Lots of Mothies seem to be into the Volvo game - I'm very keen to avoid this, as between blogging/Facebook and reading various internet forums it is hard enough to find spare time!
Got out yesterday with Alan for a couple of hours practice. Getting the tacking thing down properly now and I think I still have a couple of wand related improvements to make which should make life even peachier...
Took the Helmet cam out aswell, and while its tricky to figure out where its pointing I'm still impressed with the quality. Need to try and get some higher quality on Youtube though...
Alan is still struggling to get his gybes consistently, but his tacking is coming on in leaps and bounds...
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Monday, 20 October 2008
General Mothing
Not a lot of blogging action over the last couple of weeks but this doesn't mean a lack of sailing at BCYC.
Thanks to the windsurfers and their keen-ness the club is staying open for a bit longer on Wednesday afternoons - this has allowed me to get a good few hours extra in on the water and get my new sail properly sorted as it wasn't quite the same as my previous Hyde.
I found at the Tide Ride that I had zero depth downwind until the breeze was up and this lead to me making the move to stiffen up my mast a bit over the top half. This has made a world of difference giving more height upwind through more leech tension and more depth downwind as it powers up much better. Obviously the downside will be in gusty conditions as to whether the spar will depower as well - Time will tell...
The last two saturdays I've managed to get out in a good 10 knot breeze and try and pin down the foil tacking technique. I've also done a good deal of fiddling on Alan's Prowler with foil angles and new wand parts - The result being a vast improvement in ride height stability and much more level flight. It still amazes me how much the tiniest changes can affect things.
By the sounds of things, Martin and Alan both got a race in on Sunday and took second and first, but both still sailing off 840 which will need sorting out...
Thanks to the windsurfers and their keen-ness the club is staying open for a bit longer on Wednesday afternoons - this has allowed me to get a good few hours extra in on the water and get my new sail properly sorted as it wasn't quite the same as my previous Hyde.
I found at the Tide Ride that I had zero depth downwind until the breeze was up and this lead to me making the move to stiffen up my mast a bit over the top half. This has made a world of difference giving more height upwind through more leech tension and more depth downwind as it powers up much better. Obviously the downside will be in gusty conditions as to whether the spar will depower as well - Time will tell...
The last two saturdays I've managed to get out in a good 10 knot breeze and try and pin down the foil tacking technique. I've also done a good deal of fiddling on Alan's Prowler with foil angles and new wand parts - The result being a vast improvement in ride height stability and much more level flight. It still amazes me how much the tiniest changes can affect things.
By the sounds of things, Martin and Alan both got a race in on Sunday and took second and first, but both still sailing off 840 which will need sorting out...
Saturday, 11 October 2008
Lowrider for sale
With the current absence of a secondhand boats list I figured I should post this here...
Int Moth GBR 4026
Axeman 6 design
Bloodaxe built carbon hull - watertight and in as new condition Restrung 2008 Carbon wing bars and gantry Bloodaxe carbon sheathed foils - recently refurbished Tru flow camber inducing sail in good condition for age, with Fastacraft carbon mast and carbon boom Launching trolley A stunning boat in beautiful condition £2500 ONO
Contact Chris Bishop, 07096 557538
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Tide Riding
The Moths had their first invite to the tide ride this year and what a weekend it proved to be. With a forecast of mega winds all weekend a surprising number of Mothies showed their support. A select few decided to go for a blast first thing on saturday as the breeze was building and we weren't due on course till 4ish.
This left us to drink tea, eat Helen Rollinson's brownie stash and watch as numerous 800's and 29ers dropped their rigs and the B14's pootled back in under jib. The Mustos put on a cracking display with a good few stacks and a lot of spray!
With gusts touching 40 knots at times the collective Moth fleet had a group huddle to debate things, but when Sam Pascoe went out and came back in again pretty promptly it was decided the bar was the place to be.
Sundays morning saw a good few sore heads and plenty of breeze again but with a forecast to drop by lunchtime hopes were high.
Luckily the wind dropped off to a good 15-20 knots and we hopped to it. We got four races in, in quick succession running really short courses with a split gate at the bottom and generally doing about 4 laps.
The usual faces were up at the front of the field with Simon Payne and Jason Belben battling out for the top spot with Si taking the win. Adam May took third but was given a run for his money by Mike Lennon who was consistently up there in fourth. Boona, Rodders and Alex Adams took the next few places with me following in eighth after having a proper stinker in the last one. I was upside down at the start and after clawing my way back and sneaking in front of Adam at the windward mark I cocked up the bearaway and pitchpoled landing on the mark! Mistakes were pretty costly as there was no room for a discard.
Full results are here...
Event photo galleries here...
Other than a Muppet on the helm, Secret Squirrel was on fine form, with plenty of upwind pace and control. The new sail was a bit on the flat side, but I'm going to attack my mast and stiffen up the top section to compensate. The next event in Corus in South Wales at the beginning of November and should make a good end to the season.
This left us to drink tea, eat Helen Rollinson's brownie stash and watch as numerous 800's and 29ers dropped their rigs and the B14's pootled back in under jib. The Mustos put on a cracking display with a good few stacks and a lot of spray!
With gusts touching 40 knots at times the collective Moth fleet had a group huddle to debate things, but when Sam Pascoe went out and came back in again pretty promptly it was decided the bar was the place to be.
Sundays morning saw a good few sore heads and plenty of breeze again but with a forecast to drop by lunchtime hopes were high.
Luckily the wind dropped off to a good 15-20 knots and we hopped to it. We got four races in, in quick succession running really short courses with a split gate at the bottom and generally doing about 4 laps.
The usual faces were up at the front of the field with Simon Payne and Jason Belben battling out for the top spot with Si taking the win. Adam May took third but was given a run for his money by Mike Lennon who was consistently up there in fourth. Boona, Rodders and Alex Adams took the next few places with me following in eighth after having a proper stinker in the last one. I was upside down at the start and after clawing my way back and sneaking in front of Adam at the windward mark I cocked up the bearaway and pitchpoled landing on the mark! Mistakes were pretty costly as there was no room for a discard.
Full results are here...
Event photo galleries here...
Other than a Muppet on the helm, Secret Squirrel was on fine form, with plenty of upwind pace and control. The new sail was a bit on the flat side, but I'm going to attack my mast and stiffen up the top section to compensate. The next event in Corus in South Wales at the beginning of November and should make a good end to the season.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Tide ride this weekend
I got a brief sail in yesterday, but called it off short after a nice line squall came in along with 30 knots. I did learn that you can make a Moth go sideways upwind while airborne in the bigger gusts when the flow around the daggerboard breaks down. I thought my foil had broken as it was so sudden!
Anyway, The Tide Ride at Hayling Island is this weekend - the entry list is looking good for the Moths first year at the event but the wind is looking like its going to be a bit too full on for good racing and more a question of surviving...
Sam Pascoe is making a welcome return in a borrowed boat although I'm not sure who's as the entry list is saying Alex Knight's and Alex Adams says he's taking his old boat...
Sensible money is on Simon Payne in his last event on the Prowler although Jason Belben always gives him a run in the breeze... I'm by no means fit enough for a windy weekend, but with the Squirrel handling as well as it is it will be interesting to see how things go!
Anyway, The Tide Ride at Hayling Island is this weekend - the entry list is looking good for the Moths first year at the event but the wind is looking like its going to be a bit too full on for good racing and more a question of surviving...
Sam Pascoe is making a welcome return in a borrowed boat although I'm not sure who's as the entry list is saying Alex Knight's and Alex Adams says he's taking his old boat...
Sensible money is on Simon Payne in his last event on the Prowler although Jason Belben always gives him a run in the breeze... I'm by no means fit enough for a windy weekend, but with the Squirrel handling as well as it is it will be interesting to see how things go!
| Moth | 3152 | Chris Anstead |
| Moth | 3207 | Tim Penfold |
| Moth | 3230 | Tom Whicher |
| Moth | 3239 | Sam Pascoe |
| Moth | 3243 | Michael Lennon |
| Moth | 3259 | Simon Payne |
| Moth | 3261 | Gary Ireson |
| Moth | 3327 | Danny Clark |
| Moth | 3366 | Alex Adams |
| Moth | 3370 | Martin Fear |
| Moth | 3371 | Mike Cooke |
| Moth | 3373 | Adam May |
| Moth | 3377 | David Hopper |
| Moth | 3467 | Rod Harris |
| Moth | 4052 | Helen Rollinson |
| Moth | 4073 | Adrian Murphy |
| Moth | 4076 | Tim Boon |
| Moth | 4088 | Jason Russell |
| Moth | 4090 | Jason Belben |
| Moth | 4093 | Ant Chapman |
| Moth | 4094 | Ricky Tagg |
| Moth | 4103 | James Roche |
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