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Did you get out today? What you in, how'd u do? |
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Do Different 
Really should get out more 
Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312 |
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 Posted: 01 Sep 22 at 2:14pm |
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"It's such a great boat otherwise, out on the open sea, sun, wind, waves, looking down from the wire - such a blast. They've modernised the rig, now all it needs is a 60kg rather than 80 kg hull with a twisty semi battened 9mtr rig and a bit of diversity in the all male class to let ladies and lightweights enjoy a fabulous boat in all conditions. Maybe call it the Contender Woke.
 Edited by Woodburner - Pleased you like it, I love it and within parameters actually quite a relaxing sail once you put some trust in the boat. I get the impression the 600 could be like a collie dog and bite you sharp if you looked at it wrong.
Edited by Do Different - 01 Sep 22 at 2:16pm |
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Woodburner
Far too distracted from work 
Joined: 13 Mar 15 Location: Folkestone Kent Online Status: Offline Posts: 332 |
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Posted: 01 Sep 22 at 9:51pm |
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Last Thursday Evening Series and we're greeted with spots of rain a brisk North Easterly and not a lot of enthusiasm, but it's going to be the last warmish night, Atlantic lows are headed in this weekend and it'll be cool,and dark so three of us Contenderati, a Tasar and a Laser decided to go out and do battle with what really is the worse wind direction at our place, it's always gusty, shifty and unpleasant, but didn't seem too bad, until of course we all launched, then up it came 17-24 was forecast and that pretty much was what we got.
I forgot my watch, once again was failed by my apple watch app and was last away by probably twenty odd seconds and it was a slog, the wind came up even more, not really a problem with the Contender, but theTasar pulled out so I'm playing catch up. I can sail it now, but I wouldn't call me race ready in this wind I struggle to hold a better sailed Laser even but I'm making progress. The second reach was a bit special, now and again, you get moments sailing. The sun low in the sky broke below a thick rain cloud in a reddish gold setting hue which glistened on the spray thrown up from the bow and the weather side which swirled in a million sparkles, out on the wire just born off down a swell, it really doesn't get better than this and you just feel so sorry for all the folk that never get to experience the sheer perfection of the moment, all those sad folk at the Tory hustings I visited recently, the promenaders with their dogs and sad lives basically anyone who doesn't sail or enjoy other facets of waterborne sport. We're so Lucky. Anyway turned out my best result of the season 3rd Contender 4th overall and I'll ignore the fact there were only the four of us finished and just five starters, I just feel.. well I feel luckier than most I still get to do this. Every now and then you really do have to take stock.
Edited by Woodburner - 01 Sep 22 at 9:51pm |
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Do Different
Really should get out more
Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312 |
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Posted: 01 Sep 22 at 10:27pm |
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So true.
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Do Different
Really should get out more
Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312 |
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Posted: 01 Sep 22 at 10:32pm |
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I used to ride horses and to me the Contender feels like that old retired steeplechaser which will do it's best to get you home safely in style so long as you treat it nicely and with respect, otherwise you'll learn who's really the boss.
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NickA
Really should get out more
Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 783 |
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Posted: 11 Sep 22 at 8:21pm |
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To me the contender is a rocketship I rarely find the blue touch paper for. Sometimes, it just takes off. I've had it since May now and still rarely had the wind to make it go. Though last Wednesday afternoon, the wind dropped to nothing ahead of a big thundercloud (overtaken by solos), then just as the storm hit, the wind went up to 30+ knots ... bloody marvelous, if rather frightening. Of course they called us all in ( the electric fields were doing strange things with people's hair and I got a minor shock off the shrouds).
Good new is .. it really can be sailed in any kind of wind. Bad news is... needs quite a lot. The boat would be improved if I could remove those two massive blocks of lead. Lovely boat but shouldn't need storm conditions to perform |
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Javelin 558
Contender 2574 |
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The Q
Posting king 
Joined: 07 Feb 22 Location: Norfolk Broads Online Status: Offline Posts: 116 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 22 at 7:17am |
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I was out yesterday.. In the rescue Boat, my sailing companion is not well enough for a six hour race.. The Tri Icicle Race run by Snowflake Sailing club. It's a passage race you go from Horning down the river Bure to a buoy near Acle, up the river Thurne to Womack, then back to the club.
The forecast was 23 rising to 30mph winds scattered showers and heavy rain later.. We got, not a lot of wind to start rising to 15mph later and it rained for the first 4 hours... Boats start at 5 minute intervals dinghies first, 40ft sailing cruisers last, there were 9 groups this year. The race was started at the club due to the expected wind, however it soon became apparent the wind was not going to arrive, so the down river mark was brought back by a couple of miles and the finish moved down river by about 3 miles to Horning waterworks.. Solo's came first and third on their Broads Handicap of taking 20% off their finishing time, between them was Storm a 35ft broads sailing cruiser with mast of something like 50ft, her handicap is 18% added to her finishing time. There was a massive traffic jam at the end of the village, where there was enough wind to keep boats taking across the river, but not to make headway down river against the incoming tide, some boats spent 45 minutes there before the tide slackened enough to escape. We spent the race following the last of the falling over boats, dinghies punts etc, for most of the race that was a Wivenhoe one design and a Farr 3.7 (that had come up from Kent for the race.). the full results. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eRBpb-QtQt_k9xi9JcbwUwjjFeYjj1BV/view
Edited by The Q - 24 Oct 22 at 7:20am |
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Still sailing in circles
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Dakota
Posting king
Joined: 15 Aug 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 136 |
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Posted: 24 Oct 22 at 11:32am |
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It was pouring down with rain when we set out for the club yesterday morning so we weren’t expecting the best turn out , but the weather cleared and 10 boats made the start line ( we had managed 17 boats the week before, our best turn out since covid hit . )
I was last off , as our Aero sailor decided to go with the 7 rig, but the rain seemed to have killed off the forecasted wind and the first couple of laps were dire so much so I was nearly lapped by the early starting boats . Luckily the wind filled in and and I could pull away from them but with 15mins to go I was only 7th with a gaggle of boats just ahead. With a lot of luck and a tiny bit of skill I managed to pass them by the time the gun when and found myself in third place . I was quite please with that , as it was a good result for me, so much so I treated myself to a second glass of wine at the bar afterwards
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Do Different
Really should get out more
Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312 |
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Posted: 30 Oct 22 at 4:04pm |
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Rediscovered Laser sailing today. Nearly twenty years since I last sailed one regularly at sea off the East Coast. After time spent in two person trapeze boats over all venues and last twelve years getting comfy (ish) on the Contender inland I said I'd never have a Laser again because of the horrible dead feeling rig. However, I'm a lightweight and there are a few sailing Radials at my inland club, man, so different to the full rig, properly squally today and really did feel alright roaring about. It came with all three rigs and for curio I measured the Radial mast vs Full, 2mm wall thickness vs 3mm and obviously a bit shorter, no wonder it feels nicer and less wooden.
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423zero
Really should get out more
Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3399 |
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Posted: 31 Oct 22 at 9:59am |
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Have been waiting for the knockers to finish, but, they haven't commented
Nice simple old design boat, sometimes all you need for a days fun sailing. |
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Robert
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G.R.F.
Really should get out more
Joined: 10 Aug 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4028 |
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Posted: 31 Oct 22 at 12:19pm |
I saw a pretty tight looking radial down at Weymouth speed week, it was being used by a girl quite a big lass probably bigger than me probably some Olympic squaddie. It had a full carbon rig, all manner of control systems the like of which I've never witnessed on a Laser, I'm thinking what kind of Bandit capability is this, what is the Radial nowadays and with that carbon mast and all those controls it probably wouldn't be that bad to sail. On another note it was good to see even some weeks after the event that Y&Y have woken up to real things that go on, on the ground with normal folk, pity they missed half of what went on, that Weymotuh speed week is a jewel in the UK sail crown, so many interesting folk down there, so many eccentrics and it's been going on for fifty years there were three hundred down there when you take all the Windsurfer, Kiters, Wing Sailors and other craft, an amazing spectacle on the 1st Saturday, well worth a trip.
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