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The rise of the OK |
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sawman
Far too distracted from work Joined: 04 May 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 205 |
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Topic: The rise of the OK Posted: 01 Dec 19 at 9:38pm |
I notice there are a few older OKs advertised on facebook/ebay at present, how much effort and cost would be needed to make these reasonably competitive?
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ColPrice2002
Far too distracted from work Joined: 25 Nov 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 222 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 19 at 10:30pm |
"thanks, hadn't spotted the traveller, so can Solo's be sailed in the same way?"
Basically, yes. The traveller doesn't need to be full width of the thwart on the Solo, but is adjustable (mine has control line each side, some have one continuous line that controls distance from centre). As there is still the final block mounts on the plate case, it's not quite a simple system - sheet in hard and you tend to centre the boom. Coli |
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iGRF
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 19 at 10:44pm |
I need to talk a bit more about sailing with a traveller.
Is it a sort of pre selected sheeting angle thing? Can it be used to sheet in and out sort of micro adjust or is its raison d'etre simply to replace the upwind functionality of the kicker on sails that don't like to be 'kickered' upwind? And why is it no longer featured on modern designs? |
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Sam.Spoons
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3398 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 19 at 11:25pm |
On single sail boats you need the boom over the quarter (as opposed to centring the boom as you would on a two sail boat, which you obviously know). A traveller of some kind, allows you to set the boom angle independent of sheet/leech tension (to a point). In the Blaze we never use kicker upwind, the transom bridle allows the boom to be over the quarter and the sheet to control leech tension/twist, this wouldn't work on an OK with the boom needing to be on the deck upwind so the traveller simply allows the sail to be sheeted down without pulling it too far towards the centreline (as you said, a pre-selected sheeting angle). When I sailed an OK everybody had a centre mainsheet if the class allowed it these days the skiff style off the boom or Laser style hybrid systems are in favour but some of the old classes (Enterprise) have finally allowed centre mainsheets so a measure of their effectiveness might be gleaned from knowing what percentage of the top Ent helms use a centre mainsheet compared to aft mainsheet.
FWIW I have a centre mainsheet on the Spice and was going to stick with it on the Blaze as that was what was fitted when I bought it but I gave the off the boom system a try and was converted before the first tack. I don't think I would use the traveller to trim the sail, it seems to be an added complication that I can live without though it clearly works in some classes.
Edited by Sam.Spoons - 02 Dec 19 at 11:30pm |
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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
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KazRob
Far too distracted from work Joined: 22 Oct 16 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 245 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Dec 19 at 12:02pm |
Depends what you regard as being reasonably competitive . Older wooden boats, assuming they are not rotten or anything seem fairly easy to get up to speed, usually just needing a carbon rig which allows the rig to move forward slightly (carbon masts put less weight in the bow compared to metal masts) and changing the older swept back rudder to the newer less swept back design. Moving the rig forward and changing the rudder help reduce the weather helm a good bit. Older polyester GRP boats will no doubt be a bit harder to get up to speed as more likely to have gone soft or gained weight compared to a wooden boat. How much you spend on a carbon rig will depend on what age the mast is as they have developed since they were introduced as you'd expect. To see what can be done have a look at https://www.okdinghy.co.uk/news/demo-boat/ The boat is from 1993 and after the refurbishment seems as fast as anything else when people have sailed it at open events
Edited by KazRob - 03 Dec 19 at 12:02pm |
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OK 2249
D-1 138 |
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Gordon 1430
Far too distracted from work Joined: 27 Jun 17 Location: Lee on Solent Online Status: Offline Posts: 310 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Dec 19 at 12:57pm |
Hi Kazrob A credit to those generous people and the work done. As I found for the Phantom if you ask politely and don't expect the marine trad people want to help. |
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Gordon
Phantom 1430 |
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iGRF
Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6496 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Dec 19 at 4:01pm |
So getting back to the traveller, is there a system where the main can be set and cleated but effectively 'sheeted' using the traveller to assure the sail remains set but powered and depowered using the traveller?
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Mark Aged 42
Groupie Joined: 24 Aug 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 98 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Dec 19 at 4:13pm |
I recall 505s and/or Fireballs used to do this back in the day. See Lawrie Smith/Andy Barker for details I guess.
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ian.r.mcdonald
Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Feb 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 440 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Dec 19 at 5:09pm |
I remember an Aussie fireball in the 70s with the traveller from a yacht, when correctors are maxed, more weight was needed! |
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L123456
Really should get out more Joined: 30 Apr 12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 500 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Dec 19 at 5:59pm |
Yes; many classes do this ... it's quite and accepted way to trim your mainsail. Tasar's are set up like this and this is much discussed in Frank Bethwaites book which is one of the best texts available for small boat speed ...
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