Where next with the Proteus

So Craig sailed Version 10 at the recent ranking event and was pleased with the performace, however he did go home and pened version 11 on the CAD system and printed the boat for testing the following weekend. I took over version 10. Each version now is a minor mod on the previous one. A slight narrowing of the hull at the waterline and tweaking to the flaring of the topsides to improve downwind performance. We think the below water design is good so final adjustments will be to the topsides to promote good surfing. Off course the acid test with be sailing the boat in a good blow with waves to see how it performs against the tried and tested designs. In testing at the weekend with three boats on a short race course the Version 11 design proved to be fast.

The latest designs are pleasing to the eye which is always a good sign and the boats seem to perform well in light and medium winds.

On the rig front I am very happy now with the new shroud system and the 5mm of prebend down to the spreaders but one needs at least 5 degrees of spreader rake to allow the mast to bend evenly. With no spreader rake the mast tends to invert . I use the max draft moulded main which you can flatten quite nicely for smooth water with a fair mast bend. I now want to experiment with the medium draft jib which I think will be better suited for flat water which will be the condition for our national's coming up in a few weeks time.

This weekend I get the DF65 our for its national's at Lincoln where the forecast is windy. I have not sailed the boat with the small rig before so yet another learning curve. Should be lots of fun