We had a brilliant day of racing at Frensham on Tuesday (see pictures below). The wind was at the top level for the B rig with gusts of 25 to 30 MPH. We sailed around a square windward leeward course which kept enough separation to avoid damage or so I thought.
I moved the correctors back over the fin today so the bows sit out of the water. Seems to have improved performance in a breeze. Need to test this in light airs.
The challenge was to keep the mast above the fin in the squalls which in the main we managed but occasionally what ever you did the boat wiped out. There were times when the boat was just sailable with the bow down by 30 degrees. Not a technique I would recommend.
One thing that impressed me was how little gear failure there was amongst the fleet. One mainsheet broke but that was easily fixed.
We started with a practice race and afterwards, I drained the boat to find it was dry. Everything was good in the leak department. Onto race 1 in a stiff breeze and I thought all was well until draining the boat after to find cupful of water. I assumed a crack had opened up in the fin case again and carried on racing. 11 races in total and a cupful in each race.
It was only today when I went to leak test the boat in our pond when I found the culprit for the leak. A hole in the side of the boat. I do not remember the contact but it was just in front of a brace for the rudder servo which runs across the boat. Any further forward and the hull might have flexed and been OK. The crack is on the aft starboard side but I can confirm there were no port and starboard incidences with this boat today. The most likely incident was on the start line of race two when I had three boats bearing down on me at speed in a squall and I tried to get out of their way. I was lined up for the start and they were coming at me running fast at 90 degrees to my boat. Repair job for the weekend
I have to say the Housemartin sails looked really nice in the breeze and performed well. The jib leech is a bit stretched but moving the jib pivot brace back 5mm seems to have cured the softness in the leech. Of course I forgot to tighten the pivot line by 5mm so the jib boom was riding too high for my liking.
Here is a picture of the puncture and to fix I need to trim the edges so the triangular flap sits flush with the hull and then put some s glass behind. Sounds like a weekend job to me.
My thanks to Tony Schlaeppi for the pictures below
Pre start chaos and submarine action as a viscous squall hit s before the start
This picture clearly shows the intensity of the squalls.
Lining up for a start
Approaching the second windward mark in the practice race
Just after the start
1st beat in a squall
Lining up for a start.
Today was a good day for practicing holding the boat stationary on the start line. Incredibly difficult given the squalls and shift in the wind. I was also timing to accelarate with 4 seconds to go.
Coming into the first mark
Pre start action in wind
One of our IOM's has grown into a 10 rater
Running down to the leeward mark
