Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I would second the comment about calling Harry. This forum also has a lot of answers that can be found by using the search function. I have also noticed that the forum tends to be more active when we all are doing more computer time and sailing,like winter.
Most of the repair questions can be found already answered. To a bent track the answer above sounds reasonable. Aluminum,bent and rebent is never quite as strong,but it sounds like this is just closed a bit and needs to be spread.
If the mast or boom is bent or kinked it’s toast.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086I had Schurrs from the 80’s and they were loose rig.
Andy is right, the jib is cut to match the rig tension, which has a lot to do with how much the forestay sags, or not. North also has two mains. The LC1, for “larger citizens”, and the AP, which is ‘All Purpose” if your crew weight is lighter, like Al and Katie Terhune.
No matter what sails you buy, they should still measure-in for racing. If your sailmaker can’t get the sails close enough to be legal, I would question the workmanship. Pay the $20 per sail, which goes to support the class, which helps the value of your boat, etc. Also, if you do want to race one day, you have legal sails.
North, Mad, Schurr, Gus, Quantum, Ullman, all make good sails. The Intensity’s seem like a really low price, which could be a good value, but I have never seen them. I know they sell a good number of Laser practice sails. North also has a “recreational sail” line, for the Scot, which is lower priced and beefy cloth. If you have 20 year old sails, what sails do you want to use for the next twenty?
I have been happy with North Snug Rig, and switched from LC1 to AP main last year. The LC1 had more low-end grunt for bad chop, and the AP seems slipperier in smooth water conditions. North’s Radial Spinnaker rules.
The Mad Sails seem well built and to have a good range of tuning. Ryan is also very supportive of the class.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086We recently posted some video clips of a clinic that Greg Fisher and Al Terhune did at our club a few years back. These guys are really fast in a Scot and there are some good tips.
http://www.nockamixonsailclub.org
The point about the boat setup is key. If the rake and tension are off the boat will fight you. Set up correctly, you should be able to hold the tiller extension in your lap and not move it for a long time to weather in smooth water.
Good setup, time in the boat and being sure to keep actively trimming the main will help with this.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086Standard equipment on all fast boats before 5919. Didn’t your new boat come with guy ramps?[8D]
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086Also, if you have too much heel upwind, hike harder and play the main to keep the boat on her feet. If you get rolled over to a position with too much heel in a puff, the boat will just stop. If you feel like you are getting worked, more outhaul, vang and cunningham will make the rig more manageable.
Flat is fast. I agree with Hot Wheels on the CB. I find this rolling it back is a bigger help in choppy water than smooth water. Also if the board is rolled back we tend to get the crew back against the skipper, with the skipper right across from the mainsheet block. In smooth water, we are both a few inches further forward upwind.
Practice, practice, and more practice on the spinnaker jibes. Also jibing with almost no rudder by moving the people in the boat is fast. If you feel a tug on the tiller, going downwind, move the people until it feels neutral with no bubbly gurgling of the rudder. Play the spin sheet constantly, and if the luff of the spinnaker isn’t curling at least every few seconds, you are probably choking it. Girls are betting at maintaining attention on this, so have you wife trim the sheet and you can adjust the guy if you really feel like you need to help. Her job is to trim, and your job is to keep the boat in the wind that is going to get you downhill the fastest.
Have fun. Dave Perry and Greg Fisher both have great books. I also just read a good Buddy Melges book.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086We tow our 1985 Scot with the TeeNee trailer and it rides along behind our Sienna minivan easily. The vehicle is taller and wider than Glenn’s Avalon, so it tucks in behind. I have not noticed much of a gas mileage penalty with the Sienna.
In my opinion the TeeNee trailers are well built. If I were ordering a new boat, I would get an aluminum.
I do use a short step ladder to get in, with the TeeNee. I have seen some newer galvanized Scot trailers that didn’t look as bombproof as the TeeNee.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086Great question, but maybe posting pictures would be helpful in seeing where you are starting.
Since a Scot is made from the outside-in, and the glass is applied inside the gelcoat, many of us have no experience with how to fair and refinish the gelcoat.
What was the condition of the boat that led to that much re-glassing on the outside? Are you asking about large areas of the boat, or more manageable repair areas?
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086I always wondered whether these measurements also applied to sails that were not made by North Sails.
Anybody know?
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086Do you know who the sailmaker was for your replacements? If so, I would call them. They can tell you how to set the rig.
Also Harry at Flying Scot Inc, can probably give you good advice.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086I think it is mainly because such a setup would be more work to install and would have to ship in a big box.
The bag is easy to ship, and easy to install.
Just my guess,
Phil
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086By the way, are there photos? I would imagine that the wind made for some exciting photo opportunities.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086Davis has a product called FSR. It stands for Fiberglass Stain Remover, and it is a blue goop, that you apply, wait and hose off. It is made for rust stains and the like. It is the only thing that I have seen remove the light brown tannin stain that you get sometimes at places like Barnegat Bay.
You can buy it as West Marine. I would bet that it will work. Be careful to hose it off real well. If it runs down, it will remove stains that you didn’t know you had and make lighter “drip” marks where it runs downhill.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086Travis:
I didn’t mean to get you all wound up by mentioning the Melges, which I knew you sailed.
Electronics are great, for practice, but I don’t think they belong in the race. A VHF is not illegal to cary on the boat, only to use it to communicate during the race. If you have an emergency, and turn it on to call the race committee, that is not illegal.
My point with devices like GPS, is that, you create another level of arms race, as you note that you can buy a basic unit at $399 or a fancier unit at $2000. Who buys the $2000 unit, if there is no performance benefit?
The reason I mentioned the layup issue, is that the Flying Scot foundation had a clause that talked about research for “improving” the boat. It was deleted when the charter was approved, but that would have been another potential game changer.
In my opinion a One Design is a boat that does not change. It may be become an anachronism at some point, but that is more true to the one-design concept than tweaking the boat specs on an ongoing basis.
By the way, I also agree that the class needs to figure out how to get more participation by younger sailors. At 48, I look young in my fleet and at most big events.
Phil Scheetz
FS 4086
