The Solo

Well as luck would have it, circumstance forced me into that new Solo, Mildred this avo, I had to put a buoy out for the team fifteen kids we were training later to race round, my boat was already on its trailer so I asked for a ride to go and pick up one of the buoys to move it, but when I got there someone else had already moved it so I had a bit of a play in this new one.
Talk about chalk and cheese, this is a totally different animal, crisp, sorted, made by SBS or something similar, the centreboard has a continuos line, the elastic thing kept the rig almost clew forward capable. It cut a much smoother path trough the water than i remember that wooden one doing, I'd love to give this one a go in a handicap race, if i didn't cream it in this I'd need my arse kicked. I can totally see now why it was so popular in the face of what's been around up until just lately. I think things like the D Zero and Aero will put paid to all that though, but it has critical volume so nothing to worry the class just yet, I'm glad I tried it though, and it definitely had lighter steering than that epoxy Streaker.

Edited by iGRF - 28 May 14 at 8:36pm

It was n't perfect, the sail did develop a nasty reverse S on off wind legs, that needs looking at, I've no idea what sail it was and the owner seemed to know less about the many options than I did (Heavy full cut, lightweight shallow, windy etc) but upwind I must say that long clew felt more powerful than my much larger but higher aspect sail in the occasional puffs of I guess around 9-12kts.

I bet the battens were probably contract crap, a tapered batten might help stop that reverse S'ing and I'd have to have a couple of different sets if I were to race it depending on where I wanted the flow point to be, but I bet the class fascistonistas might not look kindly on tuned battens, there again not an easy one for them to spot and you can bet your sweet bippy the hot shot loft jocks will all have them..

Originally posted by kneewrecker carbon battens available to personal flex characteristics....

Really? That's a bit enlightened for dinghydom? What about materials for building the sails, any restrictions?

Originally posted by kneewrecker not that I'm aware of, but you'd need to check with the CA to be absolutely sure.   North do the 3DL sail for example: 1,300 quid mind

Each to their own etc, but IMHO £1300 for a Solo sail is way beyond bonkers..