Blaze
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=5838
Printed Date: 07 Aug 25 at 9:26am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Blaze
Posted By: G.R.F.
Subject: Blaze
Date Posted: 17 Aug 09 at 11:09am
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I'm bunging this thread here for a couple of reasons..
As y'all know I have one now and am thoroughly enjoying it, I think it's a great boat, perfect for coastal use, excellent for sailing in shallow water, great for gusty inland stuff where a trap is tricky. Well laid out controls easy to hand kicker, cunningham, centreboard and in my case the lowers but it could be something else, not sure what, but all can be adjusted from the driving position. Now the thing I kind of need help with, there are mixed suggestions as to rig tension, they all got beaten up by a good sailor so naturally as all good dinghy sailors do they immediately ignored the fact he might just be better at tactics, shifts, getting a good start, no it was because his rig was floppy so they now recommend a floppy rig which seriously sounds and appears to be very dubious, not least because the mast step is now working itself loose in the deck.. hence the adjustable lowers and soon to be adjustable forestay. 2nd thing is sail control, getting the leech to stand up, it appears to be cut very saggy high up, is this fact or is my sail shagged.. 3rd, getting it to point seems to promote debate, so hints and tips. I'm buggering about with a new foil on my "Frankenblaze' but I kind of need to have a reference of what I should be doing. What I know I should be doing is going to an open meeting of course, easiest way to find our what everyone else is doing, but there aren't any round here and the Nationals are off the edge of the planet in Wales ffs. This might also be reference for anyone else considering this fine craft, rather than brown nosing decks, or forever squatting over a huge toilet bowl.. edit. Oh and I have tried the forum, but it's one of those Yahoo email things 6000+ long, tried wading through it but my eyes began to bleed, I know there's more info to be had here... ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: tmoore
Date Posted: 17 Aug 09 at 1:21pm
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using more kicker should help tighten the leech and therefore your pointing. It will however bend your mast and flatten the sail. You could try tightening the lowers to stop the bend and keep a fuller sail. Practise sailing high with kicker on and low with speed (no kicker). Mark yourself against a boat which sails consistantly and see which pays most. Then you can start ajusting your rig to suit that style of sailing! He could have a floppy rig because he is light/doesn't hike much etc ------------- Landlocked in Africa RS300 - 410 Firefly F517 - Nutshell Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 17 Aug 09 at 2:53pm
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I've done both of the above, hence why I've fitted adjustable on the fly
lowers, but the mast appears to bend in the middle between the spreaders and a foot or so up from the boom, just as I get the standup to begin to appear a bit more kicker then just collapses the belly of the sail flat. Kickers are sooo different to Gnavs, there's almost a case for fitting both. I did wonder, how big/small, heavy light is Steve Cockerill? I thought it might more be the downhill effect and all that running by the lee stuff lasers do. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: tmoore
Date Posted: 17 Aug 09 at 3:49pm
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steve is not heavy. Low 70's (kg). ease the outhaul more to get the foot deeper. In terms of rig it sounds similar to the Rs500. We never liked the way it worked much. You could always move the spreaders. Forwards to straighten the mast, backwards to bend it more. ------------- Landlocked in Africa RS300 - 410 Firefly F517 - Nutshell Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse |
Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 17 Aug 09 at 4:07pm
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not sure about your rig GRF but could pop down on weds night if you want. again with the spreaders going forwards will straighten the mast and also if you increase the spreader length outwards that should also stiffen the mast up. a point to look at with the sail has the bolt rope shrunk best thing to do is unpick the stitching at the tack tie the head off somewhere strong and pull by the tack re-inforcement as that could be causing some of the leech problems. does the leech drum in heavier winds between the battens? ------------- (Redoubt Sc) Miracle 4040 GP14 13407 Crewsaver phase 2 range now available to buy online on at http://www.gibsonsails.com |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 17 Aug 09 at 4:17pm
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It does pop out of the mast at the head sometimes come to think of it.
but I always wang it hard in with the halyard uphaul rope thingy, as hard as I can anyway, dan reckons the mast might be buggered, but it could be the bolt rope. Long way to come from Sunderland, would love to meet you down there if it's not too far out of the way for you. I've been doing training courses wednesday and they're over now, so yes great.. I've not used this sail in strong winds I've got another that the guy suggested using for breezy weather, it has all the same issues which lead me to wonder wether it might just be the way the sail is cut. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 18 Aug 09 at 8:24am
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Sunderland is where i used to live. live in folkestone now. so just down the road. Dave Turnbull sails at redoubt would be someone to speak to as well as he used to have a blaze. what time do you kick off on wednesday?
------------- (Redoubt Sc) Miracle 4040 GP14 13407 Crewsaver phase 2 range now available to buy online on at http://www.gibsonsails.com |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 18 Aug 09 at 11:19am
 You Live in Folkestone?
Why don't you sail with us at Hythe then? No-one sails at Folkestone, only old cruising coffin dodging crusties.. Now, I have a bit of an issue this wednesday... It's Hythe Venetian Fete Night, that Bi-annual Canal Carnival and daughter of darkness No 4 is on a float.. Now for the past 4 years she has terrorised other floats with her super soaker water rifle, so this year it falls to me to do my public duty and 'get her back', I'm thinking pump and fire hose should do it... P.S. No-one alive sails at the Redoubt, it's where the undead go.. Zombies most of them.. You can tell by the Solos and Streakers they use, a Zombies boat of natural choice.. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 18 Aug 09 at 6:25pm
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From when I had my Blaze I can say the floppy rig worked when it was windy but needed to be a little tighter when it was lighter. The lowers I set at the recommended deflection (50mm each way if memory serves) for the light wind setting and then left it like that. I did have an adjustable forestay but found I never acutally used it so tied it off making it fixed again. I did find that you had to check the mast foot regularly because it did work loose. There was talk of a 'wedge' being made available to help the mast oocated properly, doubtless Mike @ Cirrus will be able to let you know more about this. What you should do Grumpf is get yourself to the nationals this year and speak to Mike, Christian and the other guys at the front of the fleet and see what they ecommend. It also matters a little which sail you have, Sobstad, Early North, current North as the cuts are all slightly different. ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 8:35am
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I feel it is my duty to point out that Paul (jeffers) is tall and a regular gym goer and probably therefore heavier, whereas grumpf is short and light - surely this would be making a difference? Also, all the Blaze sailors I observed at Bala were similarly proportioned. ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 9:02am
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So what are you saying wing wang?
The fact when I'm out there on the racks my little short stumpy legs don't actually stretch as far as that stretchy strap your supposed to put them under thing in the boat is going to disadvantage me then? And that I don't go down the Gym any more (Do dinghy sailors even know what a Gym is? I dont recall dinghy sailors ever being fit.. I recall them drunk, I recall them dishevelled, I even recall some of them being mildly humourous (especially when they tip over and swear a lot), I recall them always being in the way at the bar especially at Grafham.. But fit? Nah.. But it sounds from what your saying that there's no room for short Blaze sailors.. That's why we need a wire And a kite. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: Jon711
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 9:53am
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I am a short unfit Blaze sailor - upwind I hike by wrapping my front foot around the forward wing support - downwind sitting a little further back there is enough length on the toe strap to allow full hiking from the middle of the wing... |
Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 10:23am
Longer straps - adjustable length, i'd imagine that most sailors only hang overthe edge from at ost mid thigh so you can only loose a maybe 6" of leverage if you are really short.......vertically challenged people must have found solutions in the past or evolution whould have finished them off 
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Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 11:22am
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I've not sailed it enough to fix anything permanent, but my feet are
always on the edge of the boat or trying to hook under it and I had considered fitting windsurfing footstraps on the edge, but I'm not comfortable that I'm 'doing it right' just yet, I tend to sit right up the front or the bow pitches too much in our cross chop upwind. Off wind isn't an issue I just get sat back in the recliner up the back, very pleasant.. But then so far force four's been my top end experience too date. Vertically challenged folk are far from being finished, we just have to 'think big' and find another way.. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 2:24pm
 No, what I was trying to say is that a heavy weight's rig setting won't be the same as that for a lightweight....  ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 19 Aug 09 at 3:49pm
They're not toes straps, they're toe suspenders.. useless things. I can't get on with any of these stupid devices, not on any of the boats I've owned, normally i just shout 'wire lower' to jumanji, no point in both of us spilling our coffee.. But seriously some sort of hard fixed thing must be better than that swinging lame elastostrap thing we're expected to use... Mine had pictures of chickens all over it.. It went straight in the skip.. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 20 Aug 09 at 12:50pm
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how about guard rails around the edge of the rack GRF then you hike like a yacht person ------------- (Redoubt Sc) Miracle 4040 GP14 13407 Crewsaver phase 2 range now available to buy online on at http://www.gibsonsails.com |