Osprey history

an area to discuss dinghy developments
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PeterV
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Osprey history

Post by PeterV »

There's a very nice Osprey on eBay (number 292). The advert says it wasn't used for racing because it doesn't have a trapeze or spinnaker chute but I was wondering when these became common in the Ospreys and if this is just an early example which hasn't been updated.
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JimC
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Re: Osprey history

Post by JimC »

FWIW my 1959 edition of Racing Dinghy Handling says trapezes are banned in Ospreys. There's a list on the Osprey web site which says that 265 and 266 were built in 1963, and 300 in 1962 (!). A 1965 book I have seems to imply that they are pretty much universal. There's nothing in my PY records giving any clue when they were allowed and when they became universal.
pierre
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Re: Osprey history

Post by pierre »

You might want to have a bit of a rummage round here.
http://www.ospreysailing.org/cms/index. ... ns-history

I thought the Osprey always had the trapeze and spinnaker, but can't swear to it.
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jpa_wfsc
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Re: Osprey history

Post by jpa_wfsc »

I used to own a two digit S/No Osprey Mk one. This was definitely laid out in the cockpit for three people and no trapeze - it had a trapeze but that had been retrofitted as the elastic was routed through holes with Holt fittings from a much later date than the 1950's hull was. The boat even had a tufnol snubbing winch that was a brilliant way to help hold in that big genoa (as long as you wrapped the sheet around the right way).

The class used to allow two or three crew, and once the trapeze was adopted (which was very early on) you could still have three crew but only one allowed to trapeze at any one time.

They always had a spinnaker, but chutes would not have been used on early boats. The practice was to launch from spin bags stored between mast and bow tank bulkhead. Memory defeats me but mine might have had a hatch in the deck there...
j./

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Re: Osprey history

Post by SoggyBadger »

jpa_wfsc wrote:They always had a spinnaker, but chutes would not have been used on early boats. The practice was to launch from spin bags stored between mast and bow tank bulkhead. Memory defeats me but mine might have had a hatch in the deck there...
When I started racing Ospreys (1971 I think) there were one or two boats at the club which didn't have chutes.
Best wishes


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davidh
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Re: Osprey history

Post by davidh »

FYI...you'll not find chutes appearing until the early 1970s. The first 'domestic' (ie, UK boat) use of a spinnaker chute was the Greg Gregory Merlin Rocket 2450 'Ghost Rider' - though they had appeared earlier than that on some FDs.

Interestingly, in the David Thomas archive of drawings and plans are a set for a 'spinnaker launcher' that we'd clearly recognise today as a chute (though more like the ones carried on skiffs - above deck. Dates on that are mid-1960s. So David T was really ahead of the game!

D
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jpa_wfsc
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Re: Osprey history

Post by jpa_wfsc »

davidh wrote:FYI...you'll not find chutes appearing until the early 1970s. The first 'domestic' (ie, UK boat) use of a spinnaker chute was the Greg Gregory Merlin Rocket 2450 'Ghost Rider' - though they had appeared earlier than that on some FDs.

D
the skua we had until a couple of years ago was designed and built with a spin shute (mid sixties). The starboard side tank was built so that the sock would lie between the deck and the top of the tank (on Port, the side tank went right up to the deck).
j./

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

!!!! Not CVRDA !!!!
Comet Trio - something always ready to sail.
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Re: Osprey history

Post by Obscured by clouds »

davidh wrote:FYI...you'll not find chutes appearing until the early 1970s. The first 'domestic' (ie, UK boat) use of a spinnaker chute was the Greg Gregory Merlin Rocket 2450 'Ghost Rider' -

D
Hmmm, you sure of that David. Julia Dream MR2404 from '71 has a chute and I'm pretty sure it's not retro-fitted.
Tony



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Bill-Conner
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Re: Osprey history

Post by Bill-Conner »

The very first Merlin Spinnaker Chute fitted as she was built was David Robinsons Ghost Rider 2350
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Re: Osprey history

Post by Mikey »

Well you guys seem to be somewhat dyslectic regarding numbers! "Ghost Rider" was S/N 2340 - 5th. in the hands of David Robinson at the '70 Champs at Pwllheli. Shame on you Dougal!
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Re: Osprey history

Post by davidh »

Tony.... thanks for taking good care of me over the previous fortnight, a shame it was a tad breezy to get Julia's Dream out afloat. I think that your boat is spot on timescales wise, once Ghost Rider had been launched complete with a chute, pretty much every new boat was changed (even those going through construction) to allow for one too. So yes, 2404.... it fits. I will be returning to Plas Heli when the builders have finished and then formal opening is taking place - hopefully we can all meet up again then.

And yes Luke, head hung in shame, though in my defence I had three files open at the same time! I was trying to reply to the original post at the same time as finishing a double length article on Eileen Ramsay and covering events at the Fireball Worlds...multi-tasking is clearly not my thing.

But we need not worry, for we have the definitive answer already from 'Bill-Conner', who we all know to be the alter-ego of 'Ancient Geek' aka David Villiers-Child. After all, if anyone should know, it was D V-C, who at the 227 boat Pwllheli Nationals finished in 4th place to Ghost Rider's fifth. And, even if his memory played him false, he could always look up the facts in the three copies of the Merlin Rocket book that he has......but sadly, to date, he has never paid for.

I have a load more information to add with regard to the Osprey ( a spin off from the work looking in to the 505 story) but will create another thread..... I have no wish to contribute to this one, given the air of corruption that has sadly tainted the otherwise informative exchanges.

Tony/Luke and others, will post later.

Dougal
David H
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