What is that crease in my lugsail, How to diagnose and fix.
Getting rid of a familiar crease in many lugsails.
Search Results for: sails
Oz Goose launch and sailing Video
Video – Ian Henehan worked out this 12ft Goose Version and launched it into 20 knot winds. You can check the video to see that this is probably correct. It certainly is, despite the poor camera angle which changes a few times the boat is fairly smoking along
Reefing a lug sail, New fast method, quicker Than ties and Tingles
How to reef a Balance Lugsail. A neat trick of using shock cord (bungee) for the intermediate ties makes it much faster to tie in a reef as well as remove the reef after. it also minimises the risk of damaging the sail if something major breaks elsewhere.
S-12 Club, new dinghy design launched (very light wind)
The new dinghy design is now called the S-12.
Launched into light winds, there’s not a lot to report, but a photo essay. And some comments about the staying of the rig and keeping boats cheap and simple.
OzRacer wins PDRacer Worlds for the fourth time in five years
2013 – Once again an OzRacer wins the PDRacer World titles. That is four times in the last five years.
An OzRacer does need to be modified to fit the PDRacer rules or as standard is an excellent boat for first time sailors. It sails REALLY well which aids learning. And doesn’t need to cost any extra money. Plans $20
Video: Quick Canoe Electric flying with 2hp Honda outboard
Just for the hell of it, Stephen put a 2hp outboard on the back of his Electric Quick Canoe.
Watch the boat fly in the video. Speed with little or no fuss. Also a discussion of hullforms for different speed ranges.
Club Racing the Goat Island Skiff – PY yardstick handicap racing
So how does a lug rig boat go in club racing? My designs won’t be outclassed in club racing. I’m really keen to find out how the yardstick (handicap) changes as George and crew get used to the realities of course racing making the boat sail faster. We end up with an estimate of PY – Portsmouth Yardstick for the Goat Island Skiff.
Philippine Boat Builders and Plywood – aesthetic and sophisticated
Slightly arrogant I!
I visit the Philippines then Malaysia and also find a large community of Filipino boat builders there. I find they know much more than me about boat design and varieties. Stunning mix of different boats from curvaceous to plywood and boxy.
But Gosh … the shapes they come up with!
Thankyou Malcolm Eggins, designer and builder of sophisticated racing dinghies
Malcolm Eggins, boat builder and designer has passed away.
A small tribute to one of the many people that has influenced me and many other sailors and designers. He was a part of the development of Moths, NS14s, VJs, VeeEsses and many other Australian racing dingies as a builder and designer along with his son Darryl. He won several State Championships.
How does the BETH sailing canoe go in mixed fleets and handicap racing?
BETH sailing canoe – The designer has lots of fine things to say about the sailing performance of BETH – but Andrew Barclay has been racing his against mixed fleets in British Columbia where she sails equal with Laser Radials in light wind and gradually outclasses them in stronger.
I provide some tips about getting a bit more from the boat.
The Myths of Modern Sailing Boat Performance. Started with Mizzen and speed question
OK … it IS a rant. But it was prompted by the very legitimate question about why have a mizzen sail.
But sadly I descend into a rant about how expense is a really poor predictor of performance.
Reasons for building a boat – Part Three – sometimes it’s not about the boat.
Why is every boat different despite the best aim of the designer?
It’s because every customer is different. Which is OK!
Mark Milam’s gorgeous wooden Duck – an OzRacer RV sailboat
Mark Milam has done an amazing job of overseeing a project combining his work with that of a boatbuilder friend. Also the best method I have seen of supporting a windsurfer mast in a sailing dinghy.
Wonderful woods, some great detail design and the very best fitting of a windsurfer rig to a dinghy that I have ever seen.
A UK Agent for Michael Storer Wooden Boat Plans – Fyne Boat Kits
Fyne Boat Kits has an excellent reputation for customer service and quality.
I am happy to announce that they will be gradually phased in as the UK Agents for storerboats kits, plans and materials.
Goat Island Skiff Videos – Goat Island Skiff Sailing, Reefed and Manoeuvring
Some examples of sailing nicely in the Goat Island Skiff, reversing, sailing at nice speed in comfortable conditions.
Locations are San Diego, Australia, Texas, Florida and Maine
Sailing OzRacer RV in rough water – simple boat with two adults
This OzRacer mk2 has a number of changes from the original design, but Bob has pulled it off. The biggest risk is that the windsurfer mast might break because it is not meant to be supported in this way – it is meant to be held up higher by the arms of the sailor.
Outriggers on canoes and sailboat- Proas, Trimarans, even Catamarans.
Some basic questions were asked on my forum about the design of amas.
There are so many permutation of ama length, crossbeam width, ama volume with performance ranging from very poor to very good. But what are some of the basic criteria?
Learning to sail – building a foundation for Sail and boat trim.
In general I don’t like most sailing books and most sailing lessons.
I think that a learner doesn’t need to learn many new words. Also because they don’t explain the correct principles in the beginning their explanations become really complicated.
If you understand how to use a sail to get power – when it is at maximum power and when it isn’t it all becomes very logical.
“Lead” in sailboat design. Joe self designs a rig.
Joe sent me a question about why his self designed sailing rig for my Electric Quick Canoe design works better if he moves the leeboard forward of the theoretical point for a balanced helm.
He has stumbled upon a nice observation of a design element called “lead” (I lead you … not the metal Lead).
I explain
OzRacerRV plan available – more simplification for 8ft sailing dinghy
The new OzRacer RV is a much simpler build of the original OzRacer concept. It also is a direct relative of the slightly larger and much faster OZ Goose