer, so cannot be all bad...
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Posted By: rogerd
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 8:08pm
| There is a fleet of Snipes at Budworth. Along with the geeps, furballs, and an rs thingy. One of the few clubs left where you have to sail a boat of the clubs choice. |
Posted By: OBC
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 8:37pm
I played with windsurfing for a few years in the 80's, but have'nt bothered since. There was an element of improving technique through spending money that I did'nt like. Plus I could'nt gybe or waterstart worth a damn. I surfed for years - proper stand up stuff, paddling through mountainous seas etc etc. Got back into sailing boats when I realised that one cannot really relax or drink beer on a sailboard. And my surfing is now confined to a surfmat. ------------- MR 2404. Finn K468 |
Posted By: Paramedic
Date Posted: 18 Dec 12 at 8:37pm
| Must be doing something right as it's a huge class around europe |
Posted By: Ruscoe
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 9:57am
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I think Snipes used to have spinnakers man, many moons ago. We have one that predates the war at our club (think its 1930's), its a canvassed deck thing and it has a cotton spinnaker. The owner still has all the original documents. He has to leave it on the water to take up otherwise it leaks like mad. It must weigh about 2 tonnes and whilst i can see why some people like that sort of thing its not for me. My mate bought a semi modern one and cleaned up at our club in it, absolute bandit! ------------- |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 10:03am
Thanks Ruscoe  , this thread is about avoiding them and discussing means by which the world can be rid of such atrocities now you've said that they'll be selling in droves, i think i should sign up as publicity officer for the CVRDA, inadvertently I must be doing more for the wood botherers cause than their own PO... Where have I gone so wrong I wonder..
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Posted By: SUGmeister
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 10:28am
------------- Simon SUGmeister I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me. |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 10:48am
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OK, so suddenly I'm more interested in Snipes.
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: fleaberto
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 12:11pm
 ------------- Lightning368 'All the Gear' (409), Lightning368 'Sprite' (101), Laser (big number) 'Yellow Jack', RS Vareo (432)'The Golden Rays' |
Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 1:15pm
I've just spooted an argument against compulsory bouyancy aids------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: pondmonkey
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 1:47pm
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well they look nicer than Albacores... I wonder who'd win head-to-head- a Snipe or the New iCon.
------------- |
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 2:03pm
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Over the water or ashore Jimbo? ;) ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: Presuming Ed
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 8:04pm
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I thought this place was free of all that sexist claptrap than infests SA. She's (GASP) a.....WOMAN!!!!! With (GASP).....BREASTS!!!!! |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 8:11pm
Just once in a while - especially against the backdrop of an old and supposedly ugly boat. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 19 Dec 12 at 8:14pm
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Not supposedly ugly, it is an ugly boat! ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 23 Dec 12 at 7:29pm
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Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 07 Jan 13 at 2:47pm
| Now we have a full blown infestation, another one showed up, two of the bloody things and they've beaten me over the water twice now, time to introduce them to a can of woodworm. |
Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 28 Jan 13 at 9:44pm
beer, and a climate that means they don't have to worry about insulating their homes so instead can put foam to the use it was always, IMO, invented for, being sandwiched between epoxy glass to make light-weight dinghies?
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Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 28 Jan 13 at 9:45pm
is there some kind of prize that can be awared virtually for such an act I wonder?
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Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 29 Jan 13 at 8:51am
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In defence of the Snipe - which I sailed in France for a few years... it is a challenging boat to sail right, with a rig that requires lots of tweaking. The sailing is all about tactics as speed differences are not huge. The Snipe is probably the cheapest route in to proper international sailing (that is sailing against people who do have English as their first language) with big fleets in Europe, North and South America and even Japan. Sail numbers (which started at number 1) are now over 30500 worldwide. There is also the charm of sailing in a class that has real history, and a tradition of some serious partying (the legendary stainless steel concrete mixer for preparing the cocktails!). The list of World and Continental champions over the last 80 years reads like a Who's Who of world sailing. Admiitedly it is not the lightest of boats. but that is not necessarily a disadvantage. Some may consider it as an ultra light keel boat. It is still one of the biggest non spinnaker 2 man hiking classes. They do well on inland waters, as they sail through the holes on their inertia, and provide great racing at sea. The Snipe provides truly international racing for sailors of all generations. Probably a bit too sophisticated for those brought up sailing beach boats. For more information see www.snipe.org Gordon ------------- Gordon |
Posted By: SUGmeister
Date Posted: 29 Jan 13 at 2:20pm
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http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/13/0106/%20 - http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/13/0106/ http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/11/0515/ - http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/11/0515/ http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/12/0111a/ - http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/12/0111a/ |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 29 Jan 13 at 3:41pm
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That's what I like about this place - er nothing.
But seriously, no, here I am trying to steer the unitiated lurker through the maze of garbage and dross that litters the world waters, and here are you lot reeling out the inevitable pictures of nearly dead people abusing their young.. I give up. (well not quite )
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Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 30 Jan 13 at 5:52am
| I've seen Snipes in France and the US, they do offer good racing, I guess they never caught on here because of the Ent, GP, MR and N12 |
Posted By: gordon
Date Posted: 30 Jan 13 at 8:17am
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iGRF seems not to have read the captions - the photos were from a Masters regatta, which has a minimum age for the helm and a minimum combined age. Getafix - there were Snipe here - Ted Heath's first boat was a Snipe. However, as you point out, possibly unintentionally, the British sailing scene was always somewhat atypical, preferring to sail in local classes. Probably because the heyday of dinghy sailing was just before it became easier and cheaper to travel to the Continent, so no need to have boats that were being sailed elsewhere. ------------- Gordon |
Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 30 Jan 13 at 8:44am
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Well for what it's worth, the two Snipes are being sailed by a deranged Windsurfer also from my home club of H&SSC, he and his family spent some time on the Continent working and got into sailing them over there, like me, he's a racing windsurfer and so is his family, his lass did really well last season winning some jnr European title and it is she who helms sometimes, so is good practise for when she engages in proper sailing at her windsurfing regattas.
Sailing the Snipe slows her down enough to be mixing it with the lake fleet, if she used her race board there would be no contest, other than as she comes through the fleet for the 2nd and third time in any given hours race. (being a girl she obviously humours her dad as so many daughters do, in this his early stages of senility)
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