watch out

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:22 pm

Hi Guy's nice to know that the Finn has such a good feeder class.
Cheers Al
Ps remember that the Finn has avery long history and was sailed and developed by persons who then went on to win the America's cup etc. The success of the Laser sailor is only recent due to the reasons Rupert has stated. The Laser after all is a cheap unsophisticated beach boat by comparision and has high numbers due to this and very aggresive marketing. But it's not a bad boat but one built for the younger lighter individual.

Chris 249 · Post by **Chris 249** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:02 am

Rupert, I suppose you're dead right on the legend front....which is why of course some Laserers like to try to equalise things a bit!

I'm not meaning to attack the Finn, which (as far as I can tell) is one of THE most significant dinghies ever. I'd say that in its early years it had more influence on dinghy sailing of the era than ever boat has ever had, before or since.

There are very, very good replies to replies to the points made above, but I don't want to hijack this thread.

davidh · Post by **davidh** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:55 pm

Chris - and others

There is one other aspect to the debate that hasn't been touched on. Although I'm sure that there are differences it's fair to say that a laser is a laser is a laser. A Finn on the other hand is a highly individualised beast, one that requires the highest level of skill to tune and extract the most from. In the days before 'squads' sailors did all the work themselves, at no small expense either.

Both the laser and Finn have made singlehanded sailing into what it is today......

D

Post by **Rupert** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:22 pm

Hard work?

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:36 pm

Hi Rupert only for persons of Small Statue.
Cheers Al

davidh · Post by **davidh** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:10 pm

Spoken like a true Finn sailor....... strong in the arm and ***** in the head! All joking aside, the Finn, like other performance singlehanders without some form of sitting out aid, are damn hard work upwind in a breeze. But that is nothing to how hard you have to work, when, already Knackered out after a strenuous sail, you have to haul the damn thing up the slipway!!!

If Graham can get hold of this London Unit, there is Andrew in Emsworth, mine, another still on the island, maybe we can prevent a Finn take over!!

D

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:45 am

Hi David
I take it that is three against the world. Seems like a massive undertaking. In fact the three of us at Roadford have more boats (Finns) than the number of Units thought to be around.
Cheers Alan

davidh · Post by **davidh** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:18 pm

Alan,

again - a good point but as a % of the number of boats the Units are so far ahead as to be 'out of sight'. Not sure if that will ever happen out on the water, I'm still looking at ways of mounting the centreboard in mine. I started filling the 'dings' in the hull and ran out of filler.......thinks may be creakier than at first imagined! (I might have to sail a Finn after all)

D

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:42 pm

I was hoping it was a Shooting Star. Read about them but never seen one.

alan williams · Post by **alan williams** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:30 pm

Hi Nigel Shooting Stars weren't very special and came in various forms all using the same hull think of a Comet Trio with a trapeze and normal kite and you would not be to far off for the racing version.
Cheers Alan

davidh · Post by **davidh** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:37 pm

Are we talking about the same Shooting Star here?

The one that Iknew was a hard chine, very 'way out' dinghy with a windsurfer style rig... ie, the boom was half way up the mast and the mainsheet ran across to a 'gantry' (not dissimilar to the sort of thing you'd mount radar on) mounted right aft.

Other bizzre features - you trapezed off a large 'hoop' that was mast mounted - and the hull had a bulbous bow. So many different things, it wasn't possible to say what worked - and what didn't. Haven't seen or heard of them in donkeys yonks!!!!!!!

D

Post by Ed » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:37 pm

Neil has been trying to track one down for ages.... I think he did have a lead at one stage but never found anything.

cheers

eib

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:57 pm

Hi all,

the bulbous nosed hoopy trapeze one with a windsurfer rig designed by R. R. A. Bratt was the one I meant. Last seen in Dorchester I believe. However finding one might be easy compared to agreeing a portsmouth handicap number for it

.

Nigel

Chris 249 · Post by **Chris 249** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:12 pm

Interesting; I never knew they went past the prototype stage. I've got the AYRS article on it somewhere. The rounded hoop may have been the first set of trapezing "racks" seen on a dinghy. Does anyone know how it went?

Nigel · Post by **Nigel** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:26 am

I understand that it also had an epoxy/glass mast with a streamlined 10in x 2.6in profile. It sounded years ahead of its time and totally wierd. A potently attractive mix - fascinating and something worth tracking down

.

Nigel