Are the Ospreys intending in using gust responsive rigs like Bethwaite have developed?

It never ceases to blind me with wonder as to why classes are forever trying to 'improve' by embracing new technologies.

The Osprey's main attraction (so far as I can see) is that older boats compete on such an even footing with the new stuff.... somthing that dispite what most classes say, is very rare in a UK dinghy class.

There should only be two reasons why a class should introduce changes.... to incourage more people to sail it by making it nicer to sail or reduce costs, which in turn encourages people to sail it.

If your new boat is faster than the existing boats won't that make the class more expensive and elitist and if it doesn't..... why are you getting all exited about a flying boat thats just the same?????????

let me reformulate this proposition - let's change the rules of one of the class that allows normal adults to compete to to create yet another class for dwarves! There are too many classes for lightweight sailors.

Dinghy sailing is losing out to keelboat and big boat sailing because there are few classes left that can be sailed by two adult men! Sailing has failed to adapt to the increasing size of adults, instead crews appear to be getting lighter and lighter. Let's encourage more classes that cater for 180-200+ kg crews

Gordon (currently 125kg)

I think that about sums it up nicely Gordon.   Ospreys carry weight well so grown ups as well as smaller people can sail them on a competitive basis.

Have they included can holder in the new deck design as I know those Osprey boys like a beer - I did an event a few years back in  Andy Barkers boat sailing with Vyv Townend; I think I was fleet lightweight in more than one respect.

I could hardly walk in the morning let alone sail ...

Rick

JimC, why can't you have a gust responsive rig without it being fully battened?

Seams odd to me given that modern Merlin Rocket rigs seam to work very effectively in gusty conditions.

Dave

Can holders!  I though Ospreys came with a cocktail cabinet as standard.

This reminds me of when I first took my little brother sailing in a Scorpion.  After a couple of minutes he said "put the heater on I'm cold".

Redback

I think you're confusing Ospreys with Wayfarers, they have to have a cocktail cabinet fitted to help counterbalance their Agas.

Lost for words...

Grafham Grand Prix ... second race.... No1 ...... Mk4 Osprey

Great result but I'm thinking: Very good helm & crew, late for the start, winning by six minutes, a new hull, a new carbon/mylor sail rig, why not a new PY ? 

When classes have a radical overhaul, surely this will effect the PY ?  Perhaps it will over the next few seasons....

Thank you very much, osprey!  I've had a look at those photos and wow! It's like a blockbuster trailer, isn't it?   (I mean "Hollywood-King-Kong-esque-superproduction" type blockbuster, not "can-I-have-a-P-Bob" type blockbuster) 
It's got a mast step, it's got a transom, it's got a hatch... any sails at all???  

Has anyone on the forum taken a picture of the complete beast at the boat show? You can uploaded them straight to this thread from your hard disk. Pierre, did you take your camera with you?

I'm not an Osprey sailor, but I was quite taken by the boat at the show on sunday.The builder chap is certainly very enthusiastic too!

I will be trying to get a go in one soon

Thanks for the positive comments on the new Mk4, pleased most of you like the boat. Pictures on Osprey Website click on sitemap Mk4 Yachts and Yachting thread. Hubby collects his Mk4 on 28 January, will be sailing every Sunday at Alton Water (near Ipswich) in Frostbite series. Bon Soir Pierre, many thanks for your input, I trust your beating heart is stable now.

I am happy to say I saw my new boat on the stand at the show . The pictures may or may not be very good but we shall see.

Brave New World has now arrived.

More pictures will follow or you can see the boat for real at sailboat

Nick J

Calum,

The problem is you have more to control than in a Lazer - The are three sails not one to control!

Nick

Look closely at the background of the photos above and you might see Pierre standing there, a longing expression on his face.

 Thank you for this, Pierre! xxx

Here are the other 2 photos you sent me, Pierre. I'll forward them to the Osprey site.

(flattery will take you everywhere)

I saw the boat yesterday very well thought out control lines etc. Look forward to seeing one on the water. May be the fastsail regional at Lymington?

P mark was still bailing out the drool when we arrived.

Pierre! We're famous, my dear!!

http://www.ospreysailing.org.uk/testsite/default.asp?id=1&mnu=1 - http://www.ospreysailing.org.uk/testsite/default.asp?id=1&am p;mnu=1

Thanks Huw

There seems to me to be a lot more interest in the re-launch of the osprey than there is with the rs500.

I would choose the osprey every time!

well RS sold 18 rs500 at the boat show and they have not finshed desining it yet so i throght that was good for an unfinshed boat tha no one has sailed

Yes, but don't forget the Hornet which more than fits in to the Fastsail mould :

high performance - Still "apparently" faster than Fireball, one is even known to have won a race at the Symmetric GP (almost on the water!)

Longevity - 20-25 year old boats still competing at the very top of the fleet

Moderate Expenses - try and better it!

Symmetrical Spinnaker - yes, for the crews that like a challenge!

Plus there is the added bonus that it can be sailed very competatively with a wide crew range, great mixed fleet....

That's all well and good, but you're all ugly

Boatshed

no we are definately not a development class.

The new boat is the same as the MK3 below waterline and we have been through due process to get this development. The copyright holder does not intend to permit any further changes in the medium term. A class has to look at its boat from time to time to ensure it cintinues. Since its original design in 1953 there have been three changes to the decking of the boat and this last one was needed to enable us to have a FRP boat which will last

Nick J

I wasn't on about the boatshow, I haven't been, too expensive to travel to london, but most people on the forum seem genuinely interested in the osprey, but quite negative about the rs500.  I suspect the 18 rs's sold are for an "outward bound" type place, or perhaps some of them cockneys in black and sequins outfits like the look of them!

Well now the show is over I am pleased to say that there were two boats ordered which means by the end of April there should be 16 competing.

Nick J

" A WORLD WITHOUT STRING IS CHAOS"

The Osprey is not a development class nor is it a one design (although some might claim its a one design).  Its like many boats from that era - a one design with a bit of development - and its my view that this makes some of the best boats.  Have a look around, some of the nicest boats fall into this category, Scorpion, 5o5, Graduate, Enterprise, Contender and there's loads more.  Where are the strict one designs of past eras, Mirror 14, Mirror 16, Toy, only the very popular one designs survive the the advance of technology, and even the Laser had to change its control lines to retain its popularity.

Way back - before my time - even strict one designs had to change with the introduction of polyester sails.  I suspect the same is going to happen with carbon rigs.  Its going to be facinating to watch.

And I'm sorry if the Hornets feel neglected in one of my earlier posts.  They too are a good boat although this is one class I have never sailed so I'd better shut up at this point.

Well, I saw Morph collect his new craft yestyerday and was told that the official launch would be today.

Well Morph how did it go

We cannot wait to see you report

Nick

Well, we are still drinking the champagne, (decided not to pour it over the boat), does that give you some indication?  We won our first race,  however musn't get too carried away because we sailed well in our Mk 3 also,  the boat tracks well off wind and performs equally well upwind. The boat is finished to a high standard and Hartley Laminates should be proud of their new product. Time will tell when she sails against other Ospreys. Early signs look good. Some very minor adjustments to be made. Approving comments made by other sailors.

To answer Nibor's question regarding which carbon rig is more proven in the FD class, the Selden mast is definitely the rig of choice for the FD fleet since it accepted carbon. The results at the Worlds last year prove this, the top two boats were carrying Selden carbon masts, and with over 70 Selden FD masts sold in 2005, the majority of the active class are using them.

The extensive development for this rig has been used to aid the development of the new Osprey rig, matching carbon dynamism and gust response to a more traditional sail plan.

The new boat looks great, looking forward to seeing one sailing!

Redback your welcome to try the Hornet experience any time. Trap or Plank?

Redback Im based near Bath but tend to travel with the Hornets as my local puddle doesnt suit them (too many big shifts) If Im up your way or your coming this way we can sort something out. The plank has to be experienced.

29er397 wrote: I believe we will be having 2 of these new boats at kielder this season. They already kick our ar**s so with this new design we're going to have no chance! is the PY expected to change much? i think roughly 920 would give us a bit more of a fair chance, not that i am complaining, the new boats look very nice!

Im with Pierre on this one, what you should bear in mind is that the Opsrey Sailers at Keilder are very good - but do not tell them that. Their results would distort any handicapp

Nick J

Sounds a bit like what would happen if you trapezed of a wing ... except you are not as mobile.

Rick

Bumble, The plank is on a very old 1953 boat . At Netley open there were two plankers both of similar age. They are not competetive with the modern Hornets partly because they have a slightly different hull shape and on my boat I darent wind up the tension to high. Also the palnk is significantly heavier than a trap and fore and aft trim is very difficult.

I sail the planker for fun and it is a great talking point on the beach. It is also rather frail so we have graded up to see if we can keep up with the fleet and now we have no excuse and we cant blame the boat.
The old boat will come out for the classic and vintage rally in August and we may take her out to play at weekends off the beach.