Folding Prop

[hotstonp]

Hi Mike

Never tried a preventer on the camberspar. The lines you can see there are either the burgee halyard or the jib sheet.

As a teenager I used to sail a Fireball dinghy and that had a deck hole and sock for the kite. This is just the same. I could definitely improve the mouth of the deck sock though. I have flown the kite solo up to 18 knots without issue. It is easy enough to handle that my 11 year old daughter can control the pole with her hands and no winches.

Despite having seen the video I have not tried tacking with it up yet!

18 knots is the max I have tried with the new kite. The day the photos were taken started out quite light wind. By the end I was getting close to restricted waters and the wind had picked up to 18 - 20 knots true. Autohelm on and down the kite came. I had hoped to carry the kite around the corner and head up Southampton water but the wind veared and increased making discretion a better option.

About three years ago I hoisted the original kite on the round the island race - it didn't last long and started splitting in two (very old). We got it down into the sock before it shredded but whilst it was up the whole boat hummed. I was on the foredeck not the helm at the time so missed seeing what speed we got up to. Such was the feeling of speed and control I went straight out and ordered a new one ( along with a new job and main which transformed the speed and handling).

Keep well
Peter

[hotstonp]

Hi Mike

You asked about heavier weather.

I have had two occasions heading down wind in string conditions. One was the round the island race in 2016. Go this by a 40 kit gust and that took out the vang completely, bit of a mess. Otherwise we were fine. Jury rigged a vang and carried on. Managed to beat the other F33 in the race by a hair... literally crossed the line and 1/4 of a boat length ahead of her. Great fun!

Same year was heading west intending o go to Torquay from Yarmouth in October - wind built up a bit and in the end we ran for cover in Portland Harbour as it started gusting force 9. Whilst it was uncomfortable I have to say that the boat performed really well. I kept the jib up until we had to come on the wind to enter harbour but just had two reefs in the main. Feronia went like a train and felt very in control. The weight of the pole never caused me concern. Thinking about it we were on port tack most of the way and the pole is on the port side.

Camberspar - I have been caught in a blow and sat in irons for a while that shook the end of the camber spar apart. Amazingly all the parts fell on the deck and stayed there. Getting the pole back on board and the jib down was fun. Again I was solo at the time.

Keep well
Peter

[mike cunningham]

Peter,
Thanks for the additional info. I am going to dive in.

I ordered some carbon fiber sleeves today so I can laminate a few additional layers on my new fiber spinnaker pole. At least what I hope will be my new spinnaker pole. I have nicely tapered tubing from a couple of carbon windsurf masts. There are three sections I am working with; the original 6 foot non tapered mast foot. The tapered 8 foot upper section of this mast and a second tapered upper section of a second mast which I intend to splice to the other end of the straight lower tube. The result will be a 17 foot pole consisting of a six foot straight center section and a 5 foot six inch tapered section on each end.

I think I will wind up with a pretty strong and lightweight pole without spending a huge amount of money. If it doesn't work out I can retreat to the original aluminum beast.

I still need to figure out how I will mount hardware but there is not a lot to do mount. My existing pole has two SS rings at each end for attachment of the clews the pole extension lines and the reins. Those ought to be fairly easy to replicate.

[hotstonp]

Hi Mike

I am hoping to brave the cold this coming weekend and go for a sail so if there any photos of the gunmount you need to make it all make sense then let me know.

Keep well
Peter

[mike cunningham]

Peter,

While I have photos as part of a document I received from another member of the board, I imagine each rig is a little different based upon innovations by the various users. I would be thrilled to get a set of photos of the rig implementation on your boat. Of particular interest would be the bag attachment to the pulpit, and the routing of from pole to cockpit.

Many Thanks,
Mike

[mdedionisio]

Woohoo! Glad I found this thread. I just (30 minutes ago) bought a 2 blade Max Prop for my F30. Picked up a used 14" from Torresen Marine. When I got my boat last year (Spring of 16) it had a 15x9 3 blade fixed prop. I couldn't get the engine above 2600 rpm or it would smoke like crazy. I put on the original two blade fixed and that improved the RPMs a bit, but still feel that there's a lot of drag. I can't beat a Nonsuch 30 that rates the same as me.

Mark DeDionisio
F30 Avventura
Oriental, NC

[mdedionisio]

Mike: I was going down the same route as you, in that I got a quote on a 2 blade Flexofold. Here's my question; What waters are you in? Do you experience marine growth? When I looked at those exposed gears on the Flexofold all I could see was them getting jammed up with barnacles and the prop failing to fold.

Mark DeDionisio
F30 Avventura
Oriental, NC

[gamayun]

Woohoo! Glad I found this thread. I just (30 minutes ago) bought a 2 blade Max Prop for my F30. Picked up a used 14" from Torresen Marine. When I got my boat last year (Spring of 16) it had a 15x9 3 blade fixed prop. I couldn't get the engine above 2600 rpm or it would smoke like crazy. I put on the original two blade fixed and that improved the RPMs a bit, but still feel that there's a lot of drag. I can't beat a Nonsuch 30 that rates the same as me.

Mark DeDionisio
F30 Avventura
Oriental, NC

Oh, good luck with that! My nemesis here are two Wylies that rate a little lower than my F38 and they sail right over me all the time. I've been close so I know it's possible but I have to fix the nut at the wheel first

[mike cunningham]

Yes, it is pretty frustrating with regard to speed, particularly in light conditions.

I keep the boat on the Cal Delta so she is in fresh water. We get a little slime on the bottom but that's it.

Mike