Cirrus Icon Development

TR,

We capsized Icon repeatedly in development as part of the progrtamme ... (occassionally unintentionally) but the boat is remarkably forgiving with its very light rig.  The mast is semi-sealed with standing rigging totally external and the main halyard being the only one that is housed within the tube.... but the top fitting is filled with epoxy and exactly drilled out to 4.3mm to take the 4mm halyard.  This means it floods very slowly (cannot remember if 03 has this treatment though !) - ie we were making sure inversion was as slow as possible.

What we found was that reasonably sized crews could right the boat from its side just by pulling the centreboard down to the surface (it is easy) and often (in my case !) before I had a chance to fully get on it.  Scooping the crew up became almost standard practice and is recommended - if they don't get fully scooped then they could grab onto the shround on that side as it came up stabalising the boat.  Something we also adopted from the NS 14 was the rear quarters were relatively low in the water (ie reduced freeboard towards the back) - a simple boarding techinique was to reach in, grab the toestrap and pull yourself in (the gunwhale join is 'smooth' and makes this very easy.  Some boats are an absolute horror to board once you have righted them if you don't make it climbing over as they come up !

Don'y worry about 'style' points too much !

Cheers - Mike L.

TR .... what did you think of the acceleration etc in a bit more wind then ?  There is a bit of an 'extra gear' in Icon's gearbox to be found  


Edited by blaze720 - 10 Sep 12 at 2:39pm

Key is to NOT pinch or over-sheet with this sort of configuration - let the boat 'flow' and almost find its own best angles.  Icon will point very high when needed but best VMG is a bit freer.  We often overtake by going through the lee of many other classes - it keep the boat going fast, the rig pulls you through quickly and the 'overtaken' often oblige by that knee-jerk 'pinch' as you approach - just what we want.

The jib needs to be carefully managed - out of tacks match the first foot of it or so to the edge of the deck - no tighter.  Once up to speed you can tighten it just a tad if needed.   Do experiment with the pole - when you get it right the boat will really fly.  Once experienced the crew will often play both pole line and jib sheet at the same time, especially when cracked off close hauled - when they find the optimium shape the helm can feel the difference on the main.

Down wind in breeze we often pole the jib out of course and dogleg downwind.  You can also try leaving the jib on one side and just gybing the main.  You trim the jib as required still and on one side you will most likely be best off going 'deep' and on the other 'tighter and faster'  The overall track downwind followed means that no asymetric or conventional spinnaker boat is likely to continually shadow you in similar fashion.

Another trick I'm sure the N12's must do already is to 'brake' the boat on the start line or approaching a crowded marke when you want to intentionally slow - 'pole on' against the wind.  We are still finding things possible with this system and as Icon has a largish jib it is great fun to crew as well. 

Icon is a subtle and interesting creature but not 'tempremental' in any respect.   It will be good to have 2 or 3 at the Forumites meeting. 

Mike L.

  

'Learning' new boats is always interesting.   I went to the 'dark side' that is board racing for nearly 16 years well into my 30's then saw the light and returned.  It was both great fun and a real challenge to to 're-learn' dinghies and I've enjoyed it even more in the 'n' years since and after the eye-opener of board development kept a very open mind on what can 'work'. 

We only stop learning new things ... when we consciously choose not to learn. 

Mike L.

Looks great, must be a thrill in the lumps of Lyme (my favorite sailing location) One thing the Jibb seems awfully open at the top of the leech.  Have the controls for the jib changed now so you can control foot and leech tension?