Print Page | Close Window

Solve this Solo Mystery?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy Yarns...
Forum Discription: Tell us your sailing stories
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12597
Printed Date: 29 Mar 24 at 2:57pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Solve this Solo Mystery?
Posted By: iGRF
Subject: Solve this Solo Mystery?
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 6:33pm
Got this Solo down the lake, signed by a Frank lookslike Mountifield, my recollection of Mountifield was Mike, so is this an Offspring and is he a Solo sailmaker and why would the sail be signed by him or is he a measurer,, just wondering, it was a bit of a puzzle.



-------------
https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals      https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website



Replies:
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 6:37pm
Isn't that a Batt sail?

As an aside, did you know Dick Batt's brother is Mike Batt, the Wombles man?


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 6:53pm
Er no, I really don't know anything about Solo's other than they harbour spiders and rot away in corners of boat parks, some that must have been quite nice in an antique furniture sort of way.

I knew Mountifield sails, used to sail for them for a bit back in the day, but never heard of a Frank, the assembled Solo -ists assumed that was a Mountifield sail logo and tbh it was that long ago I'd forgotten anyway, it took me a while to remember Mikes name, he became quite (in)famous for his race officering and his team which included Freddie Gale, a real character.

-------------
https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals      https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website


Posted By: NickM
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 7:10pm
Ha! Yes I remember Freddy Gale back in the early 70s at HISC Contender events. A great character.



Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 8:16pm
Conventionally that would be a measurer's signature.


Posted By: rb_stretch
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 8:20pm
There is a Frank Mountifield associated with our sailing club (Island Barn Reservoir) as one of our trophies is named after him (I think he might have been a commodore as well). Unfortunately before my time, but maybe JimC might know.

Edit: Just saw that Jim posted before me, so maybe Jim doesn't know.


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 19 Dec 16 at 9:15pm
I did wonder if that might be the case.. a measurers signature for some event or other in 1992 so quite young in Solo years, only in its twenties, so the $64,000.00 question is Frank related to Mike, or no?

-------------
https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals      https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website


Posted By: rich96
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 5:22am
Its a Batt sail and has nothing to do with Mountfield sails ?


Posted By: Phil_1193
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 6:47am
I would suggest that signature isnt Mountfield.

Too many dots over what appears to be 'i's and no ld, just ends in an L


Posted By: piglet
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 7:31am
Originally posted by rich96

Its a Batt sail and has nothing to do with Mountfield sails ?


+1 Batt


Posted By: Time Lord
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 9:12am
+1 Batt. It is definitely a sail made by Dick Batt back when his sail loft was in High Wycombe. The signature is of the sail measurer and is needed to show that the sail was class legal back in 1992 and seeing how it is dated as July, it was probably new for the Solo champs of that year. The measurer's name is not Mountfield as too many dots.

-------------
Merlin Rocket 3609


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 9:53am
Mountifield was what we thought it looked like and there used to be a sail loft called Mountifield hence the puzzle.


-------------
https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals      https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website


Posted By: PaulPoshW
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 10:13am
Perhaps he use to sign using his middle name. I guess there's a chance a sail maker would also be a class measurer (as long as he's not measuring his own sails)

http://www.companydirectorcheck.com/michael-daniel-frank-mountifield



Posted By: furtive
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 10:25am
This thread ( http://www.solosailing.org.uk/forums/topic/FDF3A7A0-C761-4A96-A4DB-683B3BB7BF90/" rel="nofollow - http://www.solosailing.org.uk/forums/topic/FDF3A7A0-C761-4A96-A4DB-683B3BB7BF90/ ) suggests that Frank Mountifield used to be the Solo Class Measurer.


Posted By: iGRF
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 2:12pm
So, does that mean any Solo without a signature can be chucked out of the racing?

-------------
https://www.corekite.co.uk/snow-accessories-11-c.asp" rel="nofollow - Snow Equipment Deals      https://www.corekite.co.uk" rel="nofollow - New Core Kite website


Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 2:14pm
Surely you know this, but such signatures are usually used at major events where equipment is measured before the racing starts, especially if the number of sails to be used is limited. So in the vast majority of cases at least its a check that the sail has been through measuring at that particular event and has no significance beyond that.


Posted By: furtive
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 2:39pm
From the Solo class rules:

G.2.2 CERTIFICATION (a) The official measurer shall certify mainsails in the tack and shall sign and date the Official RYA certification mark. (b) The RYA may appoint one or more persons at a sailmaker to measure and certify sails produced by that manufacturer.

So, extraordinarily, it could be the case that Jim is wrong, and GRF is right. Truly the end of days...


Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 2:44pm
Originally posted by furtive

From the Solo class rules:

G.2.2 CERTIFICATION (a) The official measurer shall certify mainsails in the tack and shall sign and date the Official RYA certification mark. (b) The RYA may appoint one or more persons at a sailmaker to measure and certify sails produced by that manufacturer.

So, extraordinarily, it could be the case that Jim is wrong, and GRF is right. Truly the end of days...

Except self-measuring by sailmakers is a relatively new thing. Traditionally measurers were independent of the sailmaker and specific to the class. Hence the need to track one down and buy them a beer or 2 to get a sail measured.


-------------
Paul
----------------------
D-Zero GBR 74


Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 3:06pm
Grf
I think you will find most classes who are not restricted to one sail maker require the sails to be measured.
Are the Solution, EPS and Alto sails measured and legal?

-------------
Gordon
Lossc


Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 3:16pm
Originally posted by gordon1277

Grf
I think you will find most classes who are not restricted to one sail maker require the sails to be measured.
Are the Solution, EPS and Alto sails measured and legal?

I would say all otherwise the sailmaker could say it will measure but without verification how can you be sure....

Most SMOD classes who use a single sail supplier (or classes like the Firefly who appoint a sailmaker) will likely not require measurement as the sail is made to a set design.


-------------
Paul
----------------------
D-Zero GBR 74


Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 20 Dec 16 at 4:10pm
As has been said, until recently sails needed to be signed by either a class measurer or an RYA sail measurer. Frank Mountifield was indeed a class measurer back in the day that Dick Batt made this sail.



-------------
OK 2129
RS200 411


Posted By: zippyRN
Date Posted: 21 Dec 16 at 10:38pm
Originally posted by JimC

Conventionally that would be a measurer's signature.


I'd agree with that  assessment  , a signature on a sail usually comes from  measurement and iirc the  Solo is class where there are no approved sailmakers only sails that measure or don't measure and the latter are technically not Solo sails ...  ... 


Posted By: zippyRN
Date Posted: 21 Dec 16 at 10:40pm
Originally posted by JimC

Surely you know this, but such signatures are usually used at major events where equipment is measured before the racing starts, especially if the number of sails to be used is limited. So in the vast majority of cases at least its a check that the sail has been through measuring at that particular event and has no significance beyond that.

some classes  require all  sails  to be measured and signed for any class legal use ,  in this case it is common for the purchaser or the  sailmaker to  arrange for the sails to be measured  before delivery or  to  be delivered to the measurer / mutally convenient place  for the end user to collect after (successful) measurement .

\As other posters have said for those classes with appointed / approved sailmakers  or where the sails are made as a subcontract to the  hull manufacturer   measurement  may  not be required i nthe    the same way as it  is for those classes where the  owner / sailor can  get  any willing sailmaker to  make a suit. 


Posted By: clibbs@waitrose.com
Date Posted: 23 Apr 17 at 6:39pm
Frank Mountifield was Mike's dad, and he was a measurer for many classes, including Solos, keeping racks of templates in his garage. I had my first Solo measured by Frank, number 3593 as I recall, and it was built by Robert Young on the IOW. Contentious point, I still think Robert Young was the best builder of wooden Solos around at the time. Frank used to keep a shotgun in his garage, and take potshots at visiting magpies, who he accused of terrorising the smaller birds. On measuring my boat he declared it to be overweight, and said I could remove some of the lead. This surprised me, as I had finished theboat myself, and was very concious of the weight. On packing up the boat following measurement we discovered Frank had left his shotgun in the bottom of the boat, thus adding some ten pounds or so. A quick re-weighing corrected the position. I sold the boat to someone at Papercourt. It was always quick, and I hope it contiued to be so. Nick


Posted By: ian.r.mcdonald
Date Posted: 04 May 17 at 7:54pm
Originally posted by clibbs@waitrose.com

Frank Mountifield was Mike's dad, and he was a measurer for many classes, including Solos, keeping racks of templates in his garage. I had my first Solo measured by Frank, number 3593 as I recall, and it was built by Robert Young on the IOW. Contentious point, I still think Robert Young was the best builder of wooden Solos around at the time. Frank used to keep a shotgun in his garage, and take potshots at visiting magpies, who he accused of terrorising the smaller birds. On measuring my boat he declared it to be overweight, and said I could remove some of the lead. This surprised me, as I had finished theboat myself, and was very concious of the weight. On packing up the boat following measurement we discovered Frank had left his shotgun in the bottom of the boat, thus adding some ten pounds or so. A quick re-weighing corrected the position. I sold the boat to someone at Papercourt. It was always quick, and I hope it contiued to be so. Nick

a Solo overweight because of the shotgun? with most Solo key event reports mentioning the rafting ( and shouting) at marks, this could be coming back!






Print Page | Close Window

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Copyright ©2001-2010 Web Wiz - http://www.webwizguide.com