MIDLANDS POSSE

[JP233]

Yes, it's taken a year from thought to trial, but yes, the worm screw system works.

Pearson engineering strikes again!

Brilliant sail, shame a totalled my speedpuck on my driveway. The new turbo foil certainly seemed to get ove the 16k it speed limit the red foil (RIP) stuck to.

Shiny has a new turbo.

[RobinJones]

Well, after a pretty ace dinghy show it was back to Draycote for the midland posse this weekend - with the usual suspects Jamie, Rosie, and Robin, along with our new acquire Henry sailing.

Saturday was the day we've been looking for for ages: sunny, and very little wind, the perfect opportunity for both to sort those tiny little issues that you don't want to miss a days sailing to sort - changing elastic, sealing holes in masts, and sorting out any other tiny problems.

This meant that by Sunday both Shiny and Banshee were fully operational, and by 12 or so, both were on the water. After an initial blast around, with Henry learning rapidly what flat meant, and how to gybe a Cherub, Shiny and Banshee came together for some proper dog fighting in the near-perfect force 3, and sun. Sailing two of these boats within 10m or so of each other both up and downwind is some of the most fun possible. All Jamie's mods seem to have improved his upwind speed greatly, with both his Turbo foil and new jib seeming to perform very well after some tiny teething issues. Once again Banshee came off the water in as many pieces as she went out in, and with the same rig tension. Early days, but with a bit of luck her Leprosy is cured.

Having sailed 29er's and National 12's before, Henry is very keen and already a very handy crew - hopefully be along to introduce himself at some point on here! Already can't wait for Easter weekend, when Banshee will next see the water, though with Norfolk, Shiny, EJ, Subtle, and Cheese  also at Draycote there is hope of boats sailing next weekend.

[JP233]

Our new upwind speed is...... Scary.
Might put the dynamic jib back on next week just to ground myself.

[JP233]

Our new upwind speed is...... Scary.
Might put the dynamic jib back on next week just to ground myself.

That or Robin can't sail.... :S

[JP233]

This weeks Posse was EJ and Shiny; Nick Pratt and Jay Williamson in EJ with Jamie Pearson and Rosie Williamson in Shiny.

Descend on draycote for 1000hrs, check.
Rig up before lunch, check
Go sailing, urrr.... eventually check, but we did have to wait for the wind.

once it filled in we had a lovely 10-17ish knots, EJ got out first with shiny close behind but our moth style launch slowed up down.
After a couple of laps we got together to do some pace analysis, not too much different, so all good. EJ were getting some time sailing together and working out routines for manoeuvres where as shiny was testing the rudder tiller mods.

Strange things were happening, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3su-0OLcs&feature=youtu.be
looks like ill be taking some sand paper to Rutland, I haven't missed the unmistakable sounds and feel of a rudder ventilating from the moth.

Both boats are now packed up for the trip to Rutland. Please let it be sunny, and warm!

[RobinJones]

Mixed weekend from banshee's point of view - but some ace sailing nonetheless!

Thursday, Eleanor and Robin turned up early as possible to get some training in before Sheppy, and were on the water about 10.15. A good long morning session ensued, with 2 swims, but Eleanor quickly getting the hang of crewing in the extremely shifty 14-16 knots of wind. Unfortunately on coming ashore the pair ran aground pretty hard, damaging the daggerboard badly - but can be relieved that this seemed to take the impact, with the board case itself absolutely unmarked! Sadly an afternoon session was cut short at about an hour due to a broken trap elastic, but the pair still had some good sailing in the increasing wind.

Shame we didn't wake earlier on Friday to get sailing, but when Isaac and Robin popped down on, Shiny and EJ looked to be having a great sail, and in more wind than forecast. Just goes to show never rely on XC weather.

Saturday and Sunday were meant to be a couple of days for Josh and Robin to get some last minute sailing in before Rutland. Unfortunately when they arrived Saturday to most of the 29er youth squad saying it was bordering on unsailable the duo decided that laser tag was a better idea than going sailing.

Though Sunday was similarly windy, the pair risked a quick sail in banshee with the smallest sails on, mainly thanks to Jamie goading us, who was there further pimping his foil adjustment system. Absolutely crazy windy, and shifty too, but the pair got upwind fine. The pair bottled it after a number of unsuccessful bearaways due to just being blown over getting through the death reach zone, and came ashore on the visitors/windsurfers beach, but at least boat and crew were still completely in one piece.

Somehow when trying to jump start Jamie's rover, despite being put on the flat and side on to the hill, Banshee ended up sliding down the hill at draycote and into the water, drifting a while and hitting a pontoon, where the new bosun kindly pulled her out the water. We suspect someone must have moved her. Could have been far far worse, but there is some pretty bad hull skin damage at the transom, which with a bit of luck will be sorted by next weekend. Just relieved that it wasn't worse.

Both the regular boats from Draycote are looking forward to the inevitable force 5+ arctic conditions that seem to be the norm at Rutland...

[pratn0]

i don't get the arctic reference as isn't Draycote further North than Rutland?

so if Rutland is cold and windy Draycote would be worse? 

[Jimmy Rudd]

Rutland is further north, not T'North, but certainly further that way
I arrived on Monday afternoon, Squid on the back, I was somewhat disappointed to not seeing any cherubs buzzing around in the near perfect 20knots and sunshine, oh well, hopefully many more days like that to come.
Squid is now back at Draycote with a firmly fixed jib track and free running carriage ready for some sailing and probable abuse of my body and whichever victim decides to get in with me.
Pictures to follow soon.

[roland_trim]

I was somewhat disappointed to not seeing any cherubs buzzing around in the near perfect 20knots and sunshine, oh well, hopefully many more days like that to come.

That's your job :-)

[Jimmy Rudd]

So Sunday the 10th came with a gusty and shifty 15knt breeze, and it was D-Day for Squid Pro Quo. Having done tinkering throughout the winter it was time to get her on the water. My willing victim was Eleanor and rigging went well.
On to the water with me helming, 1st mistake the kicker was doing naff all. Back to shore for a quick fix. 2nd launch and it was quickly clear Squid was going to be hard work, but we soon settled in to a rough rhythm. Turned the corner carefully and went for the kite, to realise we'd tangled the halyard round the jib. A quick capsize and we thought we'd sorted, unfortunately we hadn't, so headed in for lunch.
After lunch we swapped around with my lardy arse on the wire, and with the much more competent Eleanor helming, and we were flying. Squid really responded well to a fat guy on the wire. Having sorted the kite we did a nice bear away, pulled a couple of times and "ping" something snapped and the pole didn't want to go out, so we pulled the kite back in and went for some 2 sail reaches, safe to say, she was very quick, slightly nosey, but brilliant fun. We then headed back up the entire length of the lake, sadly no one to compare speed with, but she felt quick and seemed to be pointing reasonably well, helm was light and responsive. A couple of silly capsizes later we headed back thoroughly exhausted but having had a brilliant time.
We both commented that we had a lot of fun and haven't laughed quite so much whilst sailing in a long time.
Couple of bits to sort but looking forward to our next sail.
See you on the water soon

[JP233]

Forget how pretty that rig is (excluding the mast)

[Tim Noyce]

Jimmy, your story is very similar to most peoples first sail in a Cherub in boats of that kind of era! Once you have ironed out the rigging niggles and got the boat working with you rather than against you, things will start to fall into place! If you can get to look at a well set up boat and check out their bungee take ups then you can copy some of them to help with your kite system. The number of times that hoisting the kite on my first boat ended up with a ball of kite and rope followed by a swim got pretty depressing so definitely better to take the time to sort it all out before too long!

Enjoy!

[RobinJones]

Keeping it short and sweet this week.

Ace weekend. Banshee, Jamie's lowrider, Henry, Eleanor, Jamie and Robin sailing.

Saturday, Henry and Robin sailed banshee, 2 minor breakages (kicker anchor, and mainsheet anchor) kinda spoiled the day, but still - some good upwind sailing whilst it lasted. (PS Henry is an ace crew and I believe is looking to sail with people at opens - very keen on the class!)

Sunday, primarily Eleanor sailing with Robin in Banshee, testing the wing (the tacking system works, though needs minor changes - more incentive to rotate further, e.g. some really boingy elastic or something, and calibration of the wing control, and of course the sail sets like a total heap at the moment) with no proper breakages at all. Jamie was also out in his lowrider and we all switched round a bit, with everyone having a go with every different crew/in each boat.

Even though she was undoubtedly slow as of yet, I'm still positive about the wing, think with a recut sail and some plentiful tuning it'll gradually improve - never thought it would be any good at all straight out the box!

Hopefully at least 2 boat out at Draycote next weekend: Banshee will hopefully have a main recut with as little as 20mm of luff curve to suit the mast, and Shiny should be on the water at least 2 days with her usual sailors!

[dave_ching]

wing?

[RobinJones]

Wing mast, sorry for lack of clarity.

Been playing with a shortened, 145mm chord ex A-Class rotating wing mast on Banshee.