The link is http://www.ebay.com.au , then type in alpha omega catamaran in the search for part. At present it hasn't met the reserve. The bid at the moment is $305 with 4days to run.
As for the previous post :It was a genuine enquiry, not intended to wind anyone up.Nick
No it's a good point Berny. It is also an opportunity to ask any one out there if they have any good photos of
F14
cats to post us a copy with a release from the owners for us to post them on the web site.
It would help greatly in compiling a visual recording of the growth of the F14 class.
Please post any photos to
ao14@optusnet.com.au
That AO Nick is an early 4.4 Alpha. It was built in about 1981 looking at the deck layout. This was not any
forerunner
or prototype for the Alpha F14 as although in profile you can see that they are both
from the same stable
, they are completely different designs with totally different handling and sailing chartacteristics.
Got one of these;
http:/
What's the best way to fix it to the pole? I'm thinking three pop rivets (5mm) along the bottom. Sound about right?
Bern,
The mossie guys are using a swimming pool filter materials.
It is super slippery and is full of holes so it drains.
I'm told it is imported from NZ.
I think it is the best material I've seen so far.
I think Erwin Sails imports it just or this purpose.
Regards,
Phill
Well finally the spi is up and running. I sailed with it yesterday in very light conditions and so far I like it.
It's different sailing and I have a lot of things to get used to but first impressions are good and the boat seems to be fast as I expected it would considering the talent of the bloke who designed and built it ha ha. <img src=
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Hoisting and lowering were a bit hit and miss. If I get it all right, it goes up and down without a hitch but there does seem to be some traps which I need to come to grips such as tangles, or not being on quite the right heading etc., which will cause it to hang up, and plus other dumb stuff like not releasing the sheet from the cleat. I pulled the eyelet out of the tramp in one of my frenzied attempts to dowse the thing before I ran out of water, (Concord) which is being fixed today. I think I need a small turning block under the tramp.
I need to sail as much as I can now to become familiar with the processes and to sort out a few minor details. If the wind isn't too strong next Satdy, (I doubt I could handle anything heavier than about 10 knots yet), and I can get some more time on the water before then, I'll go down to Woollarah and see how it goes amongst other boats, (crash and burn)?
Oh, and the 430 is probably now the fastest 14ft (4.3m) cat in the world. <img src=
alt=
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Are you still under the 300sq.ft. sail area F14 rule?
Yes, the spi is not huge at 10sqm but seems to be enough sailing one up.
I sailed again today. I had a much better day coming to grips with the spinnaker. Only a light breeze around 5/8knotts probably gusting 10/12knotts but I was able to fly a hull downwind quite easily with some good depth after a couple of runs. Good fun.
A couple of problems.
Halyard has too much stretch resulting in luff sag in the gusts. Gotta get some decent rope. Recommendations?
I changed the tack line to 1:1 and it works better with less surplus on the tramp when the kite is up.
I got a strange spi sheet tangle during one deployment. It got tangled around the snuffer mouth somehow. I re-stowed and re-launched the kite and it fixed it. I need to try to figure out what happened there.
It took me an age to rig the thing. Anyone care to help with the best procedure for hooking up the halyard and retrieval lines?
Bern,
The spi sheet can tangle on the snuffer mouth unless you run a light line from the mouth to the bridle tang fitting on the hull. This blocks the spi sheet from getting around the snuffer mouth.
As far as rigging.
Some people leave it all connected and just take sails down and undo forestay and one spi pole line and put the whole lot on the trailer with even spi pole and side stays attached.
So you need the spi pole to be supported by tieing to the
fron mast support on the trailer. Spi stays in the snuffer and all lines including halyard, spi sheets etc stay in place.
May take a bit of planning to make this system work for you but it makes rigging very quick.
Regards,
Phill
Thanks Phil, I don't know about leaving stays connected to the mast, it's not something I like to do. My main hassle so far has been sorting the retrieval through the spi and attaching the tackline, halyard and sheet without a twist. I think I could leave the retrieval line (halyard) attached to the spi and leave it all in the sock. That'd make it a lot easier.
I flipped the boat again on the jibe mark yesty. 22 knotts, traveller down about 300mm, sheet cracked but firm, spi stowed. I bore away, waited, then pulled the sail across, got myself to the new windward side just in time to be tossed off the tramp as the boat rolled over. Bloody frustrating. I'm now thinking I'm probably turning through too larger an angle and I'm actually around to a beam reach before I'm set. I think I need to steer down after the sail pops. On a mid downwind jibe, this would give me time to set the kite and then harden up. Sound reasonable? Either that or leave the boat on the beach when it's over 15k untill I'm sorted. <img src=
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Bern,
Basically in high winds your better off keeping the angle small and stalling the main until the kite is set.
Go through too great an angle and the main not tight enough and your gone.
This is just what I've found.
Regards,
Phill
It's sometimes hard to stall the top of a big top main though. One of their advantages is they allow more twist and are generally more powerful high, and this also makes them more difficult to control off the wind. Not a problem in lighter winds but it would seem that as the wind strength increases and the sheet is cracked, the top twists off and powers up as you bear away driving the lee bow in.
I think that dropping the traveller and leaving the sheet on hard might be the answer in that it would tend to control the twist more. That is if the traveller can operated under the load which is doubtful.
On another note, does anyone jibe their kite on a cat? I mean as opposed to tacking it?
Be careful dropping the traveler, even with the main sheeted tight you might lose needed support for running the spinnaker.
I think you have that back to front Berny, we always jibe the kite downwind (although we have tacked the kite when sailing very high with it in very light conditions) and dropping the traveller IS more stable than dropping the mainsheet when the kite is up. And the size of the kite and its take off point on the mast, means that you still have a lot of support when dropping either the main or the traveller when the kite is set on your cat.
This can only be an issue if your mast rotation limiter is still on. If the mast is much rotated then dumping the maintraveller is (in my opinion) not a problem in any wind.
Wouter
I'm not sure I understand how the traveller position effects the spi support. Sheet yes but traveller?
I have discovered that mainsheet tension seriously effects spi luff tension. I also found out yesterday that it's better to get the kite across and set before tacking (popping) the main in light airs.
Darryl, I think you may have mistaken my meaning. When I asked about jibing the kite I didn't mean tacking or jibing the boat. I note in the pics you sent me that your spi sheets run behind (aft of) the halyard which indicates that you tack and not jibe the kite on the AO.
absolutely correct Berny - jibe the boat - tack the kite, I had never thought of it as that way, if the kite was jibed, there would be one hell of a mess of spinnaker sheet lines!!!
Light mylar or pentex cloth. Works fine for me ! Appears to be exactly the same as your mainsail cloth but is just a more lightweight version of it.
Leave the bag open at the back with only a single strap with eye to guide the retrieval line and prevent the spi from being pulled out.
Wouter
I just use a knot to limit the travel of the tackline through the pole end block to stop the spi being pulled out.
Bern,
Don't crack the sheet. Pull it on.
Only when the kite is set and the boat up to speed do you easy the sheet a little to get the main out of its stalled situation.
If you are concerned about the big head not being stalled pull the sheet on real hard just before you jibe but make sure you go through a very small angle. Just enough for the jibe.
Regards,
Phill
Don't crack the sheet. Pull it on.
Only when the kite is set and the boat up to speed do you easy the sheet a little to get the main out of its stalled situation.
If you are concerned about the big head not being stalled pull the sheet on real hard just before you jibe but make sure you go through a very small angle. Just enough for the jibe.
Regards,
Phill
Yes, that sounds like the best way to do it. I'm still in a bit of a headspin at the moment till I get more time on the water.
I have realised that the boat wants to round up with no pressure in the kite so it's essential to get it set quickly. I also need to pay more attention to the telltails so I know exactly where I am going through the jibe. All pretty obvious stuff but in the heat of the moment, logic sometimes goes out the window. <img src=
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On another note, it took me two hours + to rig on Sunday. I know it will get easier as I work out the best proceedure, but!
I'm looking at simplifying the whole setup, maybe using more toggle pins, possibly a cordless screwdriver for the shackles etc.
It takes us about 3/4 of an hour to rig the Alpha Berny, but that's 10 minutes to rig and the rest of the time is usually
sociallising
with the other guys while rigging.
us
? 10 minutes! How many of you are involved in the AO rigging process?
I have to do it on my own, but then I'm a slow rigger anyway. It generally takes me an hour or more to cat rig 430. I like to do things right without forgetting stuff or breaking anything. I seldom have problems on the water though and that's how I like it. I find that if I start talking before I'm finished, the time flys and then I'm rushing to get it done which makes me late on the water, and I hate that, especially at an unfamiliar venue.
That
us
is like the royal
we
Berny, meaning in reality just the one person. Don't worry, when the rigging with spinnaker becomes
automatic
and you don't have to stop and
work it all out
every time that you go sailing, I am sure that the time will come down dramatically. Like most things, the more familiar you are, the easier it becomes, (except for old
farts
like me)
us
is like the royal
we
Berny, meaning in reality just the one person. Don't worry, when the rigging with spinnaker becomes
automatic
and you don't have to stop and
work it all out
every time that you go sailing, I am sure that the time will come down dramatically. Like most things, the more familiar you are, the easier it becomes, (except for old
farts
like me)
mate, I'm not as young as I used to be, and I wasn't young then. <img src=
alt=
/>
Ain't it the truth Berny, although the older we get
the better we were
Hi guys, do you think it would be possible to put a Dart 16 or 18 gennaker on a H14 Turbo.
Thanks
It depends on whether the mast is tall enough and of course, how much of a thrillseaker you are. You may be able to put one on the boat but sailing it in any sort of breeze would probably be out of the question.