Last weekend's USA Classic Moth Mid-Winters ...

[iowlen]

Here are a few photo's of last weekends USA Classic Moth Mid-Winters at the Boca Ciega Bay , Florida ... Cheers , Len

[Michael Brigg]

Well thats a change from shin kicking!

( Coincidentally, last night we had a report on the news of a "first ever" Shark attack in Aukland, New Zealand.)

[SoggyBadger]

That's a Dolphin not a Shark. Almost certainly a Bottle-Nosed that close to shore.

It's not really mid-winter sailing though is it when they're wearing less that we'd wear in the summer.

[roger]

Ineresting that your Classics have gone down the carbon rig route like the Merlins over here. It has caused some consternation here about what a classic is. Have you had these discussions?

ps great pics Thanks

[Rupert]

It is a shame that we don't have a Classic Moth class over here - even in the cvrda we have a mix of old and new style rigs and width rules.

Those pictures look great - makes me want to move...

[Nessa]

I would love to sail the Yellow Peril in amongst that lot. Apart from the carbon it would feel very at home.

[iowlen]

Re the carbon/modification question , the US Classic Moth's are split into three divisions , Vintage ( pre 1950 ) , Gen 1 & Gen II , all of which race together and are scored separately.
No modifications allowed on Vintage boats , only certain changes allowed on Gen I boats , and much looser restrictions on the faster Gen II boats , so there's a place for all.

[trebor]

Looks great, a sunny day in winter here looks similar, apart from the michelin men sailing only their faces visible.
Looking at photos is the mast adjustable whilst sailing?
What effect does it have?

[roger]

Thanks for the reply Len

[Rupert]

Looks great, a sunny day in winter here looks similar, apart from the michelin men sailing only their faces visible.
Looking at photos is the mast adjustable whilst sailing?
What effect does it have?

Whole books have been written on the subject...

I can't speak for that the Classic Moths are doing, as their needs may be different, but in Europes, Finns etc, where the boom reaches the deack at the back when closehauled, the windier it is, the more upright you have the mast, so that it bends more before the boom hits the deck when you pull the mainsheet in, so the sail flattens more.

Other boats do the opposite - the mast will be raked back further in a blow - the Supenova and Contender are examples of this. Though doing the opposite, because of the mast bending more in the Europe etc, once sailing the effect is the same - the Cof E has moved aft, allowing you to raise the centreboard a bit in a blow to take heeling pressure off the hull yet keep the balance right. A pivoting board like on the Contender comes into its own here.

Other boats (the Firefly is one) will rake the mast aft when going upwind, and pull it forwards going down wind. The Star is the most extreme version of this.

Boats with mast pots loose out on all of this (though the Laser's, I think is elongated fore and aft a little?) so have to find ways round it all - one reason why a decent kicker with plenty of travel is a useful thing to have.

However, the subject is far more complex that this, and even people far clever than me disagree about why certain things work...

[chris]

"Re the carbon/modification question , the US Classic Moth's are split into three divisions , Vintage ( pre 1950 ) , Gen 1 & Gen II , all of which race together and are scored separately.
No modifications allowed on Vintage boats , only certain changes allowed on Gen I boats , and much looser restrictions on the faster Gen II boats , so there's a place for all. "


This seems a very sensible solution to me. Sadly the Merlins are even intending to allow brand new boats into the vintage wing if they are under 5'8" and made of wood. The arms race to modernise old boats started to put me off now this new direction is (nearly) the last straw.

[Rupert]

Are you allowed to design and build new boats for the Gen II category?

If so, then I guess the Classic Moths are more like the Merlins in total, not like the vintage Merlins, only with a much better relationship between the older boats and the newer, all doing events together.

[iowlen]

Are you allowed to design and build new boats for the Gen II category?

Hi Rupert ... As long as it's at least 75lbs , 11' long , with a max. beam of 5' ( no wings allowed ) you can design and build any hull you want , with whatever materials you want.
Depending on what it is , the Committee guys then have a chat and a beer to decide whether it's suitable for the Gen I or Gen II division , which is usually fairly obvious. But the main thing is , as long as the weight's right and it measures in the box rule , you can go racing ...