[heymacaulay]

Hi all

Thanks for your replys. Since i posted the forum i found out if i split the fare between 4 boats (3 on trailor and 1 on roof) will be about $200 each way if we went through the day. Still thinking of other ideas…may sail over would be he best idea!

Any other ideas would be appreciated

Ryan

[heymacaulay]

The above is well sumed up.

We down here in tassie went to the last nationals with 2 boats on a trailer and 1 on the roof top, making our length squeeze in on 9m. We also had a 3 birth cabin over and back because we went of a night.
This cost us just under $1800 over and back as a package.

We are hoping to get some sponsorship money to share around those who make the trip to enjoy what should be a great national championship.

Be sure to book your trip on the spirit ASAP to avoid disappointment.

Cheers

Andrew

[heymacaulay]

Andy,

I think thats a great idea.

The more Sabre specific information and training we can provide the better the numbers in our class will be, especially to help encourage junior development and keep numbers healthy.

The dvd could be split into individual parts for the different skills sets addressed such as beginner , intermediate and advance.

Even the simple things like rigging up could be covered . Often you see a new Sabre sailor rigging up refering to hand written notes which have been passed down with the boat from previous owner.

Sabre 1061

[heymacaulay]

Arthur Brett has been making excellent covers for a number of years.
Besides being an AYF coach, he also runs Arthur Brett Sails.
Ph 9775 3968 or 0416 178 314
6 Parlands Cl, FRANKSTON.

Hooper Sails also make them and you might also check with Lindsay Irwin.

[heymacaulay]

Thanks for info AB. Will research the subject with relevant Gov. Dept. and post further details soon. Another group of piranha starfish has been located in the waterways of Pittwater, possibly a sub-species.

Salty

[heymacaulay]

Thanks for info AB. Will research the subject with relevant Gov. Dept. and post further details soon. Another group of piranha starfish has been located in the waterways of Pittwater, possibly a sub-species.

Salty

[heymacaulay]

Very good suggestion, I appreciate your post, most heartening.
Thanks
Milton
PS. I have a Wanted to buy Sabre post in the Buy and Sell.

[heymacaulay]

Well as my name has been mentioned I will put my 20 cents worth in. First Annodizing is a cold chemical process. It does eat away a very small layer of aluminium but I suspect the softenning effect is more rumour and story than fact. I wont suggest other ways of changing the thickness in fear of upsetting someone but anything done to an existing mast is most likely to lead to failure at week point.
The second point is what happens to a mast with age. Aluminium is made stiffer and harder by causing a large number of small impurities to precipitate out. The ease of doing this and if it can be done at all depends on the chemical composition. One batch of masts were made up out of the wrong grade of aluminium and were fantastic for sabres (Xstatic won a number of titles using these masts). They were all sold cheap as considered too soft and some people bought a number. To harden alumiium the normal method is to heat it (or do it when hot) and rapidly cool it. To then resoften it all you need do is heat it and allow it to cool slowly. Aluminium that is mad hard and stiff this way is more prone to cracking and failing and most who have used an old laser top section for a boom will have experienced this.
With normal aluminium you would with time expect it to slowly temper and get a bit softer. However if it is bent or deformed in any way that area will get harder and more brittle. This is where you would expect cracking.
The main problem with aluminium is stress corrosion. This is where a small mark can turn into a crack and oxygen defiiciencies in this area along with stress at the point will cause the crack to grow. If the material is soft then it can blunt the crack but if hard (see laser top section) the crack can grow quite rapidly. The solution is to keep corosive materials such as water (in particular salt water) away from the aluminium. I have just never worked out how to do this on a boat.
Well now that you wished you never asked I will say goodbye.
Stephen Early

[heymacaulay]

Hi Salty Dog

The pirahna starfish is relatively unknown, even to locals.

There are very few who know the truth behind its discovery.

However I may be able to put you in touch with someone who knows more to this than I.

I’ll be in touch soon.

Cheers

Andrew B

[heymacaulay]

Andy,
Many of the top boats double anodise to thin the wall thickness.
Stephen Early has a metalurgical background and I seem to recall him saying that over time, anodising will actually stiffen the mast.
I started sailing Sabres in 1991 and I think there was a great deal of controversy at the Tas nationals that year regarding a couple of boats having illegal sleeves inside their masts down near the gooseneck and above.
The idea was to stiffen the mast down low and bend at the top half.
I think the main culprit was related to one of our leading sailmakers.
Needless to say, heavy penalties were applied.

[heymacaulay]

Hi,

I think you might have over-done it. My rig tension never causes the mast to invert. In fact, I wasn’t aware you could invert the mast on a Sabre! I tried it on the weekend and by pulling it on as hard as I could, I could get about 3mm reverse bend. But that was way too much tension. Although I use a “tight” rig – tight is a relative word. It is tighter than most other Sabres I have seen on the beach. However, it is not super tight. The forestay goes slack downwind in 15+ knots!

Also notice that I said “How much tension you actually use depends mostly on your mail-sail combination and is a balancing act between upwind and downwind sailing”. Sails react differently. The sail I used at the Nationals this year needs less tension than my old sail. Both are Hoopers, but they are cut differently.

Keep trying the rig tight, but not super tight. The main indicator that I have too much rig tension for the sail I’m using is actually down wind. If the rig is too tight you cannot control the leech tension properly because the mast bends too much. Pulling on vang tension to straighten the leech just bends it more and makes the sail way too flat.

Hope this helps!

Alan Riley
Sabre 1564

[heymacaulay]

Just to let all who contacted me regarding this boat, it has now gone to a person who has the time and experience to restore the boat. Thank you to all the offers to take Sabre 294.

Greg Dalton

[heymacaulay]

In recent years the only time we have raced against Pacers in the same Div is at the Sail Melb Dinghy Classic hosted by Mordialloc SC.
In ultra light it is fairly even. 5-10knots Pacers gebearlly beat us square with kite and even upwind. Anything over 15 knots we usually kill them upwind and reaching, especially the latter. It could be more even square but usually our top boats are a long way in front so it is difficult to know.

[heymacaulay]

Christie,

I use the granny ropes to both right the boat and also to hold on when i fall out. Stops the boat sailing away and having to swim after it.

The ropes go from the bow to just past the thwart with metal saddles ( loops ) attached under the gunwales.

Some people also have rope ladders which they attach to the back of the boat to help climb back in once the boat is up again, which would be similar to your idea.

Where do you sail at so if i’m ever at the club I can give you a demo.

Regards

Fiona McCulloch

[heymacaulay]

To find out a boats age talk to the State Measurer or give me a ring

Phillip Johnson
National Measurer

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