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Boat Bimbling Lark.

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13566
Printed Date: 29 Mar 24 at 12:30pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Boat Bimbling Lark.
Posted By: Sussex Lad
Subject: Boat Bimbling Lark.
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 1:10pm

Hi All,
It looks like boat maintenence is the thing to do now.🙂

Bought a well fitted out Lark last year. It has 3 controls lead back to the helm on the thwart. Kicker, mainsheet bridle and downhaul.

I'm thinking of removing the downhaul control from the thwart and having the outhaul control in it's place as this seems to make more sense to me.

I'm not familiar with the Lark yet so Is there any Lark specific reason why this might not be a good idea?




Replies:
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 2:27pm
Outhaul certainly going to be used more than down haul, leave down haul for crew, never had much to do with Larks though.

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Robert


Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 2:38pm
Likewise, not sure about Larks but outhaul is almost never adjusted on the Blaze, downhaul/cunningham is on nearly every leg.

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 3:11pm
Downhaul for helm, outhaul for crew would be the most common, I'd say.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 3:24pm
If downhaul = cunningham, I think that the helmsman should have it, since the adjustment is to do with feedback from the helm + mainsail set up.

You could have the outhaul led to a cleat at the forward end of the boom for the crew to adjust, perhaps with calibrations; I doubt that you are going to adjust it much from leg to leg, more of a course adjustment depending on conditions.

If I were simplifying, I probably wouldn't adjust the bridle.

Back in the day, we would adjust the forestay, usually with a muscle box, though a block and tackle is more derigeur these days; this could have a remote cleat, since the adjustment is more of a wind strength thing.  Though worth noting that older Larks might not take too much rig tension.


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Happily living in the past


Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 3:24pm
On the D-Zero cunningham is a key control, much more so than outhaul and even kicker in some conditions.

Probably best to check with other Lark sailors which control you are likely to use more before making a massive change.

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74


Posted By: fab100
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 3:34pm
Yup, what 423zero says.

Outhaul on boom, downhaul to helm.

The former is more of an on-off switch for up/downwind, the latter a more variable adjustment


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http://clubsailor.co.uk/wp/club-sailor-from-back-to-front/" rel="nofollow - Great book for Club Sailors here


Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:07pm
Originally posted by fab100

Yup, what 423zero says.

Outhaul on boom, downhaul to helm.

The former is more of an on-off switch for up/downwind, the latter a more variable adjustment

Though I suspect that you did them all LOL


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Happily living in the past


Posted By: Sussex Lad
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:32pm
Interesting.

Different sail maker tuning pages say different things but that could be because of differing sail specs

David
    I hadn't thought about it from that angle. I guess the downhaul is as you say more about the feel of the boat. Helm knowing when to use it better than the crew.

Best leave it alone until I get the hang of the boat.
  




Posted By: fab100
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:34pm
Originally posted by davidyacht

Originally posted by fab100

Yup, what 423zero says.

Outhaul on boom, downhaul to helm.

The former is more of an on-off switch for up/downwind, the latter a more variable adjustment

Though I suspect that you did them all LOL
Correct.
My favourite was the rig tension calibration written on tape on the board case which went, IIR nearly 40 years later;

Firefly F*ck-all Not-enough More Don't-tell-Paul Don't-tell-Parkers

Note homage to Fireflies that everyone sailed with less than f*ck-all rig-tension


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http://clubsailor.co.uk/wp/club-sailor-from-back-to-front/" rel="nofollow - Great book for Club Sailors here


Posted By: Sussex Lad
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:38pm
Tend to use outhaul a lot though. On off switch upwind/downwind and depending on  wave direction on a lumpy beat.


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:41pm
Kicker is king on the Firefly because the shrouds are left simply hanging. Cunningham might go on if very over powered, and used a lot singlehandedly. Outhaul adjusted if it looks wrong or the crew is bored.

Cant believe Larks are massively different, barring the rig tension. Only really sailed Uni ones, though, which weren't big on controls.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:42pm
Originally posted by fab100

Originally posted by davidyacht

Originally posted by fab100

Yup, what 423zero says.

Outhaul on boom, downhaul to helm.

The former is more of an on-off switch for up/downwind, the latter a more variable adjustment

Though I suspect that you did them all LOL
Correct.
My favourite was the rig tension calibration written on tape on the board case which went, IIR nearly 40 years later;
Firefly F*ck-all Not-enough More Don't-tell-Paul Don't-tell-Parkers

Note homage to Fireflies that everyone sailed with less than f*ck-all rig-tension

Well you would never have done it with a Baker ... Firefly all the time or you had the washing up bowl foredeck!


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Happily living in the past


Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 21 Mar 20 at 5:44pm
Oops missed post #1000 but at least it was for you Clive Smile

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Happily living in the past


Posted By: ColPrice2002
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 8:48am
With my Fireflies, you used as much kicker/mainsheet tension as you could.
The shrouds had to be slack, otherwise the mast wouldn't rotate..
The advantage of that setup was that you had a jib luff tensioner - upwind you let off the luff tension, pulled the mainsheet block to block (transom sheeting), the mast raked back and the boat went well upwind.
Reaching and downwind, add jib luff tension, the rig moved forward.
The outhaul wasn't adjusted much, but the luff tension/Cunningham was used.

Guess it all changed with fixed masts!
Colin


Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 10:47am
Not as much as you think. Mast rake still vital unwind and down, sails are cut to suit, as rig tension would kill the fairey boats.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686


Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 12:06pm
On our Larks we always had kicker, cunningham and outhaul led back. Bridle was adjustable between races (dyneema strop). Mast rake was set before you go out but jib tension was also adjustable on the water. 
Now on the Albacore almost everything is adjustable whilst racing and there's too much "head in boat" and forgetting to reset a control after a downwind leg. Life was easier with the KISS approach!


Posted By: NicolaJayne
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 1:40pm
the comment  aqobut  outhaul as on - off switch  is  both correct and incorrect -  a lot of boats have binary positions for  outhaull - tight  for up wind and  ' off'  downwind - to the point i;ve actually seen boats i nthe past with a highfield lever  und the boom for the outhaul  (  set  the position  based on windspeed and themn  flick on / off   depending on point of sail 



Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 4:44pm
was the Lark one of those classes where there was a slot for the centreboard bolt to be moved fore/aft or am I thinking about N12's?

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Feeling sorry for vegans since it became the latest fad to claim you are one


Posted By: Sussex Lad
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 5:27pm
Originally posted by getafix

was the Lark one of those classes where there was a slot for the centreboard bolt to be moved fore/aft or am I thinking about N12's?


Not on the one I have as far as I'm aware.


Posted By: fab100
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 5:43pm
Originally posted by getafix

was the Lark one of those classes where there was a slot for the centreboard bolt to be moved fore/aft or am I thinking about N12's?

Lark: No


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http://clubsailor.co.uk/wp/club-sailor-from-back-to-front/" rel="nofollow - Great book for Club Sailors here


Posted By: giraffe
Date Posted: 22 Mar 20 at 8:05pm
N12 no. Rule requires fixed position



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