Graduate?

General chat about boats
Post Reply
Nessa
Posts: 2290
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 3:16 pm
Location: East Angular

Graduate?

Post by Nessa »

Does a Graduate make a viable single hander for a larger person like myself, or would I always be wishing for a crew? Is there a handicap for one sailed solo?
The Peril
Agamemnon
Lovely little Cadet
OK 1954
Xena Warrior Princess
Finn 469
Laser 2
Wayfarer World
chris
Posts: 2474
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:43 pm
Location: somerset

Re: Graduate?

Post by chris »

A couple of grads at our club often sail single handed. We take 20 off the py for sailing DH singly.
MartinH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:55 pm
Location: West Wilts

Re: Graduate?

Post by MartinH »

I'm probably one of those Grad sailors Chris is referring to. The Grad is a great fun boat to sail single or double-handed. I must admit ours went best when Catherine helmed and I was crew/tactician. The reason I stopped sailing her was partly because my back was playing up and she was too heavy to recover up the slipway by myself without being crippled for days. In a bit of a blow the new main is very powerful but doesn't seem to point quite as high as the original sail (but it is only a few degrees).
Martin
Grad 2146 FOR SALE
Rupert
Posts: 6255
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Cotswold Water Park

Re: Graduate?

Post by Rupert »

Yes, Grads, like Fireflies, are nice singlehanded, especially the satisfaction of getting a really good tack in with minimal jib flapping.

Ref the new sail not pointing as high - is this a known class thing, or just what you found? It wouldn't surprise me if the new main would involve a whole new tuning giude to bring everything back to what is right for max pointing, from jib settings to mast rake to spreader angles.
Rupert
kfz
Posts: 384
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:38 pm
Location: Liverpool SC
Contact:

Re: Graduate?

Post by kfz »

Rupert wrote:Yes, Grads, like Fireflies, are nice singlehanded, especially the satisfaction of getting a really good tack in with minimal jib flapping.

Ref the new sail not pointing as high - is this a known class thing, or just what you found? It wouldn't surprise me if the new main would involve a whole new tuning giude to bring everything back to what is right for max pointing, from jib settings to mast rake to spreader angles.

Basic aerodynamics if its more cambered and more specialised to certain conditions it willmay well stall easier and not point as high. you can fool mother nature a bit, but not too much. No free lunch.

Kev
MartinH
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:55 pm
Location: West Wilts

Re: Graduate?

Post by MartinH »

Rupert wrote:Yes, Grads, like Fireflies, are nice singlehanded, especially the satisfaction of getting a really good tack in with minimal jib flapping.

Ref the new sail not pointing as high - is this a known class thing, or just what you found? It wouldn't surprise me if the new main would involve a whole new tuning giude to bring everything back to what is right for max pointing, from jib settings to mast rake to spreader angles.
I think it is mainly down to the degree of tuning (and my personal incompetence). The new sail requires a nearly vertical mast while the old ones need moderate rake. I presume this due to the centre of effort moving aft slightly with the bigger, new sail.
Martin
Grad 2146 FOR SALE
Post Reply