New steering system for MCR

Just spent the morning installing the new steering system on MCR and it looks like it might just work. The problem I was having is that with the tiller way down the back of the boat, whenever I capsized I'd loose the tiller extension and have to crawl into the back to retrieve it. This usually ended with multiple capsizes. With the new system the tiller is right where you left it before the capsize and has the other advantage of having a constant steering angle no matter where you position the carriage. The old tiller will stat until I can prove the concept feasible then it'll go.

Fitting the new centerboard

Cut out the plates to suit the new centerboard I've obtained. Down to the club now to fit it and also to re-build the vang system. This will be the fourth and final (I hope) vang system to go onto the boat and then I should be ready for the ACT dinghy championships in two weeks time.

New hounds fitting

Not too much activity on the "selling the boat" front so time for some upgrades. Previously I've been using my windsurfer mast on the IC as well so I haven't been able to attach fittings otherwise it wouldn't have been interchangeable. I've now purchased a new mast for the Formula board so the old mast is fair game. Here is the after laminating shot of the hounds. It's basically a spider of four layers of unis wrapped around the shackle and laying along and around the mast. Now I just have to go down a wiggle it every hour or so to stop the epoxy sticking to the shackle.

Time to sell the Magic Carpet Ride.

I can't believe it's been over a year and a half since I've blogged, must have been having too much fun. Anyway, as much fun as it's been, I'm looking at selling the Canoe. I have a lot of projects on at the moment and there doesn't seem to be time for them all. I'll post something in the For Sale section of the IC international website but thought I'd try and post a video walk around I did of the boat today when I went for my first sail of 2011. Hopefully the embedded video will be below...

Still no official first race...

Well, the first race day was today. What a disaster. Actually disaster's a bit harsh, the Hindenberg was a disaster, this was a bit less horrific. Super puffy westerly breeze on Pittwater which sucks in a westerly at the best of times. I got trashed sailing out of the moored boats and capsized a bunch of time (but managed to stay dry), the boat is real easy to right luckily. I then tried to sail upwind into the worst of it but had a hard time tacking as I couldn't hold any momentum to take me through the tack. I kind of sorted this out with more speed into the tack but this also resulted in a few over tacks and a quick swim. My wife sailed near at this stage and said she wasn't going to venture down to the race course so I decided to stay with her. Upwind got better and there were some smoking reaches followed by some smoking swims in the gybe. Anyway, I made it back to the club without breaking anything and as I de-rigged the conditions moderated (of course). In the end I would have probably been OK by the time the race started but as it didn't count towards anything I'm happy with my decision and best of all, because I didn't start, I haven't had my first race yet so I can save it for a better day...

First race today

Well today (Sunday 13th Sept) is the first race for the new boat. I should be up against some Finns and Contenders but I don't think the Moth will be out. As a practice my wife and I went out for a sail yesterday and she took the photos above from her Spiral. Not a bad day all in all...

Thoughts on my first sail

Yee freakin haa, how cool are these boats!

I just got back from my very first sail in an IC. It was my AUS 33 "Magic Carpet Ride" and it was her very first sail too. I was stoked with how it went! Breeze was only 5 knots with puffs to 8 maybe. I was surprised with the stability, I was expecting it to be much tippier. I guess once I get into waves and stronger winds it will be different. I'm not convinced that the vectran rigging will work in the end. Since it's a una rig I don't need heaps of rig tension but after about an hour of sailing the boat felt wobbily while tacking as the rig had streched in a bit.

The boat felt comfortable underfoot but I was cheating a bit. I didn't bother with sliding the seat across all the time, just centered it and sat out. I need some more tell tales as the cambered sail didn't give much feedback on pointing and I think I was pointing too high, but once I came off the wind the boat took off. I know you are always fast when sailing by yourself but I recon I was doing at least better than windspeed while running back to the club.

I know the sailing anarchy rule of "pictures or it didn't happen" but this was a super secret first sail. I didn't tell anyone I was going incase it was a dismal failure and the boat needed to be burnt in a hurry but happily it was a success, for me anyway. I'll be out on the weekend and hopefully get the wife to take some shots from her dinghy (if she can keep up )

All in all a great session of sailing...