Roland Europe

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Rupert
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Roland Europe

Post by Rupert »

I've just become the proud posesser of a composite Europe, built in 1974 by Alois Roland in Belgium, but re-registered as K148 at some point. The decks need stripping and varnishing, but she looks in very good nick. Not sure what my plans for her are, as originally the idea was to do her up and sell her on, but that was before I realized that she was older than I expected (only on here is that a good thing!) and that the decks could be very pretty.
I wonder, Laser Tourist, do you happen to know whether the number on the transom plate on a Europe corresponds to the sail number, or was it just a batch number, please?
She comes with 3 sails, too, one of them by Green, which looks pretty good. I'll certainly sail her at a cvrda event before I decide what to do with her. I'll get some photos up, too.
Interestingly, Kathryn is currently in Belgium, and I suspect I will be in trouble when she looks in the garage when she gets home...
Last edited by Rupert on Tue May 19, 2009 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Rupert
Garry R

Re: Roland Europe

Post by Garry R »

Feign surprise and put it down to the boat fairy. Works every time. Is it a nice colour - ladies go for that sort of thing.
Rupert
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Rupert »

I've tried the "but I've had it ages" technique before, but the bruising has almost faded now...
The hull is a very nice red colour, much better than boring grey, and I'm never on the start line anyway!
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by jpa_wfsc »

Rupert wrote: and I'm never on the start line anyway!
.. .. .. he means that he is always over, but the OOD always says "such a nice old boat, and so well turned out" that he always gets away with it! :lol: :lol: :lol:
j./

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LASERTOURIST
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by LASERTOURIST »

I'm not a specialist in Europes, at least not enough to discuss on batch / serial numbers.
I suspect that the sail numbers were isued by the UK national authority because in the seventies Europes production was well in the thousands, not coherent with a K 148 number.

This would be worth asking the owners class instead....it seems to me thet the class issued a conformity certificate number after the boat had been measured, just the same as for the OK class (where boats had quite a margin of error due to amateur building)


Roland of Thuin in Belgium (who was both deigner and builder) had a reputation of building top quality Europes , either all wood or composite wood GRP , much better than the cheap Lanaverrres, and only beaten by the hadful of Europes made by Silvestro from Nice.

When the Europe went into harder and harder competition , All plastic Europes (By Nordic yards such as Henriksen or finessa) were more in favour, but still te belgian /all wood connection went on with superbly aesthetic and fast (and expensive ) boats by Cristalli who took over after Rolland closed his boatyard...

It has ben a long bittersweet quarrel between the Europes and the Laser Sailors (We have real boats , nice looking and with plenty of tuning possibilities, while you sail plastic bidets ....versus ....Arent you afraid of aking your fragile glittering varnished , non self draining, cabinet minister's desks in a good beach swell and a 30 Knots wind ?...we are proud of sailing bidets , they can take wear and tear and go just as fast as your dear little toys....and so on)
Nessa
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Nessa »

Rupert, your boat sounds very familiar. I had a Europe once and kept it at Bowmoor. I think it may well have been a Roland and that number is familiar, but I don't remember the boat being red!

I am sure LT is right about plaque numbers not matching sail numbers.
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Rupert
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Rupert »

The hull number is indeed a 4 figure number, so I was wondering if it was possible to find out her original Belgian number from it. No reason, really! I've not looked closely at the hull, Nessa, to see if has been sprayed. Too much dirt on it to tell as yet! Thanks for the info, LT - glad to hear they were good ones - the Dorado one I had before was like a jelly!
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by LASERTOURIST »

Normally the registration process for Europes (i checked on the Europe Class Website) was as following: a certification number was on the plaque (if by a professional boatbuilder) or issued by a class endorsed measurer (in case of a DIY boat in FFV molds) and a measurement certificate was issued, then it had to be sent to the local Europe Class (or National federation if there was no organizedEurope class in the country) , with the payment of a fee.
Then the said local class or Federation would issue a sail number (with nationality letter according to the ancient system F,B , K, KA...etc, not the modern three letters one )
Normally (if the sails are those for your Europe , theyshould all be labelled with K148) the number should be in the records of the UK Europe Class (if existent) or National authority (RYA?)
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Rupert »

That make perfect sense, thanks LT.
According to the UK class history, the 1st Europe didn't make it to these shores until 1976, so I assume that after that date quite a few European Europes must have been imported 2nd hand and re-registered as UK boats. Also according to the Europe site, records are pretty poor, so it might be difficult to see what was happening.
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stellamike
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by stellamike »

Could the 4 figure No be its old inter moth No,& 3 figure its new Europe no.
Europa"s where availiable from the mid 60"s

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Rupert
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Rupert »

By the time 1974 rolled around, the Europe had been out of date as a Moth for a number of years, though I've no idea how many of the early 60's Europa Moths were remeasured as Europes.
So far, Europe 1, hot air blower 0 - Just killed it - enough warmth coming oiut of it to dry hair, now...
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davidh
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by davidh »

Good luck with the Europe Rupert, now there really is a 'small' boat that is capable of a really good turn of speed. Years and years past, longer even, Rondars were launching their Europe at Southampton Boat Show and had arranged with the Beeb to get some footage afloat for a TV prog. It was howling, not to mention some very unseasonal hail, all the other boats stayed ashore but I took the Europe and reached up and down for a while (NO Gybes!) and had a great time!! I've got a pic of me doing that somewhere......

But I woul dhave to say that I really rated the Europe, far better than the Laser Radial that replaced it as the olympic boat.

Am currently working on a red grp contender hull.... if you want the low down on getting a grp hull back into race trim - then Ian Ridge is the man!!

D
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Ed »

Re: the Hairdryer-on-steroids....

what has broken? have you got no air....or no heat....or both.

unless it has been making a noise for a while, in which case it could be the electric motor, it is more likely to be part of the heating element. If so, pull it apart, find the break and just twist together the two ends and it is easily fixed.

Both of mine broke within one weekend recently....one motor (brushes gone I reckon) and one element. Fixed the element and bought another, so back to one good one and a spare.

cheers

eib
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Rupert
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by Rupert »

Good idea - I bought another, but as you say, a spare always good.
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Re: Roland Europe

Post by jpa_wfsc »

davidh wrote:
Am currently working on a red grp contender hull.... if you want the low down on getting a grp hull back into race trim - then Ian Ridge is the man!!

D
well - yes please. Who is Ian? Still waiting for time to strip my GRP IC hull, but then want to get a nice fair finish on her..

j./
j./

National 12 "Spider" 2523
Finn K468 'Captain Scarlet'

British Moth, 630, early 60's 'Pisces'

!!!! Not CVRDA !!!!
Comet Trio - something always ready to sail.
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