Has Dave H sailed a Finn Yet?

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alan williams
Posts: 1650
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Devon

Has Dave H sailed a Finn Yet?

Post by alan williams »

Dave it's about time you put your hand up and confessed that you have sailed the best non-aided singlehander in the World? Or did you for go this test of your manhood? I also want to know what the ride of your life was that you promised the gentleman that you were talking to.
Cheers Al
davidh
Posts: 3166
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Has Dave H sailed a Finn Yet?

Post by davidh »

Alan,

well yes and no. I have sailed a Finn, albeit many years ago (so long they had to get the animals off, two by two - but then the Finn is an old boat). Yes, I will sail one again, a modern one, to see if they have improved at all. According to Darwin, they should have evolved, though silk purses and sows ears does spring to mind. But yes, I will sail one, though as long as I can wriggle around like an MP at Question Time, I will somehow manage to delay the fateful day.

What I can you though is.... I have sailed the natural successor to the Finn (actually, I've been doing that since 1978 when I got my first Contender - but moving swiftly on).

Devoti - who make the super duper Finns used by the top boys, have developed a Phil Morrison designed single hander called the D-One.

I got a chance to sail this out in Hyeres and it doesn't matter how good a Finn is - it won't be as exciting as the D-one. The construction is all carbon, the rig is BIG, the asymmetric gynormous, the wings you hike from are well made and comfortable and the whole thing just feels 'sorted'. It's a bit like sailing a 505 - you have confidence that the boat will go where you aim it.

I sailed the D-One in about 10-12kts of wind and had a stinking sail in a breeze that would have scarcely got the heavier Finn moving. There is a pic of me sailing the D-One on the Dinghy Sailing Mag website - just look for the D-One link!

On the subject of DSM Alan (amongst others) - if you enjoyed the 'Top Ten' series - even if you did not agree (and if you didn't - ****** ******) then there will be I hope a new series soon with a fairly strong 'classic' bent to it (bent = east coast) - watch this space.

For now - the Merlin STILL has a hole in the floor - I have to be careful here as the last crew to sail in the boat was Roger 'Il comodore' Devereaux, he of the "nice boat you've got here, shame I had to break it" reputation - but as David C has not done much more work to HIS Merlin, then he has as much chance as I do of making Roadford. If that be the case then the 505 might have to be press ganged into heading back down west (though in the dinghy park last night the 505 was heard to be pleading for anything BUT that.....)

But I digress; It matters not one jot what I say about the Finn, about Brightlingsea and how they are all a bunch of thieving pirates up there, or even that the historical importance of the Int 14 is greatly exaggerated (for all these things are defendable on the basis of 'public interest' and 'the truth') - because when you lot find out what my next project, is I'll get a swift whipping with a wet varnish brush before being drummed out of the brownies.

So - I'll take my place on the naughty step, sail the 505, before I 'publish and be damned'.

D
(THe unashamed Smod loving, Solent based, revisionist history writer: I only need MD after my name and I'd be right up there with Jack the Ripper)
David H
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