Flat Stanleys new owner

[Banshee Ambulance]

I'm talking to Ross at the moment and going to have a look at/probably buy Flat Stanley next weekend. I'm really looking forward to getting into the class and I know you are all very experienced and knowledgeable people so if you have any pearls of wisdom for a new cheruber or think that I am making a terrible mistake please get in touch. I know he is going to be a bit of work but i'm not scared of a project and have the time and space so thats not an issue, although I am by no means an expert sailor or rigging expert so have a lot to learn. The Cherub seems a great class and if all goes to plan I look forward to joining it.

[JimC]

Flat Stanley is one of the all time great boats in the class, and is still solid and strong. She's also basically still very close to the original condition in which she won umpteen championships back in the 1980s.

On the other hand the design is a 1979 modification of an approximately 1974 one. The state of the art has advanced an awful long way since then. As a first Cherub to learn how to sail them she's a good choice, but any kind of significant modification would be a dreadful shame for three reasons. 

One is that you'll lose the "solid and strong" bit and never get it back again, because the construction is quite different from what we do now and because of the different materials not altogether compatible.

Two is that the hull shape will never be remotely competitive with a modern design no matter what you do to the boat

Three is that you'd effectively be destroying the historical significance of the boat.

So as a boat to take out and learn sail - great.  As a project boat to modify and update - you'll be much better off with something like a Bistro or a Dog.

[ross_burkin]

Rob, there is no major work to be done. He functions well and just needs a couple of things ironing out. Looking forward to meeting you this weekend.

Jim, when head to head with Phil and James in Kipper (a dog) there wasn't much difference in speed. He had much newer, slightly bigger sails and the ability to out point due to us not pulling enough kicker on  . This was on the fairly windy first day. I think if we knew where to point the boat we would have been snapping at his heals all away around the course. Phil is just a much better sailor than me!

At the inlands Stu and I were slowing down a lot and ducking the Lee's (upwind on the same tack) as we weren’t racing and didn't want to get in there way. It was blowing close to 40 knots though. I've also beaten 12 foot skiffs around the course, but maybe in this case that’s not saying too much...

Basically if it's windy you'll do well. If it's really windy you'll do very well. In the light you suffer but who wants to sail in the light stuff anyway

[Banshee Ambulance]

I'm not thinking of doing any major work to the boat. Just a bit of a tidy up essentially. I am by no means an expert sailor and I have to be honest and say that I find the L4000 I currently sail every now and then a bit of a handful so am thinking a 91 rules boat is a good entry point into the class. The only thing that is troubling me slightly is the mast rake issue but I'm sure its sortable. I am planning on keeping it at Southampton Sailing club as Weston has no pound space at the moment which is where all my friends sail.

[Will_Lee]

Flat Stanley just keeps on going!

Enjoy the boat (and sail him hard) but please no choppy choppy apart from maintenance: He is very good as he is. When you want to upgrade, sell the boat to the next person to take part in the Flat Stanley story.

[daryl_wilkinson]

It was blowing close to 40 knots though.

really.... I'm surprised anyone was left alive. 40 knots is a LOT of wind. http://grouperboat.com/force8.html

[Will_Lee]

http://www.sailingsource.com/cherub/GPSAR/gpsar.php?filename=KGSC-20080126a.gpx&maps=maps/kgsc.maps

[roland_trim]

Wills GPS track is of Flat cutting a new groove into King George Reservoir!

For Dazza - Memories of Corus:
-Born Slippy sitting airborne, floating 4 inches above her trolley held only by the bow line and the trailer lap strap.
-Ballistic sailing - giant grins.
-Unabomber falling over backwards from excessive acceleration.
-Everyone wimping out of the afternoon session (including my crew).
-The biggest red arrow on XC weather stationed exactly over the club.
-My best race result ever (couldn't resist that one...)

[daryl_wilkinson]

GPS track doesn't seem to run for me, but I'm sure it tells your story correctly. If it was blowing 40knts respect is due. Not sure I'd want to play in that in a Cherub. I destroyed a Buzz at Soverign S.C in less wind but guess a lot more sea, as the mast went the space frame was sent to windward taking the hull with it. I take it the sea state was more reasonable at Corus?

[ross_burkin]

Sea state? More pond state! It was pretty damn flat but it got windier in the afternoon and there was some serious lake wavage hitting the concrete.

In Wales it got a bit choppy in the main channel the day before and the first day of racing. It was quite breezy. I had one foot on the transom (I was crewing) and Adem sitting on my other foot. One major pitch pole and I fell off a few times. It was the best sailing in FS I've ever done though. Rob, I've got some foot loops but I never got round to fitting them. You can have them as well.

[roland_trim]

Wills GPS track is of Flat cutting a new groove into King George Reservoir!

[ross_burkin]

SOLD. He will be towed away in a week or so . Rob is mad keen to get sailing and couldn't be happier with where he is going and who he is going to. I'm going to miss him though.

[Neil C.]

What are you going to plug the gaping hole in your life with now Ross? E5?

[Neil C.]

Rob, welcome. You have quite possibly just made the best decision of your entire life. I bought my first Cherub 18 years ago. Sailed it a couple of times but didn't really know what I was doing. I then went to a Cherub training event at Lee on Solent where I crewed on Flat Stanley. My life has never been the same since.

Neil

[Banshee Ambulance]

Can't wait to get him into the workshop, get the little things ironed out and go sailing!