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Removal:
I generally prefer to use a hair dryer to soften up the glue on the old sail numbers then grab a corner of the number with light long-nose pliers and squirt hot air under while gently lifting off the old numbers.
Take care not to apply too much heat – you may end up with a hole in your sail. For this reason I do not recommend heat guns.New Numbers:
Your sailmaker will cut you new numbers (quick and accurate but a bit dearer) but I usually buy a bit of stickyback sailcloth (red for Sabre numbers) and cut the required numbers out (remembering you’re drawing the numbers in mirror image if you are setting them out on the backing paper on the stickyback.) The numbers must be sans serif upright Arabic font, minimum size 300mm high x 200mm wide (except for the figure 1) x 40mm thick.Application:
Partially peel the backing off the number and align it very carefully in the correct place [numbers go under the class insignia in the area bounded by in the area bounded by the luff, the leech, the lower full batten and the upper short batten with the top number on the starboard side of the sail.]I am currently seeking agreements to publication of the full building guide on the website (there are apparently issues with copyright and payment of royalties to the original designer of the Sabre, Rex Fettell.)
I do anticipate the recently revised rules and measurements will be posted in the very near future – keep an eye on the Rules & Measurement section on the National page.
Incidentally, there are no hidden rules for the Sabre and there never have been; they are up-to-date on all new sail number issues, but for many with older boats or lack of access to a current set of rules there may be a problem.
There has always been a bit of a problem with rules and measurements not being listed in an orderly manner but I believe we have overcome (crossed fingers) this in the recent review.
Measurers have current Building Guides incorporating Measurements and Rules and will respond to queries.
Alternatively, send me $30 ($60 for non-members) and I will post you a full set by return mail. Another $30 gets you a new sail number for that new boat you are contemplating.
Fair winds
Mike SimpsonThe newly adopted rules have not yet been posted to replace the old ones.
Some of the “new” rules have been moved from the building guide and fitting out instructions to within the rules proper – this has been a consolidation and do not involve any major change from the previous requirements. I’ll remind Ashley about getting them updated on the site!
My comments on this subject are my personal opinion – I am not empowered to make official interpretations. These must be made by the National Measurer or the National Committee (which does not presently exist) or at a General Meeting (Special or Annual).
I have some problem understanding how RRS42 may be overridden by Rule 5.2 (still current) – explain please.
I am keen that issues like these be discussed in this forum.
I believe these fittings are clearly in contravention of TWO rules; 1.11.2(k) which prohibits struts between the thwart and the floor and 1.11.3(n) which requires that the mainsheet shall lead from a block on the keel stiffening timber to the hand.
Another item seemingly prohibited by inference are “enhanced” compasses such as the TickTack, which has memory and computing capability, and is outside the stated concept of the Sabre as “a sailing dinghy that is simple in design and construction and relatively easy and inexpensive to build.”
Incidentally, if anyone feels like testing the legal limits of the mainsheet system, I have a “Loveday Loop” left over from one of our Fireballs and would make it available for a small fee.
Fair winds and fair sailing
Mike SimpsonAndrew
No one appears to have picked up your request so I’ll give it a go.
The thwart is positioned with its front edge at the rear of the centrecase slot.
The “small piece of timber” you mention is the thwart strengthener and is a required part of the boat – I recommend you construct it of 19mm plywood.
The mainsheet hawse must be of cord and anchored with a knot on one of the holes in the thwart and led thru’ the other side and back to a cleat (My boat has a clam cleat C11 Mk2 set on top of a mounting block fixed to the thwart strengthener) for ready adjustment on the water.
Be careful to get the holes for the mainsheet hawse within tolerance – between 500 & 510 mm apart centre to centre – keep them as small as possible to avoid reducing the strength of the thwart.
Mike Simpson
The recently adopted revision to the measurment rules specify:
“The forward extremity of the vang boom fitting must be between 665 & 690 mm measured from the innermost point of the fitting to the after face of the mast with the boom fitted to the mast gooseneck, the sail rigged and the vang tensioned.”
This is a small change to the aftermost limit to allow for a bit of stretch in strap type hangers.
It is definately intended that the measurement be made to the most forward point of the attachment fitting and has no reference to the actual hole to which the tackle is attached.
The carrying of GPSs is definately not permitted, but the TacTic has not been specifically permitted or outlawed.
On the basis that the Velocitek has greater capabilities than a simple compass I believe it is not permissable.
I will be asking the next AGM at Adelaide after New Year (or the meeting reviewing the rules) whether we want to permit TacTic compasses in the revised Rules – I recommend you wait till after that.
Mike Simpson
If you are am member of a Sabre association, your local measurer will be pleased to provide advice on your queries.
Rule 7.2(a) states “The outhaul towel rail is measured from the innermost edge of the traveller to the aft extremity of the mast when the boom is fixed onto the mast gooseneck.” The innermost end of the traveller is taken as the after-most face of the front bracket on the towel rail and it must be located between 1830 and 1842 from the aft face of the mast.
The other measurement is the length of the rail itself (195mm min 205 mm max) I suspect the minus in the table was left when the length range was split into two measurements. It will be corrected in the next edition of the notes & rules.
We are currently completing an extensive review of the notes & rules and have just circulated them to the members of the National Association with the aim of getting them adopted at the next AGM in January.
I anticipate the draft of the revised rules, as sent to the National members, will be posted on the web site within a few days, but be aware that, while there are not many significant changes, these revisions are being posted for State members’ information and must be adopted before coming into force.
After adoption, they will be posted on the web site in full under rules and measurment.
Riley are alive and well.
They have a suitable block for your purpose – RM804.
Vic Riley rep Andy Morrison of Marine Sports will tell you who stocks them – (0408 319 997)
I was of the understanding Chriso & I were discussing the mast section.
The mast & boom are distinctly different extrusions; the boom section being a simple tube in three optional wall thicknesse as specified in Rule 7.1(a), the mast is an oval shape as specified in measurements 94 & 95.
To my knowledge there is now only one legal mast section made in Australia now, that is the Comalco E11466. I am not aware of any other section that fits our parameters and would be interested to hear about any options people may know of.
I know of two Sabre mast suppliers in Victoria; John Dixon at Iecon in Bayswater stocks masts (he currently has some anodised mast sections) and also sells boom sections in at least two thicknesses; Bob Keeley in Moorabbin has masts, I’m not sure if he has booms.
Boom sections are also available from aluminium suppliers but would be 6 metres or so in length.
Unless the Binks mast is a renamed Comalco extrusion it may not comply. The SA measurer may be familiar with the legality of the Binks section.
I understand the gate starts are proposed mainly to allow easier control of starting a large fleet (around 70 boats anticipated) especially in reducing recalls. 505s have apparently used gate starts in large fleets at their Worlds for many years.
Then there is the rumour that there are SA Sabre sailors, already expert in gate starts, who have worked out how they can achieve advantage from the gate start in combination with:
(a) local tides;
(b) the configuration of the sea bottom in the race area;
(c) the seagrass beds in the vicinity; and
(d) the local knowledge of which way to go having survived the gate start.As a probable non-competitor for the forthcoming Nationals and recipient of some queries regarding the gate starts, I suggest that:
1. you get hold of your Club’s Sailing Captain and organise practice of gate starts.
2. if, having tried gate starts, you don’t like them, write to SA and beg them to drop the idea – this would probably require a substantial proportion of likely entrants to achieve any result.
3. if you still don’t like the idea, don’t enter.The likely results will probably be the usual people up front, the regular people mid fleet and the remainder providing the rearguard.
Anyone want to organise a sweep?
See you at the AGM.
Fair winds
MRSThe following is a copy of the 505 Gate Start Procedures:
The Gate Start
11.1 Starting Marks will be:
(a) The Port Limit Mark, a {describe the mark} on the starboard side of the race committee boat. OR The Port Limit Mark, a {describe the mark} released from the stern of the gate launch approximately 10 seconds before the start.
(b) The Pathfinder.
(c) The Gate Launch, displaying flag G.11.2 Races will be started using RRS 26. The Warning Signal shall be 8 minutes before the starting signal. Signals will be displayed from the Race Committee Boat, which will also display flag G, signifying a gate start. The time between the starting signal and the time at which the Gate Launch will stop at the starboard end of the starting line will not be less than four minutes.
11.3 The Pathfinder for the first race sailed will be appointed by the race committee. The Pathfinder for subsequent races will be the boat that finished tenth in the preceding race. When this boat is unable to race or has acted as Pathfinder previously, the Pathfinder will be appointed by the race committee and will normally be the boat that finished eleventh in the preceding race. The national letters and sail number of the Pathfinder will be posted on the official notice board for the first scheduled race of the day, and on the Race Committee Boat for the second race of the day. Prior to the preparatory signal the Pathfinder shall report to the Gate Launch, which will be near the {Port Limit mark} {race committee boat}.
11.4 Not used.
11.5 Approximately 30 seconds prior to the starting signal:
(a) the Pathfinder will begin a close-hauled port tack from the {Port Limit Mark} {close to the stern of the race committee boat}.
(b) the Gate Launch will keep station close astern of the Pathfinder.11.6 The starting line (except for the Pathfinder) will be between the Port Limit Mark and the centre of the stern of the Gate Launch.
11.7 All boats (except for the Pathfinder) shall start on starboard tack after the starting signal. A boat starting prematurely shall retire from the race. RRS 29.2, Individual Recall, shall not apply.
11.8 The Pathfinder shall sail its close-hauled course until it is released by hail from the Gate Launch, after which it ceases to be a starting mark and may continue or tack onto starboard tack.
11.9 After the release of the Pathfinder the Gate Launch will continue its course and speed until the gate has been opened for the period signalled in sailing instruction 11.2. It will then stop, make a long sound signal, drift for three minutes, and finally signal the close of the gate by lowering flag G with a short sound signal. Thereafter no boat shall start.
11.10 Before starting, a boat shall not interfere with the Pathfinder. Any boat that interferes with, or passes between or attempts to pass between the Pathfinder, the Gate Launch or the Guard Boat, or that causes another boat to interfere in any of these ways, or that is on the port side of the Gate Launch as it opens the gate, shall retire from that race and shall be ineligible for any restarts of that race unless the infringing boat can satisfy the Race Committee that its actions were caused either by another boat not having right of way or by some other unavoidable circumstance. This changes RRS 36.
Oil based (alkyd – your standard household enamel) or one-pot polyester (such as International “Brightside”)
Can’t say I’ve ever seen or heard of a decent waterbased gloss that would give me the finish I would want.
MRS
I have always had good results with household enamel. Preparation is relatively simple – grind out locations where cracks are visible and apply patches of fibreglass in epoxy resin, sand, fill, undercoat if needed and apply a couple of coats of finish enamel.
Whatever you do, don’t go for a two-pot finish on an old boat – the preparation work is extensive and the boat is likely to flex and crack your new brittle finish within weeks of launching.
I have a very old Sabre on which that the previous owner spent a huge amount of time putting on a beautiful two-pot paint job. The boat now has numerous small cracks at stress points (at the ends of floor battens, etc.) on this otherwise beautiful finish.
I intend to put glass/epoxy patches on these cracks and paint the boat with a nice flexible enamel like International “Brightside”, which isn’t much dearer than common garden household enamel or single pack polyurethane.
